TRANSITION FOR THE FUTURE

We are in transition in New Orleans; Province Leadership is exploring new ideas for the volunteer program and has appointed two new members to the community.  Two current members have accepted different assignments to fill other needs of the Province. 

The changes were published in an e-mail sent to the Brothers on March 17^th, St. Patrick’s Day!   Br. Charles Avendano will continue here.  Two new community members are replacing Br. Bob and Br. John.  [Br. Bob also is confident that there will be volunteers in residence next year.  Having volunteers and sharing life and mission with them is the reason for the community.] 

  

Joining Charles will be Br. James Raphael McDonald, who grew up in Butte, Montana and now resides in Chicago, Illinois.  He was a science teacher before becoming Vocation Promoter for the Province.  He also serves as Chair of the Office of the Edmund Rice Network which includes our mission efforts, the volunteer program and vocation promotion.  He is an intrepid traveler, which his responsibility demands and rumor has it that he is interested in golf, too!

The community will also include Br. F. Séan Whitty, a Canadian now living in New Rochelle, NY.  Séan has served as a teacher and administrator in Canada and has experience in our community at Mt. Sion in Waterford, Ireland.  A gifted cook and horticulturalist, he is a wonderful host.  He serves as Chair of the Province Office of Life and Renewal, coordinating retreat programs for the Brothers among other duties.  He brings experience and appreciation of the international brotherhood we share.

Caitlyn, Vincent and Kyle planted these Carolina jasmine our second year here.

A separate position of Director of Recruitment for our Volunteer Programs, who will be a lay person somewhat closer in age to those recruited, is being developed by the Province Leadership Team.  Br. Sean Moffett, a Province Councillor is leading the re-founding of the program and brings great energy, determination and vision to the effort.

Bob Koppes, having completed five years here, is investigating ministry on the West Coast of Florida where we have a community at Bonita Springs.  John Casey, having completed eight years in New Orleans, is going to East Harlem to help explore ministerial opportunities for Brothers in Harlem where the Brothers served for over 100 years before withdrawing in 2010 with the closing of Rice High School. 

The changes take effect during the summer—still plenty of time for gumbo and shrimp boils!

K of C room redone by Glenn Lirette--fancy but great for a small meeting

REFLECTION 

 “A prayer that does not lead you to practical action for your brother: the poor, the sick, those in need of help, a brother in difficulty, is a sterile and incomplete prayer. But, in the same way . . . When time is not set aside for dialogue with Jesus in prayer, we risk serving ourselves and not God present in our needy brother and sister.   St Benedict sums up the kind of life that indicated for his monks in two words:ora et labora, pray and work. It is from contemplation, from a strong friendship with the Lord that the capacity is born in us to live and to bring the love of God, his mercy, his tenderness, to others. And also our work with brothers in need, our charitable works of mercy, lead us to the Lord, because it is in the needy brother and sister that we see the Lord himself.”   

Pope Francis  (7/21/13)