Presentation Sisters Collaborative Ministry
1802 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 522-3186 Ext. 25

Monthly Updates

October 2007

Who is like the Blessed One, who enters into human hearts
and brings comfort to those in need.
(Psalm 113:5-6)

The goodness and support of so many have entered into the hearts of those who are poor, homeless and struggling for life’s basic necessities.

The doors of the Rebuild Center opened for the first time on September 10 when 101 people walked through the doors for lunch. To see the excitement in the eyes of our guests, to hear them speak of the newness of this building, to watch them take in the beauty of the palm trees and greenery, fill us with images we’ll not soon forget. One guest’s comment, “Sister, how do you like our place?” says it all! How good it is to provide a place of welcome and safety where our guests can sit and relax, read the paper, visit or just enjoy some quiet time to think.

As you know, we Presentation Sisters/Lantern Light, Inc. are collaborating our efforts with the Jesuits/Harry Tompson Center, Vincentians/St. Joseph Church and the Hispanic Apostolate/Catholic Charities. We continue to offer services as we did in the past and are grateful for the additional services provided by those who are part of this collaboration: showers & laundry, assistance with ID’s & birth certificates, groceries, phone, mail, medical & legal service, financial management, resource referrals and daily lunch. Between 150 and 200 people enter the doors of the Rebuild Center each day; 2090 were served lunch during the month of September.

None of this would be possible without our faithful donors and volunteers. We thank students from Mt. Carmel who provided sandwiches and snacks; a mother and daughter who prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner for our guests (very fitting on the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul); lawyers who donated food for our pantry; LSU and Charity School of Nursing students who shared treats from bake sales; the owner of a New Orleans restaurant who not only has donated fruit, bread and meat but has invited his friends to be involved! The lantern burns brightly because of them!

September 2007

It is time to rejoice!

“God is in the midst of this city;
it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.”
(Psalm 46:5)

August 26 was truly a day of celebration! Nearly 800 people filled St. Joseph’s Church to participate in a prayer service for the Dedication of the Rebuild Center. In a litany of remembering, we were reminded that God’s love is forever; God is faithful to the end of time. As we reflected on rebuilding, we recalled Jesus’ words to the frightened disciples as their boat was tossed about by the waves and wind: “It is I. Do not be afraid.” We raised our voices in song, rejoicing that God, our light and our love, has turned the night into day.

The Storyville Stompers led all of us around the block to the Rebuild Center. What a grand parade it was – Second- liners stepping to the beat of New Orleans jazz; hundreds of us waving colorful ribbons as we all processed together. Following the prayer of blessing and the ribbon cutting, the doors to the Center were opened and the celebration continued - delicious food, festive music and self-guided tours. We were honored to have members of our families & religious communities, friends, volunteers, benefactors, church & civic leaders and our daily guests with us to celebrate this day of dedication.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Presentation Sisters/Lantern Light, Inc., the Jesuits/Harry Tompson Center, the Vincentians/St. Joseph Church and the Hispanic Apostolate/Catholic Charities, we know this to be true:

• The hungry are fed.
• Those whose bodies endure the heat of the day are cleansed with refreshing water.
• The stranger among us is called friend.
• Those who are without voice have someone to speak for them.

It is our hope that this Center will be a concrete source of help to those trying to rebuild their lives and a beacon of light to others working on behalf of the poor in New Orleans.

August 2007

The Times-Picayune newspaper included rather positive headlines this past month: Lighting the Way…A life filled with the soul of the city…Let sounds of jazz fill the air…A wealth of optimism important…Showered with gratitude. We’d like to add another: Generous friends keep the light of the lantern burning.

This past month we served 1525 people for daily lunch. Groceries were provided for over 50 households. As monthly rent and utility bills rise, women & men of all ages stopped at the Lantern to request financial assistance. Those who are homeless often suffer infection from bug bites and need help getting their prescriptions filled. We’re thrilled when someone shares the good news of being hired for a job. Often this new job requires a simple uniform – a request we’re happy to support.

During the month of July, the North-East Conference of Dominican Sisters lent us a number of energetic, hard-working and spirit-filled Sisters. It was a joy to introduce them to our Lantern-friends…to have them work side-by-side with us doing daily tasks…to experience their charism and goodness.

We bid farewell to Jesuit volunteers Alisa Bright and David Uhl. Their presence and many gifts have touched all of us in many ways this past year. Alisa headed back home to Oregon, planning to work a few months before doing some traveling. David headed east to Washington DC where he will begin graduate studies at American University. We miss them, wish them well and look forward to our paths crossing again in the future.

Construction of the Re-Build Center continues. Recent additions of benches and drinking fountains heighten anticipation for the day the center will open officially. The dedication ceremony is scheduled for August 26, 1:00 p.m., St. Joseph Church, followed by a ribbon-cutting, blessing of the center, tours and refreshments. We gather to Remember, Re-Build & Rejoice.

