"Imagine a city without children,” said Fr. Tony Rigoli, O.M.I., as he drove through the desolate streets of New Orleans. “I miss the sound of their voices.”

Four and a half months after Hurricane Katrina changed the face of New Orleans, many homes are still empty. Streets once filled with music and traffic are now barren and eerily quiet. “It’s as if a bomb exploded here, all of the houses in ruins and every place so depressing and lifeless,” Fr. Tony said. “When I first came back and drove to St. Bernard Parish, honestly, I cried.”

So many things are missing in the New Orleans landscape. There is only one functioning hospital, schools and parishes are closed permanently or just beginning to open their doors, and very few social workers or government agencies are operating.

But what Fr. Tony misses most are the people. Of the original 480,000 citizens, authorities estimate only 60,000 remain. Fr. Tony misses the sound of people talking and laughing while walking through the streets of the once vibrant and thriving city.

“How can people come back without the things they need to live? By now, many must have new homes, jobs, and lives, why would they bring their children back to this? I hope and pray we will find a way to bring this city back.”
Fr. Tony’s dream of rebuildingNew Orleans takes shape in many small pockets of life throughout the devastated city. Across the street from his home at St. Jude’s Shrine, Fr. Tony opened the doors of the St. Jude Community Center to the newly homeless.

“We have about 35 people staying at the shelter. It isn’t much, but there’s food and beds, and people are able to get back on their feet. These are people who lost everything in the flood…their homes and all of their possessions. It’s amazing they can find the spirit to continue.”

Shirley Grant, a 60-year-old woman who stays at the shelter with her two children, demonstrates her spirit every day. After the harrowing experience of relocating during the flood, she still finds the energy to begin rebuilding her life.

“The water was up to my chest, and I was so scared. We didn’t even know there was flooding until my son went downstairs to go to work. We sat in our apartment and I prayed for the Lord to have mercy on us,” Shirley explained in her tiny, frail voice.

“Eventually, a rescue boat came and said they had room for three people. I knew we had to take the chance, even though none of us could swim. I was so scared in the water, and when we finally reached the raft, I wasn’t strong enough to pull myself in. My daughter finally climbed in first and helped me up.”

From the rescue boat, the Grant family traveled to a nearby bridge and awaited further transportation. The scene on the bridge was ugly. Some people wept, others cried out for their missing family members, still others pushed and shoved for entry to the evacuation helicopters.

After much more nervous waiting, the Grants traveled by bus to Houston where they were welcomed with loving arms. At this point, they had not eaten for nearly two days.

After two months, when the flood waters were cleared and New Orleans was re-opened, Shirley wanted to go back home to check on the family’s possessions. Upon arriving, she found her building was closed and there was nowhere to sleep.

“We were walking the streets, trying to find a shelter. We stopped off at other churches and shelters, but they were either closed or full. We started walking to St. Jude’s and we saw Fr. Tony walking across the street. He was a blessing.”

Fr. Tony quickly accepted the Grants into his shelter and has since watched over them.

“Thank God for Fr. Tony,” Shirley said, her eyes tearing as she recalled the memory. “We would not be here if it wasn’t for him.”

Today, the Grants have found housing and plan to move out of the shelter soon. They remain hopeful in their thoughts for the future. “As a family, we have been together, we stay together, and we pray together. I know God is going to see us through.” God guides many other lives throughout the city, as well. Fr. Tony finds kindness and generosity at every turn.

“When I heard reports on the news about the looting and violence, I was taken aback,” he said. “This is not my city, I said to myself. The way they portray it on television is all wrong. This is a friendly city, a tolerant city. This is a city full of kindness.”

Fr. Tony’s ministry is a hub for this kindness. He arranges for college students to volunteer in the Archdiocesan Helping Hands program. He runs a clothes service in the back of the church where needy families can pick up clothing donated from around the country. During the evacuation, he and former pastor, Fr. Mike Amesse, O.M.I., sent money to parishioners and parish workers to help them find food and shelter.

“Everywhere you look, there’s another story. Everywhere you look is someone else in need. Everyone was hit, from the rich to the poor, black and white, and the community needs to come together to bring life back. There are so many facets to what is happening down here, there are so many things that need attending.

"This is truly Oblate work here. We are caring for the most abandoned. These people have lost everything. More than just their houses, they have lost their communities, their parishes, their friends and neighbors. I thank God for all of the support we’ve received, and I know we will need His help as we continue.”

The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina will have repercussions in New Orleans for years to come, but “Christ is in the ruins” of this devastated city. He ignites the fire of hope within people like Fr. Tony, Sharon Grant, and all of the volunteers.

“I can’t fix it all,” Fr. Tony said. “I can’t solve Katrina. I can only do what I can, and maybe it will provide a little hope for some people. With that hope, maybe more people will come home and we can rebuild this city.”