My name is Hugh Gerald Jones.  I was born in New Orleans in 1943.  Ethnically, I am of African-American and Creole descent.  I was baptized and raised Roman Catholic and I attended St. Peter Claver Elementary School.  St. Peter Claver is where I served as an altar boy (altar server).  As an adolescent, I enjoyed the ritual of dressing up in the alter server alb and cassock, and carrying the crucifix when processing into the church with the priest.  I also remember that for each wedding and funeral, the altar servers received a $5.00 stipend for serving.

     In my adult life, I served as an enlisted Airman in the U.S. Air Force.  From the first occasion of marching in formation in basic training, I remember hearing the command "MARCH IN REVIEW," which means passing in front of the viewing stands where the Air Force band played the National Anthem.  The net most profound experience of my Air Force career was the solemn occasion where I stood in formation to participate in an Air Force funeral ceremony.  During the Vietnam era in the mid-1960s, there were many occasions where I observed the burial of a fellow military comrade.  Being a cradle New Orleans Catholic, I have alwasys enjoyed the "pomp and circumstance" and the formal ritual of the funeral Mass.  Anyone who has ever experienced an "old-fashioned" New Orleans funeral can probably understand why I feel I was called to the St. James Funeral Ministry.

     During my 11-year tenure as St. James Business Manager, the funeral ministry was the ministry that required the most assistance.  On the surface, a funeral is another liturgy involving many emotions.  as I read about and spoke with other individuals participating in funeral ministry, I discovered the funeral Mass or memorial service is only part of the bereavement process; a loved one's "passing through death to life" can be very confusing, troubling, and numbing.  My attempt is to provide comforting, prayerful guidance to St James families as they prepare for this "rite of passage."

     When a loved one passes, there are two primary areas of concern: coordinating with the parish and coordinating with the mortuary.  The St. James Funeral Ministry is available to provide guidance in scheduling and orchestrating the services, providing lists of mortuaries, if requested, and directiing the family representatives in the necessary steps to ensure everyone's needs are met.

     The St. James Funeral Ministry is always looking for compassionate adult volunteers to serve as Sacristans, altar servers, lectors/readers, Eucharistic ministers, and welcomers.  Please contact the parish office if this ministry is your calling.

Yours in Christ,
HUGH G. JONES