DISCERNMENT

We had our initial formal community meeting to discuss our goals and objectives for the coming year, and to assign responsibilities among the three of us.  Bob Koppes has agreed to be the Community Contact Person as we continue as a community of Shared Responsibility.  Charles Avendano has been good enough to take this on for the last several years, but feels it is time for a change.  We have added on to our previous stated commitments our plan to reassess our volunteer program and how the process for recruitment and retention can be modified to better suit participants needs.

John, Charles and Bob at Lantern Light-- as happy as if they were normal.

As we discern the future of the volunteer program here in New Orleans, we have received wonderful input from Caitlyn DeCastro and Catherine Drennan in response to an invitation to critique a draft overview statement. We are also speaking with young adults who have had an experience of adult faith formation, especially as it concerns community life.  This is an effort to avoid talking to ourselves or limit our discernment to our generation or religious with similar background and training.  We wish to open ourselves beyond our boundaries, pre-conceived notions, and to invite new insights and possibilities.  One of the ways is to invite young adults in to dinner to meet us, to see the facilities we share with volunteers, and to listen to their experiences and expectations.

Kristin, Br. Charles, Courtney and Katie on the balcony, St. Henry's Church behind them.

Kristen Niedbala was joined by two friends, Courtney Robert and Katie Sanders, and they came to dinner on Wednesday, the 10^th.  Kristen has met with Br. John a number of times to discuss our experience of volunteer community and our literature and processes.  Katie was a full time missionary with FOCUS [Faith on Campus US] and she and Courtney now work full time with Dumb Ox Ministries.  It is “a Catholic non-profit organization which illuminates the truth and beauty of God’s love. Through authentic relationships, we form teens, young adults, and families into people open to receive and respond to God’s unique plan for their lives.”  [Quoting their website.]

After dinner and Evening Prayer on the 10^th  Br. Bob gave our visitors a tour of the house and we sat and talked a bit about our program and answered their questions.  We hope in the near future to welcome some of the young men in leadership at Dumb Ox Ministry to a meal, shared prayer and conversation.

Recent days have been very hot and humid; downpours in the late afternoon are common.  The weather broke on Saturday, it was fairly dry and only in the mid-80’s—so the vines did not have a chance and we now have a grotto in the wall of Confederate jasmine with an antique cast concrete angel holy water stoup—we think that is what it was.  Anyway, it closes the vista looking toward Constance Street from the side garden.

Caitlyn, Kyle and Vincent planted the Confederate jasmine six years ago.

On Sunday, the 15^th Br. Bob was at St. Gabriel’s to check out with a sister involved in prison ministry what she thought about the Angola Prison Rodeo.  She thought it a good idea to support it, so that will be a ‘community outing.’  Br. Charles was at St. Joseph’s on Tulane  [which hosts Lantern Light Ministries] for a Mass celebrating many branches of the Vincentian religious communities and services that they support.  Br. John was at the Marianite Sisters of the Holy Cross [MSC] in the Marigny for a Mass and the Transfer of Vows of Sr. Kathleen Mary Nealon from the Congregation of the Redeemer to the Marianites.  John worked with Sr. Kathleen on a committee; she is from Rhode Island, and her Dad went to Bishop Hendricken, before our Brothers went there.  Sr. Kathleen heads to a Marianite mission in Haiti next week.

Being present as Brother to the many groups with which we serve stretches us; but can be tiring!!!!  However, being invisible or staying home hardly seem strategies for inviting vocations.  We figure it is worth the effort to collaborate, support, listen, and learn from others—and share a good meal and hospitality!  Who wants to join a group whose motto is: “Join us and be tired.”

