Three-plus years later, St. Anthony rises from Ida

If there is anything the storm-tossed parishioners of St. Anthony Parish in Lafitte know all too well, it is the importance of persevering in faith while they await the joy of rebirth.

Those elements were on full display on Jan. 19 when Archbishop Gregory Aymond joined Father Jude Emunemu, the St. Anthony pastor, in rededicating the fishing community’s church that had been swamped by Hurricane Ida in September 2021.

Ida’s flooding made the church unusable for more than three years, and parishioners spent months worshiping elsewhere – first beneath a blue tent set up just outside the church and community center, then in the community center and also at the former St. Pius X Mission Church in Crown Point.

 “St. Pius X in Crown Point became like a little anchor,” said Father Emunemu, who succeeded Father Luke Nguyen as pastor in July 2024. “At least the air conditioners were working at St. Pius. It was not as affected because it was raised.”

At St. Anthony, however, the pews were submerged, and the walls, ceiling and heating and cooling systems were severely damaged.

“There was mold, and everything was a mess,” Father Emunemu said.

Fishing community waited

The months of waiting for insurance and FEMA reimbursements grew into years. The church finally has been renovated – there are three new air conditioning units – while some reimbursements are pending, Father Emunemu said.

The new pews arrived one week before the dedication Mass, and the floor of stained concrete still bears the restored image of “Ixoye” – an acronym for the Greek phrase “Iesous Xristos Theou Yios Sotare,” which translates to “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” “ICHTHYS” is also the Greek word for fish.

“The archbishop was very excited,” Father Emunemu said. “For us to get back, considering everything we and the community of Lafitte have been through, is historical. This was a moment to reawaken the faith and bring the community together. It’s like, ‘Hey, come on guys. We’re back home together and we’re back home stronger.’”

Snow was no problem

On the Tuesday after the dedication Mass, the area received more than a foot of snow, Father Emunemu said, but the church roof weathered everything just fine.

Father Emunemu returned to his renovated rectory two weeks before Christmas. About 200 people attended the Jan. 19 Mass.

“Our people obviously were very, very excited to be back in their church,” he said. “It was a great evangelizing moment for the community and very comforting and reassuring. The archdiocese understands our collective struggle over the last 3 1/2 years. We’re all in this together.”

Father Emunemu also was formally installed as pastor by Archbishop Aymond and Father Colin Braud, dean of the West Bank Deanery.

Weekend Masses are celebrated at 4 p.m. on Saturday and 9 and 11 a.m. on Sunday. Weekday Masses, Monday through Friday, are at 8 a.m.

[email protected]