LIVINGSTON – Residents in Livingston Parish were glad to return to mass Sunday morning, setting their worries aside and taking a break for God.

Melinda Mayeux never misses Sunday mass, except for last Sunday when her church was flooded.

“It was good, to be back home.” Mayeux said. “Of course, it was a little emotional. Some of the sermon and some of the prayers and music made me cry.”

Mayeux’s home was destroyed in last week’s flood. Two feet of water poured in.

“The water came up really fast. I look out and it was half way up my yard,” she said. “Forty-five minutes later, people were knocking on my door saying we are evacuating, grab your bag.”

In the pews, people can be heard sharing their stories with each other, both before mass and after.

Deacon Rudy Stahl told WBRZ he relocated to Baton Rouge when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home. His home wasn’t touched by the flooding this time, but a few inches of water did get into the church.

“We cleaned it and sanitized everything so we could at least have mass going and the services for everybody,” Stahl said.

Stahl’s focus is on the people here and helping them get through this tough time.

"Our challenge is to be there to listen to people and try to listen to everybody,” he said. “Father frank and I try to be people persons. And that's what we are more concerned with, is the people."