JANUARY 2015: LATE AGAIN

I checked previous blogs and it seems much of December and January flash by every year before a new blog appears.  Here we go for 2015!

The Advent Season, as a time of waiting, was much in our hearts and prayer as we spent it this year without volunteers.  There was an emptiness that accompanied us.  As Christmas approached, we put up some decorations in the kitchen where we gather for meals, and the outdoor lights.

 

We did not put up a tree [no one even talked about it] or decorate the dining or living rooms since the volunteers did that, with their friends, in years past.  It served as a reminder to us to redouble our efforts to connect with other groups to let people know of the program.

During the Christmas season, either by telephone calls or cards, we heard from Caitlyn and Vincent, and had a newsy card [a rarity] from Kyle Fischler, now a homeowner in the Denver area.  Kyle finished an MSW in Social Work and is working at the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic at National Jewish Health and St. Joseph’s Hospital there.

Catherine Drennan and Nick Roland keep in touch.  Ryan Danaher wed Erin Hodgson of Quincy, Illinois on May 2^nd.  While the wedding took place in Seattle the parties crossed state lines so they could also celebrate in the Midwest.  According to Erin, Ryan’s 30^th was celebrated listening to a group from New Orleans visiting the Pacific Northwest.

John Petrullo has kept in touch and is back from his teaching stint in Spain, and planning to come down and see what might be found in NOLA.  

Erika Enlund writes of a return to the New York area that was quite demanding.  She is pursuing an advanced degree at Parsons School of Design and wondered if she was really up to the demands.  Her 3.8 grade point average seems to indicate that her nervousness [shared with concerned Brothers and Sisters in NOLA] motivated her performance.  Her devoted feline companion, Chichi, passed on after 19 years, and Erika moved to a new place.  Sounds tiring.

For Christmas among the Brothers, John left on December 18 for province business, joining his family in New Jersey on the 23^rd and returning to NOLA on January 2^nd.  Bob left for Minnesota on the 21^st and returned on the 30^th.  [Get him to tell you about accidentally getting off at the first stop on a flight that he was to stay on till the next stop!]  Charles traveled via Atlanta to Jacksonville on Christmas Eve to visit a niece, returning on the 1^st.  During our time away the cat, Karen, was fed by our neighbors, Glenn and Randy, who took in our mail, too.

Our highlight in January has been the visit from Iona College students.  The dozen or so from Iona were joined by three Religious of the Sacred Heart who housed them at Duchesne House [and spoke highly of the group.]  The students talked about Erika and Lauren and their influence; they would not have known TJ Wain as well.  It was a lovely evening.

We also had Sr. Nancy Hale, CHF and Sr. Pauline O’Reilly, CHF for dinner on the 22^nd—we had Bob’s ‘sliders’ after a lovely salad, followed by pound cake with strawberries marinated in crème de cassis.  

No Brother ever starved.

BLOG 01.23.15

SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT 2014

Roses in December

We are reviewing the process and procedures, expectations and experience of our Volunteer Program and our recruitment efforts.  Bob Koppes, the Director of the Volunteer Program has been working with John on some ideas.  Last week John met with Sr. Monica Gundler and Kristin Niedbala to discuss developing a survey for past volunteers about the program in New Orleans.  They also surfaced names of groups that might have members who would want to live in community while giving service.  An advisory group who would meet a few times each year is also envisaged.  John reviewed this with Bob on Thursday;  Bob talked about recruitment efforts thus far.

While Bob and Charles continued their work at St. Joseph’s Church and Lantern Light, John visited Pope John Paul II High School in Slidell, Louisiana on Wednesday for a ‘Discovery Walk.’

On Friday John met with Colleen Larocca to invite her and her husband to consider being companions to the Volunteer Program as part of the aforementioned advisory group.  They met at Café Reconcile where Br. Joe Fragala and John Petrullo volunteered at different times. 

