LAST WEEK OF JANUARY 2014: ICE STORM COMING

Like much of the rest of the country, it has been cold here in New Orleans.  Those working at the Veteran’s facility and at Lantern Light noticed how the homeless suffer and cope with the severe weather.  Travis’ Veteran’s facility is indoors, warm, has comfortable seating and TV; it is a real refuge.  The laundry and showers were heavily used.  Erika’s location is more open to the elements, does not have a large warm gathering space, but has a loyal group who keep coming back.  At Lauren’s school most of the children want to be outside for recreation and play time despite rain or cold.  Br. Charles has a warm enough office, but folks are often in and out so the cold is always rushing in.  An unusual ice storm is now predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday--much of the city is now shutting down.  This is an extraordinary occurrence for New Orleanians. 

Srs, Carolyn Brockland, OSU, Pauline O'Reilly, CHF, Sr. Nancy Hale, CHF, Sr, Regina Petersen, MSC and Sr. Nancy Vance, SND

On a mild Saturday, January 25^th the “Newcomers Group” gathered in the Pauline Room for prayer, reflection and conversation.  Ursuline Sisters, a Cabrini, Sisters of Notre Dame [SND- Toledo], Sisters of Holy Faith, Sisters of Charity, Daughters of Charity and a Carmelite Sister were joined by the Brothers.  Srs. Nancy Hale and Pauline O’Reilly, CHF, coordinated the day, choosing a beautiful reflection on when the work of Christmas begins, adapted from a poem by Dr. Howard Thurman.  

 

Br. Charles with Sr. Beth Fitzpatrick, O Carm our new Vicar for Religious

Sr. Beth Fitzpatrick, O Carm, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Department of Religious for the Archdiocese, joined us.   Sr. Mary Ann Holmes, OSU, the newly appointed Prioress of the Ursuline Community also attended.  She knows Br. Greg McNally from a renewal program they both participated in and could quote snatches of a poem he used to recite.  Her commentary was very interesting.

 

Sr. Nancy Hale attends upon our Erika's words of wisdom to Sr. Kerstin Deubel, SND, Sr. Beth and Sr. Renee Rose, DC

After our prayer and reflection, Travis and Erika were good enough to take time from their schedules to help host the group for lunch.  It is always a pot-luck; everyone brings something—we supplied a tray of sandwiches and brownies, hot coffee and tea.  Br. Bob took some pictures so you’ll get to see Erika, our usual photographer.

Cabrini Sr. Regina laughs as John tells Sr. Mary Ann Holmes, OSU about water rights to a well in West Park, NY--but that is another story.  "We wuz robbed."

  

Sunday was quiet; the volunteers were away and it was a pleasant sunny day.  John is undergoing some tests associated with Parkinson’s and had an MRI scheduled for Tuesday.  [This was cancelled on Monday until February 7 due to ice storms threatened for January 27 and 28.]  It’s not much fun wondering why changes are taking place, and challenging when the doctor orders up a bunch of tests!  At the suggestion of a friend he met for lunch on Friday, he tried some ‘self care’ on Sunday.

In the late afternoon he went to the Trinity Artist Series at Trinity Episcopal Church on Jackson Avenue.  The featured soloist was ill, substitutions were made but the program of Baroque and modern pieces for trumpet, organ and flute went ahead.  Providentially, a piece was on the program that John had only heard on radio and in recordings but loved.  The fourth selection was Alan Hovhaness’ [1911-2000] Prayer of St. Gregory, Op. 62b.  As performed by Albinas Prizgintas, organist and a youthful master of the trumpet , David Perkins, it was the high point of an extraordinary musical experience.  To hear it live, in an acoustically fine space, played with such emotion and skill was a real experience of how music can be an evocation of grace.  Later, to have time to savor the experience, John walked home.  Then, he  added another dimension to a delightful moment and stopped by Ignatius, a local eating place that we no longer visit as community due to diet concerns for some and sound levels for others!  The crawfish etouffee was as good as ever and the bread pudding delicious.  The subsequent walk home along Magazine Street, on a relatively mild evening, was another moment to reflect on the extraordinary moments of grace we so often rush through that deserve time and reflection for the greater and eternal Beauty they reflect.

So when the MRI happens, it happens.  C’est la vie.   

TRANSITIONS:

Br. John and Fr. MichaelJospeh Nguyen behind Msgr Engelbrecht and Fr. Doug Brougher

 

Saturday, January 25^th was the first anniversary of the death of Fr. MichaelJoseph Vinh Ngoc Nguyen at the age of 56.  His energy, Faith life, good humor, and acceptance and lively support of the Brothers Community, personally and practically, were instrumental in our successful establishment of the Volunteer Community.  He also virtually bought us a van through donations and persuasion! 

Sister Mary Daniel, OP, a Dominican Sister of Peace and a native New Orleanian, will be leaving at the end of January for Columbus, Ohio.  Seven years ago Sr. Mary Daniel and her Dominican Sisters housed us at their Formation Center on Broadway in Uptown from August to February as we waited for renovations to 4219 Constance where we now live.  Sr. Mary Daniel, like John has Parkinson’s and has been instrumental in advancing the agenda for research into causes and cures; she got John involved in his first PD support group and has been a friend to the community as well.

