OCTOBER TURNS TO NOVEMBER -- 2013

On Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Br. Charles celebrated his 88^th birthday.  Celebrations began on Monday at Lantern Light; folks had him pegged at 87, 88 or 89!  He wasn’t telling.  Birthday cakes were offered up, and a box of chocolate was given.  On the day itself, the community went to La Petite Grocery, a wonderful French restaurant around the corner from our house.  We never had gone there thinking it was too expensive, but had not checked the prices.  It turned out to be about the same as most fine restaurants and, hey, Charles was 88.  The room is beautiful, the service excellent and the food beautifully prepared.  Charles and Travis had the “osso bucco” and pronounced it superb, John relished the shrimp and grits and Bob had his first serving of rabbit!  Erika and Lauren ordered hamburgers, one with no bun, no nuthin’, and each put in a side order but did not eat a ‘mac and cheese’ and a salad.  As a group, we do better eating at home so various dietary needs and food preference [texture is very important to one member] can be accommodated—or one can make a piece of toast, and make something to eat later.  “Travy’s” grilled burgers and sausage are very popular with the distaff side and the yard cat, which folks happily abandon the dishes to feed with any leftovers from the grill. 

 

Each year, food preferences vary.  Our drink of choice this year seems to be pink lemonade, and if John buys it, the root beer is guzzled pretty quickly.  We drink gallons of milk and green tea ice tea goes down well.  

Years ago, we used to have the goblets disappear from the kitchen and end up on the third floor.  This year it is teaspoons—they somehow end up on the third floor although no one would think of eating up there and drawing creepy, crawly critters.

On October 30^th we had a community hour of reflection conducted by the volunteers.  The Brothers reflected on a prayer for volunteers, while the volunteers reflected on a poem called “Dream Chasers” about the role of the Brothers as they see it.  This was followed by a conversation about what we read and reflected on.

Lauren recently received a lovely recognition from her fellow teachers at Langston Hughes—who are referred to as “Dream Keepers” as an exemplary “dream keeper.”  

Erika continues to enliven the ministry at Lantern Light.

John began his coaching visits to schools as part of the Discovery Walks program of the School Leadership Center at the University of New Orleans.  On the 31^st he was at John Paul II High School in Slidell for a 7:45 AM meeting with administration, and was at Holy Cross near the lakefront for a 9:45 meeting. 

Travis Wain’s  ministry for the homeless was mentioned in the Fall newsletter of the Harry Thomson Center.  The Harry Thomson Center provides the services through Travis.  “The VA CRRC Partnership -  On October 7, the HTC began providing laundry and shower services at the newly opened Veterans Administration Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC) located in downtown New Orleans in a renovated wing of the old VA hospital. The City, through its Emergency Solutions Grant Program, is providing funding to HTC to provide services at the CRRC.  In the photo are Rickey Paul, Chanitra Casmier, who serve as Center Assistants, and Travis Wain, our Site Coordinator who is an Americorp Volunteer with the Christian Brothers Volunteer Program.  Not pictured are other Center Assistants Trolean Tolliver and Khristian Hamilton.  Welcome to all of you!  

Bob left for a conference sponsored by the Catholic Volunteer Network on Sunday.  

John helped facilitate a gathering of religious concerned about violence in New Orleans on Monday evening.  The ‘Burning Bush Initiative” shares information about programs that seek to heal and help end the cycle of death resulting from racism, poverty and lack of education.  It has introduced folks to mentoring, bereavement and public witness initiatives that religious may consider joining.  

Charles leaves for the Brothers community leaders’ workshop in Jacksonville, Florida on Wednesday. 

Reflection:

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world. 

Langston Hughes

HALLOWEEN APPROACHES 2013

During the week of October 14, Br. John attended the annual School Leaders Retreat in Henderson, Nevada for Edmund Rice affiliated schools.  Twenty nine school leaders from Canada, the United States, Argentina and Uruguay gathered for reflection on leadership today.  No photographs available, so here’s one of another recent gathering of spiritual leaders.

Not the group in Henderson, Nevada

 Br. Barry Lynch came on visitation October 16 through 23 and was able to visit several of the ministry sites.  

On Sunday, October 20^th, with all of our volunteers now in ministry positions, Br. Bob commissioned Erica, Travis and Lauren in a brief ceremony attended by a small group of friends.  A reception that the volunteers hosted followed the ceremony.  These were our first visitors this year!  No photographs available, so here’s one of another recent commitment ceremony.

