As time goes on ...

let us not forget those who continue to suffer the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

As Americans, it's a tangible part of our culture to equate with the passage of time with moving on and getting over. But some tragedies touch humanity so deeply that the pain cannot be shelved according to the pages of a calendar or the movement of the sun.

The havoc wrought by Katrina and Rita (and the failure of protective systems of redress) continue to impact our brothers and sisters along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere to where they've been displaced.

The damage is real, not imaginary, and while they work to rebuild their lives, they will be fighting ongoing uphill battles for their dignity and rights for some time to come.

Let's make a commitment today to keep an eye on things and not let us forget. All too easily we can wrongly make Katrina and Rita lessons of history while failing to learn from them in the here and now.

Fellow blogger Sister Anne noted on her recent post that she received permission from her provincial to spend some time near her native New Orleans to both assist her family and her religious community. I too am hoping to have an opportunity in the near future to pilgrimage to New Orleans as part of our parish outreach and partnership initiative. These firsthand visits will be an important part of companioning our brothers and sisters in the rebuilding process rather than solely knowing what we learn through the media.

This is true not only of the Gulf Coast but of so many situations throughout the world. So I ask,

if you could today, where would you like to go to accompany the people (and why)?
Sacred accompaniment is a gift.
Where would you like to use yours?