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Sister Rosario O’Connell, 87, a resident of Houma, La., and native of Limerick, Ireland, died Jan. 26, 2016.
Ms. O’Connell was a member of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit order of nuns and founder of Louis Infant Crisis Center, which began as an emergency children’s shelter in Houma in 1979 and which now operates several homes for abused and neglected children as well as other children in need. She won many, many awards and accolades over the years, including The Courier Most Useful Citizen Award, The Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award and the Blue Cross Angel Award. She was named a “Daily Point of Light” in 1999 by the Washington D.C. – based Points of Light Foundation. She had a B.A. and Masters Degree in Social Work Education from Texas and was board certified with the National Board of Clinical Social Work in Washington, D.C. She started the program with $37 when there were no emergency shelter resources existing in Terrebonne Parish. The bank manager tried to talk her out of opening the account pointing out to her that after fees and charges she would only have $18 left, which was hardly enough to run a program. She smiled sweetly and assured him “God will provide for our little ones.” She saw an urgent need for a safe haven and infant care and never doubted that, with faith, she could make it happen.
Burial is at St. Francis de Sales Cemetery No. 1. In lieu of flowers, please remember the Sisters of the Holy Spirit in San Antonio, Texas, The Louis Children’s Crisis Center and Bayou Area Children’s Foundation in your thoughts and works.
(Chauvin)
