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.  

 

    

Third Week of Lent: SPRING BREAK VISITORS

Iona College students arrived on Saturday the 10^th to live at and work with Camp Restore, a well-organized and effective Lutheran group helping rebuild New Orleans.  This is the second time there for Iona.  On Sunday at St. Gabriel the Archangel parish in Pontchartrain Park we met a large group from Marquette University who are staying in an Episcopalian parish in the Lower Ninth and working with several other non-profits.  These experiences bring volunteers into personal contact with those in need for their mutual benefit.  We expect the group from Iona will be with us on Friday for a meal and some reflection time.  Allison Maraldo and Molly Sherry will join us and facilitate the reflection.

Br. Bob researching Irish festal customs

 

 Brothers Dave Concannon and Tony Quinn arrive on Wednesday the 14^th on their way to some sort of celebration of a significant Irish saint, we think.  Br. Ray Vercruysse arrives on Sunday the 18^th for some work with schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

On March 5^th, Raph McDonald arrived to interview members of the community about the volunteer program and how it functions.  While we were at our various ministries, our guest got in a ride on the St. Charles Avenue street car, had a po-boy, visited the Aquarium, the French Quarter, Riverwalk, and the shops on Magazine Street.  His research into the cultural milieu in which we live was shared at dinner with us. 

During the past week Charles continued his work at Lantern Light Ministries. 

Bob had jury duty and dealt with the turmoil as the offices of Operation Helping Hands [OHH] officially moved to a classroom at St. Gabriel Parish.  There is still some clean-up to do at the old site, and the offices will continue to function into the summer.  Leaving the Paris Avenue location means leaving a place rich with visual reminders of what was and is no more.  The new site consists of a second floor classroom with three desks, file cabinets and a conference table.  Miss Debbie, Bob and David Harms will work there.

The staff at OHH in 2009-2010

 Meanwhile, Bob was struggling with some painful physical discomfort which has been diagnosed as shingles.  Medication has eased it somewhat—he is scoring the pain now as 2 out of 10.

The post-Katrina campus of Holy Cross HS on Paris Ave.

John was in schools again this week as part of the Discovery Walk program, beginning on Monday at Academy of the Sacred Heart, then St. Charles Catholic on Tuesday and Holy Cross on Thursday.

Being in the schools and in conversation with administrators, department chairs and Archdiocesan personnel enables a picture of the needs of Catholic secondary and elementary schools to be drawn.  Volunteers with mathematics, science, technology and theology backgrounds are much in need.  The other need is mentoring for new teachers in the basics of classroom management!  Our hope is that future volunteers might consider teaching as well as construction, and that mentors can be encouraged to assist them in their first year.  The mentors are already here; we need the volunteers!

A Lenten hymn selection:

     I heard the voice of Jesus say,

    "I am this dark world's light;

    Look unto me, your morn shall rise,

    And all your days be bright."

    I looked to Jesus, and I found

    In him my star, my sun;

   And in that light of life I'll walk

   Till trav'ling days are done.                                       Horatius Bonar 

 

SECOND WEEK OF LENT--2012 Transfiguration

Charles, Bob and John continued with their assorted ministries working with the homeless, at Operation Helping Hands and at schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Charles noted an increasing number of people coming for lunch at Lantern Light; over 260 guests are fed on some days.

Bob works with the few staff still at OHH: Kevin Fitzpatrick,[ whose last day is March 16^th], Miss Kathy who works with homeowners waiting for Chinese drywall to be remediated so they can return to their homes [it will take months yet] and David Harms who is on the road, checking on progress in homes being remediated.  Bob is doing financial work and disposing of supplies to other agencies still involved in rebuilding efforts.  He is also setting up a little workshop in our house for his tools and projects. 

On Thursday Bob reported for his first day of jury duty; he was not picked and has six more days when he is to be available—he is in the jury pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Bethany Billman and her parents by the wall with  all the "Helping Hands" some time ago.

On Wednesday, March 7, OHH leaves St. Raymond’s on Paris Avenue and moves the office to a rented classroom at St. Gabriel’s Parish in Pontchartrain Park in eastern New Orleans.

John was in and out of schools during the week: St. Clement of Rome on Monday [consulting on future planning]; at the School Leadership Center at the University of New Orleans on Tuesday for a meeting with the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese. He was at Academy of Our Lady on the West Bank Wednesday morning, and at a dinner given by the National Assessment Governing Board [NAGB] that evening.  NAGB is responsible for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a non-partisan assessment of American education; they were having a board meeting in New Orleans and John was invited through Sr. Mary Frances Taymans, SND who is on the board and with whom John worked at NCEA.  On Thursday, John was at Pope John Paul II HS in Slidell and on Friday back at the School Leadership Center for a meeting.

