Mackie Waguespack
July 19, 2007 retreat - SCB retreatants (L-R) Nick Sardegna, Mackie Waguespack and Ralph Richoux agreed to pose for this photo only under the condition that the caption would not read “These are some fruits at Manresa.” Gee, we would never pull a stunt like that on our good friends, now would we?
Maurice or Mackie
The Lamb, August 2001
The Men of Manresa chef was born a good many years ago to a good Catholic Mom and Dad. Proof of that is that he was Father Basty's altar server till his high school days ended and college called him to excel in college football.
He was like any other German Cajun from these parts. He walked the melted tar roads in summer barefooted, went to school with no shoes on. He played marbles, and he was good at it when his "knucks" came in. He also played 'Root the Peg' and 'Pick a Pot' too. Like the other kids, he played baseball when they could find enough string and friction tape to make a ball, and cut a few trees to make a bat. Football was different - you couldn't make one so the tin can became the ball. He also got his behind burnt for swimming in the river and smoking driftwood. He loves to hunt and fish, "Dos Gris" is his middle name during duck hunting season. He learned his cooking watching his saintly mother prepare meals for her large gang. Have to say she did a good job teaching him. So this is our chef, a snotty nosed kid who even played Hop Scotch (when no boys were around) and was - or still is - good at things he's tried. Our chef, a good Catholic man and a real American German Catholic. Maurice or Mackie, any way you want, he's ours and we're proud of him. God bless you Mackie.
Chef Mackie Waguespack honored at October meeting
The Lamb, November 2003
| Standing “O” - Chef Mackie Waguespack, center, is surrounded in this collage by some of the many men who honored him at the meeting with a standing ovation. |
HAS BEEN COOKING FOR GROUP SINCE THE EARLY 70’S
Just as there are some things at every SCB Men of Manresa meeting that are constant as God’s love, each one includes events that are as varied as the ocean’s waves. Take the October 16 meeting, for instance. Sure, the evening started with Mass. Yes, everyone stayed after Mass to say the rosary and then had dinner in the cafeteria. And there was surely a spirit of fellowship, that great camaraderie among men with a common goal of serving Christ. But there were a few things that set this evening apart. To begin with, this was the meeting that celebrated the phenomenal effort of Men of Manresa Chef Extrodinaire Mackie Waguespack over the years. Ever since the early 1970’s, on the day of the Men of Manresa monthly meeting, Mackie has selflessly spent the entire day shopping, chopping, cooking a huge meal at his house, and then transporting it to the cafeteria for serving. And these are not just throw-it-together meals, by any means. In recent memory, Mackie’s meals have included his seafood gumbo, which even prompted a mock marriage proposal from one of the other guys’ wives. His jambalaya and white beans, you can tell they came from Mackie’s kitchen by the distinctly flavorful fiesta they create in your mouth. Chicken and mushroom stew, Cajun meatloaf, potatoes au gratin, fried turkey, chicken and andouille gumbo, crawfish etouffee, baked ham, potato salad, broiled fresh sausage, Donovan McNabb beef stew, meatballs and spaghetti...the list goes on and on. If you could actually find a restaurant that offered such a variety of dishes, I venture to say that they would not be prepared with the love and care that Mackie puts into his craft. Nor would they be as plentiful or tasty, as evidenced by the men’s reactions each month. Nor would they be as appreciated as much as Chef Mackie’s volunteer efforts, which keeps the cost of such delicious entrees - with all the unmentioned side dishes, salads, hot French bread, and dessert - at an unheard of price of three dollars. At the meeting, all the guys stood and saluted our humble Chef Mackie with an extended standing ovation. We could certainly go on and on about how much we appreciate Mackie’s donation of his time and talents to what we insist is such a worthy cause. But instead of doing so here in print, that will be the subject of our conversations and our prayers for years to come. Thank you, Mackie, from all the Men of Manresa. May God continue to bless you and your family for your unbelievable generosity. At dinner on that evening, the men certainly enjoyed the delicious red beans and rice, mushroom gravy, salad and French bread that Chef Mackie had prepared beyond perfection. There were two other surprises at dinner - a succulent roasted pig that was cooked and delivered by fifth-time father-to-be Eddie Hymel III; and a chocolate dessert whose risqué name and whose risky cook will remain anonymous. No sooner had we honored Mackie’s retirement than it was announced that other guys were ready to step up to the stove. Just as we learned that Kearney Mongrue was going to smoke a turkey for next month’s meal, all decorum suddenly went to the dogs. A straight-faced Ralph St. Ament took the floor to tell the group that he had tried to smoke a turkey once, but then he switched to cigarettes. On cue, “O.H.” Henry Boudin piped in over the raucous laughter, “Well that’s not as bad a smoking a camel!” Earlier in the chapel that evening, the men had an uncharacteristically difficult time reciting the words and phrases of the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary. But when they prayed one particular verse about the wedding feast at Cana [John 2:5], it spoke volumes about the reason they were there. In it, the rosary leader prompted “His mother said to the servants,” and the group responded as one with increased volume, resolve, and conviction, “Do whatever He tells you.” During our brief discussion of business, the group voted to donate money to St. Joseph Seminary, with prayer intentions for all 15 deceased Men of Manresa members. The group also voted to help fund the formation of a crisis pregnancy center for the River Parishes, which is being spearheaded by SCB parishioner Lisa Trigo. If you are able to donate please make out your check to the purposely named pro-life agency “C.H.O.I.C.E. Women’s Health Center” and mail it to 73 Melrose Dr. Destrehan, LA 70047. The abortion rate in the River Parishes is shamefully high. With your donation, the life you save may be that of your or a friend’s precious grandchild.