Several parishes report wind damage from Hurricane Zeta

By Peter Finney Jr.
Clarion Herald

Several parishes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans sustained wind damage from Hurricane Zeta Oct. 28, including St. Dominic Parish in New Orleans, where a metal hatch atop the church bell tower flew off and landed within feet of the iconic statue of St. Dominic on Harrison Avenue.

“The hatch lid flew off and landed in the plaza (in front of the church),” said Dominican Father John Restrepo, St. Dominic’s pastor. “That thing weighs a ton. Somehow, the wind blew it off the tower and onto the plaza.”

(See video here)

Father Restrepo also reported that water seeped through electrical sockets on the right side of the church and also gushed “almost like a waterfall” through one of the transept windows.

He was not sure of the extent of the damage to the church.

Dr. Ashley Lynn Ogden, principal of St. Dominic School, said wind damaged the roof of Aquinas Hall, which serves as the middle school building, allowing water to leak into the hallways.

(Pastors or parish staffs are encouraged to add damage reports and photos by e-mailing [email protected].)

Here are other reports of damage.

St. Joachim Parish, Marrero: The church is known as “The Little Church in the Woods” because of its forest-like setting, but Zeta’s winds felled 16 trees, most of them oaks. One tree ripped a hole in the roof of the pavilion near the church, and another damaged a gazebo, the rosary walk and stations of the cross.

Father G. Amaldoss, St. Joachim pastor, said the parish had been planning to plant additional saplings in the coming weeks to enhance the beauty of the grounds.

“We should count our blessings,” Father Amaldoss said. “Our setting is beautiful and invites people to come worship in the middle of nature.”

Divine Mercy Parish, Kenner:  Father Robert Cooper, pastor, reported minor roof damage to the church and rectory.

St. Angela Merici Parish, Metairie: A light pole snapped and wind blew over a few trees, said Father Beau Charbonnet, pastor.

Christ the King Parish, Terrytown: Panels from a metal roof on the parish center blew off, but the damage is not considered major.

Corpus Christi-Epiphany Parish, New Orleans: Catholic Mutual reported roof damage to the church, rectory and community center.

“It’s nothing major – just the terra cotta shingles fell off the church, and we’re just sweeping up all the tree branches that fell in the street,” said Josephite Father Henry Davis, pastor. “We’re grateful that the branches went to the street and nothing hit the church.”
 

St. Pius X Parish, New Orleans: The campus is surrounded by oak trees, one of which fell near the youth center but did not cause any damage.
 

Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, New Orleans: Wind damaged the roof of the school building, and a tree fell toward the rectory.