Main Office with Principal's office behind at ROOL School

Returning from Slidell on Thursday, John stopped at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish where Fr. Michael Joseph Nguyen is Pastor, and Colleen LaRocca is parish secretary.  Recently an arsonist set a fire which destroyed the Main Office, faculty room, storerooms and damaged the building so that all the floors must be removed, the walls painted and furnishings and library replaced.  John toured the building with Fr. MichaelJoseph and saw the efforts at reconstruction.  The students are now housed elsewhere and hope to return in a few weeks.  The school was restored after Katrina largely through donations and efforts of the pastor and school staff, volunteers and friends.  Recently they broke ground on a new gym/community center.  Once again, the Resurrection story is played out in real time by real people who need the life and hope a school can give a community in recovery.

On Saturday, Sr. Mary Frances Taymans, SND came by for a visit, lunch at ‘C’est La Vie’ on Magazine Street and a ride to the airport.  Bob moved ahead on the tool room.

On Sunday, Fr. Doug Brougher, from Good Shepherd Parish, came to a breakfast of blueberry pancakes and sausage, prepared by Bob,  to celebrate his Golden Jubilee with the community.  He was also to be the homilist at the Mass for Jubilarians that afternoon.  There were to be 96 in the group; two of the Sisters present would be celebrating their 80^th anniversaries.  Charles will celebrate his 70^th next year—a mere youth!

So during Lent, we continue our lives, confront some tragedy, celebrate some joys and pray as we recall the Transfiguration that  "having beheld Christ's glory, we should not be afraid before His sufferings."

“To strengthen them for coming strife,

Our Savior climbed the heights

With Peter, James and John, his friends,

And showed them heaven’s light.

With Moses and Elijah there

Who spoke of coming doom,

The Christ stood, radiant as the sun,

To point beyond the tomb.

May Tabor’s light and wondrous news

Shine on our Lenten days,

That seeking naught but Jesus Christ,

Our penance may be praise.

CELEBRATION OF LIGHT

On Ash Wednesday we ended up in different churches for Mass; Bob at a crowded 6:30 AM Mass in the rectory chapel at Good Shepherd Parish, Charles at St. Joseph’s on Tulane, and John at St. Stephen’s Church at noon Masses.  So our Lent began.

During the week, Bob renovated the bookcase in our living room and the books now rest comfortably on sofas, chairs and tables awaiting a session of sorting and weeding out.  Bob and the remaining staff at Operation Helping Hands will soon be relocated to rented space in St. Gabriel’s Parish in Pontchartrain Park, more distant from us than the current location.  As part of the closing down, on Friday Bob drove a pick-up loaded with equipment to the manufacturer’s plant in Houston, Texas.  He did the 700 mile round trip in one day, leaving home at 4 AM and returning at 6:30 PM despite a back-up in Baton Rouge. 

On Saturday, Charles attended a morning workshop on caring for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  The conference was at Our Lady of Wisdom Health Care Center on the West Bank.  Charles was particularly impressed with the expansive, purpose- built facility that was better than anything he had seen in Arizona or California.  He noted that the treatment of those physically handicapped as they age is much different than that needed for persons with dementia.   Dementia patients require a different approach and skill set from caregivers.  Charles commented on the building accommodations, signage with large print, monthly calendars and dedicated space for a variety of activities so that things are not scheduled depending on room availability but rather on patient needs.

Br. Charles with Joe and his wife.  Joe mans the kiosk on Tuesday

On Sunday, the Presentation Sisters honored volunteers like Charles who aid the guests at Lantern Light Ministries.  There was food and fellowship, a brief but moving reflection and a short video presentation.  John met Fr. Perry Henry, CM, the Province Leader of the Vincentians in the Midwest; they staff St. Joseph Parish on Tulane Avenue where Lantern Light is located.  Fr. Henry said he had just seen our Province Leader, Br. Hugh O’Neill, in Tucson at a meeting of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

This coming week, Charles and Bob will be back to their respective ministries while John will be in a different school/institution every day!  We are readying ourselves for a number of schools and individuals visiting us during March—one of whom we just heard about this week!  

Charles and Barry, Sr. Nancy and Sr. Pauline [Sisters of the Holy Faith]

 

The quote on the invitation to the “Celebration of Light” at Lantern Light Ministries stood out for us:

            “God is in the slums, 
                    in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. . .

            God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. . .

            God is in the debris of wasted opportunities and lives,

            And God is with us if we are with them.”

                                                Bono

We spoke with the director at Lantern Light, Sr. Vera Butler, PBVM who told us that they must find a new insurer and it will triple their insurance.  The poor have few advocates who spend much of their time on direct service to their guests.  Our Volunteer Community tries to give what we can but it seems little in face of the needs.  However, we are hopeful, since we see how far the Sisters can make every donation and gift go! 

Right now, it is all about the money!  If you’d like to help a group that is making a real difference that we have seen and can testify to, send a check to: Lantern Light, Inc., 1803 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112-2229. 

Sr. Enid Storey, PBVM and Charles.  He's paying attention!

Our Founder, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, was profoundly influenced by the Presentation Sisters; in fact he helped finance their work in Waterford while still in business, and later he adapted their rule of life and we were originally the Presentation Brothers!  He was not poetic like Bono; he simply wrote: “Give to the poor in handfuls.”