The
usual work of a priest is to save the souls of his flock but in Los
Angeles a priest is doing the unusual task of saving his flock from the
jaws of foreclosure. The goal of Rev. John Lasseigne is very much down
to earth – saving the hearth and home.

It
is no easy task – it is like asking for a miracle to work in the Roman
Catholic parish located in Pacoima. The neighbourhood is infested with
bank signs offering houses for sale. These signs are growing faster than
the weeds on neglected houses. Woefully Rev. Lasseigne of Mary
Immaculate Church is stunned and commented, “We’re talking thousands of
foreclosures.”

Apart from praying for his flock the priest has
gone knocking at the doors of politicians and holding parleys with the
lenders. His daily epistles are laced with talk about ballooning
payments and amortization. The bishop’s agenda is full of meetings with
the top architects of this crisis – the lenders and the politicians.

Churches
hailing from many faiths have risen to the occasion and come forward
with credit counseling and imparting job training. They have opened soup
kitchens and running Sunday schools. Religious bodies have a long
tradition in getting involved in social work.

Nevertheless it is
rather strange for a priest who will never have to worry about owning
his personal home, to be so actively concerned with the foreclosure
crisis. Lasseigne has the requisite qualifications as he was a law
graduate before entering the church.

He
is conversant with mortgage contracts and the like. This is combined
with his passion to introduce social justice. His parish is noted for
its devotion – daily two Masses are held. On Sunday there are nine and
all of them, except for one are in Spanish. This has made him to be
known as the ‘foreclosure-fighting-father.’

Father Lasseigne
said, “Works of justice are an integral part of the priesthood. We have
to take stands in aiding the needy and denouncing the injustices of
society. The financial entrapment that was part of this was
unbelievable.”

Lasseigne came to Pacoima in Los Angeles about a
year ago. The majority of its 60,000 residents are Latinos. They huddle
together in small units while restless youth roam the lanes and by lanes
– angry, cornered and unhappy. Lasseigne picked up Spanish while in
Texas when he joined a missionary group engaged in battling poverty
across the globe.