Father Edward Duhon, Chaplain of Catholic Charities of Acadiana, spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Crowley about homelessness in the Diocese of Lafayette.
Currently, there are about 180 homeless individuals in downtown Lafayette, in addition to the numerous homeless in the surrounding areas, according to Duhon.
According to the Diocese of Lafayette’s web page, Catholic Charities of Acadiana operates multiple diocesan programs offering essential services to the poor, hungry and homeless of Acadiana. They provide food, shelter, supportive services and emergency financial assistance to eligible individuals without regard to religion, race, national origin, sex, disability or any other status protected by law.
The Catholic Charities of Acadiana was incorporated in 2018 within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette by Bishop Deshotel. However, the charitable works in the Diocese initially provided only limited services of rent and utility assistance to needy individuals and families.
The assistance program was named after its founder, Monsignor Alexander Sigur, in 1984.
In 1983, as relief to the hungry, St. Joseph’s Diner was opened. The diner operates 364 days a year, preparing and serving three meals a day. Over 100,000 meals a year are shared at the Diner.
Then, St. Joesph Emergency Shelter for Men was opened as the first of the housing and shelter programs, according to Duhon. Today these programs have expanded significantly, to include emergency, transitional and permanent supportive housing for men, women, children and veterans.
The shelters currently being operated include St. Joseph Shelter for Men, St. Michael Center for Veterans and the Emily House, a shelter for women and children.
In addition, the Stella Maris Center is a hygiene facility that provides a place for the homeless individuals to take a shower, use the restroom, do laundry, and take care of other basic hygiene needs.
Duhon said he was greatly impacted by the understanding the plight of the homeless when he saw the suffering of Jesus in their faces. He has previously served as the downtown outreach coordinator where he worked with the homeless directly trying to assist them with any of their needs.
