For Sandra and Sonny Launey, volunteering at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center is more than a weekly commitment — it’s a shared mission rooted in faith.
Sandra, 82, has volunteered at Our Lady of Lourdes since 2013. Sonny, 80, joined her in 2016. Even in their different roles — Sandra as a eucharistic minister and Sonny as a greeter — they continue to serve with energy and joy, embodying the heart of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System.
A Life Rooted in Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes has always had a special place in their story. Before they were volunteers, Sonny and Sandra were just two young professionals crossing paths. In the 1960s, Sandra was a nurse at the hospital when a mutual friend, an X-ray tech, introduced her to Sonny on a blind date. The connection was instant.
Not long after, Sonny presented Sandra with her engagement ring while she was on duty. They were married soon after and are celebrating 58 years of marriage this year.
To come back and serve here feels like they’ve come full circle, Sandra says.
A Calling Renewed
Sandra’s volunteer journey began when their son was deployed to Afghanistan. She started attending weekly mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church and staying after to pray the Rosary. One day, two parishioners encouraged her to become a eucharistic minister at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Sandra told them that she wasn’t a eucharistic minister, but, “They said, ‘We can fix that,’” she says. They connected her with Chaplain Lisa Guidry, and Sandra felt a spiritual call to serve. Mentors like Sr. Betty Lyons and Sr. Agnes Fitzsimons affirmed that calling.
With nearly 30 years of bedside nursing experience, Sandra brings empathy and a deep sense of reverence to her ministry. To offer the Eucharist in a hospital is to witness the face of Jesus in each patient, she says.
“It’s a privilege to serve in the hospital setting, a holy place of healing with the Divine Physician,” she says.
Welcoming with Compassion
Sonny began his volunteer service behind the wheel of a golf cart, driving guests to and from the hospital. It was a simple task — until a trainer said something that changed how he viewed the role.
“When we drive them to the hospital, they may be entering the worst day of their life,” he says. “When we drive them to their car, they may have just had the worst day of their life.”
He recalls an experience that left a lasting impression. One afternoon, he and a fellow team member noticed a man sitting alone on the curb in the parking lot. The man was distraught after missing a chance to see his loved one before a critical procedure. Sonny and his teammate offered a few moments of comfort, helping to ease the man’s anxiety.
They didn’t fix anything, Sonny says, but just being there and spending a few minutes with that person helped.
That stuck with Sonny. He eventually became a patient advocate and now serves as a greeter.
Serving Together, Living the Mission
Though they serve in different capacities, volunteering is something Sandra and Sonny do together. Each week, they serve in their roles, then attend Mass and enjoy lunch as part of their shared routine.
Outside the hospital, they are just as involved. Sandra leads the ironing committee at their Church parish, and Sonny helps with collections. Together, they participate with marriage ministries and couple retreats and organizations such as Our Lady of Lourdes Foundation, FranU, St. Joseph Abbey and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Encouraging Others to Serve
Sandra and Sonny speak about Our Lady of Lourdes and FMOLHS with deep admiration. Their faces light up as they search for the best words to express their love for what the ministry does for the communities it serves.
They also have one simple bit of advice for those considering volunteering: “Sign up.”
They say the mission of FMOLHS is deep and serving of Christ, and they want to live the mission with all of us.
And they do.
