Curia in Exile

The archdiocese of New Orleans -- displaced for the time being in Baton Rouge -- is rebuilding its website. They've set up an account for their own Katrina Relief efforts and it's chock-full of announcements about various things: advice for engaged couples who were supposed to be married there, the whereabouts of priests, what to do with sacramental records that came out intact (and God bless anyone who took 100 years of register-books with them, that's devotion right there)....

And we have this from our good friends at the USCCB:

In the Diocese of Spokane, Washington, for example, Bishop William Skylstad said he could assign one priest to work for four to six week to work in the stricken region. The Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, said it could assign two priests to work outside the diocese and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee said it could assign up to 12 priests. The Diocese of Orange, California, already has been in contact with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Texas, particularly to work with the Vietnamese community there.

Priests in dioceses to which thousands of people have been evacuated, such as Salt Lake City and Phoenix, also have been released from regular assignment to help displaced people. The Phoenix Diocese, for example, has set up four-hour shifts of priests to help evacuees in the Phoenix Coliseum.

Dioceses also are offering housing the displaced priests both in rectories and retirement centers. The Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, For example, said it can give housing to up to 20 priests at its retirement villa. The Diocese of San Jose, California, can accept 12 priests in its retirement facility for well elderly.

Diocesan officials also have put out a call to parishes to collect everything from clergy shirts for displaced priests to chalices, crosses and vestments to replace those lost in the hurricane damage.

Sure beats that horrible Matrix poster as evidence of priesthood in action.

I know we have a lot of vestment and vessel collectors here. Seems the diaspora could really use a hand with all of that... Anyone wanna pitch in? Let me know and I can set it up.

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