We had a social after Mass and before dinner at the Candidates' House. We visited and shared until late into the evening. The next day, the provincial council met. At the meeting, the council approved Fr. Barry Cabell's leaving St. Ignatius as pastor and going to Newfoundland to work with a Holy Cross bishop there.  They have had some very serious problems there and Barry will be able to work, not only as priest and pastor, but also as a psychologist to help the priests there.

Holy Cross religious gathered in New Orleans on May 1 to celebrate 150 years of Holy Cross in Louisiana. At 11:00 a.m. we gathered at Holy Angels for a prayer service. The beginnings of Holy Cross in Louisiana were recounted. Archbishop Blenk of New Orleans had asked Holy Cross to send religious who would take care of Holy Angels Orphanage. Five brothers and three sisters came on May 1, 1849. They found the orphanage in disrepair. They had so few resources that Brother Vincent would go each day to beg for leftover food from the restaurants. Typhoid and yellow fever came. Some of the children and three Holy Cross religious died. It was a terrible blow for the small Holy Cross community, but they persevered. Today Holy Cross continues with Sacred Heart Parish, Holy Cross School, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, and a variety of individual ministries--including leadership within the Archdiocese. We can all be proud of the perseverance and zeal of Holy Cross!

At 5:00 p.m. we gathered in Sacred Heart Church to celebrate the Eucharist. The church was filled with Holy Cross religious and friends of Holy Cross. Father Hugh Cleary, the superior general, was the principal celebrant and homilist. He spoke of Holy Cross' belief in the transforming power of the cross: "The Cross, Our Only Hope." As religious we are certainly human. All kinds of limitations and shortcomings add to the challenges we faced in Louisiana 150 ago (and to the challenges we face today). But by our embracing the cross--that is, persevering despite the difficulties and our own shortcomings, the Lord transforms both our works and us.

At the end of Mass, the three local provincials spoke: Sister Mary Kay Kinberger, Brother Richard Critz, and Father John Korcsmar all spoke. At the very end, Archbishop Schulte of New Orleans also spoke. He talked about the importance of Holy Cross, not only in the past, but also as part of the Archdiocese today. He also noted that it was an unusual liturgy with four homilies and no collection!

After Mass, we gathered for a social and dinner at Mardi Gras World. The place is not a restaurant, but a very large building where they make and store floats for the parades. We got to see where they make floats, and we gathered in a very large room. The finest restaurants in New Orleans had tables set up where they offered the best of their cuisine: red beans and rice, turtle soup, roast beef, bananas foster, bread pudding, various kinds of pasta, different gumbos, and many, many more dishes. A good time was had by all!!