MEMORIAL DAY 2012 --WE REMEMBER

 The following appeared in the parish news of St. Teresa’s Church in the Spring of 1945.  William Thomas Casey, Br. John’s Dad, was serving in the Pacific as a RDM 2/c on a destroyer escort.  This letter was written by his brother,  Cpl. John Anthony Casey, a Marine on his way to Iwo Jima.  His mother was an Irish immigrant, a widow who had eight children, two of whom died while infants.

From St. Teresa's Parish News:  “We would like to include here his last letter to his mother—one of the most moving documents we have seen.

                                                                                     January 30, 1945

Dear Mom,

At this writing I am on board a troop ship headed for an attack on our enemy, Japan.  As for our destination, you will know that by the newspaper headlines long before this letter reaches you.  I have no doubt of our victory, as the Marines never did learn the meaning of defeat.  One thing I know is that few of us will be injured; others will pay the supreme sacrifice.  All of us realize we have a job mapped out for us, and understand that the lot of some will be more difficult than others.  And yet the sum total isn’t too much to ask to retain our priceless heritage offered in good old America.  We’re fighting for things that we all took so much for granted before Pearl Harbor.  For a Saturday night date with the girl friend or a few beers with the boys.  For a chance to play ball on Sunday or take a ride in the country.  These and many more little things come to mind when you think of home.  And if the price asked of a few of us seems a little steep, just remember that America is made up of generations and not individuals and that a fellow not only fights for his own happiness, but for that of the people he loves.

Naturally I don’t intend having anything happen to the ‘Lil Infant’ at all.  I’ll be in there giving everything I’ve got on one hand, but keeping both eyes open and taking care of myself on the other.  I agree with the fellow 100% who says, ‘I believe in the other fellow giving his life for his country, rather than mine for America.’

Aboard this particular ship we are fortunate in having a Catholic Chaplain, and I am thus afforded the opportunity of going to daily Mass.  So far this week I went to Confession and Communion, and I intend on Receiving again tomorrow.  Naturally, I remember you all in my prayers at home, and I know you do likewise.  And don’t think I don’t need your prayers at home, as at this particular time they are most helpful.  And in your intentions, just ask God as I do, that I may be in all conflicts, a good Christian, and a good Marine and Mom Casey’s boy.

I realize that the tone of this letter is very serious, but then these are very serious times.  When the chips are down as they are now, a fellow is bound to take more seriously a lot of things he previously took for granted back home.  And while it is only natural for a fellow like me to think as I do, I only hope I am doing right in putting my thoughts across to you.  If I can but convey the idea to you that I am happy where I am, and in what I am doing for the good of all that will come about; that I am living up to my faith and am in the state of grace asking no quarter  nor giving any; and firmly believing in the adage that everything happens for the best, then I am happy and if you think I’m being too serious about this all, just remember I’m merely trying to be realistic, and not a dreamer.

Mrs. Delia Casey…was informed on April 4th, 1945 that her son, Corporal John Anthony Casey died in action on March 10^th at Iwo Jima of wounds suffered while serving as a machine gunner with the 25^th Marines, Fourth Marine Division.

Corporal Casey was 23 years old, a graduate of St. Agnes High School in Manhattan and had attended St. John’s College.  He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack.  Corporal Casey was over six feet tall, though his family affectionately refers to him as ‘the Lil Infant’ as he was the youngest of Mrs. Casey’s three sons.” 

We remember.

ON THE ROAD

 

School visits, the volunteer program and Richard Wagner kept us in motion this past week!

New I-Pads at St. Charles Catholic High School

On Monday, John left at 6:45 AM for the 30+ mile drive upriver to St. Charles Catholic High School in La Place, LA for a Discovery Walk.  It is a small school with leadership that is a real team and a welcoming faculty committed to upping their game.  The quote at the end of this article came from a wonderful English teacher’s classroom—it is hard sometimes to look neutral and not exclaim in delight. 

On Tuesday, Bob left to drive to a conference on volunteering in Camden, NJ—who knew?  On the way he stopped in Elizabeth at our Province Leadership Team’s residence and then visited a potential volunteer and his family.  He went on to the meeting and will be back here on Tuesday of this week, in time for our last hosting of Taize prayer for this Spring.

On Wednesday, John left for another Discovery Walk that entails a 71 mile round trip drive to Pope John Paul II High School in Slidell, LA along the Gulf coast not far from the Mississippi border.  With a new principal and another fine team, it was remarkable that during the last week of class, students were actively engaged, teachers were teaching and one saw purposeful and relevant instruction—no slacking there!  On the way back, John stopped off at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in New Orleans East where Fr. Michael Joseph Nguyen is pastor and Colleen La Rocca is parish secretary.  Fr. Michael Joseph secured a very large gift for a new van for the volunteer community last August and John filled him in on the volunteers for the coming year.  The van will come in handy!

