*Article Courtesy of The Providence Visitor, written by Brian J. Lowney, Visitor staff writer

"It is a way of living out the Gospel call of caring for our brothers and sisters in need," said Maryann Donohue-Lynch, the school's Director of Campus Ministry and trip coordinator.

The rebuilding program is conducted by Operation Helping Hands, sponsored by the Archdiocese of New Orleans Catholic Charities office.
 
While in the city, the group was housed and fed at Mater Dolo Rosa, a housing complex for senior citizens operated by the archdiocese. In their free time, the students and chaperones enjoyed some family-oriented Mardi Gras festivities, and dined on two local favorites - Po Boys and beignets.

On Ash Wednesday the group, covered in soot and dirty after a long day's work, attended Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. Many of the students said they will never forget the symbolism between the ashes placed on their foreheads, and those from the rubble that stained their clothes and the important lesson that the experience taught them about the value of life.

La Salle students, with faculty and administrators, found a warm reception among those they met in New Orleans.

The 15 students who traveled to the devastated area raised the funds for the trip. Free-will collections were taken at St. Philip Church, Greenville, and Sts. John and Paul Church, Coventry, and other donations were made by the Lasallians' families and friends.
According to Donahue-Lynch, most of the students did not know each other before traveling to New Orleans.

"It was a bonding experience," she said, noting that group prayed together each morning and night, and without the distractions of televisions and computers, enjoyed conversation and card games.

The La Salle group was assigned to gut the bottom floor of a sprawling family residence located in a neighborhood that was almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. They worked tirelessly for three days, tearing down walls and ceilings, ripping out sinks and tubs, and removing kitchen cabinets. Catholic Charities provided the necessary tools and equipment, including face masks. The students and their adult chaperones were required to bring long-sleeved shirts and pants to protect them from soot and flying debris, and wore heavy work boots at the clean-up site.

According to Donahue-Lynch, the owners of the large residence had recently asked Operation Helping Hands for assistance in rebuilding the house, which had been in the family for five generations. The organization's leaders thought that the large Rhode Island contingent would be a "perfect match" for the massive demolition project.

The students, who visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras, all agreed that residents are optimistic and hopeful that their city will someday be restored, and asked the La Salle group to tell the people of Rhode Island not to forget those whose lives had been challenged by the series of natural disasters that has struck the city.

"They wanted people to experience their culture - not to walk around with a frown on their face," said Christie Lurgio, a member of St. Augustine Parish, Providence. "We were just shocked at the Southern hospitality."

Victoria Sigillo said she and another student encountered two elderly women in the housing complex's laundry room, who asked why the students were visiting the area.  "The woman told us that we were angels for what we were doing," the St. Rocco Church, Johnston, parishioner recalled.  "Both of us were in tears," she added, smiling at her friend.

Another student, Paul Moretti, a sophomore and a New Orleans native, said he didn't know his former neighborhood when he first visited the devastated area in February, 2006, six months after the powerful hurricane struck the Gulf Coast.  The young man said that his family will not be returning to Louisiana, and has decided to remain in Rhode Island, where they have many relatives.  "There is nothing to go back to," he said, adding that much of the destroyed metropolitan area still lacks municipal services and supermarkets.

Senior Thomas Carnevale and a member of St. Philip Church, Greenville, said the mission trip added a new dimension to his studies, "It taught me that giving is actually going out and doing the work," he stated. "If you feel badly about something, do something!  I felt that I had an obligation to help.  It makes you look beyond what the media has shown you.  You can't realize the damage until you see it with your own eyes."

Also traveling on the mission trip were faculty members Elissa Cerros, Mark Carty, Gregg DeMaria and Janice Drolet; and students, Ashley Smith and Kayla Capuano, St. Augustine Parish, Providence; Mark Sullivan, St. Theresa Parish, South Attleboro, Mass.; Stephanie Silveria, St. Luke Parish, Barrington; Alexander Schlageter and Carissa Brailsford, St. Philip Parish, Greenville; Christina Myers and Casandra Louis-Jean, no parish affiliation; Colleen Mulcahey, Sts. John and Paul Parish, Coventry; Kathryn Ryan, St. Paul Parish, Cranston; and Allesandra Lomazzo, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Providence.

Student speakers are available to present a video and talk about the mission trip.

For more information, call the Office of Campus Ministry, 351-7750, ext. 130.

To learn more about Operation Helping Hands, email kfitzpatrick@archdiocese-no.org.