FOR REFLECTION:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
Then the work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken in spirit,
To feed the hungry,
To release the oppressed,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among all peoples,
To make a little music in the heart.

And to radiate the Light of Christ,

Every day, in every way, in all that we do

And in all that we say.

Then the work of Christmas begins.

                                [Adapted from a poem by Howard Thurman]

 

RESILIENT SPIRIT AND SOFT HEARTS: NOLA 2014

Christmas 2013 saw only Br. Charles at home; he celebrated with the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Faith at their apartment on Coliseum Street; coming home with a sizable goody bag.  Bob was in Minnesota, John in New Jersey, Travis in Schenectady, Erika in the Poconos and Lauren on Long Island.

All were back for New Year’s; the volunteers went to the French Quarter; John stayed home and baked scones while waiting up for midnight; Charles and Bob managed to sleep through the fireworks in our neighborhood which were lovely, loud and illegal.  On New Year’s Day there were four for dinner; Charles, Bob, John and Erika sat down to dinner; Lauren skipped the meal and Travis was at the airport to pick up John Petrullo who was home from Madrid for the holidays.  It was a nice treat for us and John spent a few days visiting folks he worked with, especially at Lantern Light Ministry.

Most went back to ministry sights on January 3^rd, Lauren was off from school and then had a bad cold or the flu.  The Christmas Season lasts here through Twelfth Night to the Baptism of the Lord on January 12th.  Then Mardi Gras begins and 'King Cakes' appear.  Mike Petri, Iona '12, and a very close friend of Lauren's was here from the 14th to the 19th.

Br. Bob, two visitors, Lauren, Ben Bovin from Manhattan, Mike Petri, [Iona '12]a friend of Lauren's, and a visitor.

On January 17^th eleven students and a staff member from Manhattan  College came for dinner; they were LaSallian Volunteers here for a week of service.  They came to us at the end of their time to meet our volunteers and have a group reflection, which Travis Wain facilitated.  

Travis led the Manhattan College student reflection.

During the reflections, one of the students, in reflecting on her ministry experience in New Orleans, said about the people she had come in contact with: “I will always remember the resilience of their spirit and the softness of their hearts.”  In this lyrical and beautiful line she captured the reason individuals and groups come to New Orleans, not so much to help others, but to experience a community where personal relationships, gratitude, resilience, faith and ‘softness of heart’ are palpable and real.  One cannot spend time here in service, and having met the people, leave unmoved. 

The young lady on the right spoke of a resilient people with soft hearts.

Portrait with King Cake [and ice cream chasers.]  Hey, this is New Orleans.

Visitors discover Blue Bell ice cream and King Cake.  Let joy be unconfined!

That's Ben Bovin, our Manhattan College contact, on the right.

John Tran, All Hallows '12 and Ivan Borhoquez, All Hallows '12 flanking Br. John.  They are very proud graduates and remembered Brs. Bechner, Dunbar, Hamilton and O'Toole and Mr. Sullivan's definition of family:  Forget About Me, I Love You.

FOR REFLECTION

“We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock. Be it through contemplation, prayer, or even keeping a diary, many have found the practice of quiet personal reflection surprisingly rewarding, even discovering greater spiritual depth to their lives. 

In the year ahead, I hope you will have time to pause for moments of quiet reflection… the results can sometimes be surprising. 

For Christians, as for all people of faith, reflection, meditation and prayer help us to renew ourselves in God’s love, as we strive daily to become better people. The Christmas message shows us that this love is for everyone. There is no one beyond its reach.

On the first Christmas, in the fields above Bethlehem, as they sat in the cold of night watching their resting sheep, the local shepherds must have had no shortage of time for reflection. Suddenly all this was to change. These humble shepherds were the first to hear and ponder the wondrous news of the birth of Christ - the first noel - the joy of which we celebrate today.”

[From Queen Elizabeth II’s Christmas 2013 broadcast to the Commonwealth]

 BLOG 01.21.14:  A NEW YEAR

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT -- 2013

On Friday, the 13^th we invited friends and neighbors to help us put up our Christmas tree.  We had plenty of salad, pizza, and wings, plus some ice cream and brownies for our guests.  The pictures tell the tale. When guests arrived the salad and pizza were ready; but the tree was still boxed. 

"Nice pizza--but what have we gotten ourselves into?"

As it happened, the more senior guests gathered in the dining room, while the younger used sofas and the rug in the living room.  [That is what we got the rug for!]   In order to be supportive, the more senior guests settled on affirming the good work done by the more youthful guests, instead of interfering with their process.  Our neighbors, Glenn Lirette and Randy Miller, and Srs. Nancy Hale and Pauline O’Reilly kept Br. Bob, Br. Charles and Br. John company. 

Glenn, Sr. Pauline, Br. Charles, Sr. Nancy, Br. John and Randy supervising from afar.