Wednesday evening, after three days of work at Lantern Light, Charles summoned up the energy to attend a simulcast of a New York Metropolitan Opera broadcast of Wagner’s “Siegfried.”  A brand new production which has been refined by new insights and enhanced by intricate staging, Charles found it entrancing.  He described this at 7 AM on Thursday morning taking John to the airport to fly to Texas. 

 

John facilitated a faculty workshop at Guadalupe Regional Middle School in Brownsville—on Friday of the next to last week of school, from 1 PM to 4:15 PM! Teachers reflected on the past year and data from visitations and assessments in order to identify with the principal areas for professional development for the coming year.  Despite the date and time the faculty was very engaged.  Amazing the dedication of teachers! After [Despite?] the faculty meeting Brs. Arthur Williams and Tony Quinn took John to dinner at ‘Dirty Al’s at Pelican Station’ in Port Isabel, Texas, across South Bay from South Padre Island.  It is a 30 minute drive generally northeast of Brownsville on US 100, the Texas Tropical Trail.  The company, food and view of the Bay were wonderful.

John arrived home Saturday night at 10:30 PM.  While ‘home alone’ on Saturday, Charles caught the four hour simulcast of Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung,” again from the Met.  A matinee performance, it left time for a bit of rest before having to bring John home from the airport.

During the week, Allison Maraldo celebrated a birthday, Caitlyn De Castro received a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Northeastern [We think we have that right] and Kyle Fischler and Caitlyn met up in DC to attend the wedding of OHH alums Pam and Dan. 

In NOLA, the crape myrtles are blooming; lawns are green, the roses, lantana, plumbago, and jasmines in flower.  It is getting warmer and is humid, evenings are a bit sultry.  We leave you this week with a quote from a teen with a sense of humor, a great turn of phrase and a teacher gifted with appreciation for the same.

The following quote was on a student made poster in a high school classroom. 

“If you were 17 and had to take the test that you just gave, you’d cry too.”

LOUISIANA INCARCERATED

Photo:  Eliot Kamentiz for the TIMES PICAYUNE

 “How we built the world’s prison capital.”  “Sheriffs and politicians have financial incentives to keep people locked up.”  “Louisiana imprisons more people than any nation in the world.  1,619 people per 100,000 residents; Russia—525; Rwanda—450; Iran—333; China—122; Afghanistan—62.”  “One in every 86 adults is doing time in Louisiana.”  These are headlines from the series that began May 12, 2912 in THE TIMES-PICAYUNE.  It helps one answer the question: “Why are we in New Orleans?”  This is mission country!  You can access this at NOLA.COM but a warning—it is depressing stuff.

During the first week of May, Charles was at Lantern Light, Bob at OHH working on finances, and working from home for the volunteer program, and at Lantern Light doing some repairs for them. As the week began, John visited Ursuline Academy to do their first Discovery Walk. 

Exterior view of the Rebuild Center which houses Lantern Light Ministries

Saturday, May 5 is the feast day assigned to Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice—we postponed our celebration to Sunday evening and dinner at the new location of ‘Ignatius’ a place named after the lead character in “CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES” [which was written by a St. Henry’s parishioner.]  For dessert we visited Caitlyn DeCastro’s favorite sweet shop: SUCRE.

The congregation is marking the 250^th anniversary of Edmund Rice’s birth on June 1 in a special way, as we will.  More on that when it happens!

During the second week of May, John was at Academy of Our Lady on Tuesday; that evening his cousin, Michael Flanagan visited the community.  John spent Wednesday at the School Leadership Center at the Lakeside Campus of the University of New Orleans.  Charles and Bob continued as during the first week.  Bob is in regular contact with three young men who, even as they are graduating, are also filling out forms, making contacts and getting recommendations for ministries in NOLA next year when they are living in community with us.  We look forward to having volunteers again.

At the Blessed Pauline Center, while the parish pays for the grass to be cut and regular visits by an exterminator, the Brothers take care of most other maintenance and have brought back the gardens and added to them.  With regular rain and abundant sun this Spring, a fair amount of pruning is a constant necessity.  We have had good guidance from neighbors about what to plant and have added to what was here; the general aspect is more attractive to visitors and our neighbors and the work is a nice outlet for us!

During John’s meetings at the School Leadership Center on Wednesday, the group was reminded that the key to successful outcomes in the schools was, as always, the quality of local leadership.  One reflection on leadership rang especially true to lived experience:

"The leader . . .  is rarely the brightest person in the group.  Rather they have extraordinary  taste, which makes them more curators than creators.They are appreciators of talent and nurturers of talent and they have the ability to recognize valuable ideas.”  Warren G. Bennis