Henriette Delille Rejects the Status Quo

by Kristen West McGuire

Henriette Delille grew up in New Orleans during the early 1800s as a free woman of color. In her teens, she refused to attend a “debutante ball” for quadroon women, in which wealthy young (white) men selected concubines for common law marriages. (This oppressive system was called ​plaçage. Some historians dispute if it really happened.) In any case, young Henriette refused to participate in the demeaning ritual.

The roots of her deep faith can be traced to her education at St. Claude School, which was founded by Sister Ste. Marthe Fontiere. A life of charity was shown to be of highest honors. Not much is known about Henriette’s young adult years, except that she is listed as the mother of two children who both died very young.

After her confirmation, she wrote a profound promise inside her prayer book: “I believe in God. I hope in God. I love. I want to live and die for God.” (She wrote it in French. “Je crois en Dieu. J'espère en Dieu. J'aime. Je veux vivre et mourir pour Dieu.”) At the age of 24, she declared her vocation to religious life.

However, women of color were not accepted into any of the religious orders in her day. In 1842, Henriette and two close friends founded the Sisters of the Holy Family. Together, these brave women reshaped New Orleans. They defied harsh racism, deep poverty, and deadly yellow fever outbreaks in order to serve people who suffered. They opened America’s first Catholic home for the elderly, instructed enslaved children, and cared for the sick.

Where others saw slaves and outcasts, Henriette saw the face of Christ. She acted as a godmother for dozens of enslaved people and often stood witness when marriages were blessed in the Church. She died in 1862, in the midst of the Civil War.

When Mother Henriette died, her obituary in the French Catholic newspaper honored her as a “humble and devout servant of the slaves.” Pope Benedict XVI declared her Venerable in 2010. Today, she moves closer to becoming the first U.S. native-born African-American saint, showing how one woman’s faith can conquer oppression.

​A Weekend Visit to New Orleans

Attractions:

​St. Louis Cathedral (615 Pere Antoine Alley, 504-525-9585) is located right on Jackson Square, in the heart of the French Quarter. The tour desk is open seven days a week from 10 am - 5 pm. Reserve a guided tour here for $49, or rent an audio tour for $12.50/per adult. (Seniors, students, and military $10).​

St. Louis Cathedral of New Orleans is surrounded by psychics and palm readers plying their wares. Start with a visit to the Cathedral anyway! It is the spiritual center of the historic district and a peaceful place to pray. And it is just a block from the Café du Monde!

St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States, founded in 1718. Facing Jackson Square, this iconic landmark serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and is renowned for its French-inspired architecture and historical significance, having been rebuilt after fires in 1788 and 1794.

​Old Ursuline Convent Museum (1112 Chartres Steet, 504-529-3040) Admissions/Gift shop Open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets: $10.00 Adults/$9.00 Seniors/$7.00 Students/Military

The Old Ursuline Convent building we see today was authorized by King Louis XV of France in 1745 and completed in 1752 or 1753. The building is approximately 160 x 48 feet (about 7,700 square feet per floor). In addition to its use as a convent-school and archbishop’s residence, the building has also served as a Catholic boys’ school, the city’s first public school, and the seat of the Louisiana legislature (1831-1834).

The adjoining St. Mary’s Church dates from 1845. Mass is celebrated there at 7:30 am on Fridays. The entire complex was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina, but was repaired and re-opened in 2007.

Getting There/Mass Options

Getting There: Fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). You will not need a rental car. The French Quarter is easily accessible by a special airport bus, and an affordable $6 weekend “Jazzy Pass” allows you to jump on trolleys, buses, and even a ferry to Algiers Point across the Mississippi River! Plus, parking is difficult to find and very expensive. Download the transportation app ​(Le Pass)​ RTA here.​

​St. Louis Cathedral (615 Pere Antoine Alley, 504-525-9585) would be a great choice for Sunday Mass. Mass Schedule: Sunday Masses in English are at 9 am and 11 am, with a Saturday Vigil Mass at 4 pm. Weekday Masses are at 12:05 pm, with confessions available at 11:30 am.

​Old St. Patrick’s Church (724 Camp Street, 504-525-4413) offers a beautiful Traditional Latin Mass at 9:15 am. Get there early…the place fills up! (The church is an easy walk from public transportation.) The church was built in 1840 for Irish immigrants who were tired of attending Mass in French at the St. Louis Cathedral.

Accommodations

​Hotel Peter and Paul (2317 Burgundy Street, 504-356-5200) was once a Catholic parish and school in the Faubourg Maligny neighborhood. Today, it is a very expensive hotel, with a restaurant in the old rectory, amusing menu, and very friendly wait staff. (Check out their ‘before and after’ renovation pictures.) Rooms on the weekends start at $349+ and do not include any meals but the ambiance is wonderful! (Cheaper rates are available mid-week.)

The Lamothe House Hotel is one of four French Quarter Guesthouses near the Ursuline Convent Museum. (621 Esplanade Avenue, 800-535-7815). Rooms start at $99+ off season and during the week, but jumps up to $249+ on weekends. This hotel has a lovely courtyard with a pool and balconies. We bought dinner at Venti Marte and enjoyed it in the courtyard. You can stow your baggage there for a small fee if your checkout time doesn’t align with your sightseeing.

​Drury Hotel New Orleans (820 Poydras Street, 504-529-7800). If your budget is tight, the affordable rooms include heavy appetizers for happy hour and breakfast. Rates start at $95/night. Best of all, it is right on the trolley line, and the airport bus stops right across the street to get you back for your flight!

Restaurants:

This city has boucoudles of foodie havens…so use your concierge and Yelp app for the more expensive fare. Here’s a couple highlights:

​Café Du Monde​ (800 Decatur Street, 504-587-0833) If you are a tourist, you gotta’ try this New Orleans hot spot for beignets and chicory café au lait here. Hours are 7:15 am - 11 pm, seven days a week. What’s a beignet? A fluffy, pillowy, square dough, deep- fried and then coated with powdered sugar. Yes, it’s yummy…just don’t be surprised by long lines and cranky waitstaff. (Nota bene: they only take cash and don’t like to make change.)

​Verti Marte (1201 Royal Street, 504-525-4767) A five minute walk from the Lamothe House hotel, Verti Marte is a dive. It’s a supermarket, with plenty of customers in varying stages of inebriation. Ignore the lack of decorum, and get in line. The food is fantastic. Order the Po’ boy. (Don’t argue with me. Just do it, and hurry up because there is no room for anyone in this store, and you are holding up the line.) It’s open 365-24-7.

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