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Archbishop Aymond visits the imprisoned on Holy Thursday
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March 29, 2018Taking the pastoral lead from Pope Francis, Archbishop Gregory Aymond visited the Orleans Justice Center (the Orleans Parish jail) and the Youth Studies Detention Center for the City of New Orleans on Holy Thursday to wash the feet of those incarcerated there, re-enacting the washing the feet of the disciples by Jesus.
At the Orleans Justice Center, the archbishop washed the feet of six men and six women inmates. At the juvenile facility, he was washed the feet of 12 teenage boys. The juvenile facility houses boys and girls under the age of 18 who are awaiting adjudication by the court system.
This is the third year Archbishop Aymond has visited prisoners on Holy Thursday. He will visit other prisoners in Plaquemines Parish on Good Friday for the Way of the Cross.
“I am following the example of Pope Francis,” the archbishop said. “In his first year as pope, he went to a detention center and washed the feet of 12 kids and told them that they were loved by God, that the future was in their hands. It really inspired me. I would like to follow that example. This year we asked specifically to include women. The washing of the feet is Jesus saying, ‘I care about you; I have mercy on you.’ Jesus washed the feet of Judas, he washed the feet of Peter and he washed the feet of all the apostles, who really just drifted away from him. It was a way of him showing mercy and unconditional love, knowing that they would betray him. We want to give the people a sign of hope. The past cannot be changed, but there is hope for the future. It also fulfills what Jesus said, ‘When I was in prison, you visited me.’”
