Catholic Priest assists Hispanic Homeowners from Imminent Foreclosures

Rev. John Lasseigne, Priest at Mary Immaculate Church never believed his calling to become a priest throughout his years in college to be a lawyer would ever amount to this. Lasseigne had debated through college and law school if he should become a priest and too many of his Spanish speaking flock they are glad he did.

Lasseigne learned Spanish in San Antonio, Texas after joining the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.  The Missionary works with the poor worldwide. He arrived at Pacoima about a year ago. Pacoima is a tough, blue collar town in San Fernando Valley and approximately ninety percent of the residents are Latino.

Regrettable one and nine of the homes in The San Fernando Valley are in foreclosure. Lasseigne was passively aware of the foreclosure crisis until one parish family asked for his prayers as they were losing their home to foreclosure. Lasseigne before long was having parish goes coming to him for pray in regard to their homes that Lasseigne decided to take action.

Lasseigne daily actives went from praying for his parish to lobbying politicians and handling mortgage negotiations for his parishioners. Lasseigne flock of mostly Mexican and Central American immigrants who are not money savvy and have limited English skills were in the deep sea of sub prime loans and mortgages that ballooned over the homes value.

Lasseigne one Sunday announced on the pulpit that coordinated with nonprofit groups and other local churches to hold financial workshops in and effort to inform his parish about the types of loans they were in and how to negotiate the loans modification.  One session at the San Fernando High School Auditorium packed in over fifteen hundred people.

Lasseigne listened to his flock and attended homeowner meetings, offered counsel and worked with over a hundred families compiling a database of their individual cases. The language problem is an issue when dealing with mortgage lenders. Lasseigne affirms how one can negotiate with a mortgage company if you don’t understand what they are saying. His parishioners are hard working people from very humble backgrounds and they are not used to dealing with officials or want to.

Church all over in the area are teaming up with foundations and other non profit organizations to offer credit counseling, job training alone side of Sunday school.

They have mortgage seminars to teach church goers how to renegotiate their mortgages and exactly what type of mortgage they are in.

 

Lesseigne has teamed op with One LA – Industrial Areas Foundation and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County to lobby congressman, councilmen, and corporate executive for funds, loans reductions and laws to improve the predatory lending. When asked if he wears his collar to meetings his answer was “I don’t mean to strike divine guilt in their hearts, but it adds moral weight to the campaign. I would like to think that they see thousands of homeowners standing behind me.”

He helped lobby United States Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass) to get legislation outlawing predatory lending.  He has also been instrumental in lobbing City Hall to contribute one million in community redevelopment funds for a plan that One LA developed. The plan would supply homeowners with $25,000 to $75,000 to be paid to the mortgage company to reduce the loan principle in line with the homes current value and slash the interest to about five percent. The funds under the plan would need to be paid back to the bank. Banks are slow to respond to this plan.

Lasseigne’s community is happy he arrived in Pacoima as he has assisted many of his flock with successfully loan modifications.  It would appear that Rev. John Lasseigne has reached his calling. His flock has reaped the benefits of his legal schooling and his compassion and they are succeeding within their community.


bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark
tabs-top  banner ad


Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.