Update from Redemptorist in New Orleans

Hello:

Below is the text of a letter from a Redemptorist working out of New Orleans. Previously, I have posted 2 other letters from Fr. Greg that you may find interesting: Letter from a New Orleans Redemptorist and Redemptorists in New Orleans - Update. I am amazed at their fortitude.

I think the story of Job has frequently come to people's minds throughout this disaster so it seems natural to feature Shaking a Fist at God: Struggling With the Mystery of Undeserved Suffering by Katharine Dell. The book is a frank and insightful examination of man's natural tendency to blame God when faced with extreme suffering. Through parrallels to the classic story of Job, this urge to shake a fist at God is broken down and used to illustrate God's presence and divine love. This title is of course published by Liguori Publications.

Well enough of my prattle, on to Fr. Greg's letter.

Peace,

P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass

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Dear Family, Friends, Confreres,

Time for another update about the situation down here in Baton Rouge - New Orleans. I'm still living in the rectory at St. Gerard Parish in Baton Rouge. I have been surprisingly busy. I've been to a couple of meetings of New Orleans priests who are living here in Baton Rouge. Out of the first meeting I volunteered to go to the Baton Rouge Airport to visit Army, and National Guard troops, as well as a large contingent of Border Patrol and some FEMA volunteers. A few nights ago after the commander of the Border Patrol gave his men their final briefing before deploying into New Orleans, I was asked to say a few words to the men. It happened that a CNN reporter and cameraman were present, but I don't think I made the big time. I enjoyed talking to some of the men at the airport, and I learned a lot about helicopters which were being staged out of Baton Rouge. Most of the military have now moved closer to New Orleans.

For about a week we had a group of about 8 helicopter pilots sleeping in our rectory in the common room and library. They were most happy to have an air conditoned place to sleep. I met one of them at the airport and he took me to his helicopter and took a digital photo of me sitting in the pilot's seat.

I've also been doing some work as a chaplain at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. This Wednesday I will become a part time employee (3 days a week + 3 nights on call). I've had some tough call outs already. I was called 3 times to Woman's Hospital to talk to and pray with 3 families whose babies did not survive birth. I also went out on night for an emergency call. A 14 year old boy was in Pediatric Intensive Care. A tree had fallen on him (I think while he was doing post hurricane clearing). Unfortunately he didn't survive. Some of the people in the Pediatric Intensive Care really tear at your heart. Many of the parents I have met there are heroic people in my mind. The are attending 24 hours a day to their children - often separated from the rest of their family after having lost their homes. But the love they have for their children (some with serious problems - eg one 9 year old boy is waiting his 4th kidney t! ransplant) is deeply moving. One little two year old girl is there, and they don't know where her family is.

Last Monday (Sept 12) Deacon Dennis Ryan, myself, and two others went into New Orleans to check our our place and try remedy some of the damage. One of the two others, Mike Davis, had a contact in the Office of Emergency Management. He also had a blue light to put on the dash of the van. We had no trouble getting in. When we arrived we were questioned and welcomed by a small army troop that was stationed on our street. They were very friendly and helpful. They did a sweep of the convent (the front door was open) and the Church before we went into either building. There was a lot of garbage on the street and a lot of Walmart shoping carts. They had just discovered 7 rooms full of looted goods in the senior housing apartment (the former rectory). The police came later to haul the looted goods away.
We also saw some white vans park outside another apartment across the street from the Church. They hauled some bodies (in bags) out of that building.

We took pictures of the damage. A big window was blown out in St. Mary's Church (not a stained glass window). The Church suffered roof damage as well. A brick fence wall (8 feet high and 1 foot thick) was reduced to a pile of bricks. Two windows were blown in at the rectory as well as several windows in the school. The convent had been broken into, but little from the inside appeared to be taken. However, 2 vans that were used by the nuns to gather up elderly for their senior day program were missing. Also one of the nun's cars was gone. Another had the gas siphoned from the tank. St. Alphonsus Church across the street also had damage. Both tower roofs were moved. One was blown completly off and ended up in our back yard. The other was twisted askew but stayed on top of the tower. Some stained glass was also blown out of St. Alphonsus. We found stained glass remnants in various locations! . Fortunately the main windows were in tact. We saw cars up on blocks with the wheels gone and windows smashed. I don't know how we didn't get looted, but we didn't.

When we entered the rectory the stench was horrible. We removed the food from the freezer and refrigerators and bagged it. We were going to bury it, but the soldiers told us to put it on the curb because there would be a pick-up. We only added to the very unpleasant odor that was alread on the street. With no electricity, everything was spoiled after 2 weeks. The smell has seeped through the entire house. Deacon Dennis and I are planning on trying to get back in tomorrow (Monday) to haul the appliances outdoors, thoroughly clean them, then clean and disinfect the kitchen floor. That will not be fun.

With the tarps and other stuff we brought we covered one of the rectory windows. The other one was too high to reach in the stairwell. We also managed to tarp 2/3 of the Church window. We may try to finish that job tomorrow if our ladder will reach. We also secured the front door of the convent which had been butted in (I think by authorities who were looking for folks). There was official writing on the door, documenting what they found. The door was in tact, but the framework around it had been blasted away. We put the pieces back together and locked the door again.

What I'm hearing on the radio makes it sound like our area may be reinhabitable sooner than other areas because we did not suffer water damage. The mayor of New Orleans seems to be promoting a rather quick return, but other official groups who are health conscious do not agree with him. As far as we know now we still don't have power. I don't think the sewer is up and running either. And the tap water is certainly not potable, and is not even recommended for washing. But it does look like we may be returning sooner than I was thinking we would a week ago. When is hard to say. I won't go back until we have powerto run air conditioning and our phone system and lights. And I certainly don't want to expose myself to disease.

For me the real work begins when we return. We will be working to restore lives (ours and others), fix damaged structures, and restart a parish that suddenly ceased to function as of August 28. It will be monumental, but over time I expect the results to be positive. It can be a chance for a new start, and maybe some new vision as well. We don't know what our city and our neighborhood will be like when we return. But we are sure that the Gospel will continue to speak to us about whatever we find.

I hope this update is useful for you. You certainly have been reading and watching a lot about the bigger picture of Katrina. This is a smaller view from my corner of the world. Thanks for your prayers, concerned communications, and donations. I've used some of them already at the hospital.

Peace,

Fr. Greg Schmitt, C.Ss.R.