Daily Walk Archives

The Thirtieth Sunday

October 23, 2011

Today was World Youth Day, which in New Orleans was held at Loyola University’s Rec Plex. I had not been in the Rec Plex since I used to go jogging on the indoor track there back in seminary, and I was suddenly feeling very out of shape.

The Mass was great, and catching up with so many people beforehand was a gift as well.

When John Paul II called for World Youth Days, which are held every several years around the world, he also called for regional events which would address the themes each year. The Bishop’s of the USA have declared the last Sunday in October to be World Youth Day throughout the land.

It was a very nice day.

Today was also World Mission Sunday, which I addressed at Mass, though no photo ops presented themselves!

However, one of our Parishioners has a collection of great old cars that he shows up in from time to time. Today it was this antique Model A Ford. Or, Ford Model A.

Isn’t it a beauty?

And check out that engine!

We also had coffee and donuts in the prayer garden after Masses.

I was here for several weeks before I discovered the prayer garden, and many parishioners don’t realize it exists either. It’s an undiscovered treasure, and a pleasant surprise. I often go out here before Masses.

And here are some of the lovely ladies and gents who make up our St. Jude Society. They were after me to take pictures of everyone during fellowship after Mass, but I rarely have my camera with me right after Mass ends. Well, in fact I never have my camera with me after Mass ends. Later, when I did have it, everyone was gone or it was between Masses.

Priesthood has enough challenges without worrying about photographic ones.

In between everything I made some coconut rolls again. It’s one of those situations where I’m trying to make sure I have the recipe down and, while these are not exactly like the ones at Duong Phuong, they are fantastic in their own right.

The Entrance Hymn at the Youth Mass was Shaback. I had never heard it before, but liked it. Awesome Gospel Choir, too.

Garrett was playing with the band for most things, he does a great job… and here he is acing the page turn.

This got me thinking, because he is turning the page with his left hand. And what I was thinking is that I could never turn the page with my left hand.

But, then I realize that I honestly cannot remember which hand I turn the page with. Is it the right, or is it the left? I’ve probably turned hundreds of thousands of pages since my teens, and I have no clue. As long as it’s completely silent I’m fine with it; it’s a completely unconscious act otherwise. Once during a choral competition, an air vent came on and wafted the music in front of me off of the piano; I kept playing with one hand and reached out and grabbed the music in midair with the other.

Everyone must switch off hands depending on what’s going on though, in the score. I’m going to go figure this out tomorrow so I can sleep peacefully once again.

Love of God, love of neighbor; living a life of mission in Jesus Christ, spreading the Word as we may while doing what God wills for us, in true freedom of spirit.

All in all this was a great day, and a very long day. See you on the flip side… Peace, out.

Garden Redux

August 17, 2011

The garden is coming along.

garden

Just a flashback to an earlier state (but not the earliest, which was even more frightening.)

Then it got a good scrub down on May 3.

Not too shabby, and better things are on the way.

The St. James Society in South America

August 14, 2011

I found a great article on Cardinal Sean’s Blog discussing the work of the St. James Society in South America.

Cardinal Sean also wrote a very informative and moving piece on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Society of St. James.

In the summer of 2000 I spent two and a half months in Chimbote, Peru with Fr. Jack Davis who was then a member of the Society. My life changed, I realized how ignorant I had been about learning a new culture, and about how the Church works amidst the poor.

A few years later, my great friend Fr. Jimmy Jeanfreau joined the Society and served for 5 years, during which I visited him three times. Again I was very humbled by the work both of the Society and of my friend.

I’ve always maintained a somewhat quiet desire to be a member for 5 years, and recently had a conversation with our Bishop about the matter. To my great surprise, he said that he would support me in it, if that is what I would like to do. There’s a ways to go in the discernment of that; but we’ll see what the Lord will do.

From Cardinal Sean’s Blog was back in 2007:

The St. James Society, as it is commonly called, was formed 49 years ago by Cardinal Richard Cushing in response to the call of Pope John XXIII for priests and religious from North America to aid faithful of South America.

The archbishop of Boston is the titular head of the society, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.

In those years, over 300 priests have served in the Andean countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador through the Society. There are approximately 40 priests currently serving. Those who participate learn Spanish and incorporate themselves into the St. James Society with the commitment to serve for at least five years in Latin America. From the beginning, Cardinal Cushing envisioned this as an association of diocesan priests not only from Boston but from other parts of the English-speaking world. Today there are Americans, Irish, English, Scottish, an Australian and two Philippinos in the group.

