Tell us your concerns about the "Homeless"
Discover some of the crime caused by OZ Clients
Get our bulletins about the Ozanam Inn
See what OZ really does and who it helps
See how OZ impacts Economic Development
Some other Issues in which Advocates of Responsible
Urban Policy became involved
Below, are photographs of the three magnificent stained glass windows, the first in front on the right, the first in front
on the left, and the stained glass windows over the alter. They were donated to Saint Patrick's Church in the 1920's
by Miss Celanire Correjolles, owner of the land and buildings at 842 Camp Street, long before OZ arrived
in the neighborhood.
Miss Correjolles, the niece of Joseph Lenes, was the last resident owner of 842 Camp Street
before Mr. Madere and Jerrelyn Jessop Madere purchased the property in 1996 for their residence.
|
|
The Ozanam Inn,
Sponsored, Controlled, and Operated by
Archbishop Hughes, through the
New Orleans Archdiocese, the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul,and the
Board and Staff of the Ozanam Inn.
843 Camp Street
P. O. Box 30565,
New Orleans, LA 70190
(504) 523-1184 |
|
|
|
OZANAM INN
Operating a 1930's type "Skid Row" soup kitchen at 843 Camp Street since 1955.
Ozanam Inn is managed by Biaggio DiGiovanni and his assistant, Clarance Adams.
They hire various managers and on site workers. Many of the menial workers live at OZ, but most managers
live off site, outside New Orleans.
The Ozanam Inn is part of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul. The SVDP is OZ's landlord, owning the land, buildings,
and side yard.
"Skid Row" is gone, but the Ozanam Inn's soup kitchen lingers on, continuing to lure social deviants into
this upscale business and residential neighborhood.
NOW, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
HELP US CLOSE OR MOVE THE OZANAM INN!
Camp and Julia Coalition Volunteer Service
Opportunities Include:
Receptionist
General Office Work
Computer/Word Processing
Transportation
Collection of Donations
Cleaning up the neighborhood
Continued growth periodically opens new areas of need and
summer volunteer opportunities are available.
There is protected volunteer parking on site. I wonder why the parking must be protected, and from whom?
Blessed Frederic Ozanam does not wish the
Ozanam Inn to continue operating in its current location. I prayed sincerely to him
for instructions regarding the programs run by OZ. He explained to me that forty-eight years ago,
OZ was a good idea. But today, conditions have changed. The poor have left the area
and the current residents don't need any help from OZ.
Blessed Frederic Ozanam wants the New Orleans Archdiocese, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
and the Board and Staff of the Ozanam Inn to help the people who really need help. He wants
OZ to relocate to Gert Town, Black Pearl, Central City, the Magnolia, or the Lower Ninth Ward.
He explained to me that the Board and Staff of OZ were being mean-spirited, refusing to
consider moving, when they do so much damage in their current location. I will continue to pray
to him for enlightenment regarding closing or moving OZ.
This is parody. My discussion with Blessed Frederic Ozanam did not actually take place. I do not intend to be
disrepectful in any way, but it's what I think Blessed Ozanam would say were he able to respond to OZ sponsored
murderers and our desire to close or move OZ.
Lee Madere 12/8/03
Lee Madere 12/8/03
|
|
|
Monsignor Bezou, Pastor of Saint Patrick's Church in the 1950's,
helped found the Ozanam Inn. He was a vigorous supporter, because Saint Patrick's Parish had become a "SKID ROW."
Back then, there were thousands of rooms for rent by the day or by the week. Some "flop houses" had five to eight men
sleeping in a single room. Local commerce consisted of numerous bars, pawn shops, plasma centers,
blood donation centers, and "greasy spoon" restaurants.
Residential conditions were so vile that Monsignor Bezou's parishioners could not arrive at St. Patrick's for
Sunday morning services without having to walk over hundreds of drunks on the way to church.
The drunks were everywhere, sleeping on the sidewalks, passed out in the gutters, and using
abandoned cars for toilets. The stench from public defecation and public urination
was unbearable.
Although continuous and substantial assistance had been given to the parish by the Sanctuary Society,
numbering nearly 100 ladies, they could not deal with the drunks, panhandlers, and other serious social deviants.
More help came from the Saint Patrick's Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, providing both
spiritual leadership
and financial assistance.
Most importantly, Monsignor Bezou saw the problem his parish suffered, understood the solution he proposed,
and got assistance in the establishment of the Ozanam Inn, a refuge for drunks in his parish, only a block
away from his church.
The main idea was to get the parish cleaned up and redeveloped. His church could not survive with only drunks
and panhandlers as parishioners.
George W. Thompson (1964)
|
|
|
|
|
| |