MISSION STATEMENT Responding to the call of the Gospel, Christopher Homes, Inc. strives to provide decent, affordable housing to vulnerable members of our community. All who are associated with Christopher Homes, Inc. have the right to respect, dignity and a sense of well being. Therefore, through the service and commitment of our staff and volunteers, we will enable our residents to grow spiritually, socially, and intellectually, empowering them to develop their optimal potential. Christopher Homes is a senior living ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. KEEPING YOUR HEART HEALTHY

Health habits brought to you by

February is American Heart Month. You can celebrate by improving your heart health with a few simple changes.

Staying active is key to keeping your heart strong. Exercises like walking, chair aerobics or dancing are great ways to get active. A good goal is to get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

Start slowly and build up to the activity level your doctor says is right for you. You can ask family and friends to join you and track your progress in an activity journal. If you don’t have time for 30 minutes of activity, try breaking it up into 10- or 15-minute segments.

Eating a heart-healthy diet is also important. This includes:

♥ Fruits and vegetables ♥ Whole grain breads ♥ Canned goods with no added salt or sugar ♥ Poultry or tuna packed in water, not oil ♥ Lean meats, such as rump roast or pork loin ♥ Fat-free or 1-percent milk or milk products

Another way to “love your heart” is to manage high blood pressure and cholesterol. Talk with your doctor about your health goals and any medications you take for these conditions.

So show your heart some love—educate yourself and your loved ones about how to keep your heart healthy.

To follow the Health Habits blog online head to www.christopherhomes.org.

You’ll find this article as well as previous health-related articles.

Also, follow Christopher Homes on: Facebook: @christopherhomesano Twitter: @chi_archno Instagram: @christopherhomesinc

2 GOOD LUCK!

Two longtime employees have retired. Rouquette Lodge said goodbye to one of its Community Managers and a Recertification Clerk. Brenda Schouest and Pam Talley have spent a combined 39 years working for Christopher Homes. Brenda worked most recently as the Community Manager at Rouquette Lodge. She retires with 20 years of service to CHI. Pam Talley worked as a Recertification Clerk at Rouquette Lodge, she has 19 years of service to CHI. Both say they plan on visiting the property in the future and talking with the residents. Brenda’s goal is to chat with one resident every day. The two were sent off with a party on January 9th which was attended by dozens of residents and staff. Deacon Dennis Adams, Executive Director of Christopher Homes, presented both retirees with flowers and a certificate of appreciation. They will be missed by residents and staff at Christopher Homes.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH WELCOME ABOARD Spotlight on Success — February 2019

Wynhoven has a Evelyn Rojas new employee. Waitlist Coordinator, Annunciation Inn Started 1/7/2019

Dreall Hymes Housekeeper CHI Employee Almost 10 Years

“Having time to sit down with the residents and listen to their stories is my favorite thing about working here. I feel like I’m traveling. It’s an honor to be a part of Christopher WE’RE HIRING! Homes and its mission.” - Evelyn Rojas Please head over to our Careers link on www.christopherhomes.org. Outside of Work: I love getting together with family. There’s where you’ll find all of our Favorite Food: available job listings. Sushi

3 UPCOMING EVENTS St. John Paul II Foundation Converging Roads: A conference that equips health care professionals to practice the highest ethical and medical standards.

March 16, 2019

Notre Dame Seminary

Mass for the Elderly, Infirm and Those Who Serve Them

March 31st. St. Louis Cathedral

Archbishop Gregory Aymond will celebrate the Mass with special intentions for those in the community who are elderly or infirm. Special thanks to Christopher Homes, the Archdiocesan Healthcare Chaplaincy and St. Anthony Gardens for coordinating this special mass.

St. Joseph’s Day

March 19th

Several Christopher Homes properties will be holding altars in honor of St. Joseph.

Metairie Manor will host their altar on March 18th and 19th

Rouquette Lodge will have an altar on March 15th.

St. Patrick’s Day

March 17th

4 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Several properties will be hosting programs highlighting African American History for the month of February.

Please check with your office staff for any planned gatherings.

