A Drama of Mercy in the Crescent City: What is Your Part?

Hundreds of Question Marks

It has been over a month since the grace of Christ began to pour out upon us in a new and powerful way. As a native of New Orleans, I have a unique perspective on the unfolding drama here in the Crescent City.

Two weekends ago, Mass was celebrated in St. Louis Cathedral for the first time since the hurricane. Archbishop Alfred Hughes presided, and there were signs of hope and healing as tears streamed freely down the cheeks of residents and military men alike. Yet hundreds of question marks remain suspended above New Orleans as Governor Kathleen Blanco petitioned FEMA for more help, asking for laws to be repealed or at least changed to allow FEMA to pay local government salaries to help avoid bankruptcy of the very areas that are attempting to recover and rebuild. And while there is little tax money coming in for the state (because so many businesses are not operating), there is also a concern for the fiscal and educational solvency of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Just try to imagine the scope of destruction by wrapping your mind around these few facts:

• The Archdiocese of New Orleans, which is one of the largest employers in the New Orleans area, announced last week that 881 of its 9,000 lay workers have been laid off so far. They hope to rehire employees if the economy improves.

• Five weeks after Hurricane Katrina, as of Sunday, October 2, Holy Mass was only celebrated in 68 of 144 parishes (roughly 47%) in the archdiocese, and a few of those parishes celebrated Mass in parking lots or other makeshift places.

• Archdiocesan officials estimate they will be operating with a $40 million dollar deficit by the end of the year.

• In a separate line item, it still remains to be seen how much of the archdiocese’s estimated $70 million in flood-related damage to buildings will be paid by insurance companies.

• The archdiocese educates roughly 51,000 students in its Catholic school system, many of whom will not be able to return to their schools until January or later. Students and their families evacuated to 47 different states, and many are still not back. Many families have no home to return to and no job to speak of.

Frankly, We Need a Lot of Money

Add to the mix that some youth ministers are being laid off and some are quitting, and you have a serious threat facing the youth of this archdiocese. So what must be done? We must find hope in the Eucharist and in the Church as the Body of Christ. We must look to God’s word. We must find hope in the Divine Liturgy. It is time for the Body of Christ to realize her full potential by reaching out in every way to the parts that are suffering. Along with intense prayers and fasting, I believe we are called to give until it hurts. Notice, that last line didn’t read “give until you feel better.” It just won’t suffice to give “a little” during this time of intense suffering.

Remember St. Anselm’s “theory of satisfaction”? He said that an infinite debt called for an infinite response. When man (Adam and Eve) ruptured his relationship with God, God knew that man could not bridge the gap to return to communion with Him. God knew that He needed to pay the debt for mankind, so He gave of Himself — He gave His only Son, and Christ gave all He had. He gave until it hurt. He gave until He died.

Let us follow the example of Christ and fervently ask for the Lord to show us how we can give to rebuild a better New Orleans and to revitalize the faith of those who have lost so much. Food, water and clothing are being provided for many who need it. Now it is time to rebuild and to get people back into their homes. Don’t send flowers. Send money, and lots of it.

The Archdiocese is doing all it can, and is creatively improvising in many ways, but, money is what is needed to rebuild schools, to repair rectories and to renew sanctuaries. It’s needed to pay teachers. It’s needed to pay contractors and clean-up crews. It’s needed to feed the poor and to help those who have lost their homes, their cars and their jobs. Money can be divided and spread across the archdiocese much better if the giving is centralized, so the following is the best, official, and most efficient way to help the Church in New Orleans. Click here (https://www.catholicfs.org/donation/archnola/) to donate online, or call 1-661-869-1000, or send a check to:

Archdiocese of New Orleans

Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund

P.O. Box 715024

Columbus, OH 43271-5024

There Is Always Hope Where Christ Is Present

Let us remember that where the Church is found, Christ is found. And where Christ and His Church are found, there is always hope to be found. Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, Archbishop of New Orleans, gave a news briefing in Baton Rouge last week, and among other things, described some of the hope that is present in our archdiocese. The following text is the conclusion of his message, which can inspire faith and hope in all who want to see our community rise again:

Behind St. Louis Cathedral is a statue of the Sacred Heart. Some fingers of that statue were knocked off. They were found by the 82nd Airborne Division that volunteered to clean up St. Anthony Garden, and appropriately presented them to Archbishop Hannan who served as the chaplain for that very same division during World War II. Archbishop Hannan [former Archbishop of New Orleans] is 92 years old, spry, zealous and as involved as ever. I announced yesterday at the cathedral that we would not re-attach those fingers to the statue of the Sacred Heart yet. I would like that statue to stand as a symbol of the invitation God gives to us to experience His loving presence, His merciful outreach to us, His transforming love and His invitation that we become His fingers for the restoration of the Church and the wider community in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. When that has been realized, then we will re-attach those fingers. Thank you.

Jesus gave until it hurt. Where there is Christ, there is hope. Will you be the hands, or rather, will you be the “fingers of Christ” today?

© Copyright 2005 Catholic Exchange

Brian Butler is Associate Director for Youth Catechesis in Secondary Schools and Parishes for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is also a youth speaker, writer and co-founder of Dumb Ox Productions (www.dumboxproductions.com), a Catholic multi-media ministry that evangelizes teenagers through resources and retreats. He can be reached by email at: brian@dumboxproductions.com.

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