Biloxi, Miss., Apr 25, 2009 / 12:39 pm
The statue of St. Michael the Archangel, which was toppled from its perch atop the parish’s day chapel by Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, was securely reattached to the seashell shaped roof on March 29, despite having been desecrated days earlier by vandals who broke the sword off of the statue.
Several bystanders and a television camera crew stood by to witness the reattachment of the 700-lb statue and, while it may not seem like such a big deal in the grand scheme of things, it’s a huge step milestone for the St. Michael Parish family.
"St. Michael, in the history of spirituality and in the history of the Church, is an archangel. An archangel is a holy messenger. I’m trying to translate that into March 25, 2009," said pastor Father Greg Barras. "Putting St. Michael back on top of the day chapel, I think, speaks profoundly to our faith community as a sign of commitment, a sign of perseverance, a sign of endurance and a sign of restoration, not only for today but for the future."
"Look at the economy now," he continued. "What other types of storms will come – not just Mother Nature – but in living, loving, learning and caring for each other? St. Michael is a messenger of hope and strength and trust and commitment and that’s what the reattachment of the statue means to the St. Michael faith community, that we can get through these lived experiences, centered in God, and find meaning value and purpose."