One more Carmelite from New Orleans is found safe: Shelly Thomas. So that’s 20 missing, 9 safe, and 1 dead in New Orleans as of today. Provincial Councillor Gerald Alford, recovering from a triple bypass operation, took refuge from hurricane Rita in Pensacola, Florida. "A bad night, in a bad inn." That is how Saint Teresa of Jesus is said to have defined this earthly life. On his way home to Lafayette, he and his wife Betty dropped by to visit our nuns in Covington who are doing fine. The reports of "starving Carmelite nuns" had been an erroneous rumor.

"Our younger son who stayed behind telephoned us about 1am on the 24th that a tree had been blown down and landed on the back corner of our house in Lafayette. Water had poured in and damaged a chair my wife bought, which I hated... Even she came to lose affection for it because it was really not comfortable to sit in. It was stressful - now knowing exactly what was going on back home. But our son did well in covering the best he could the floor and furnishings inside, and Betty has these wonderful relatives from New Orleans, some of whom we had provided shelter from Katrina, and three of the guys came to Lafayette and covered the damaged area with tarps. Their generous act was a great consolation to me and relieved my already physically aching heart." [Gerald Alford]

The report from the President of our New Orleans community: "I have finally had a chance to think about our chapter and our start up. My employer, Folger Coffee Company was about the only thing running in New Orleans last week. The city was a lifeless stinking mess. My drive to work each day is emotional. I heard stories today from people in St. Bernard Parish who lost everything and are living in someone’s garage somewhere on the North Shore or their family is two states away. My house [in Slidell] flooded as well but I have three bedrooms upstairs we are staying in and getting the flood out of the bottom floor. St. Bernard Parish is uninhabitable. Getting around in a car is difficult with checkpoints and roads restricted.

"I think our members are scattered around the southern U.S. I cannot foresee when things will be normal enough to have a meeting. What I want to recommend to our council is that our members join up with a chapter near where they are staying, continue their daily routine of prayer and reading (or get back into it), and wait. When the time is right we will start up again. It could be six months or two years. Can you do me a favor and serve as a liason to them in some fashion and let them know my recommendation. Somehow we can make a joint communication to all members who we have contact with." Your brother, Bruce

So far, I have only been in contact, directly or indirectly, with nine members of our New Orleans community. That leaves 21 either missing or as Bruce puts it "scattered around the south."

News from our nuns in Covington from Sister Alethea, [picture below]: “We had no internet access till Saturday a week ago. When I told Sr Edith about your blog, she told Ada Jordan [OCDS of New Orleans]... Thanks so much. I was happy to learn that at least some members of Marion Stearn's family survived; we had heard they all drowned.

“Now here is some news for you. Fr. Gregory Ross, Fr Sam Anthony and Brothers Joseph Marie and Juan, were allowed for the first time to return to the Student House in New Orleans yesterday, Sept 27, to see how it fared. Fr Sam Anthony was dreading it, especially from what we had heard of others who had returned to their homes, especially the condition of refrigerators and freezers. So, when they arrived at the Student House and Father Gregory said, "Let me be first", Fr. Sam Anthony was only too glad to say "Be my guest". However, it did not turn out to be as bad as they feared, with the exception of the freezer and refrigerator. The water line was to the second step and they have three steps so no water entered the house. They detected new mould only in the tv room where a window had blown out. All books, computers etc. safe. The brothers were heroic; they took the refrigerator and freezer out before emptying them; had to take an inner door off the hinges to get it out. They were wearing a big plastic bag with holes cut in it for arms and legs, long rubber gloves and masks. They double-bagged the contents; even so the smell, i.e. "stench" came through so they triple bagged the last one. The dumpster was near the bishop's house so they took it all there. They came back here late, tired and wanting a hot bath and bed. Their spirits were much revived this morning.

“You probably know that Fr Sam Anthony and the students who will be attending St Joseph Seminary this semester are living with us. The two students have our new First Professed Wing, a stand alone wing with bedroom and study for each and a kitchen and a foyer where they say the Hours together presided over by the Blessed Virgin Mary statue. Fr. Sam has our guest house; we are more than happy to do this for them.
Sorry so long, best wishes.” [Sr Aletheia, OCD]