It is also the sight of three historic buildings.
There is the Cabildo, the old city hall which has been transformed into a museum. There is the Presbytere', home to the Roman Catholic priests and other officials, and now a museum as well. But the centerpiece is The St. Louis Cathedral.
The building has the reputation of being the oldest continually operating cathedral in the United States. It's beauty is unparalleled and its reputation is as well. Saints and sinners have graced its sanctuary since its first building was constructed in 1718.
I have seen it several times in my excursions to New Orleans. It is a tourist site that attracts visitors from around the world who come to see its beauty while visiting the French Quarter.
Walker Percy, an incredible southern author, describing the area around St. Louis Cathedral wrote, "...(there is an) everyday atmosphere here, where the real and the phony, the beautiful and the tacky, the antique and the ephemeral mingle as nowhere else in America." He is describing the parish of St. Louis Cathedral.
When I read his words I thought, that should be said about the area in front of every church.
Even more interesting is a sign inside the doors of St. Louis Cathedral.
CATHEDRAL VISITORS ARE NOT TO GO ABOUT THE CHURCH WITHOUT A GUIDE
I know this sign is intended for visitors & tourists interested in seeing the Cathedral, but what if it means something more?
I wonder how many times I wonder around the church without a guide? I'm not talking about buildings. I'm referring to The Church. The answer? Probably more often than I am willing to admit.
The older I get, the less I should "go about the church without a guide." When I finally admit that, I begin to find my way in The Church.
The Head of the Church says, "But when he, the spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth."
My response, "Are we there yet?"
1 comment:
In the words of one of Sue Dodge's songs,"When you see them, tell them,I'm on my way"
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