Published Jan 28, 2021
Before the pandemic, Sr. Maggie McDermott, OP, used to attend Mass every morning at St. Barnabus Church in the Bronx before she started her ministry as Executive Director of the Tolentine Zeiser Community Life Center.
Those daily masses were an ideal way to start her day, as once she arrived at her ministry, she was quite busy overseeing the pre-kindergarten program for three and four-year-olds.
When the pandemic hit, the kids went home, but the Tolentine Zeiser administration and teachers still showed up to work each day to teach children remotely from the school.
“I’ve been here for 43 years, and I’ve seen nothing like this. It’s been a difficult struggle,” shared Sr. Maggie, a Sister of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York.
St. Barnabus Episcopal Church honors lives lost due to COVID with White Flag Memorial
and last updated 2021-01-25 09:58:20-05
LAFAYETTE PARISH â 225 flags stand at the corner of St. Barnabus Episcopal Church in Lafayette to represent the lives lost due to COVID-19 in Lafayette Parish since the pandemic began a year ago. It has impacted our lives in so many ways, and so many people have died in this area said Michael Bordelon, Reverand at St. Barnabus. This is our opportunity to remember them, to pray for them and to let the family members know that their loved ones aren t forgotten.
Have you seen the white flags along Camellia Boulevard?
The flags are located in a green space near St. Barnabus Church and each one represents someone in Lafayette who has died from COVID-19. This is something that other towns have done to honor those who have lost their lives due to complications from COVID while also giving their families and loved ones a place to grieve.
It s something that New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell did recently in NOLA and the idea inspired a group of locals who wanted to do something similar here in Lafayette.
While each flag represents someone from Lafayette who died from COVID-19 some flags even bear their names.