Month: September 2011

Margaret

Margaret

Just a brief update on Margaret Haughery, with a portrait of her decaying statue downtown.

I love how it just says ‘Margaret‘, as if there is no need at all for anyone to even question what her last name might be.

And this via an email from TJ Fisher, who has been an avid researcher into Margaret’s life:

Shortly before Margaret’s death, she received a cross from the Pope. Margaret died on February 9, 1882. Her body was taken to St. Vincent’s Infant Asylum, where it was embalmed and laid in state. The funeral took place on the following Saturday morning. Her death was announced in the newspapers with blocked columns as a public calamity, and the city newspapers were edged in black to mark her passing. Her obituary was printed on the front page of the Times-Picayune newspaper, the main paper in the city. She had a State funeral. The funeral cortege assembled at the asylum included 13 priests, headed by Archbishop Napolèon-Joseph Perchè (Third Archbishop of New Orleans). Thousands, including prominent politicians, businessmen and other members of the clergy, attended her funeral.

Orphans from all the city’s asylums were present, black and white, along with the historic Mississippi fire brigade (of which she was an honorary member) and nuns of numerous orders, as well as close friends and admirers. The streets, sidewalks, balconies and windows were thronged with mourners. These included three generals, clergymen of all denominations and city representatives. The cortege passed the New Orleans stock exchange at noon. Members suspended proceedings, left the room and came down to the sidewalk. St. Patrick’s Church was so thronged that the pallbearers had great difficulty getting the remains through the center aisle. Requiem Mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Monsignor Allen with Archbishop Perchè reading the prayers after Mass. Her friend Father Hubert gave the sermon. She was buried in the same St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 tomb with her great friend Sister Francis Regis, the Sister of Charity who died in 1862 and with whom Margaret cooperated in all her early work for the poor.

I’m a fan, and I hope to see her get the recognition our world and our Church, and mostly our city, need for her to have.

Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine and Port

Ribs 1

There’s nothing more Catholic than sitting down together with friends and family and lingering over a well prepared meal. Yes, here is yet another post from my now defunct food blog, which I am slowly transferring over here. It’s basically short ribs bourguignon. If you brown the ribs under the broiler, then add some stock, wine and port to braise for a few hours, this is what you’ll end up with.

Ribs 1

These are awesome.

ribs 2

I was worried at first, but… Oh …

ribs 3

Uh…oh….

ribs4

Oh my.

I’m merely conveying that I was blown away.

I had never cooked short ribs, and I was not a believer.

I lived in ignorance, and I’m not going back.

aromatics

Behold the base of the braising liquid.

It starts so innocently.

ribs 6

I get this block of frozen veal glace at Whole Foods. It’s very good stuff and saves you from making your own.

I’ve made my own a few times, and buying a frozen block for $15 is actually cheaper where I live. It helps sauces taste worlds better. And if your living large with nine pounds of short ribs, then you may as well live large with some good stock in your braising liquid.

red wine and port

Red wine and port, this is looking good.

Still I was leary.

Short ribs always looked too fatty. And they cost as much as a tenderloin roast. So, I always went with the tenderloin. 20 ~ 30 minutes to sheer ecstatic eating pleasure? Hello?

ribs 8

Flush with skepticism I forged ahead, got the liquid going, submerged the freshly browned short ribs and eventually braised away for hours and hours.

I did get a lot of work done in the meantime.

ribs 9

This didn’t help the situation.

I was skeptical, fatigued, jaded. It looks so miserable.

It all cooled down and got refrigerated. It waited two whole days while all of life went on around us. It became a time capsule in my refrigerator, waiting until I was ready for it. The world slept.

And I almost completely forgot about it.

ribs 10

Then I saw this.

Still, it was defatted, placed in a shallow baking dish and surrounded with the magnificent braising liquid which, at the time was still all gellied up.

Underneath, it was a glace almost, an aspic even, a gelee. And it was so good.

And as it all warmed in the oven, and the aromas filled the air, my heart underwent a makeover which was so humbling. I realized this was just a new part of life that I had never had the pleasure of experiencing before. How could I have been so closed to the fullness life.

the spinach thing

My gaurdedness was accompanied with my usual strange thing for wilted baby spinach, here in cream, etc. It’s a side trail through the woods, but a nice one.

Ribs 12

With some basmati rice, these amazing short ribs with the delicious beef falling off the bone, the spinach thing.

It’s so simple.

I want it again.

And again and again.

seconds of ribs

And after all of the photos I tried to get, I eventually no longer cared when I went back for seconds. Just pile that beef and unctuous sauce right on.

I hope you are able to make this yourself some day if you haven’t already. I’ll be off growing in humility.

Many thanks to Dorie Greenspan of French Friday’s with Dorie for her cookbook and for everyone in that group which promotes these attempts. I’m grateful.

Update: These are actually meant to be served with a gremolata of orange zest, parsley, er, and a few other things. I’ll be forced to make them again and give that a try.! I’d hate to miss out on all the deliciousness to be had.

Night of Confessions

Stormy Eve

Today at all Masses across the diocese we read a letter from our Archbishop:

The Catechism teaches that we should go to Confession at least once per year

On September 14, 2011 the Sacrament of Penance, more commonly known to us as Confession will be available in all of our parish churches beginning at 7:00p.m.

September 14 is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is a reminder that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and draws us to a life of conversion and new life through his resurrection.

On this day, on September 14 of this year, all of our Churches in the Archdiocese of New Orleans will have a light on in the confessional as a sign that Christ is not only a light of the world but one who is eager to forgive and to heal us.

May I encourage you to take this opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance not only this month but on a regular basis as we have the opportunity to meet the forgiving, loving and merciful Christ.

Wishing you God’s blessings,
et cetera, et cetera, …
Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond
Archbishop of New Orleans

So, this Wednesday is the Night of Confessions.

The readings today speak to forgiveness, and with the Sacrament of Confession looming so importantly in our diocesan psyche, I used most of my Confession Story as my Homily. (Fear not, it was well edited from the rambling post I published here.)

The Catechism teaches that we should go to Confession at least once per year; I find every 2 months or so is good for many.

At any rate, we’re looking forward to Wednesday evening, which will be a great time of healing for many.

Kuler Schemes

Update – I’ve completely redesigned, tossed out and remodeled the site since writing this post. Say a quick prayer of thanksgiving if you missed out …

As anyone who’s checked in here recently can tell you, I’ve clearly been trying to redesign my website.

It hasn’t been pretty.

But, short of hiring someone else to do it this will have to do. (I know, it’s still not too pretty.)

screen shot from kuler

Adobe’s Kuler site has some great color schemes, such as the one above which I have valiently attempted to implement here.

color scheme, camping cyclist

And this one also, called ‘camping cyclist’. I like it because that’s exactly what I’ll be doing at some point this fall, camping and cycling, and the colors come alive for me. I tried implementing that color scheme here, and it’s quite a challenge on the eyes, not to mention on my design skills.

As for the ongoing name changes of the site, well, it is what it is. ‘Chronicles’ always seems to go with ‘of ____’. Such as , ‘Chronicles of Higher Education’, or ‘Chronicles of Narnia’. And I like the word ‘chronicles’.

So ‘Chronicles of Priestly living’ it is for now. It may be ridiculous, but it works. Kind of.

But it’s more like a series of ideas which theoretically should work very well, but in reality need a lot more fleshing out. And it’s busy and gives me a headache. So I’ll be reworking it until it gels. Sorry!

I have the feeling this is much easier than I’m making it; the goal is, after all, simplicity. But life and work beckons, and I am away to work on my Homily.

Fr. Kenneth Allen