An awesome day in old New Orleans

It was an awesome day in old New Orleans!  For me, thats quite a statement.  On an unusually cold March Sunday morning my little family, wife & daughter, ventured to New Orleans early to facilitate my assignment to assist at Mass at historic St. Louis Cathedral.  I've done this before and today would be a great opportunity to assist my Ordinary, Archbishop Gregory Aymond, and to serve with one of the newest ordained Deacons who I mentored.  But first we drove across the mighty Mississippi River to my childhood neighborhood to pick up my aunt who is over 80 years young and loved an opportunity to visit at the Cathedral.

St. Louis Cathedral, located in the heart of the French Quarter, is very historic indeed.  Parts of the existing structure date back to the year 1718.  St. Louis Cathedral is the almost always the iconic media shot for every big national event hosted in New Orleans.  For this morning's Mass, both Deacon Warren and I personally assisted the Archbishop, while one of our Transitional Deacons proclaimed the Gospel.  At the Mass, the Archbishop reminded us about our Lenten journey and mentioned the historic day as the Church is in these days of Sede Vacante.  We offered prayers for Pope Emeritus Benedict and the Church in this period of transition.  Archbishop Aymond gave a great homily focusing on the parable of the fig tree and how many times we give up on others as soon as they harm us, or let us down.  We can, with God's grace, be more willing to demonstrate mercy and forgiveness to those who don't always seem to be open to those great gifts.

After Mass, it is always a joy to stay with the Archbishop as he patiently and graciously greets all as they depart the Cathedral.  His Deacons remain with him as a sign of our close relationship as Deacon to our Bishop, as has been the norm for 2,000 years of Church history.  Once that was finished we lingered around Jackson Square, taking in the sights of street performers, artists and sat among some of the oldest and more historic buildings of the deep south.  Some of these historic buildings are the Cabildo, the Lousiana State Musuem and the Pontalba Apartments, among the oldest in North America.  For lunch, the girls treated my Aunt and I, to a great meal and New Orleans experience at Muriels.  A jazz trio played tunes as we dined on gumbo, shrimp, andouille and other New Orleans delicacies.

This afternoon we topped off our great New Orleans day with a Skype session with #1 grandson Calvin and our son Jimmy and now relaxing at home knowing my daughter is safe back home in Hattiesburg and I anticipate my 56th birthday after midnight.

Sometimes, being a native and all, I'm real tough on my hometown of New Orleans.  I can honestky say that a nice side benefit to my life as a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese has been a greater appreciation of the historic Crescent City.  Today, a bright cold Sunday, I spent an awesome day in old New Orleans, and she sure looked young to me!  I might just do it again!