An 18-month nightmare, one that seemed much longer at times, was over. No longer would he be confined to living in only the den and kitchen of his home that was ravaged by Hurricane Ida.

After two months of living in front of his house in a customized POD with a temporary wall, window and air conditioner, Hawkins was finally able to stretch out in his den and wake up in his own bed. Click here to read more

A pilot food pantry program launched by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge will provide food to underserved residents in the rural areas of the diocese as well as offering the same service in the Baton Rouge area. Click here to read more.

Dr. Lisa Namikas of Baton Rouge has been named the 2022 Catholic Charities USA’s Volunteer of the Year. Namikas was honored at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge’s annual meeting on Thursday, June 23. A video highlighting her contributions to CCDBR can be found here.

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While many programs are available to assist with disaster recovery, Hurricane Ida survivors may still need help recovering from the storm. The Hurricane Ida Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) connects survivors with available resources and provides free advice to help meet their remaining needs. The program has created regions where case managers can offer localized help. Click here to learn more

BATON ROUGE, La. (BPROUD) — The United States Census Bureau shows in the past decade East Baton Rouge Parish had the second-largest Hispanic population growth in the state.

“The Hispanic community makes up 25 percent of our total services but at times it has been as high as 50 percent,” said David Aguillard, executive director of Baton Rouge Catholic Charities Diocese. Read more Continue reading…

Baton Rouge, La—The annual Way of the Cross, hosted by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and St. Joseph Cathedral, is returning this year after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Way of the Cross will be held in Downtown Baton Rouge on Good Friday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The procession will begin at St. Joseph Cathedral, travel a 14-station route throughout the State Capitol grounds, and return to the steps of the Cathedral. The Most Rev. Michael Duca, Bishop of Baton Rouge, will be in attendance.

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March 25, 2022

Despite President Biden’s announcement that the U.S. will accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, we don’t yet know if or when we’ll be asked to welcome Ukrainians here in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. But the details indicate the numbers might be minimal, if any at all under the recent announcement.

1. The current national cap of 125,000 refugees previously set for fiscal year 2022 is not being raised. Thus the administration has said the announcement represents a long term commitment rather than sudden admissions such as with the Afghans.
2. President Biden said there would be a “focus on reuniting families.” The Baton Rouge area seems near the bottom of cities in the U.S. with Ukrainians. One online database estimates there are 300 Ukrainians in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, which ranks us about 9,500 of 10,000 cities.

Of course, all of the above may change; we’ll continue to update social media and our website as we get additional useful information.  We continue to direct people to support the refugee crisis through donations to Catholic Relief Services.

March 14, 2022

The worldwide empathy and sorrow for Ukrainians has been felt here in our Diocese as well. Closely following the Afghanistan refugee crisis when our community generously supported Afghans who resettled in Baton Rouge, many people in our diocese have asked if there is a similar effort underway for Ukrainians. The short answer is no, but that may change as the situation is fluid. Here’s what we know as of March 14, 2022.

• The U.S. Department of State has notified us there are currently no official efforts to move Ukrainian children and families out of Europe. The Ukrainian government prefers to shelter refugees close to their home country and is taking steps to ensure their safety in Europe. (However, individual Ukrainians with connections in other countries may relocate on their own initiative.)
• The Biden administration has granted some Ukrainians already in the U.S. extensions on their visas through a program called TPS, Temporary Protected Status. It is estimated approximately 30,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. will apply for this designation.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge can assist eligible Ukrainians in our community submit their applications for TPS.
• Catholic Relief Services is organizing support on behalf of the U.S. Catholic Church. More information on how you can help is on their website here.

If this information changes, we will update our website and social media. As always, the open hearts and generosity of the community in Baton Rouge is a witness to your faith and understanding of the Gospel tradition of caring for the homeless, hungry, and disaster-stricken … whether our own neighbors or brothers and sisters in Christ overseas.

They fled in the dark of night, and for two days sped by motorcycle and foot to Kabul. Latifa and her family couldn’t trust anyone. Her husband had worked for the U.S. military, and they’d gotten word they would soon become Taliban targets. Click here to read more