Holy Family Catholic Church Welcomes Parishioners Back

Holy Family Church in Dulac was among many of the churches in our diocese that sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Ida. The church was closed for an unforeseeable amount of time, but that did not stop the parishioners from worshipping together.

They began to hold Masses outside before the congregation was welcomed into the KC Hall on Shrimper’s Row. Knowing that the renovation process would take time, parishioners transformed the KC hall into a place of worship. They changed out the chairs and worked to make it as comfortable as possible for people to come and pray. “We wanted to make it a place you wanted to come,” said lifelong parishioner Margie Duplantis. “Yes, I missed my church, but it was like moving out of a home—you still have your family with you. So when I walked into the KC home, my church family was still there.”

What the community endured is beyond words. “We all felt the pain of loss together,” said Margie. “We all mourned together. As much as we missed our church, we were still church.”
Parishioner Mariah Parfait shared how the path to recovery has been long and challenging. “It felt like we were being led through the desert like Moses and the Israelites. But despite the destruction, it has been beautiful to see how our parishioners have handled devastation in such a graceful way.”

The community is thankful for all of the tireless support from their own parish and within the diocese as a whole. “We’ve been blessed by many individuals and groups, such as the Knights of Columbus who let us use their hall and the Mennonites who helped rebuild homes,” said Mariah.

Now, nearly four years later, the doors of Holy Family Church are open! Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs celebrated a dedication of the church and altar on May 31. Through the power of community, love and faith, Holy Family Church welcomed parishioners home.
“We are finally able to return to our church!” said Friar Antonio Farrugia, pastor. “We thank God and all of our parishioners, friends, families, benefactors, volunteers and all who prayed for us through this difficult time.”

On May 31, a dedication of the church and altar was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs. Margie reflected on this momentous occasion. “For those who have endured the pain of loss, this shows them that there is hope,” she said. “I pray that this brings renewal within all of us. Renewal, hope and love—that’s what we are about at Holy Family Church.”
The community stood together and never gave up, rooted in faith and trust that our Lord would restore what was broken. “I can honestly say that it has been a true labor of love to restore our church,” said Mariah. “We’ve prayed for this day and to see it come to fruition is a testament to God’s grace and the resilience of our church family.”

Today, Holy Family Church stands as a pillar of faith and hope for the community in Dulac. “Our return signifies a step forward in the community’s recovery both physically and spiritually. We may have lost our church for a little while, but we never lost the love for God and one another.”

“The church is beautiful,” said Margie. “We don’t dwell on what was, but what is today—and that is a new life.”