EASTER IN NEW ORLEANS - 2012

Presentation and Ursuline Sisters, Fr. Doug Brougher, and Br. Tom LeJeune [visiting from Seattle] joined Charles, Bob and John for a brunch of fresh fruit salad, ‘Bellinis’, blueberry pancakes and sausage at Noon on Easter Sunday.  Bob Koppes has a wonderful recipe for pancakes made with fresh blueberries; we served a similar breakfast on Bacchus Sunday and Bob suggested we invite some folks in for Easter Sunday.   We invited communities with whom we minister. 

Front: Srs. Ginger Cirone, OSU, & Maureen Nolan, PBVM  Back: Bob, Srs. Enid Storey, PBVM, Carla Dolce, OSU, Vera Butler, PBVM, Donna Hyndman, OSU, Charles, Sr. Anna Raimon, PBVM, John, and Sr. Regina Marie Fronmuller, OSU.  Br. Tom LeJeune took the picture, Fr. Doug had already left.

Br. Charles works Monday through Wednesday mornings with the Presentation Sisters serving homeless persons at Lantern Light on Gravier Street behind St. Joseph’s Church.  The work of the Sisters was noted in a recent piece in the Times Picayune titled: “At New Orleans Rebuild Center, Sisters’ Mission is to Provide Caring Touch,” by Mary Ricard.  Click on this link to read the full article. http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2012/04/at_new_orleans_rebuild_center/8000315/comments-newest.html.

The Ursuline Sisters serve educational ministries and care for the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on State Street.  The Shrine has attracted national attention recently for the appearance of a shadow on a pillar.  Sister Carla Dolce, OSU, the Prioress, commented that the brunch was a wonderful break from all the attention. Thousands of visitors have descended on the shrine and they have hired security because of the crowds.  An article entitled: “Shadow at Ursuline Chapel is a Sign to Many” by Bruce Nolan appeared in the Easter Sunday edition of the Times Picayune.

http://www.nola.com/religion/index.ssf/2012/04/shadow_at_ursuline_chapel_is_a.html.

Fr. Doug Brougher is the chaplain at nearby Truro Hospital; he lives at St. Stephen Rectory which is a short walk from our home.  He is a long time friend of the Brothers and stayed with Tom LeJeune in Seattle last year when visiting for a conference.

On Good Friday, we hosted 20 students and four faculty members from O'Dea.

Bob speaking about the history of the house and our neighborhood to the O'Dea group

Br. Tom, one of the founders of this community, had been here for a week with students from O’Dea High School in Seattle living at Camp Restore and working with the St. Bernard project.  The twenty young men from O’Dea hung dry wall and even did mudding—and experienced fierce lightning storms one night, not uncommon here but rare in Seattle.  The aerial pyrotechnics meant a two-hour blackout where they were staying, but they just trooped outside and savored the display!  When power was restored, they watched the NCAA games on TV!  

While John and Bob figure out how to efficiently feed 24 hungry people, Tom surveys the scene!

After participating in Good Friday services in the city, the group came to the Volunteer Community for dinner, reflection and dessert.  They left for home early Saturday morning.  They left with wonderful experiences--and beads, lots of beads!   Their reflections on their experience were profound and deeply Christian and hopefully we shall see some of them again. 

A natural for New Orleans--knows how to wear them beads!

Br. Tom remained in this neighborhood that was home for his family for many years; spending Saturday and Sunday before going on to visit his uncle and aunt in Destrehan.  Typically, as we left St. Stephen Church on Sunday morning, Claire [Sisi] Pelletier greeted Tom with:  “I know you, your Alice’s grandson—now why are you off there in Seattle—why don’t you get yourself back here?” 

Ivan, second from left, will be attending Xavier University next year--he's ready for Mardi Gras!

 

 

Br. Bob gives the house tour so that young men can see what to expect when they come back to the volunteer community.

The young men and their teachers gather for the reflection when we go around the room and share where the Spirit was working in their time in New Orleans.  The young man staring at the camera, second from right on the floor, has been to NOLA twice before!

The teachers, as you can see here, also participate in the reflection -- this is towards the end of our reflection with this group from O'Dea--in a few moments we go for dessert--bread pudding from Cafe Reconcile. We ordered a tray for 40 and the students and teachers were kind enough to eat all of it so none went to waste.