Boston is, I believe, the single diocese with the most priests presently serving the Society in Latin America. However, by nationality, I think there are more Irish than Americans there at this point. It is interesting to note that many of the Irish there are actually priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, though they never served here. Cardinal Cushing ordained them for the archdiocese so that they could serve in the St. James Society.

We hope that in the future, more priests from the archdiocese will be able to participate in this mission. We are very glad that diocesan priests from other dioceses are joining because that makes it possible for the wonderful work of the St. James Society to continue.

The countries in which these priests serve have far too few priests to serve their large Catholic populations so the presence of these additional priests has made a significant impact. They have been particularly involved in some of the most difficult and the poorest areas of these nations. In fact, they have made a special effort to target their ministry to those areas.

Yet, the benefit of their work has not only been seen in Latin America. Many of the Boston priests who have served the Society in Latin America have returned to work with the Spanish-speaking Catholic community here in the archdiocese. That’s the case with our recently ordained Bishop Robert Hennessey as well as many other priests.

…
The parishes in which these priests minister are huge by American standards. Many have a central church and then many chapels. One priests I met there, who is not part of the society but is from Westminster, England, told me that his parish consists of 150 chapels which he visits by mule. The rural parishes are like that: very large areas with many small communities of people who have no means of transportation.
…

It’s definitely worth reading the entire blog entry.

And, one cannot help but note that Cardinal Sean’s Blog is a photoblog. Perhaps I’m on the right track after all.

Back into the day, first — off to pray…

End of the Road – Part 2

August 13, 2011

Well, it’s back to our dramatic, exciting and revealing tale of life along the mighty Mississippi.

In case you had forgotten all about it, or are just tuning in, we’re travelling along the river, to the south of New Orleans.

When last we met, we had just passed up Jack Dempsey’s on Poland Avenue. Right across the street from Jack’s place, is ‘The Joint‘.

Never heard of it.

But it certainly looks like a fun time. Kind of.

It’s never a good idea to take pictures while you drive.

But, since there was no one behind me for miles I stopped and took a picture of the old bridge across the Industrial Canal. It helps to get the feel of the rickety nature of it all.

And this brings us to an important point. The main reason you never drive along River Road outside of New Orleans and downriver from it, is that there is no River Road to the South of New Orleans. So to see the River front you have to do some driving in and out of various neighborhoods.

It’s an interesting trip. But it’s not for everyone.

The grand view from across the Industrial Canal. Ahhh, magnifico!

Maybe not. But looking to river’s bend and the city, one wonders why those two ships on the right are sitting there. Lord only knows. They’ve become a permanent fixture. (I think I do know, but am not 100% sure.)

The Holy Cross School was located here until Katrina flooded it out. They have an unbelievably beautiful new campus in the city proper, in an area which was also flooded out. One wonders what will become of this old place.

Here are some of the new houses being built from the designs fostered by actor Brad Pitt.

A view from this part of the levee back towards the old school, also captures one of the homes which is built to look like a river boat.

Driving along, the road ends once again and you have to go up to the highway to make a few detours. Here is a part of Jackson Barracks, used by the La. National Gaurd.

One of the last places on the along this stretch of intermingled neighborhoods and industries is the Domino Sugar refinery. Where would we be without that?

Part plantation, part factory, it looks like someplace we should have visited on a field trip as children yet, for some reason, I don’t believe we did.

Well.

That wraps up Part II of this exciting tour. I know you’ll be holding your breath waiting in anxious anticipation for Part 3. But that will have to debut sometime in the coming week.

Until then enjoy life, pray greatly, and give thanks to God for His abundant goodness and mercy.

End of Days

August 12, 2011

Vacation days that is.

I’m posting a generic closeup of a flower I took a few months ago, so that I can come back and look upon it someday to gauge the remarkable progress I’ll have made by then (I am nothing if not an optimist.) That and I like closeups. It’s their abstractness that is so…. abstractly appealing. But composition is evidently not a forte here.

I was reading somewhere that photography is all about light, but I don’t think that’s true. Perhaps it’s the musician in me, but I think it’s also all about timing.

More to the point of my reflections on life of late, is this from Proverbs:

Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things. For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them. They are all plain to him who understands, Right to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction rather than silver; Knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.

Proverbs 8:6-11

Words of Truth, bringing life and peace… these should limn our lives.