Louisiana Across the Country: How Louisiana Is Inspiring the Christian Spirit in America

From founding Parousian Paul Catalanatto, blogger extraordinaire at Alive and Young:

I remember having a conversation with Brian Kemper, organizer and promoter of Rock for Life, several years back at a Copeland’s in Uptown New Orleans about the pro-life movement in America. What brought Brian to New Orleans and spurred on this conversation was a Rock for Life concert and rally he organized that year in the Super Dome. Sadly, I don’t recall much of the conversation. What I do remember about our talk is that at one point he made the comment that Louisiana is going to be influential in Pro-Life legislation and in renewing the Christian spirit of America. I remember thinking, “I can only hope.” and “Where do we begin?” I never realized how prophetic his words were at the time until recently.

Writing in retrospect – like Chesterton’s Irishman who prefers to prophesy after the fact -- I see the rich catholic culture emerging and spreading across America not from places like Franciscan University of Steubenville or Ave Maria College or even the University of Notre Dame, but from South Louisiana. Don’t believe me? Just look at a few of the things happening there.

First the state hosts a number of nationally talked about and attended conferences. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans (CCRNO) has not only been inspiring adults across the country since the 1970s but has also been inspiring the teens and young adults across the country. Every January CCRNO hosts a Holy Spirit rally and retreat where 300-600 teens attend yearly. This year it attracted people from Tennessee, Delaware, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, and Louisiana – just to name a few. On the heals of the CCRNO January retreat is Abby Youth Fest (AYF), which takes place at the Benedictine seminary/abbey in Covington, LA every Spring. AYF is a day long festival featuring musicians, speakers, and Catholic entertainers from around the country. On average, AYF attracts 1000+ participants from around the US. Last year the farthest group came from Main to hear actor Jim Caviezal and his wife Kerri as the Keynote speakers. Besides Ohio, Louisiana is now the only other state to host two Steubenville Youth Conferences: one in Lake Charles and the other in Houma/Thibodaux. The newest conference to draw national attention is the Young Adult Conference (YAC), which occurs in Alexandria, LA.

In addition to conferences, there are also a number of individuals and organizations based out of Louisiana who are spreading the catholic spirit. Catholic Productions is one such group whose emphasis is media production, t-shirt printing, and graphic design. Two professors from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, LA are becoming well known across country for their scholarship: Dr. Chris Baglow and Dr. Brant Petri. Dr. Baglow is currently putting the finishing touches on a high school textbook on the relation of faith and science. Dr. Petri, whom Catholic Production records and sells his bible studies online, is becoming well known in theological and biblical studies circles nation wide. Scott Hahn commented at a conference last year that Dr. Petri was and is the most difficult and impressive speaker he has ever had to follow.

A second group making waves is Dumb Ox Production (DOP), named after that lovable ‘dumb ox’ St. Thomas Aquinas. Lead by Brian Butler, DOP is making its bellowing heard around the world. Brian himself has developed catechetical material and programs for diocese across the country. Most recently, Brian published a “Theology of the Body for Teens” through Ascension Press. In addition to his book, Brian also has also published an Apologetics Cheat Sheet inserts for bibles. The Dumb Ox crew is hard at work in leading retreats for high school age students and is in the process of developing a Vocation Program centered on helping a person hear God’s voice in their life.

The newest and perhaps one of the most exciting groups coming out of Louisiana and making their presence know around the country is a group who call themselves the Parousians. Who are these ‘end timers’, and where did they come from? Being a founding member I have the inside story. So let us shift gears and find out:

It was not a dark and stormy night. No planets were aligned, no eclipse occurred, and no prophecies were fulfilled. No one could have predicted that on such a plain night, indistinguishable from other nights, that the Parousians would emerge – not from a pit or a dark wood midway through life. Neither would the Parousians come in glory, riding on clouds, accompanied by seraphim or cherubim with trumpet blasts and rays of light. But from a crowded coffee shop just North of Louisiana State University. Who would have expected that a small occurrence, which seems unnoticeable and insignificant to all except those on vigil, would prove beneficial to so many (Who could have predicted that University of Florida would dominate Ohio State in the BCS national championship except those who kept watch and followed the Southeastern Conference?)?

Eight unlikely people met on what would turn out to be a fateful night. I arrived at the coffee shop to do a bit of studying and reading for some classes and to enjoy a cup of locally roasted coffee. Completely unaware that I had forgotten about an email received the day before reminding me of the first meeting about a new group with a funny name. Upon arrival, another founding member asked if I was going to the meeting. I had told him I forgotten about it, but since his reminder, I would be attending.