July 2007

The world is hungry for bread and justice, for drink and for mercy, for dignity and for hope. There is always something we can do if we put our mind, our imagination and our heart into it.” (Come, Follow Me/Anthony Gittins)

There’s much excitement each day as we watch the construction progress of the Re-Build Center. The deck and roof that will connect the seven modular buildings is almost complete. It will be so good to offer our clients protection from the outdoor elements, especially the heat and rain. The modular kitchen is also taking shape; one day soon refrigerators, freezers and a convection oven will be ordered and installed. As the heat and humidity settle into the 90’s and above, our clients get more and more eager for shower and laundry services the center will provide. We are grateful to our benefactors who have contributed to the construction of this recovery center.

Each day we have the privilege of witnessing God’s amazing grace:

• A young man shares good news - he has a job trimming trees!
• A middle-aged man who uses our address for his mail receives a letter from his estranged father. A phone call follows and the words “I love you” are exchanged.
• A volunteer shares the story of how she feels God is calling her to explore the possibility of a vocation to religious life.
• Law students studying for the bar take time to mingle with our clients in the lunch line and offer pro bono assistance to those in need.
• A person from the neighborhood hears that volunteers will help him repair the roof of his house. He responds with, “This is Jesus blessing me.”

All of us at Lantern Light feel we are in the midst of saints.
“Men and women outstanding in holiness, living witnesses of God’s unchanging love.”
(Eucharistic Prayer)

June 2007

“God watches over those who journey, sending guides and angels to lead the way.”
(Psalm 146; Praying the Psalms/Nan Merrill)
In many ways many people have been both guide and angel to the people we serve offering their presence, time, talent and treasure.

Some Lantern News:

There have been some reasons to celebrate! A number of the homeless clients we serve also participate in Gateway, a residential and/or outpatient program offering treatment for those with substance abuse. It is always such a delight when these clients return to let us know how they are doing or to show us the certificates they’ve received in the classes (i.e. carpentry, cooking) they’ve completed. It is more than our pleasure to affirm them for their hard work and to encourage them in their efforts to become healthy again.

Through donations and grant money, we helped an elderly woman in our neighborhood make some major improvements on her house - sheet-rocking & painting & new flooring. We hope to provide this service for others who dream daily of getting back into their homes.

“The mystery of the poor is this – that they are Jesus, and what you do for them, you do to Him.” (Dorothy Day)

May 2007

This past month 550 men and women have come to Lantern Light for assistance. Many of these people are homeless and living in abandoned buildings, under bridges and the interstate, along the riverbank or in their cars. Besides the usual request for a snack, a personal hygiene kit, a pair of socks or a t-shirt, a good many have come from the hospital with prescriptions they need to have filled. St. Vincent de Paul pharmacy serves the community a couple of days a week. On the remaining days, we offer some financial assistance and send our clients to the local drug store, where they get the medication prescribed.

Our lunch line continues to grow; we served 1480 people during the month of April. We’re grateful to our early morning sandwich makers, to our Wednesday hot-meal chefs and to our local grocery stores and restaurants for their generous donations. It is not unusual to see a head bowed or hands raised – a beautiful witness of gratitude to God for daily bread.

A local beautician organized a food drive for us. Her clients responded whole-heartedly to her invitation, filling her shop with an assortment of canned food. Imagine the delight of the people who come to us for groceries – families, single mothers with children, the elderly of the neighborhood.

With hurricane season just around the corner (June 1), we’re walking the neighborhood to talk with people about their evacuation plan and to share information that will be helpful to them in the event of a hurricane.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Presentation Sisters, Vincentians, Jesuits, Daughters of Charity and Archdiocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, the dream of a new Re-Build Center will become a reality by mid-summer. This multi-service recovery center will serve the poor, people made homeless by Hurricane Katrina, the chronically homeless and immigrant workers from Latin America. We’re really excited and proud to be part of this collaborative venture!

April 2007

“Take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor let them slip from your mind all the days of your life.” (Deut. 4:9)

These past weeks hundreds of college students have come to New Orleans on their spring break ready and willing to gut houses, clear debris, plant shrubs, paint and form long-lasting friendships with the people of our city. Students from Clarke College, Dubuque, IA, Jesuit Weston, Boston, MA and the University of Seattle, Seattle, WA spent a brief time with us, eager to walk the neighborhood and to hear the stories of the people. A Clarke student commented that her group had stopped at a local store for some supplies. “We hadn’t even done any work and the people in the store were thanking us for coming to serve,” this student remarked. The generosity and good spirit of these young women and men brought a renewed sense of hope to the people of the gulf coast. The colleges they represent should be very proud of them!

