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Parishioners find comfort in services

Posted at 8:54 PM, Jul 26, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-26 23:25:29-04

LAFAYETTE — Here in Acadiana, people are turning to their faith to help them rebound from the pandemic, especially now that churches have reopened. For weeks the doors of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church remained closed, and the parking lot empty.

"I was so glad to be able to come back to church," parishioner Felix Johnson said.

Now faithful parishioners like Johnson are coming back to church. This is the fourth Sunday in a row that Johnson has attended mass at Immaculate Heart.

"I kept saying to my wife at home I miss going to church, can't go because the obligation of this dreadful disease," Johnson said.

Deacon Michael Morrison says around 70 people come to each mass. Everyone in attendance follows social distancing measures to keep each other safe.

"Prayer is important. We take for granted sometimes that coming to church once a week will suffice, but if you don't have a daily relationship, you're missing important parts of your faith with our Lord and Savior," Morrison said.

For some parishioners that daily relationship helped them keep their faith despite the church being closed.

"The Lord himself says, be not afraid, because I am with you all the way," Johnson said.

"In times of uncertainty, faith and trust in God, who makes no mistakes, is all we have," Carlos Boudreaux said.

While not everyone can come back to church just yet, those who can say they're glad they can.

"It's the fellowship that's important, and even though we can't be in close approximately of one other, we're all together calling His name, in one place. That's what is important, the fellowship," Boudreaux said.

"Receiving the Eucharist is why I go out of my way to come to church," Morrison said.

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