The volunteer’s guests went by first names—sort of like being in a witness protection program.  Lauren’s guests included a young man “J.A.”, also part of Americorps in New Orleans, and a young woman from Buffalo, Jessie, a college friend who spent several days with us.  Erika invited Jeff, Dan and Jenna, Jesuit volunteers who work at the Harry Thompson Center which shares facilities with Lantern Light Ministries.

Dan, Jenna, Travis, AJ, Jeff, Lauren and Jessie discuss their approach to tree trimming.

"I wonder if they noticed this great haircut I just got--ah well, now where is that tree?

Erika oversaw the buffet; Travis took care of the pizza and putting up the tree.  Br. John wrestled the brownies away from Br. Charles to give to the young people, telling the volunteers they could also have ice cream when the tree was up!  

Senior staff with ice cream cups and  brownie bites--will they share the brownies?

 

Tree is installed by Travis, AJ, and Lauren, note the ''sidewalk superintendents.'

 

Lauren searches for just the right ornament to put up next.  AJ and Dan await, breathlessly.

Jeff, with a height advantage, adds the star on our tree

Erika took the pictures that accompany this blog.

On Sunday, December 15^th, the community went out to dinner for a Christmas celebration.  Last year, at precisely the same time on the Third Sunday of Advent, we celebrated Matt Beben’s 23^rd birthday.  He had his first escargot, and he and Bob had ‘Seafood Courtbouillon, [gulf fish, shrimp, mussels, tomato shrimp broth, green onion butter crustini].’  It was a joy to see Matt’s delight in new foods, something so appropriate in New Orleans.  This year, as last, Travis and Br. John, had the ‘trois mignon’  as did Erika and all pronounced them good.  We had to skip dessert since one of our number had her heart set on a dish of vanilla ice cream from the freezer at home. ‘C’est la vie’.

REFLECTION:

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

--Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE -- 12.12. 2013

Thanksgiving was a treat here at 4219 Constance.  We accepted an invitation from the Presentation Sisters at Lantern Light Ministries to celebrate with them, but so did a number of others and it seemed to us that their house might be a bit crowded with 22 people!  So we invited them to celebrate here—we set up the Blessed Pauline Room and provided liquid refreshments; while the Presentation Sisters, the Holy Faith nuns, and Cabrini Sisters provided turkeys, dressings, casseroles, and desserts:  apple pies, ambrosia and Pavlova.  Travis ferried some of the food in the van, others brought their culinary treats and we luckily got to keep a lot of the leftovers!  It was a delicious deal.  Our guests included Ryan, a friend of Travis’ and Dave Werthmann who spent a week as our guest—he is a long time friend of John’s.  

Lauren Zanfardino spent Thanksgiving on Long Island with her family for a wedding and the holiday.

John began December with school visits to Holy Cross and Pope John Paul II as part of the Discovery Walk Program.  A school visit to Damien Memorial in Honolulu beginning December 9 never came off;  flight cancellations due to winter storms affected connecting flights out of Dallas. 

Our Christmas lights on the balcony are complemented now by lights on the kumquat tree in front of the house.  Our kumquat is BIG—not like the ones used for bonsai!  It is difficult to recognize our tree with the description that follows but they are one and the same:

“When the kumquats are divided into multiple species, the name Fortunella japonica (or Citrus japonica) is retained by this group. The round kumquat also called Marumi kumquat or Morgani kumquat, is an evergreen tree, producing edible golden-yellow fruit. The fruit is small and usually round but can be oval shaped. The peel has a sweet flavor but the fruit has a sour center. The fruit can be eaten cooked but is mainly used to make marmalades and jellies. It is grown as an ornamental plant and can be used in bonsai. The plant symbolizes good luck in China and other Asian countries, where it is kept as a houseplant and given as a gift during the Lunar New Year. Round kumquats are more commonly cultivated than other species due to their cold tolerance.”

Our neighbor, Glen Lirette, got the lights and installed them so our kumquat TREE is quite elegant.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE:

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The opening prayer at Mass spoke clearly of the Church’s commitment to work for justice so we might have peace.  This wider context is perhaps convenient to overlook—if we concentrate only on the miraculous creation and preservation of the image but neglect the meaning for men and women in poverty and of color today, living among us, unknown personally to us as our brothers and sisters, but only as someone we minister to. 

 

O God, Father of mercies,
who placed your people under the singular protection
of your Son's most holy Mother, grant 

that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe,
may seek with ever more lively faith
the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and of peace.

Interesting that seeking the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and peace can be passed over so lightly in a city that owes much of its recovery to the sweat and labor of immigrants from among the very people that Our Lady appeared to!  

Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s reflection in GIVE US THIS DAY was more in keeping with the vision of Pope Francis in the concern for the poor and in at least an oblique reference to the sin of racism.  He wrote: “But the apparition truly marked the birth of the Mexican people—a  fusion of the Spanish and Indian races and culture.  With her dark skin and Indian features, the Lady offered an image of divine compassion for a demoralized people.  At the same time, she called the Church to heed the voice of the poor, to serve as a vehicle for their cultural and spiritual survival.   

As the Advent hymn reminds us:  

     Wake, awake, for night is flying,

     The watchmen on the heights are crying;

     Awake, Jerusalem, at last!  

BLOG 12.12.13 Our Lady of Guadalupe