Sacramentals for the Catholic on the geaux

by Kim Roberts

By Kim Roberts
Clarion Herald

A personal devotion to St. Joan of Arc has inspired Katie Lee, president and founder of the non-profit Catholic Geaux Bags, to never leave home without a sacramental. Recently marking its first anniversary, this Covington-based company equips Catholics everywhere with a portable bag filled with sacramentals to carry with them wherever they go.

“As Catholics, we should never leave home without a sacramental,” she said. “The sacramental is a universal language that we all understand. No matter where you are, if you see another Catholic pull out a rosary, you know exactly what that is and what it represents and what it’s providing.”

Sacramentals in the bag

The TSA-sized, Catholic Geaux Bag contains 12 sacramentals, including a crucifix, rosary, holy water, brown scapular, saint medal, blessed salt, holy card, pocket-sized Bible and other blessed items.

The bags are blessed by various priests and distributed through conferences and special orders.

Most items that come in the bags are purchased online or from the St. Joseph Abbey on the Northshore, with the crucifixes coming from Bethlehem and the scapulars from the Scapular Apostolate.

“These bags are a way to provide spiritual protection and draw people closer to God,” Lee explained. “They are especially handy for those who may not have easy access to these resources.”

Lee, who is a military wife, worked for the Archdiocese for the Military Services for many years. She and the base chaplain priest prepared similar kits for deployed soldiers and their families.

“The kits I put together weren’t anything official,” she said. “It was kind of something I could put together for my husband (who has served in the Air Force and Army) and the other soldiers. I had the Catholic chaplain bless them. The first bags had a scapular, rosary and ‘(Archbishop) Fulton Sheen’s Wartime Prayer Book.’”

The organization’s goal is to equal the number of people Jesus fed by assembling 5,000 Catholic Geaux Bags for Catholics experiencing travel, military deployment, hospital stays, college life or daily commutes. Currently, bags can be found in ICU rooms, hotel rooms, office spaces, new homes and Airbnbs. Lee said they have grown in popularity, with more than 1,300 bags distributed in just a year.

Small but mighty

“We are a small company, starting with 20 volunteers that in 13 months has grown to 100 volunteers,” Lee said. “So far, we have gotten the word out through friends and social media. We recently partnered with St. Michael’s Special School, the Joy Activity Center, and they have done an impeccable job.”

Lee said the Joy Center puts together the Catholic Geaux Bags to fulfill orders for the conferences they attend. The center just completed an order for 500 bags for the New Evangelization Conference in Baton Rouge.

“It’s been such a blessing working with St. Michael’s, and it’s a blessing to them because they’re providing for the protection of families throughout the world that are receiving these bags,” she said.

Lee said it has been powerful seeing people’s reactions to the bags and how moved they are when they receive one.

“It’s been beautiful to see how the public has reacted at conferences,” she said “I believe these bags are a gift from the church, and she doesn’t mind when we share her gifts.”

Currently, bags can be purchased only at conferences. Over the next few months, the company is hoping to begin taking orders from parishes that want to invite the company to be part of events. A suggested donation of $40 is asked per bag, and more information can be obtained by visiting the company’s website at catholicgeauxbag.org.

The site also contains links to music, prayers, the origin of the items purchased, priests who blessed the sacramentals, Catholic apps, testimonials and more. As a non-profit, any donation received goes toward the purchase of items for the bags.

“We want to be the facilitator for the faithful receiving sacramentals for spiritual fortification, wherever they are on their faith journey,” Lee said.

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