NAZARETH INN HOSTS A VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

On Friday, January 25th Nazareth Inn the tables were turned as those who regularly volunteer at the property were the ones being treated to lunch. Dozens of volunteers were served their lunch by staff of Nazareth Inn and Christopher Homes. Service Coordinator, Greta Thompson, along with Community Managers Teresa Poche and Shevelle McCrary hosted the event and served the food to the volunteers. The volunteers were also given certificates of appreciation along with a gift to show a big “thank you” to all of the volunteers at Nazareth Inn.

MARDI GRAS 2019 VALENTINE’S DAY Mardi Gras is March 5th. February 14th is Valentine’s Day

Several properties are planning to have functions We wish everyone a happy St. Valentine’s Day related to carnival festivities. Look on Christopher Homes social media posts for pictures from those events.

5 ST. MARTIN MANOR’S CHOIR On One Accord

Bringing people together through the gift of song, that was the vision of Lynn Johnson, resident coordinator at St. Martin’s Manor. “This choir can be a support system,” Lynn says. She wanted to form the choir, so she put her vision in the trusted hands of one of her residents. That’s where Ms. Albertina Rhyans stepped in. At a quick pace, Ms. Albertina set out to recruit her songbirds. Her goal was to have a choir ready in time to perform for the holidays. “I got about 22 people to sign up, but just 8 followed through,” says Ms. Albertina. But in those 8 voices she received so much more than just a chorus. She formed a fellowship with her neighbors. The group is made up of people from different denominations of faith. They all came to Christopher Homes and St. Martin’s Manor for different reasons, but they all came together to form this choir for one reason. They want to “open the avenues of the heart” for their listeners. Many of those in the choir also echoed the sentiments of keeping God centered in your life. Mr. Theodore Dubuclet, the only man in the group, has a specific talent that is important to the choir. He can play the Alto Saxophone. As a young man he played in Carnival parades as part of the band. “You had pride in your performance,” said Mr. Theodore talking about his time back in school. Many of those, like Mr. Theodore, started their love for music at a young age. Many sing in choirs outside of this one. They are part of their churches and communities and wanted to bring that to their home at St. Martin’s Manor. Ms. Gwendolyn Wright says, “Music is my life. I sing in different community choirs.” Some like Ms. Lillie Cheri sing in choirs at their church. Among a few others, Ms. Lillie sings in the St. Peter Claver Chorus. She was resident of Christopher Homes back in 1999, but Hurricane Katrina forced her all the way to California. She returned in 2008 to St. Martin’s Manor and has lived at the facility ever since. Many know her as a songbird, and know she loves to sing. “It touches their heart and soul,” says Ms. Lillie. So it is here at St. Martin’s Manor in the heart of the Treme neighborhood, where so many great musicians were born, a chorus is formed. A chorus of those who not only want to sing, but who want to be part of something bigger. They want to inspire others toward fellowship. “Our lives reflect us. What we put into it we get out of it.” Those are the words of Ms. Albertina. As for the future of the chorus, they want to grow and possibly incorporate other Christopher Homes properties in a larger chorus. They want to travel to all of the 16 sites and show their love of song, because they say it’s there that we can touch people in a way that is infection.

