Charles left on November 6 for a
province meeting in Jacksonville, Florida and began with a few days of visiting
family in the area. The meeting was a
very serious one; Charles shared his concerns and what he heard with Bob and
John after he returned—the view ahead for the province is rather bleak. So what does one do about it? It reminds me of a line from Mary
Oliver: “And that is just the point... how the world, moist and beautiful,
calls to each of us to make a new and serious response. That's the big
question, the one the world throws at you every morning. "Here you are,
alive. Would you like to make a comment?”
John attended a Peace Conference at
Dillard University on the evening of November 6. Members of various religious groups confronted
the orgy of violence on city streets here.
Archbishop Aymond spoke eloquently and has given great leadership in
this area. Mayor Landrieu, and representatives
of various Christian, Islamic and Jewish faith communities signed a covenant to
work together to combat the violence.
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| New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, top center, joins Temple Sinai Rabbi Ed Cohn, left center, New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond, top left, and Erika McConduit, Interim President & CEO of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, top right, as they stand next to Imam Rafeeq Nu'man, bottom, as he signs his name on a covenant that they all signed along with pastors and faith leaders from across the city at the NOLA Interfaith Peace Initiative held on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at Dillard University. (Photo by Chris Granger, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune) caption |
On November 7th three
Jesuit volunteers, Jeff, Daniel and Sara, who work at the Harry Thomson Center
at the Rebuild Center joined us for dinner cooked by Erika Enlund.
Then on Saturday, a group from Iona Prep joined us for dinner and reflection after their mission visit to New Orleans.
 |
| Taken after we had dinner, time for reflection and dessert--time for the group portrait. |
The 21 students and 4 faculty from Iona Prep in New
Rochelle joined us for dinner and reflection Saturday evening.
The young men stayed at Camp Restore, a Lutheran group that welcomes
volunteers and helps them find work, and work they did. The young men valued the chance to work with
long term adult volunteers and to meet and interact with the homeowners they
helped.
 | |
| Iona men and woman at work |
 |
| Yeah, we can do that! |
It was edifying to hear their reflections
of finding God in the circumstances of their time in New Orleans.
The time with us begins with dinner in the Blessed Pauline Room.
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| Lauren with her group |
 |
| Travis, who did most of the organizing with his table |
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| Erika and Br. John at their table |
After dinner we go upstairs to the community room for reflection--then dessert.
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| Iona Prep students during the group reflection in the community room at 4219 Constance |
On the 11th we
celebrated John’s birthday with dinner at home and two guests: Sr. Nancy Hale
CHF and Sr. Pauline O’Reilly CHF. Sr.
Pauline brought a “Pavlova” for the cake.
It is an elegant culinary confection with a meringue base, and a mound
of homemade whipped cream studded with fresh raspberries, blackberries, mandarin
orange slices—you get the idea. Bob made it home just in time for dinner—he had
been at the convention for the Catholic Volunteer Network in Silver Spring,
Maryland.
Charles returned from the
Province meeting on the 12th—a piece of “Pavlova” had been saved for
him.
Despite a broken bone in her foot
which necessitated wearing a boot, Erika flew to Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday
the 16th, meeting her family for a weekend culminating in a Monday night Justin
Timberlake Concert. This was a BIG DEAL
for Miss Erika. REALLY BIG. The concert, I mean!
Lauren Zanfardino has fallen
victim to what happens to most new teachers—sick in bed with a bronchial
infection.
New Orleans is happy with its
teams: the Saints are winning and the Pelicans are doing OK, too. Despite stubborn crime statistics, the
economy is producing jobs at all levels here, there is still a great deal of
reconstruction to be done, and this gives hope.
And the civic and religious communities are openly talking about “the battle
of today against violence, murder and racism."
These latter words a quote from a prayer originally composed and promulgated
by Archbishop Aymond and now adapted for use by all faith communities.
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| The Archbishop as he went to start the proceedings at the Interfaith Peace Initiative |
REFLECTION:
This prayer is adapted for all Faiths from one composed by Archbishop
Aymond for use in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
Loving and faithful God, through the years the people of the Greater New
Orleans Area have turned to you in times of war, disaster, epidemic and
illness. We come to you, Our Creator, and ask you to help us in the battle of
today against violence, murder and racism.
We implore you to give us your wisdom that we may build a community founded on the faith values that give respect to the life and dignity of all people.
Bless parents that they more form their children in faith. Bless and protect our youth that they may be peacemakers of our time. Give consolation to those who have lost loved ones through violence.
Hear our prayer and give us the perseverance to be a voice for life and human dignity in our community.
We implore you to give us your wisdom that we may build a community founded on the faith values that give respect to the life and dignity of all people.
Bless parents that they more form their children in faith. Bless and protect our youth that they may be peacemakers of our time. Give consolation to those who have lost loved ones through violence.
Hear our prayer and give us the perseverance to be a voice for life and human dignity in our community.
AMEN
BLOG 11.19.2013
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