Not the living room at 4219 Constance--but a nice group shot at another commitment ceremony

 John was told to get his shape up to Newark, NJ on Monday, the 23^rd for a meeting the 24^th in New York, returning on the 25^th.  He got the opportunity to fight his way through New York City crowds for 10 blocks with two long-legged companions.  He felt his exercise quotient was filled that day.  No pictures of that either, but here’s a cute one.

No women were present at the meeting John attended

 Erika was also in the New York metropolitan area giving a talk at Iona College about the Volunteer program.  She also left Monday, returned Wednesday morning and was at Lantern Light by 9:30 AM.  No pictures of her address, but to give you an idea. . .

We believe Erika stood while giving her presentation--but she revealed little

 Jessica Mc Keown and the Notre Dame Americorps group that Lauren belongs to met in the Blessed Pauline room on Thursday, the 24^th;  while John and Travis attended a screening of “Shell Shocked” about the awful murder rate in New Orleans and how some groups are striving to deal with it.  www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/05/shell_shocked_documentary_exam.html

 

Travis has settled into his office at the program which he supervises which provides showers and laundry facilities.  He got a dozen red roses from the Sisters’ at Lantern Light on his departure—but keeps going back.

 

Not TJ's office, but the roses were sent over to him---so special!

 As an antidote to life in general, John is rereading Barbara Pym’s novels.  He finished “Excellent Women” on his return from New York and is starting “A Glass of Blessings.”  For his sanity, “The Hobbit” is looking pretty good, too.

There are signs of Halloween all around us; the volunteers are nowhere to be seen evenings and weekends.  Saturday night, October 26 was “Krewe d’Boo” parade, but only eleven floats according to one reveler— oh, what one gets costumed for!  

REFLECTION:  As seen on a t-shirt

MEDDLE NOT IN THE

AFFAIRS OF DRAGONS

FOR YOU ARE CRUNCHY

AND GOOD WITH KETCHUP

It has been that kind of a few weeks--but the weather has been pleasant.

TRAVIS SIGNS ON WITH HARRY TOMPSON CENTER

Bob, John, Erika, Charles, Travis and Lauren at Royal House in the French Quarter

Travis Wain accepted a full-time, volunteer position with the HARRY TOMPSON CENTER after a discernment process with Sr. Monica Gundler, SC.  The Center operates in the same Rebuild Center as LANTERN LIGHT, but offers different services.  Among them have been shower and laundry facilities for the homeless.  This service is now being offered on a much larger scale at the nearby Veteran’s Hospital and the Harry Tompson Center agreed to manage it.  Travis will be the supervisor for volunteers, including  formerly homeless who will operate the expanded facility at the Veteran’s Hospital.  He has been volunteering these past weeks at LANTERN LIGHT where Erika Enlund works.  http://www.harrytompsoncenter.org/what

Lauren Zanfardino volunteered at LANTERN LIGHT during her autumn break from LANGSTON HUGHES CHARTER SCHOOL, and the three volunteers have done some further exploration of cultural venues in NOLA.  We believe they discovered the dance club with three separate spaces that was frequented by our first group: Caitlyn, Vincent and Kyle!   http://www.fandmpatiobar.com/

John began a program called LSVT BIG for people with Parkinson’s; the program involves four hour-long sessions with a therapist [occupational or physical] each week for four weeks, and required exercises at home!   http://www.touro.com/LSVT 

On Friday evening and Saturday, John attended the Advisory Board meeting of the House of Charity, a collaborative venture of several Sisters of Charity orders and the Daughters of Charity; the house is in New Orleans.  John, two laywomen and a dozen or so Charities [representing orders like the New York, Halifax, Cincinnati, and Leavenworth Charities] worked on vision and mission statements and how to respond to the needs of Church and society in New Orleans, faithful to the Charity charism as understood today.  John registered the intensity level right up there with LSVT BIG.  

https://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-Charity-New-Orleans/434539956626837

We also noted the write-up in “Give Us This Day” on Eileen Egan, a founder of Pax Christi, originator of the phrase “seamless garment of life” and sister of Br. John Mark Egan, CFC after whom Egan Hall at Iona College is named.  Our three Tara Knights from Iona College heard a few reflections from the Brothers about Eileen, Mark and their brother, Francis.

The House of Charity offers hospitality and contemplative reflection to groups of young persons, religious and groups affiliated with the Charities for a week at a time.  Our program offers a year-long experience to three volunteers.