 On Saturday we all voted in local elections; then Bob and John worked in the yard.  Bob salvaged an old iron gate and relocated it as a focal point where a path met a blank wall; then he transplanted a tree of unknown type next to it; the tree having outgrown its pot.  Nice effect!

On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints suffered what the newspaper called an ‘Epic Fail.’  An understatement. 

Cat and kumquats

FOR REFLECTION:

"They watch for Christ who are sensitive, eager, apprehensive in mind,
Who are awake, alive, quick-sighted, zealous in honoring him,
Who look for him in all that happens,
And who would not be surprised,
Who would not be over-agitated or overwhelmed,
If they found that he was coming at once.

"This then is to watch:

to be detached from what is present, and
to live in what is unseen;
to live in the thought of Christ as he came once,
and as he will come again;

to desire his second coming,
From our affectionate and grateful remembrance of his first."

                                               John Henry Cardinal Newman

BLOG 12.08.14

ADVENT 2014 BEGINS

"The better to see you with."

On Monday, the 24^th of November, having had so much fun with dermatology, John took on ophthalmology courtesy of Dr. Scott Lanoux and had cataract surgery on his left eye—the right one having been done a decade ago in Washington, DC.  Charles took John to the hospital and brought him home; the next day Bob got John to the doctor for the follow up visit.  The only nuisance is remembering to use the prescribed eye drops every day for weeks.

On Wednesday, Br. Sean Moffett flew in from Brownsville to celebrate Thanksgiving with us and our Brothers from Jackson, MS, Teddy Dausch and John Brennan.  Ted and John arrived on Thanksgiving Day shortly before others arrived.  We were joined by Sisters of the Holy Faith Maura O’Donovan, Nancy Hale and Pauline O’Reilly and Sisters of Charity Monica Gundler, Kelly O’Mahony, Claire Regan and Mary Lex Smith.  The Sisters brought a number of delicious appetizers, main dishes, wine, dessert and a glorious poinsettia.

Aperitif in the Map Room:  Sr. Mary Lex, John Brennan and Sr. Maura O'Donovan

 We work collaboratively and extensively with these women who share our concerns for mission and ministry.  Sisters Nancy and Pauline volunteer at Lantern Light, as does Br. Charles.  They have often helped us as well as being very supportive of volunteers like John Petrullo and Erika Enlund.  Br. John serves on the steering committee of Burning Bush with Sr. Maura O’Donovan and Sr. Claire Regan.  He serves on an Advisory Committee for the House of Charity; Sr. Monica Gundler is a frequent facilitator for our community retreats and reflections and has been a friend and counselor for volunteers.  For all these reasons it was natural to have our Thanksgiving celebration with those who share our vision and values.  The Sisters came for the same reason, and because, as one of them honestly stated: “I never had a man cook a Thanksgiving turkey for me.” 

Chef Bob at work.

  

Pauline, Nancy, Sean, Mary Lex [hidden], Ted, Maura, Charles, John, Kelly [hidden] John B, Claire

For our celebration, we first enjoyed an aperitif [Kir Royales prepared by Sr. Kelly] in the Map Room next to the kitchen where Bob prepared the turkey, dressing and gravy.  We then went to the dining room for prayer composed by Nancy and Pauline.  Serving ourselves from a buffet set out by Srs. Pauline and Monica we managed to consume many new takes on old favorites like cranberry compote made with craisins, and sweet potato casserole based on a recipe from Café Reconcile.  The delicious white wine was a Jubilee gift to John from Caitlyn DeCastro, one of our first volunteers.  After pausing for a few rounds of “Mad Libs” we had ‘Pavlova’ and apple pie, desserts prepared by Sr. Pauline O’Reilly.

Charles' view: Monica, John C, Kelly,John B, Claire [Hidden] Bob, Nancy, Sean, Mary Lex, Ted, Maura

Apple pie and "Pavlova"  -- a little bit of heaven.