6 PARADE SCHEDULE SUNDAY February 17 2019 SUNDAY February 24 2019 SATURDAY March 2 2019 Metairie French Quarter Metairie Krewe of Little Rascals 12:00 pm Krewe of Barkus 2:00 pm Krewe of Isis 6:30 pm Slidell Metairie Uptown New Orleans Krewe of Slidellians 1:00 pm Krewe of Kings 5:30 pm Krewe of Iris 11:00 am Krewe of Perseus follows Uptown New Orleans Krewe of Tucks 11:00 am The Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale 11:00 am Westbank FRIDAY February 22 2019 Krewe of Carrollton follows Krewe of NOMTOC 10:45 am French Quarter Krewe of King Arthur follows Mid-City Krewe of Cork 3:00 pm Krewe of Alla follows Krewe of Endymion 4:15 pm Metairie Slidell Bush Krewe of Excalibur 7:30 pm Krewe of Dionysus follows Krewe of Bush 9:00 am Uptown New Orleans Krewe of Oshun 6:00 pm WEDNESDAY February 27 2019 SUNDAY March 3 2019 Krewe of Cleopatra 6:30 pm Uptown New Orleans Metairie Mandeville Krewe of Druids 6:30 pm Krewe of Athena 5:30 pm Krewe of Eve 7:00 pm Krewe of Nyx 7:00 pm Krewe of Pandora 6:30 pm Uptown New Orleans SATURDAY February 23 2019 THURSDAY February 28 2019 Krewe of Okeanos 11:00 am Metairie Uptown New Orleans Krewe of Mid-City 11:45 am Krewe of Caesar 6:00 pm Knights of Babylon 5:30 pm Krewe of Thoth 12:00 pm Uptown New Orleans Knights of Chaos 6:15 pm Krewe of Bacchus 5:15 pm Krewe of Pontchartrain 1:00 pm Krewe of Muses 6:30 pm Krewe of Choctaw follows MONDAY March 4 2019 Krewe of Freret follows FRIDAY March 1 2019 Uptown New Orleans Knights of Sparta 5:30 pm French Quarter Krewe of Proteus 5:15 pm Krewe of Pygmalion follows Krewe of Bosom Buddies 11:30 am Krewe of Orpheus 6:00 pm Westbank Metairie The Mystic Knights of Adonis 11:45 am Krewe of Centurions 6:30 pm TUESDAY March 5 2019 Slidell Uptown New Orleans Metairie Krewe of Paws 10:00 am Krewe of Hermes 6:00 pm Krewe of Argus 10:00 am Krewe of Titans 6:30 pm Krewe d’Etat 6:30 pm Krewe of Elks Jefferson follows Madisonville Krewe of Morpheus 7:00 pm Krewe of Jefferson follows Krewe of Tchefuncte 1:00 pm Slidell Uptown New Orleans Covington Krewe of Selene 6:30 pm Krewe of Zulu 8:00 am Krewe of Olympia 6:00 pm Mandeville Krewe of Rex 10:00 am Chalmette Original Krewe of Orpheus 7:00 pm Krewe of Elks Orleans follows Knights of Nemesis 1:00 pm Krewe of Crescent City follows Abita Springs Covington Krewe of Push Mow 10:00 am Krewe of Lyra 10:00 am Folsom Krewe of Folsom 1:30 pm

7 FROM THE DEACON’S DESK

Dear Residents and Staff,

“See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” 1 John 3:1

Many years have run by and much water passed under the bridge, or should I say under the overpass, since my years in grade school. Memories fade and friendships are forgotten but one thing that remains are memories of Valentine’s Day and the tiny candy hearts with the short but heartfelt messages, which we passed out to classmates. We gave much time and thought in finding just the right card and candy hearts for each person.

Yes, February is the month of “love,” the month of valentines. Just like Christmas, Easter, and All Hollow’s Eve (Halloween), Valentine’s Day is a Christian feast that has taken on too much of a secular meaning, all about the gifts and dinner out with your loved one, but there is deeper meaning here.

St. Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, was a third-century Roman priest whose feast day is February 14th. He is commonly associated with “courtly love” and was martyred by the emperor Claudius II for secretly marrying couples. The emperor banned marriages because of an exemption that prevented newly married men from going to war thereby depriving the empire of soldiers. While imprisoned, Valentine healed the jailer’s blind daughter. On the day of his execution, he left the girl a note signed, “Your Valentine.” St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of many causes including engaged couples, happy marriages, love, and young people.

St. John the Evangelist, in his first letter writes of the importance of love in our lives and how love is fully reflected in God. “Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.” It is not so much that God loves us, for so he does, but that God is love. To have love in our heart is to have God in our heart. That is how He calls us to relate to each other. Regardless of the situation or the attitude of our neighbor, to be God-like is to “turn the other cheek” and show love for him or her.

We should think of God as our Valentine who, through the scriptures, is sending us a candy heart, which reads “Be Mine.” If we are willing to accept His invitation then our response should be according to that greatest of commandments “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Then our Valentine response to our Lord will be a real heart that reads, “All Yours.”

With God’s Blessings,

Deacon Dennis F. Adams Executive Director, Christopher Homes

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