Clarion Herald

Clarion Herald: "Clarion Herald staff

BETH DONZE
BATON ROUGE, La. - Like many of his fellow New Orleans archdiocesan priests, Father Dennis Hayes decided to take his chances and stay put as Katrina teased the Louisiana coast, praying that the storm's Category 5 fury would spare or just nick the Arabi, La., streets around St. Louise de Marillac Church.

Surely Katrina would veer away at the last minute as so many hurricanes had done before, hoped Father Hayes, and even if the storm did end up causing damage, at least he would be on hand to minister to his parishioners' spiritual and material needs.

And so, ensconced on the second floor of the concrete-and steel St. Louise de Marillac School with his 13-year old dog Badooki, the Blessed Sacrament and his parish's sacramental registers, Father Hayes thought the worst was over by Monday morning Aug. 29 - until Arabi began to fill up like a huge bathtub."