We were happy to welcome Presentation Sisters from New York, Texas and Ireland who were delighted to serve sandwiches, pack hygiene kits or converse with those gathered at the water jug. A married couple from the San Francisco area came to meet an elderly woman whose home had been re-wired, thanks to the contributions of their church community. Faculty & staff from St. Mary Magdalene School took time during an in-service day to give service at Lantern Light!

A small motel in the area has been converted into a SRO (single room occupancy) residence for men searching for a place to call HOME. A number of our clients are now happy home-dwellers!

Gratitude is a virtue lived well among the people we serve. One person, whose ID and personal belongings had been stolen the previous evening, shared: “I’m blessed; God woke me up to see the light of another day.” A bit of wisdom for the heart and soul!

March 2007

The light of our lantern burns brightly these weeks as we’ve welcomed friends, students, tourists, Christian Brothers and Presentation Sisters from Oregon, California, Iowa, New York, Canada and Ireland. Once again we express deep gratitude for the privilege it is to share our ministry with so many people in various parts of our world.

We continue to be amazed when the mail arrives with a variety of practical and useful gifts that we share with those we serve – cans of coffee, socks, t-shirts, hygiene items and stamps. Most recently, grammar school students from Illinois colorfully decorated hundreds of lunch bags, which added a little something special to lunch on an ordinary day.

An editorial written in the Times-Picayune on Ash Wednesday seems a poignant reminder of the existing reality here in New Orleans. We’d like to share a part of this editorial with you.

Times-Picayune (2-21-07): “Ashes that mark people’s foreheads today are a visible sign that the festive weeks of Carnival have given way to the meditative, penitential time that is Lent. But the contrast between celebration and contemplation is something that all residents in greater New Orleans experience post-Katrina, and not only on Ash Wednesday. The hard work of recovery is still in its early stages; people continue to mourn even as they rebuild. We rejoice in what has been regained – including a vibrant Carnival season – but grieve for that which is lost. Remembering that we are dust is not difficult under such circumstances. But for more than 17 months, people from here and elsewhere have been working to brush off the dust of Katrina. That work goes on during festive times and more somber seasons. The New Orleans area is accustomed to people coming here to join the party during Carnival, but since Katrina, people from across the country have been coming to join in the work. They’ve tasted the Lenten side of life here, and their sacrifice of time and energy has helped us heal. The glitter of Mardi Gras has been washed away for another year, and the smudge of ash will be gone tomorrow. But the mark that Katrina has made on our hearts and minds is harder to remove. We will need both joy and the deeper reservoirs of faith and strength to prove that it is not indelible.”

February 2007

A few days ago a nursing student stopped by with a jug of grape juice. It was her way of saying thanks to a person who offered her kindness and patience. A middle-aged man, grateful for employment, made a visit to the church to thank God for blessing him with meaningful work. As rolls of toilet tissue were added to a grocery bag, the recipient’s eyes filled with tears as she said, “Oh, thank you! This is gold to my husband and me.”

Temperatures here in New Orleans have been cold for the past few weeks. When freeze nights are declared, local shelters open their doors to people who are homeless. Usually there are not enough beds to accommodate everyone, but those who live on the streets are very grateful to sleep on a bench or a blanket on the floor and to be indoors for the night. When shelters reach capacity, B.B. and Sam, employees of the police department, drive a long white van through the streets; when they find families sleeping in cars or taking refuge under the interstate, they offer them a hotel voucher for the night. We’re grateful for the generosity and compassion of a local woman whose donation makes these vouchers possible.

Lantern Light CAFÉ offers hot coffee and a snack to those who arrive at our door. Is there anything better than wrapping your hands around a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning?

This past week a mother of five stopped by requesting rental assistance. She was one day away from being evicted from her apartment. That same day a grand-mother responsible for the care of her seven-year-old grandson, (both still living in a FEMA trailer) told us that her electricity had been turned off the day before – could we possibly help her? We were able to offer financial assistance to both women because of your on-going support. Tears of gratitude flowed!

January 2007

We had a wonderful celebration of Christmas by hosting dinner for those in our city who are poor and/or homeless. This tradition began in 1775 when our Irish foundress Nano Nagle and her companions invited 50 destitute slum-dwellers to dinner. Later as they washed dishes together, one of them suggested that they do this again the next year, and every year for a hundred years! Little did they know how their wish would come true!

Little did they know how this tradition would grow to involve more and more people! Days before Christmas, people stopped with gifts to share. LSU medical students, weary from writing exams, arrived at our trailer with toys they purchased for children. A high school senior living in California collected and sent boxes of sweatshirts, stocking caps and mittens. Others donated hams, jambalaya, shrimp pasta and scrumptious desserts. We were blessed with generous people who offered to help us serve dinner on Christmas day: a couple of our friends from our neighborhood, a local physician, a family from Washington D.C. Children from schools in Iowa sent home-made cards for our guests. You can imagine how these colorful and creative cards warmed the hearts of all who received them.

