Better than a bucket list--a guide to growing your faith! The demands of modern society often create distance between Catholics and their cultural heritage. Earl J. Higgins, a New Orleans native and lifelong Catholic, offers ways to embrace Catholic influences in everyday life. Suggestions range from such simple activities as putting a "Keep Christ in Christmas" bumper sticker on your car to more devout practices, including lighting an Advent wreath or making the Sign of the Cross in times of trial and joy. In addition, Higgins provides historical backgrounds on Catholic holidays such as Mardi Gras. Feeling like you're drifting from your faith? From the St. Joseph's Day Altars to Midnight Mass, let these 100 tips reconnect you!
Just as all Y'at Orleanians know dat a true miracle is a Catlick family wid less than five kids, and da priest�s benediction is da starting block for da mad dash to da parking lot, now dey�ll know dat if dere�s ever an archbishop of Y�ats, it�ll be Earl Higgins--excuse me, Oil Higgins.-- Angus Lind, New Orleans Times-Picayune New Orleans culture is a fusion of secular and holy. From the earliest days of the community founded on the banks of the Mississippi River, the Catholic faith has been an influence on, and inspiration for, daily life. To be sure, religious rites such as weddings, funerals, and feast day festivals transpire elsewhere in the country. In New Orleans, however, they are celebrated with a zeal and verve that speaks to the uniqueness of the community. Earl Higgins amuses us with those quirky, sometimes paradoxical, customs that define modern New Orleans life. He humorously explains why the answer to the question 'Where did you go to high school?' is a better identifying characteristic of a New Orleanian than a thumbprint. What's in a name? Many New Orleans streets and one local bayou bear the names of Catholic saints. Louisiana's civil districts are parishes, not counties, bearing testimony to the strong congregational life of the region's founding fathers. Holidays take a twist as New Orleanians observe Christmas, but just as importantly, Twelfth Night, which ushers in the Carnival season and ultimately Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Meatless Fridays and the Creole culinary tradition of Holy Thursday's gumbo z�herbes hail from religious observances connected with Lent. The term y'at is an affectionate nickname proudly worn by some New Orleanians. Higgins, a proud Jesuit High School blue jay and y'at, explains how all these Catholic customs and traditions have blended throughout history to create a unique lifestyle and shorthand language found only in New Orleans.
A trivia-packed, free-wheeling, humorous look at street names." -Angus Lind, FOX 8 News, New Orleans Inspired by John Chase's Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children, this funny and informative book narrates the history of Jefferson Parish through its street names. The guide explains the significance of each appellation, along with the reasons why real estate developers chose them. Seventeen chapters divide the information into different categories. "Honoring the Warriors" pays homage to our heroes with Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Admiral Craik Drive, while "�Parlez-vous Italiano, Se�orita?" ponders the meaning behind Segnette Boulevard and Chi Chi Lane. "Go, Saints!" describes the presence of the Catholic culture in the region, including such streets as St. Elizabeth Drive, Seton Boulevard, and San Mateo Avenue. "Higher Education" notes the college theme with Syracuse and Swarthmore Streets and Millsaps Place. Questions are peppered throughout the text, with answers provided at the end of the corresponding chapter. The guide also includes an index, allowing readers to locate a specific street. Full of Higgins' classic cleverness and wit, Metairie, Ames, High offers a fascinating peek at Jefferson Parish's past and its people.
The most overlooked phase of the Union campaign to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi, was the time period from May 18 to May 25, 1863, when Ulysses S. Grant closed in on the city and attempted to storm its defenses. Federal forces mounted a limited attack on May 19 and failed to break through Confederate lines. After two days of preparation, Grant's forces mounted a much larger assault. Although the Army of the Tennessee had defeated Confederates under John C. Pemberton at Champion Hill on May 16 and Big Black River on May 17, the defenders yet again repelled Grant's May 22 attack. The Gibraltar of the Confederacy would not fall until a six-week siege ended with Confederate surrender on July 4. In Storming Vicksburg, military historian Earl J. Hess reveals how a combination of rugged terrain, poor coordination, and low battlefield morale among Union troops influenced the result of the largest attack mounted by Grant's Army of the Tennessee. Using definitive research in unpublished personal accounts and other underutilized archives, Hess makes clear that events of May 19–22 were crucial to the Vicksburg campaign's outcome and shed important light on Grant's generalship, Confederate defensive strategy, and the experience of common soldiers as an influence on battlefield outcomes.
A mixture of history and geography, this entertaining book provides anecdotes about some of the people whose names are memorialized on street signs in this Louisiana parish. The naming process and name changes are covered as well. Inspired by John Chase's classic book Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children . . . and Other Streets of New Orleans, this light and funny read both informs and amuses.
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