Truth be told, we never had a meeting in the Coffee shop that night. Instead, we wound up in a small corner of the LSU student union. The reasoning is simple: there was space to sit and it was quiet enough so that we would not have to shout at one another to be heard in the student union. That first meeting Toby Danna, organizer of the Parousians, shared with the group his vision and prayer. His prayer was that he would have eight people at this meeting. With a brief glance one could count eight students engaged and encouraged by Toby’s vision and prayer.

The vision was simple. Have a group of young adults and college students meet together modeled on other groups of similar sorts: Tolkien and Lewis’s Inklings and Walker Percy’s Sons and Daughters of the Apocalypse to name just two similar groups which inspired the Parousians’ efforts. The question and doubt then arose, “Yeah, but those people are smart. Like really smart. They have won awards, and we haven’t done anything of note.” I had difficulty comparing a bunch of college students to some of the best writers and thinkers who have ever lived. I’m no Lewis, and I doubt I will ever be as witty as Percy or Chesterton. In fact, none of the initial eight and perhaps none of the members now can be compared to or match wits with Lewis, Chesterton or Schall. Toby assured us that that was not the point, and that the Parousians are not in competition with anyone other than those people who stand against truth, reason, and love.

The inspiration for the group came from many, but perhaps none as influential than John Paul II. In as brief as possible, the Parousians drew inspiration from John Paul II’s call for a new evangelization. The Parousians are to be missionaries and evangelizers to the faithful as well as the forgotten. However, the specific goal of the Parousians was to inspire and teach one another, to discuss current issues, to share our passions and interests with one another, to offer Catholic wisdom in troubled times, and to help each member develop a comprehensive worldview. In other words, The Parousians seek to educate themselves in the ways of liberal arts, sciences, and any other topic of interest where each member shares his or her expertise on a number of subjects to the group in a Catholic setting. What was to be crafted is a symposium of a new sort for the informal Catholic with the desire to learn.

Although the goal was one, each meeting varied depending on who was hosting the topic – this of course was due to the fact that each member posed a strength, passion, and expertise in a particular area. Some of the early meetings consisted of letters of encouragement written to the Parousians from Father James Schall and Professor Thomas Martin, and each offered a suggested reading list for the group ranging from classical philosophy to modern literature and political thought. Other meetings were formatted in a way that original essays and thoughts were presented, read, and discussed. Moreover, there were other formats and topics which included, but not limited to, discussions, debates on beauty in literature, the importance of liturgical art and icons, ethics, why agnostics make the best religious films, and the loss of the gentleman in America. As the members increased beyond the initial eight the group was able to draw from a larger group of ideas and topics -- some of which included topics on Mariology and the unseriousness of life.

It was not until sometime in August, when the Parousians started a blog, that the group started receiving national attention from fellow Catholic bloggers and writers. Catholic and Enjoying it! blogger and writer, Mark Shea said the Parousians are "gung ho young Catholics and a sign of hope for our world." Other writers such as Dawn Eden and Bill Cork gave their respects to the Parousians, as Dawn sought out two Parousians to review her book for the blogospher. However, what caused people around the country to take notice of the group was when Parousian Emily Byers began writing for the LSU student run daily paper The Reveille. In the LSU paper, Emily expressed views and ideas contrary to much of the culture in a style so gentle that even the most staunch, hardnosed person cannot help but to stop and wonder if there is some truth in what she writes. Still, there are certain people who try to compare her to Anne Coulter but fail miserably due to Emily’s meekness.

Now, one year after the Parousians have been founded, I never imagined I would be writing a short reflection on the group. What I thought would only be composed of LSU students is now in the early stages of becoming a far reaching, youthful, and inspiring organization, for the Parousians are not solely an LSU phenomenon. Other college students who seek the new evangelization are starting branches at their universities. There are recent branches at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and University of Florida and talks are under way about a branch at a university in the Midwest. And no longer are the Parousians meeting in the small dusty corner of the LSU Union but in different member’s houses and apartments, and no longer consisting of eight students but meetings averaging between 20-30 people a week interested in furthering their own education outside of the classroom.

With momentum high and a new year just starting, I am positive there are only blessings on the roads ahead. Currently, Emily Byers is returning to write for the LSU paper, Toby Danna has recently been interviewed by Underground Catholic (a podcast dedicated to where faith and media meet), and Paul Catalanotto recently had an essay in Gilbert Magazine (the periodical published by the American Chesterton Society). Already reaching beyond anyone’s expectations, look for the Parousians at a college near you. Who knows, you might already be sitting next to one. More likely than not, you know someone who has at least been influenced by Louisiana’s Catholic spirit.