REFLECTION

“For Henri Nouwen, discernment is hearing a deeper sound beneath the noise of ordinary life and recognizing the interconnectedness of all things to gain a vision of “how things hold together” (theorik physike) in our lives and in the world. “Discernment is a life of listening to a deeper sound and marching to a different beat, a life in which we become ‘all ears’.”  [ Michael J. Christiansen - See more at: http://www.uscatholic.org/blog/201308/henri-nouwen-prayer-and-discernment]

BLOG 09.15.14

SEPTEMBER BEGINS: MIXED BLESSINGS

At 'Moon' Landrieu's [on the left].  He was Mayor and Secretary of HEW in Carter administration.

Labor Day 2014 was hot, humid and wet.  Amidst the downpours, John went to Theo’s for pizza with Sr. Kathleen Colmer, OSU and Sr. Regina Marie Fronmuller, OSU to reflect on a very successful Ursuline UK visit to the US.  Sr. Kathleen, the Province Leader for the Ursulines in the United Kingdom, has seen the program continue to expand and be replicated in the USA.

Br Charles made a steak and potatoes dinner for our Labor Day dinner—a good thing!  Bob is still struggling with a persistent, aching cough although he has seen his doctor again and notes slow improvement.  He is in to work daily, but the cough makes attending meetings impossible right now. 

On Wednesday, Charles and John went to a convocation of 200 religious women and men as part of the process for gathering input from the people of the Archdiocese for the Archdiocesan Synod.  Over 1600 people have participated in the sessions, meeting at round tables and discussing what is positive, needs attention and might be a new challenge for the Church of New Orleans.  Archbishop Gregory Aymond attends, makes brief opening remarks and then listens, notepad in hand!  The process will continue with a series of meetings of different committees through March to discuss what has been heard and to make recommendations.  John is on the Committee on Vocations, one of seven that will be meeting.

As part of this local volunteer community’s effort to attract young adults, John has been meeting with a person involved in young adult formation in the area, with experience in the UK and other places in the United States.  She is helping us look at our written materials, [input from Caitlyn De Castro and Catherine Drennan has been a blessing], and is helping us make connections here in our area.  She and John met for several hours on Friday.  Bob and Charles will meet Kristin Niedbala and some of her colleagues on Wednesday, September 10^th when they come for dinner and a conversation with us.

On Saturday, John worked on pruning anything that did not move; rose bushes, ground cover, vines and a few errant tree branches.  It reminded him that our yard hosted a wonderful parish celebration in July on the Feast of St. Henry.  Instead of a hot parking lot, cool grass was underfoot, a stage was put on the parking pad where the community cars normally sit, and the first floor of the Blessed Pauline Center was a cooling station in the summer heat.  Pictures tell the story!

On Sunday, September 7, the New Orleans Saints lost, in overtime, 34-31 to the Atlantic Falcons.  It seems a poor defence can ruin a good offense.  Just saying...

ST. HENRY'S PARISH REUNION  IN JULY

Looking from Milan Street back toward the house.

Anthony and Colleen LaRocca

 

Food and fotos--it's a reunion!

 

Msgr. Nalty, on the right!

Robert Morton, Alden Hagardorn and Msgr. Nalty together on our stage.

REFLECTION

Even as we revise our materials for the Volunteer Program, and reflect on what has worked, and what we have failed to do, we know that the lived experience of community is what we aim to share with the volunteers; it is central to our life.

Our first group: Vincent, Br. Joe, Br. Tom, Caitlyn and Br. John

Following is an excerpt from a homily given by Most. Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin at the European Province Chapter in Dublin, Ireland on August 23, 2013.

 

“You can only be a Christian Brother of today if you follow where you came from, if you follow in the footsteps of Edmund Rice. You must, through the way you live and witness, attract young men and women to the person of Jesus Christ through witnessing what Jesus means to you in your own life.   There is a sense in which the history of the Christian Brothers and of the charism of Edmund Rice will never really be written by professional historians, but by how you live his charism day by day in the different worlds and cultures you may find yourself.

There is no catechetical programme that can replace the authentic witness of someone who really believes in Jesus and shows that faith in Jesus changes the way we live, and brings meaning and hope to our lives, mixed up and sinful though they may be.”