Our community with our hosts, Sisters and Daughters of Charity

John brought pictures of the current and past Christian Brother Volunteer Communities for the introduction session, the Sisters were intrigued and invited the volunteer community to dinner at Royal House in the French Quarter on Saturday night—and all accepted!  The place was noisy and crowded; the food was great; the companionship enlivening; we treated our hosts to dessert at Sucre on Magazine Street—the gelato is not to be missed. 

Charles managed all this after spending four hours on Saturday at the live telecast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” at a theater in Harrahan, Louisiana.

Cool weather has come to New Orleans; low 70’s in the early morning on Monday and Tuesday.

 

BLOG 10.08.13

OCTOBER 2013: Autumn, Where Are You?

Supposedly the autumnal equinox began on Sunday, September 22^nd, but we continued with 90 degree days for most of last week.  Our neighbor, Glen Lirette, pruned the roses on Constance Street which reminded John to trim the roses around the statue of the Blessed Mother and the hibiscus at the gate.  We have had rain so that everything is coming back; cooler weather means flowers will blossom again; the summer heat stifles flowering in a lot of plants.  Bob has been working on the grounds; filling in cavities that develop with sand and trimming back encroaching vines on the wall facing the parking areas as well as pruning the crape myrtles on the Milan Street side of the property.  We try to be good neighbors.  Charles continues his valiant efforts to feed those with a multitude of allergies--the constant cry is: "You can't eat that, either?"

The end of the 1^st Quarter in Louisiana approaches for schools; Lauren Zanfardino has a three day break this week.  She had planned some museum hopping—the ones the government has not shut down!   She has long hours; on Wednesday evenings she stays into the evening to participate in a reading program for her children and their parents.

St. Joseph's Church has the longest main aisle in NOLA.  It is a 'city' parish with few residents but a faithful following.

Travis Wain and Erika Enlund are busy at Lantern Light; 200 guests for lunch is not unusual.  On Sunday, the 29^th, Br. John, Travis and Erika attended a Mass in honor of St. Vincent De Paul at St. Joseph’s Church on Tulane Avenue.  Lantern Light Ministries is located on that property.  The Mass celebrated the work of the Vincentians, who serve the parish, their related religious communities, Daughters of Charity and Sisters of Charity, and co-workers.    The Presentation Sisters and many of the volunteers from Lantern Light were there and Fr. Tom, the Pastor, mentioned Travis and Erika, among others, during the homily!  That is now referred to as “gave a shout out.” http://www.stjosephchurch-no.org/

Top left:  Eggs Pontchartrain [where the crawfish swim]

 After Mass, Br. John introduced Travis and Erika to Riccobono’s Panola Street Café, a small neighborhood place, for Sunday brunch.  [John was starving after a LONG liturgy].  The unadventurous chose a grilled chicken sandwich [TJ], a well-done [?] three cheese omelet [EE] but the ‘brunch’ ideal was saved by the more epicurean selection of ‘Eggs Pontchartrain’ [poached eggs on a bed of grilled sautéed crawfish, mushrooms and green onions on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce on top,] [JWC].  It will take months and much effort to help the volunteers experience more authentically the food culture of New Orleans and move beyond selections more appropriate to a diner on Long Island.  We shall persevere.  http://www.riccobonos.com/Panola/saturday_sunday.html

 

John attended a three day workshop on what is known as “the Common Core,” a set of standards to define what all students are expected to know and be able to do.  They focus only on what is most essential that a child be able to do, not all that can or should be taught.  They are meant to assess how children can use what they learn, not define a curriculum!   The standards help assess if students know how to think and use what they have learned.  The aim is to educate life-long learners able to work independently and collaboratively and make judgments based on fact based data.  The standards ask students to think and explain their thinking; one word answers are not enough.  The standards aim at helping educators guide students to answer questions like: “How did you arrive at that conclusion?” and “Why do you think that is a correct conclusion?”  The presentations were sponsored by the School Leadership Center which John has worked with in their Discovery Walk Program.

Our New Orleans Saints have won their first four games.  “Geaux Saints!”

Sadly, crime statistics are dismal. Despite better economic news, an increase in tourism, more job opportunities, and many local community initiatives, the murder rate is depressing.   The number of murders in 2013 now stands at 108.  The city is devoting resources and developing strategies to combat crime; the media report it, but the numbers continue to climb.  http://www.nola.com/crime/murders/