More than six years after St. Bernard Manor I, II and III in Meraux were destroyed by 12 feet of flooding in Hurricane Katrina, groundbreaking ceremonies will be held soon on a $10 million FEMA-funded project to replace St. Bernard Manor I on the same footprint, providing 82 affordable apartment units for low-income seniors by the fall of 2012.

Nick Albares, from the archdiocesan Office of Justice and Peace, had an idea. Why not ask Catholic Relief Services’ Southeast Region Fair Trade Ambassadors Paula Taylor and Traci Taylor, who had been working independently to promote Fair Trade, to join forces.

What began as an idea to engage children ages 8 to 14 in volunteerism has evolved into a nonprofit run by young adults who inspire their younger peers to make a difference in the community. Kids for Community, an organization sprouting before Hurricane Katrina in 2005, took root in October 2006, said its founder Lolita Burrell.

One of the precious lessons that I’ve learned over my past five years at Mount Carmel Academy is the school’s richness in both tradition and spirituality. Like many symbols that help individuals and groups identify themselves and find a sense of belonging, Mount Carmel Academy holds the Brown Scapular as a sacred sign of the commitment and love that Mary showed her son.

On Sister Thea Bowman’s tombstone is the inscription: “She tried.” In my opinion, it should say: “She did.” The life of this fearless, African-American nun was brought to life recently through the play, “Thea’s Turn,” performed at St. Mary’s Dominican High School.

Loyola University and WGSO 990 AM have renewed their partnership to broadcast 10 men’s basketball games for the 2011-12 season. WGSO will do a live broadcast starting Dec. 2 for the game against Shorter College.

Was the 31-21 loss to the Rams the worst of Sean Payton’s career? The answer is yes, of course. Can the Saints bounce back quickly? The answer is yes, of course. Are the Saints still a prime contender to reach the Super Bowl?

If you are a fan or follower of high school football in this area of the Louisiana boot, you have to be brimming with joy as the regular season winds down. This 2011 season is indeed historic considering the events that have taken place over the past 10 weeks: ➤ St. Paul’s and St. Charles Catholic will undoubtedly go into next week’s playoffs as the No.

The Sisters of the Holy Family will celebrate the Annual Henriette Delille Mass, their 169th anniversary and the renaming of eight blocks of St. Claude Street in honor of their foundress Henriette Delille on Nov. 19 and 20.

Mickey Dupont, Marie Ory’s boyfriend, had thought long and hard about pulling off the perfect marriage proposal, and the time had come to launch his ingenious sneak attack. Brusly High School, where Mickey had played on the district champion football team in his senior year, was hosting St. Charles Catholic, where Marie was the development director, in a football game on Oct. 24, 2008.

What has happened in recent months to prompt the U.S. bishops to set up an Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty? Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport is the committee’s chairman, and he said the panel was set up at “near-light speed in Church time” because of the urgency of the issues involved.

Dr. Jack Andonie has a special affinity for the poor in New Orleans. He said he could directly relate to their plight, recalling his father abandoning his mother and siblings when he was a child growing up on Dryades Street.