Thanks to all of the volunteers who greeted pilgrims taking part in the Nine Church Walk on Friday. The pilgrims started arriving almost at the completion of our Holy Thursday vigil at 6:00am, and they continued even into the afternoon and evening. I sat in the confessional from 9:00-12:00 am, and the line was continuous for the entire time. Anybody who doubts the vitality of the Catholic Church in New Orleans need only to have seen the busloads of high school groups, CYO groups, and large families taking part in the walk to have their doubts removed. It was great to see so many devout Catholics, but it made me so proud and happy to be able to welcome them to our beautiful parish. I heard nothing but good reports from the crowds at St. Henry and Our Lady of Good Counsel. I wish I had been able to make it to those churches, but between the Holy Thursday vigil, confessions, the soup service, the 3:00pm Good Friday service and 6:00pm Stations of the Cross, I didn’t have much time to venture out!