We were happy to welcome visitors this past month. A group of parishioners from Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Mound, MN spent a day with us, eager to meet people in the neighborhood, lend a hand at serving lunch and remove hundreds of nails from the gutted home of an elderly woman. College students from the University of Northern Iowa arrived to give a week of service to Catholic Charities’ Operation Helping Hands and were a great help to us sorting food and serving lunch. We never cease to be amazed at the goodness of people!

December 2006

“Before our eyes, the weak are upheld in kindness. The poor are called by name; The hungry are nourished with bread that never grows old.” (Luke 1:51-53)

These words from the Magnificat, Mary’s song of praise, resonate with those of us who are privileged to minister at Lantern Light. We witness the goodness of many people, local and not-so-local, willing to share of their time, gifts and resources.

• Students from Mt. Carmel, Cabrini and Dominican High Schools stay after school to make sandwiches for our daily lunch program. Respective service clubs purchase bread, meat, chips and cookies for these lunches.
• Law students and attorneys offer bankruptcy workshops and legal aid sessions (pro-bono!) for those who find themselves burdened financially. Information offered is practical, clear and spoken with compassion.
• Last week a man arrived telling us he’d been enduring a very painful toothache for a couple of weeks. A few phone calls later, an appointment was scheduled with a dentist very willing to treat (free of charge!) people who are homeless.
• With the temperature dropping by 20 degrees, FREEZE nights are declared. Local agencies offer over-night shelter to families living in their cars, women and men living on the streets. Fliers are made and distributed so that people needing a warm place to stay will know shelter locations.

Praise those who have heard the cry of the poor, who have held with tenderness the orphan and widow and given the stranger a land and home.

November 2006

We celebrated the Feast of All Saints in grand style! Seventy-five people enjoyed a delicious dinner of toss salad, red beans & rice and home-made bread prepared by three faithful volunteers. A group of grade school children from an area school brought colorfully decorated Halloween bags filled with candy and handed them out to each person in the lunch line. No tricks – many treats!!

We Sisters at Lantern Light are blessed by the presence of two Jesuit volunteers. David Uhl, from Seattle, Washington, is a second year volunteer; Alysa Bright, a first year volunteer, is from Eugene, Oregon. In early 2007 when our Re-Build Center opens, Alysa and David will work in the Harry Tompson Center. Until then, they share their talents and gifts with the people who come to the Lantern for assistance. We enjoy the youthful and enthusiastic spirit that Alysa and David offer. We also appreciate the presence of Don Thompson who is the director of the Harry Tompson Center.

We’re always happy to receive GOOD NEWS! This week a woman stopped by to tell us that she had found housing for her four children and herself. A couple of men proudly shared news about finding jobs. Occasionally someone in the lunch line will mention that it is her/his birthday and so there is the opportunity to offer birthday greetings and wishes.

Sr. Virginia McCall, a Presentation Sister from Aberdeen, South Dakota, is spending the month of November with us. We’re pleased to have Sr. Virginia with us and know she’ll be blessed by the people she is privileged to meet and serve.

We are moving along very slowly here in New Orleans. The people are our greatest sign of hope.

October 2006

It is hard to believe that we’ve turned the calendar to the month of October! Time to enjoy the beautiful season of autumn and all that it offers. During the past month we had the opportunity to serve over 400 people. Many were in need of simple items that most of us take for granted – hygiene supplies, a pair of socks, underwear, a t-shirt, a face cloth. Single mothers supporting three or four children came to us for rental assistance. A number of people had been released from the hospital and needed to get prescriptions filled. We were able to direct them to clinics providing free medication.

Many people have either lost their ID’s or had them stolen. We help them get the necessary documents and make arrangements for these ID-seekers to ride a van that takes them to and from the place that actually issues these ID’s. They board the van with the excitement of young children and return with pride as they show us their newly issued identification cards.

Our daily lunch count has climbed from a steady 50 to 75+. Volunteers provide a hot meal on Wednesdays. Last week a woman prepared spaghetti, toss salad, bread and brownies. A group of retired men grocery shop and then gather at the local KC hall to prepare jambalaya every third Wednesday. In addition to the delicious meal, this group of volunteers offers a great spirit of community to all who gather.

Local attorneys offer their services every Wednesday during lunch time. Besides notarizing ID’s, they are available to speak with people needing legal advice. We are fortunate and very grateful to benefit from this service.

Since the Lantern (a trailer – our place of ministry) sits beside St. Joseph Church, it is not unusual for our clients to make a visit to the church before or after they have spent time with us. Last week a woman told me about her time in church. “I had a long list,” she said, “but Jesus knows my heart, but I tell Him anyway ‘cause I know Jesus cares.” I have learned so much from people who are poor, who deal daily with so many struggles. They teach me how to be dependant on God and how to stand before God in honesty and trust.