BLOG 09.08.14

URSULINE UK in the USA

Br. John, Dan, Scott and Sarah, Akif, Br. Charles

On August 19^th The Christian Brothers Volunteer Community welcomed Scott and Sarah Willins, Dan Lerintiu and Akif Rahman to the community as part of the annual visit of volunteers from schools  associated with the Ursuline Sisters in the United Kingdom.  The 20 volunteers, predominantly young women, [we house the boys], work with the St. Bernard Project rebuilding housing that was damaged nine years ago after the levee failures post-Katrina.  1600 people lost their lives, over a million were displaced for months, and the city of New Orleans today has only 75% of its population.  Over 100,000 people did not return.

As one of the largest ports in the United States, and with rebuilding efforts showing results in a billion dollar bio-medical corridor and the Central Business District initiatives for new technology and start-ups there are opportunities in many areas, but there are many still in poverty, lacking education and opportunity, as well as housing.  Reconstruction, thoughtfully done, and carefully planned, is being done—but it is slow and steady work.  Volunteers like the young people associated with Ursuline Links bring real help, encouragement and a lively spirit much in keeping with traditional New Orleans life.  In return they receive signs of gratitude, hospitality and good food.

Scott and Sarah in the front of the bus, Dan and Akif on the left with other students

  This year, our group was welcomed to our home and given an orientation by John Petrullo [2012-13], visiting from Madrid where he now teaches.  Br. John was at a meeting, and Br. Bob and Charles were battling some health issues, though Br. Charles was able to join the folks at the opening night meal with the Sisters.  So John Petrullo took charge and did a masterful job.

Scott and Sarah Willins had been to New Orleans on previous trips and since then, married!  They acted as chaperones, and guides.  They were experienced enough to even regret not being able to visit all their old haunts.  On a previous visit they discovered ‘Sucre’, [a sublime ‘gelateria’ much favored by Br. Charles].  They were unable to fit ‘Sucre’ into their schedule this year, but they did get in a cruise on the Natchez one hot day, enjoying river breezes and views.  Dan and Akif were quick learners and welcome guests in our home.

Dan on the left with co-workers in 100 degree heat.

The group spent most days installing insulation and dry wall—gritty messy work requiring hard work and some skill.  They also studied the culture of this unique bit of America and went on a swamp tour and visited an authentic plantation experience at Laura which avoids stereotypes and gives some idea of slavery under French and American rule.

Akif enjoying a snowball -- an appropriate tradition in a hot climate

 The group ate at our house one night—jambalaya and crawfish monica—and had a reflection facilitated by Br. John.  Scott, Sarah, Dan and Akif helped set up for the dinner; Scott organized the buffet; and all pitched in to serve, and to clean up.  They were outstanding.

St. Angela Merici said:  “Beware of trying to accomplish anything by force, for God has given every single person free will and desires to constrain none; he merely shows them the way, invites them and counsels them. “  The Ursuline Links program is faithful to this counsel from their Founder.

            Back: Srs. Regina, Donna, Catherine [UK]. Carolyn, Carla and Kathleen [UK-Province Leader]
                                      Front: Srs. Ginger, Mari Cruz and  Mary Ann [NOLA-Prioress]

Ursuline Links connects students in the UK with opportunities for two weeks of service in New Orleans, in India and in cities in the UK; Ursuline students in the USA are now replicating this process.  The internationality of the Ursuline community enables them to bring students together for periods of service and reflection guided by their Ursuline motto, “SERVIAM” and formed by their Catholic faith.  For the Brothers community it is a welcome opportunity to share our home and learn from the Sisters and the student volunteers about other expressions of values we are to espouse: presence, compassion and liberation.

REFLECTION: What are we waiting for. . .?

“Do something,

get moving,

be confident,

risk new things,

stick with it,

then be ready for

BIG SURPRISES!”

St. Angela Merici—just saying.