On Friday, Sean, Ted and John Brennan were shown around town by Br. Charles, seeing the still sad effects from Katrina.  In the evening, Sean Moffett treated us to dinner at our favorite restaurant, ‘Ignatius’, named for the protagonist in the book CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES which was written by a man from St. Henry’s Parish.  After dinner it was on to ‘Sucré’ for gelato—though our visitor who lived in Rome for many years opted for espresso—gelato isn’t the same outside of Italy—somewhat like what New Orleanians think of Cajun  or Creole food preparation in other places.

On Saturday we bade farewell to our Brother visitors and on Sunday were happy to see a Saints victory and a game played like the team was getting things together.  A good lesson for all as we enter the Advent Season—urged to be awake and aware.

Pavlova--time for your close-up

For reflection:

“Canned food is a perversion,' Ignatius said. 'I suspect that it is ultimately very damaging to the soul.” 

―  John Kennedy Toole, A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES

THE THRILL IS GONE: Saints Fans Feeling Down

After a much hyped beginning of the football season, which finds Bob and Charles glued to their TV’s on Sunday afternoon game days, the results have been lackluster and gloom hovers like grey clouds over many heads.  In addition, without the presence of volunteers, which gives this community its main mission, it is hard to work up much enthusiasm some days.

October 15 and 16,  John was at the Archdiocesan Catholic School Administrators’ Convention in Bay St. Louis where Robert [Louis] Marzano gave talks on “Formulating a School Culture to Meet the Individual Needs of the Students We Serve.”  Bob is a graduate of O’Dea High School in Seattle and joined the Brothers in 1964, the same year John did.  Bob left the community in 1968 and went on to author thirty odd books, and become a valued researcher and presenter on educational topics. John was able to spend time with him, attend Mass with him, and share breakfast with Bob and several staff members of the School Leadership Center where John does some consulting.

Sr. Monica Gundler facilitated a community meeting on October 27 and on the 29^th we celebrated Charles 89^th birthday.  During the day the community presented a donation to Lantern Light Ministries in Charles’ honor, he distributed treats to the guests.  That evening we celebrated his entrance to his ninth decade at a local restaurant with Presentation Sisters Vera and Enid and Holy Faith Sisters Nancy and Pauline.

Charles on postal duty on his 89th birthday!

Ice cream bars or ice cream sandwiches handed out by the birthday boy.

Br. Kevin Bernard, ’64, Deputy Regional Leader of the Latin American Region, arrived that same evening  He came to spend some time at the end of his two month sabbatical in the US.  Kevin and John drove to Mobile, Alabama on Friday and enjoyed hours of exploring the Battleship Alabama anchored in Mobile Bay.  Saturday was spent at the Mobile Museum of Art, a small but excellent assembly of beautifully displayed objects.  After lunch they discovered the Cathedral and Kevin discovered the stairs down to the crypt.  Heaven.  On Sunday, they visited Bellingrath House and Gardens which had a great cafeteria.  Kevin returned to Peru on Tuesday, November 4. 

On the 5^th John went in for the excision of a basal cell carcinoma.  Pictures tell the story.  John is thinking about dressing as a pirate for Mardi Gras if the scar does not heal.

Just an 8 inch long excision and you'll get a face lift thrown in!

They looked in but found nothing!  Perhaps I'll go as a pirate to Mardi Gras.

On the 8^th we had a great group from Iona Prep for dinner and reflection. 

Bob attended the Catholic Volunteer Network in Denver from November 11 to 15 and got some good ideas; he was, however, unable to connect with Kyle Fischler, one of our alumni volunteers who we believe is living in Denver. The 11^th was John’s birthday so he and Charles went out to dinner just around the corner at Baie Rouge—yummy.

Now we are looking forward to Thanksgiving—hopefully the Saints game will pick up also!

IN CASE YOU ARE INTERESTED:

A reflection for the CLARION HERALD special issue on Consecrated Life.

http://clarionherald.info/clarion/images/pdfs/consecrated_life/page03.pdf

BLOG 11.24.14