The Northside Sun from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 4

Page 4A Thursday, April 16, 2015 HAD IT REALLYbeen 30 years since I last went to the Natchez Pilgrimage? Worse, my wife Ginny had never been. Fortunately, my 18-year-old son John has some tourism aptitude and with his encouragement, the three of us headed southwest to Natchez right after Easter Sunday brunch. Over the years, I had often told people the Natchez pilgrimage was one of the finest tourist attractions I had ever seen. It was a shame it took me so long to return. My opinion still stands.

We had a great time. Natchez is an incredible city, full of history, just a short drive from Jackson. I suspect there are many readers who need to add this to their list of places to visit. Natchez has more antebellum homes than any city in America, according to one of our guides. Before the Civil War, when cotton- growing was extremely lucrative, Natchez was the wealthiest city in America.

Hundreds of these beautiful homes are still standing. During the pilgrimage, 24 homes, mostly private homes, are opened to the public. Visitors are taken on a tour of the home by volunteers dressed in antebellum clothing. Often, the current homeowner will assist in the tour, regaling visitors with interesting family history. Finding the houses was quite easy.

The tourism information center provides a nice brochure and map. I just typed the addresses into Google Maps and let my smartphone tell me where to go. Parking was never a problem. Typically, the tour guides wait until eight or 10 people have arrived to start the tour. The guides take you room by room, describing the history of the furniture, paintings and architecture.

You learn a lot about Natchez history and the antebellum south. The pilgrimage runs from the first week of March to the first week of April. Different houses are open on different days. Three houses in the morning and three in the afternoon. Over the years, many different antebellum homes have participated in the pilgrimage.

The houses are always changing. During the pilgrimage, the Natchez Little Theater performs several plays, including Southern Exposure a 1950s Broadway satire on the pilgrimage itself. Every Wednesday night there is a mint julep musical in the courtyard of the Carriage House. There is a candlelight tour of The Towers, an Italianate antebellum mansion given by the owners of the home followed by refreshments and music. There are numerous other attractions during the month.

People come from all over the world to experience the Natchez Pilgrimage. We met many international travelers during our short visit. Yet bet most people in Jackson have never been. Funny how that works. inspiring to see how the Natchez citizens have worked so hard to preserve their old homes and heritage.

I asked one owner what was the biggest challenge, she sighed. house eats Yet hundreds of homeowners are willing to absorb the significant cost of maintaining these antebellum homes, preserving our history and culture. At the very least, we should show our appreciation by going to the pilgrimage. THERE ARE DOZENS OF antebellum homes that serve as bed and breakfast facilities. We stayed atDunleith Mansion.

Although the room was more expensive than a hotel, it much more. With a blowup mattress, we all three stayed in one room, which defrayed the cost. It was well worth the extra money. Our room opened into a huge drawing room with beautiful antique furniture. We were just a few steps from an enormous second floor balcony, festooned with a dozen large columns.

There was no one else in sight. Ginny and I sat on the balcony, overlooking the lush grounds, as we watched a light spring rain and sipped our drinks. It felt like I owned the place without having to suffer through yellow fever and malaria. What a deal. We stayed in the General Nathan Bedford Forrest room.

Ironic, since my great-great- grandfather Charley Doss served as one of his captains in the war. Small world. I posted a photo of Ginny and me hanging out on the Dunleith balcony and immediately received a comment from Northsider Vidal Blankenstein who informed me that Dunleith was her ancestral home. Her ancestor, Alfred Vidal Davis, threw a dinner party for the top union brass, using round-bottomed glasses to get them drunk so he could hide his prized racehorses in the basement and put his field horses in the barn. Sure enough, the yankees stole his field horses the next morning, but he kept the racehorses.

Because of Easter, the elegant Castle restaurant on the Dunleith grounds was closed, so we ate at Restaurant 1818 in the historic Monmouth Inn. A huge crystal chandelier hung overhead. The white linen tablecloths and large oil portraits of the old plantation aristocracy gave me the feeling of having gone back in time. To burn off the calories, we tried out one of the many downtown walking tours. Natchez still has a vibrant downtown with interesting shops and activity.

Antebellum homes are everywhere. clear these homes receive plenty of love and care from their owners. The spring weather was delightful and John, Ginny and I had a great time just wandering around downtown. We went to Natchez Under the Hill for lunch and watched the Mighty Mississippi roll by. Poppies were blooming on the banks.

All in all, an enchanting trip. I imagine any other way to pack so much fun into a 24 hour trip. We are blessed to have this treasure on our doorstep. Natchez pilgrimage one of the finest tourist attractions By WYATT EMMERICH from the publisher edito rial Aft i i gi ti i i tt pt Mi i ippi gi i pp it i ti i Mi i ippi i it ig i i i gi i g. -Ai pp i i $162 i i it i i t.

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It p. ti i ti i i it 1 .4 3 gi it ig i i If i i gi i i A t- ffi i i t- ig i it i IN 2000, the Catholic Bishops of the United States wrote a pastoral letter entitled Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration that addressed the agonizing reality of crime, punishment, and recidivism afflicting far too many people in the United States of America. In that letter, we asserted that the FBI reports that the crime rate is falling, crime and fear of crime still touch many lives and polarize many communities. Putting more people in prison has not given Americans the security we seek. It is time for a new national dialogue on crime and corrections, justice and mercy, responsibility and treatment The time is upon us to More than a decade later, most of these intractable problems remain with us, and as Christians and citizens committed to the common good, we are called to redouble our efforts to bring about a more humane society that allows for greater liberty and justice for all.

Last year, lawmakers in Mississippi took a strong step forward by changing the sentencing laws for non-violent offenders. This approach places front and center the rehabilitation of the offender and his or her restoration to family and society. However, much more needs to be done. A new group of faith leaders across denominations Clergy for Prison Reform (CPR) hopes to highlight this need, especially as it pertains to the for- profit prison industry behind much of the current corrections system. The aforementioned pastoral letter challenged the use of such companies, stating bishops question whether private, for-profit corporations can effectively run because profit motive may lead to reduced efforts to change behaviors, treat substance abuse, and offer skills necessary for reintegration into the I STAND WITH the members of Clergy for Prison Reform in calling on our leaders to eliminate for-profit companies from our prison system.

In order to have a real conversation about how we accomplish much needed prison reform, profits and shareholders cannot be the priority for anyone involved. Unfortunately, getting rid of the profit- motive be enough to make our prison system live up to the lessons in the Gospel of redemption, justice and forgiveness. We must seek wholesale changes that reimagine prisons as rehabilitative and educational ministries for most vulnerable children not simply warehouses for hopeless criminals. So, as we reflect on Holy Week, a time when we celebrated the forgiveness of our sins, the promise of eternal life and the presence of the Kingdom of God in our midst, perhaps we can apply the same lessons from Jesus to those who need Him the most: our incarcerated brothers and sisters. Joseph Kopacz is the Catholic Diocese of Jackson.

Redemption should be part of prison reform By BISHOP JOSEPH KOPACZ guest column northside sun.