Great story of serving from an Episcopal Priest in New Orleans

Priest keeps Lower 9th Ward community moving forward

Published: Sunday, August 14, 2011, 11:00 PM

By Contributing writer, The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune The Rev. Lonell Wright is on his third career. Wright, 71, once was an executive at a major pharmaceutical company. Then, he was the owner and operator of five New Orleans McDonald’s restaurants. Now, he’s an Episcopal priest at a small church in the Lower 9th Ward with a big mission in mind.

View full sizeEliot Kamenitz, The Times-PicayuneThe Rev. Lonell Wright with day campers at All Souls Episcopal Church, Tuesday, July 12, 2011.

 

 

“Our goal is to change the lives of the families we touch. Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty,” Wright said.
All Souls Episcopal Church meets in a converted Walgreens drugstore at 5900 St. Claude Ave., a place known by many as “St. Walgreens.” On Sunday, it’s a worship center. During the week, it’s a community center providing stringed instrument lessons, volunteer coordination for community projects, parenting classes and tutoring.
A recent math camp highlighted the ministry’s seven-week summer program, with volunteers from ministry partner St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church of Dallas.
The congregation of 60 is a mix that crosses socioeconomic, racial and generational lines. The only Episcopal church in the downriver community, All Souls embraces the Episcopal liturgy, but with a New Orleans touch.
“I preach a little bit longer and probably a little bit louder than the average Episcopal priest,” Wright said. “We are upbeat.”
Wright stepped away from early retirement from Kaiser-Permanente and moved to New Orleans to operate a McDonald’s on South Claiborne Avenue. Five restaurants later, Wright looked forward to a leisurely life of golf, fishing and time with family. Dessie Blount Wright, his wife of 47 years, and his parish priest knew better, Wright said.
“My priest came to me and said, ‘I’m not sure of many things, but this I’m absolutely certain of. You are called to the priesthood,’ ” Wright said.
As a McDonald’s operator near the C.J. Peete public housing development, Wright was heartbroken over young people struggling under poor educational skills and bad choices. The incentive program he developed partnered with 16 schools and earned him the Small Businessman of the Year Award from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education 16 years ago.
Today, Wright’s business contacts help meet needs. The Suburban that picks up children for day camp, a kitchen that provides campers two meals a day, violins for lessons and the lab of new computers have come from donors.
A long list of partners includes Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church of New York City, St. James Episcopal Church of Baton Rouge, Operation Southern Comfort and Le Moyne College of Syracuse, N.Y.
Local partners include St. Martin’s Episcopal School, Annunciation Mission, United Way of New Orleans, Trinity Episcopal Church, Second Harvest, New Orleans Recreation Department and the University of New Orleans Music Department.
“I have great respect for Lonell’s energy and faith,” said Duane Nettles, executive director of Annunciation Mission, a ministry arm of Church of the Annunciation. “He gets things done.”
After seminary graduation at age 67, Wright insisted his ordination be held at All Souls. The ordination photographs show unfinished walls and floors in the background.
The church grew out of the relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as Church of the Annunciation ministered to the community. Services were first held in a renovated garage.
Shola Falodun, a Nigerian priest who delivered supplies in a mobile respite unit, was the first pastor. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. Rowan Williams, blessed the site on his visit to New Orleans in 2007.
John C. Williams, member, architect and master planner for the community, said the blessing by Rowan Williams and the support of then-Bishop Charles Jenkins bolstered their determination.
“We knew we had to make it work,” John C. Williams said.
Support came first from Church of the Annunciation. All Souls became a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana three years ago.
Wright’s passion is fueled by what he calls “the elephant in the room.” He points to the national statistic showing that 72 percent of African-American children are born into poor, under-educated, single-parent families.
“We’ve got teenagers having babies who don’t have a concept of what a positive role model looks like,” Wright said. “We got to look at ourselves and fix this. And not blame others.”
Wright’s commitment to tough love flows out of his own experience. His son, born out of wedlock before Wright finished his freshman year of college, is now in prison.
“My gift is to love people and tell them the truth, and while we do that, to keep our arms around them and support them,” Wright said.
He tells parents, “We’ll teach your kids to read and write, respect for authority and positive conflict resolution. We’ll help you raise these kids if you’ll let us.”