Cardinal Sean in New Orleans

Cardinal Sean

Cardinal Sean spoke at our recent Priest’s Convention (or Convocation, as it were,) and posted very beautifully about New Orleans on his blog. His Homily was magnificent, and I wish that I had a copy of it (I never take notes during Mass.)

My apologies for the poor picture; while the iphone is becoming the most popular camera in the world, my iphone photo skills are apparently lacking. Touch the screen to focus! Otherwise your focus will be on the elevator carpet, instead of on this very kind and very generous man’s face. I’m forever moved, truly, by his calm and prayerful bearing.

While this is not his Homily, there is some news regarding the Cardinal’s visit via the Clarion Herald.

Archbishop Aymond

Archbishop Aymond gave a brilliant closing address, and I took copious notes on my iPhones note app; I had forgotten my notes journal. As he spoke about the need to be one on one, and to not be a slave to technology, I got many stares as I typed away on my phone. But my notes are well worth it because his closing talk was very clear, open and prescient. I’d like to think I’ll post it here, but I will definitely speak to it in Homilies.

It was a great time to get together with fellow Priests, to share, to learn, and to grow. Mostly, simply, just to be, to pray, and to have fellowship.

Be sure to check out the Cardinal’s Blog.

A View From the Natchez

Riverboat view of New Orleans

The Natchez is a riverboat docked perpetually in New Orleans, which goes out daily (and nightly) on jazz cruises. This evening the Catholic Foundation hosted an appreciation dinner for Priests aboard the Natchez. It was a great time.

Many great photos, but for now the above sums up the river view of the city from ’round the bend, and the night beckons for a good night’s sleep. Dark, cloudy, windy, and dropping a good 30 degrees before the morning. A wonderful start to the Fall season!

Archbishop Hannan funeral arrangements | wwltv.com New Orleans

Thank God for WWL-TV, who’ve posted the arrangements for Arhcbishop Hannan’s funeral
.

Wake and funeral arrangements for Archbishop Philip Hannan:

Monday, Oct. 3 – Hannan’s body will be received at 5 p.m. at Notre Dame Seminary, S. Carrollton Ave.

Monday, Oct. 3 – Evening prayer service Monday for the priests of the Archdiocese

Monday, Oct. 3 – Wake will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will continue until 9 p.m. Monday at Seminary

Tuesday, Oct. 4 – Archbishop Hannan to lie in state at Notre Dame seminary from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Public may attend.

Wed. Oct. 5 – Lie in state at Notre Dame seminary from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Public may attend. At 2 p.m., a procession to St. Louis Cathedral, where visitation will continue until 9 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6 – Funeral service at St. Louis Cathedral – 2 p.m. Archbishop Hannan will be buried in sanctuary at St. Louis Cathedral immediately following.

Beloved Margaret Haughery of New Orleans

I’ve taken an interest in Margaret Huaghery. She was a humble woman of extremely humble origins who, through hard work and prayer built a small empire and dedicated her time and wealth to helping the poor and the orphaned.

Margaret’s Birthplace has been preserved.

There’s a Margaret Huaghery site.

And there’s even a Catholic Encyclopedia Article on Margaret Haughery.

In New Orleans there’s a Restore the Monument organization.

There’s even a musical!

Well, there are lots of others it seems.

But the one I find most interesting is on Facebook, from the “Beloved Margaret Haughery of New Orleans” page.

Here it is, for future reference:

(reprinted from the Facebook page, Beloved Margaret Haughery of New Orleans.)(Well, it’s evidently also on the page over at Vieux Carre Productions, for the musical.)

Margaret Haughery (1813 – 1882) was a philanthropist known as the “Mother of Orphans.”

She opened up four orphanages in the New Orleans area in the 19th century. Many years later in the 20th and 21st centuries several of the asylums Margaret originally founded as places of shelter for orphans and widows evolved into homes for the elderly.

Margaret Gaffney Haughery (pronounced as HAW-a-ree) was a beloved historical figure in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the 1880s. Widely known as “Our Margaret,” “The Bread Woman of New Orleans” and “Mother of Orphans,” Margaret devoted her life’s work to the care and feeding of the poor and hungry, and to fund and build orphanages throughout the city. The poor called her “Saint Margaret.”

An Irish immigrant widow of many titles, Margaret was also commonly referred to as the “Angel of the Delta,” “Mother Margaret,” “Margaret of New Orleans,” the “Celebrated Margaret” and “Margaret of Tully.” A Catholic, she worked closely with New Orleans Sisters of Charity, associated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans (the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States).

Read more

Ash Wednesday Blues

Years ago and long before the Catechism was published, while I was a struggling artist living in Mid-City New Orleans, my buddy and housemate Paul Heimann and I got frustrated over the dearth of Mardi Gras songs which celebrated the fact that Mardi Gras actually ends. The party stops.

So we wrote this one and copyrighted it.

Here is a picture of me taken by the Times Picayune while I was at OLL, long after my ultimate conversion and ordination

Me, a few years ago at Ash Weds. in OLL

This song was written a lifetime ago.

But we still love it.

ASH WEDNESDAY BLUES

vs. 1

Can’t you tell, I’m crying inside,
Can’t you see the tears in my eyes?
My pockets are all empty, my clothes are all torn,
I’m tattered from yesterday’s Mardi Gras storm. (chorus)

vs. 2

C’mon Mr. Trashman, sweep me away.
All reason for life, died yesterday.
Got no place to go, got nothing to do,
Since I said good b’ye to that last
Mardi Gras Krewe.

Chorus:
Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust,
Got to do what I know I must
Got to lie down and take a snooze
Before I wake up to those
Ash Wednesday Blues.

~~~Bridge~~~

Everyone’s packed up
and left downtown
No one left
to boogie on down *
What am I
Suposed
to do? …

vs. 3

Oh well, I’ll just pick myself up.
Dust myself off and grab a cup.
Cause I know next year’s comin’ around.
I’m going back to that
Mardi Gras town.

Chorus

*so written in the 80’s, but a great song!

The Rev. Kenneth Allen