Catholic Services of Acadiana 2014 Annual Meeting

On June 27, 2014, volunteers, donors, and staff gathered at Cafe Vermilionville to celebrate another year of compassionate service at the Catholic Services of Acadiana Annual Meeting. During the Annual Meeting we announced that Catholic Services of Acadiana had changed names from Lafayette Catholic Service Centers to better reflect the regional reach of our programs and a new mission statement was introduced: "Motivated by the Gospel, we offer human services to preserve and enhance the lives of people experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in Acadiana. Executive Director, Kimberly Boudreaux shared about the change:

" We believe that if we are to make social change in Acadiana, we can no longer be satisfied with managing homelessness and extreme poverty by simply providing for the basic necessities of life, but rather we must care intensely about the futures of those we serve. We are committed to knowing everyone we serve by name, understanding their unique challenges and strengths, and working in solidarity with each person to overcome the obstacles they may face in regaining stability. We understand that complex social issues require a multifaceted and specialized response. We aim to operate a high functioning organization that is both easy to navigate through and responds quickly and appropriately so that those experiencing poverty, hunger and homelessness may achieve a better quality of life."

Catholic Services of Acadiana Logo

"Faith, hope and love remain, but the greatest of these is love"

The Anchor, is an ancient christian symbol of hope. With the difficulties and challenges that are present in our lives and the lives of those we serve, God never allows us to be overwhelmed by them. In the face of discouragement, we know that God is by our side; never abandoning us. The anchor is a reminder to be lights of hope to everyone we meet. The Heart is a symbol of charity. Pope Francis recently spoke of Christian love as having one specific quality, "its concreteness." Love is "more in actions than in words, more in giving than in receiving." The heart is a reminder to love others as God has loved us. The Cross is a symbol of our Faith and our call to works of mercy. In the end, will what have one question to answer: have we fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, released the captives and visited the sick? These works of mercy are not just for our organization but the work of each one of us. The Cross is reminder of our personal call and responsibility to our neighbors.

Opus Christi Magnum Presentation

Each year community leaders host a series of events benefiting Catholic Services of Acadiana. Latin for "the Great Work of Christ," Opus Christi Magnum generates the funding Catholic Services of Acadiana needs to continue operating high quality programs and continue Christ's ministry among those in need. Generous community donors made this year's series of events a tremendous success, with ninety-seven (97) cents of every dollar directly impacting the lives of people experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in Acadiana. Mike Michot and Beth Ardoin were honored with Bishop's Service Award for their many years of service as co-chairs of Opus Christi Magnum.