THE OTHER REAL PRESENCE

Sr. Lory Schaff, CSJ [1932-2012]

Sr. Lory Schaff, CSJ, died this past week after a long life of service to the poor in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Br. Charles and John attended a beautiful memorial service that included a reading of her renewal of vows for her 25th Jubilee [a long time ago], and reminiscences from co-workers and those she ministered to at Hope House and other venues in New Orleans. We got to know her at the “Newcomer” gatherings of religious who came to NOLA after Katrina.  Sr. Lory was a native of Louisiana and welcomed us “Newcomers,” sharing her stories and valued insights with us.  A powerful and consistent advocate for the poor, she lived that simplicity of life so many of us espouse.  As her days came to a close she chose not to pursue aggressive forms of medical treatment because she felt the resources consumed could be better used elsewhere.  She believed in life after death and the world to come.

We recall, too, her gracious manner, gentle good humor, and lovely voice, redolent with the cadences and pronunciation of New Orleans.  She was a great lady who made you feel special as you left her presence.  Religious life was never lived more fully.

The Other Real Presence

Am I mistaken, Lord?
Is it temptation to think
You increasingly urge me
To go forth and proclaim
The need and urgency
Of passing
From the Blessed Sacrament
To your other presence,
Just as real,
In the Eucharist of the poor?

Theologians will argue,
A thousand distinctions be advanced
But woe to him who feeds on You
And later has no eyes to see You
To discern you
Foraging for food among the garbage,
Being evicted every other minute,
Living in sub-human conditions
Under the sign of utter insecurity.

By Helder Camara, written out in his own hand by
Cardinal Basil Hume

On a more mundane level, we are still praying for and, Bob is still recruiting volunteers for our community.  He is in contact with many possibilities, but things take time.  Michael Jakob from our first Ursuline summer group in 2009 is in contact about a possible  early 2013 sojourn with us and we are having a group of Jesuit volunteers in for dinner this Wednesday.

We are in contact with  some of our former volunteers--Vincent Fiedler-Ross, now a graduate engineering student in Washington, DC called to check on us and fill us in on his life.

Haley Mills, our volunteer who departed in November 2010 when given an extraordinary scholarship opportunity to further her plans for ordination, [she is a Methodist] has been in contact.  She continues her studies at Emory.  Below a picture of Haley during the prayer service at the orientation ceremony in August 2010.

Br. Bob and Haley with Br. John and Josh Burgess in the background.

Haley came to us because of her interest in living with a Eucharistic community and was very involved in our community meetings, and in giving us an insight into the vitality of Christian social ministry among our Methodist brothers and sisters.  She is pursuing ordination in her  Methodist faith community as an aspect of her commitment to social ministry in the Church. 

We have to follow up on e-mails and phone messages from Catherine Drennan who has something in mind for us.  We shall see.  

Our weather is cool and sunny--Bob just planted basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme near our car park so he can pick fresh  herbs as he comes in to cook!  "Fancy!" as Allison Maraldo would say.

OUR JANUARY JOURNEY - 2012

Our 'Northern' magnolia--a tulip tree down here.

“So come to the pond,
or the river of your imagination,
or the harbor of your longing,

and put your lips to the world.

And live
your life.”

These words from Mornings at Blackwater by Mary Oliver were part of our Taize prayer here on January 18^th and we have been paying heed to their sentiment these winter weeks in the Crescent City.  

Charles and John celebrated Christmas in Seattle, WA and Mahwah, NJ respectively while Bob remained here in NOLA.  We were together for New Years and celebrated by attending Mass at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in New Orleans East with our good friend and major benefactor, Fr. MichaelJoseph Nguyen.  Colleen LaRocca [who is the parish secretary and a good friend to us], her family and many parishioners then celebrated New Years watching the Saints beat the Panthers 45 to 17. 

Brs. John and Charles, Colleen LaRocca, and Br. Bob at ROOL Rectory on New Year's Day

That same week John was at Holy Cross HS on Monday as part of his work with the School Leadership Program of Greater New Orleans, [SLC] and Bob and Charles returned to Operation Helping Hands [OHH] and Lantern Light respectively.

