Years ago I came across this quote: “I think it is safe to say that while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted.” Having been raised in the American South (though not born here), and being a priest in the Deep South, these words often come to mind.
The southern Catholic author Flannery O’Connor spoke these words decades ago. If I had lived ninety years ago, Flannery would have been my parishioner and neighbor. She grew up on the opposite side of Lafayette Square from where the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist stands. She attended Mass at the cathedral and attended Cathedral School.
This morning I drove through Dudley, Georgia. Dudley is a quiet, small town on Highway 80 between Macon and Dublin. A giant sign reminds the passing traveler that Jesus is Coming Soon. I wonder if Flannery would have repeated herself if she had seen this sign.
Pictures are mine, all rights reserved. 2018
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