Br. Dan Casey at the final OHH house:  A reflective moment.

Br. Dan Casey came for visitation from January 4 through 8 and was able to visit OHH and Lantern Light as well as be present for the ceremony marking the official end of the Operation Helping Hands program which, since Hurricane Katrina, gutted 2,000 houses and rebuilt 200, using mostly volunteer labor, permitting the poor to return home.  Allison Maraldo, who continues with Americorps, was the project manager for this last house and is pictured below with Mrs. Thomas, the homeowner, before the ceremony began.

Allison and Mrs Thomas in front of the house.

During the second week of January, John visited the Academy of the Sacred Heart on St. Charles Avenue and Pope John Paul II in Slidell for SLC.  Ray Vercruysse was here to work in several schools, and John worked with him at Archbishop Shaw HS, a Salesian school, on the Westbank on Wednesday and Thursday.  On Friday, John attended an in-service for principals of Catholic high schools working with the SLC program and was invited to take on two more high schools. 

Sr. Jeannie Humphrey, OSU who taught with John at St. Philip Neri in the Bronx visited us on Sunday of the third week with a friend, Sr. Susan Francois, CSJP.  On January 17 John had a formal SLC “Discovery Walk” at Academy of Our Lady in Marrero and on Wednesday, we had about 25 people for Taize prayer downstairs, and a reception afterwards upstairs. 

That's Allison with the pink bandana, Molly to her left--rapt attention!

On Friday the 20^th, Americorps volunteers,  with their coordinator, Jessica McKeown, came to Constance  Street for a reflection on leadership that John facilitated.  They came after work from 5 to 6:30 PM; it is assumed the applause at the end was motivated by relief as much as appreciation.  Although, why one agrees to facilitate a reflection with mainly 20 somethings on Friday after work is unknowable.  Whatever. . .

Brothers Bob, Charles, John and Gerard Bennett at the dinner table. 

That same day we  welcomed Br. Gerard Bennett from Melbourne who is returning home after a sabbatical.  He works with a L’Arche community in Australia.  He came after a visit to a wintry, snowy Minneapolis—the difference in weather was pronounced—his flight was rerouted through Washington, DC and only Charles’ determination and patience—and charm at the agent’s desk—enabled him to discover Gerard’s flight information.  But all is well, Gerard settled in and has had dinner at Ignatius around the corner, eaten corn casserole in our dining room, and attended Mass at St. Gabriel’s in Pontchartrain Park.  He introduced himself, as is custom there, to the congregation at the beginning of Mass.  Even the pastor was impressed with “I’m from Melbourne, Australia.”  We don’t have a lot of Aussie visitors yet—but are working on getting some exchange volunteers from Edmund Rice affiliated schools Down Under with Gerard’s help.

Speaking of our volunteer program, Bob is devoting Tuesdays now to recruitment and although OHH’s building projects have ended, Bob’s work overseeing finances and the completion of many projects continues.

We are delighted that students from O’Dea and Vancouver College are coming in March.  Vancouver is working with Habitat for Humanity and staying at Camp Restore which is a Lutheran volunteer program.  We also look forward to the visit of the band and choir from St. Thomas More in Burnaby, BC and hope others continue to include New Orleans in their ministry plans.

Below the full text of Mary Oliver’s poem—a wonderful meditation on awareness and life.

Mornings at Blackwater
by Mary Oliver (from “Red Bird: Poems”)

For years, every morning, I drank
from Blackwater Pond.
It was flavored with oak leaves and also, no doubt,
the feet of ducks.

And always it assuaged me
from the dry bowl of the very far past.

What I want to say is
that the past is the past,
and the present is what your life is,
and you are capable
of choosing what that will be,
darling citizen.

So come to the pond,
or the river of your imagination,
or the harbor of your longing,

and put your lips to the world.
 
And live
your life.