This time of year always makes me feel nostalgic for the calendar year about to close, as I think back upon all that happened. As usual, I use the Hispanic custom of eating 12 grapes on the occasion of New Year's as a model to reflect on 2015, with 12 grapes, each signifying something notable for me about this year.
Grape #1-working at the Oak Park Public Library: I am so glad that I was given the fantastic opportunity to work at this important institution in the community, after having volunteered at it for some time in my growing-up years. It's great being among the materials, and especially the people who come there. In fact, 90% of the time I go to work there, I see, at minimum, one patron who I personally know. I also work among some great people, too. And it's been a happening place during the six months I've been there.
Grape #2-Pope Francis's visit: It was definitely exciting to see the leader who has brought such energy to the Roman Catholic Church and the world at large come to visit the United States, which was also a great opportunity for us Roman Catholics in the U.S. to receive a visit from our shepherd. He had great insights to share in his homilies and speeches, and how amazing it was to see the throngs of people gathered. I was especially delighted to watch live coverage of some of the events, including his address to Congress and the concluding Mass for the World Meeting of Families.
Grape #3-visits to local places: I didn't take any length vacations this year, in distance or time duration, but I got to visit a lot of neat places in the local area, like the Linden Avenue Purple Line station and surrounding neighborhood in Wilmette (my first time riding the Purple Line to it terminus), Lincoln Square (with a piece of the Berlin Wall at the Western Avenue Brown Line station, and where I attended Mass at St. Matthias where Father Larry, former Ascension pastor, is now pastor), Oakwoods Cemetery (with a monument to Confederate POWs, which was the subject of a research essay I composed freshman year of college), and the Pullman neighborhood, which was something that had intrigued me for some time. In February, President Obama came to town to designate Pullman a national monument. And I finally had the chance to see it for myself during Open House Chicago weekend in mid-October. Oh, and I also enjoyed my ride along the Prairie Path out to Berkeley.
Grape #4, reliving middle school: With great joy I marked the 10-year anniversary of 8th grade graduation from Percy Julian Middle School back in June, and recalled the amazing impact those three years had on shaping who I am. And throughout this year, I was able to relive the spirit of middle school by teaching middle schoolers in religious education class. That gave me reason to go to both middle schools in Oak Park on four different occasions to attend plays, in which some of my RE students participated. And in this same spirit I also delighted in seeing some 8th graders off in their own graduations. It also seemed fitting to get in on the conversations spurred on by ideas of the District 97 board candidates in the campaign cycle about how to enhance the middle school experience, as part of being involved in the affairs of my community by engaging with the candidates of all the local races, especially at the memorable VMA candidates' forum.
Grape #5, seeing Archbishop Cupich in person on numerous occasions: It was quite a first year for Blase Cupich here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I saw him at the annual March for Life Chicago, the Vicariate IV Welcome Mass at St. Domitilla in Hillside, the Lumen Cordium Society Annual Mass, and the Pallium Mass. The last was a particularly momentous occasion at which Cardinal Vigano, the Apostolic Nuncio, invested Archbishop Cupich with this special part of his vestments, and a time for us to celebrate who we are as the Church here locally in union with Rome and the whole world. (I experienced a similar kind of celebratory ritual in October when Ascension's new pastor, Father Hurlbert, was installed by Vicariate IV Bishop Manz, which was an opportunity for us a parish to celebrate together as we welcomed our new pastor. It's been nice getting to know him, and get a sense for his approach to Church matters. That rounded up three consecutive years with Roman Catholic leadership changes: a new Pope in 2013, a new Archbishop in 2014, and a new pastor in 2015.)
Grape #6, Laramie & Adams gathering: It was a quite an experience to be gathered with the people of St. Martin de Porres Parish in a rally gathering for peace and justice, in a year in which I went to attend Mass there on occasions outside their annual Parish Feast Day celebration and related to my role in Religious Education. There was such an electric energy there at that corner as we called for peace, a positive message that was acclaimed heartily by all those passing by. This gathering was even featured in a Chicago Tribune article.
Grape #7, St. Teresa of Avila's 500-year Birthday Celebration: It was a great celebration of this important figure in Church history, whose namesake student center at Valparaiso University is a significant part of my life. I was indeed delighted to be back there, and it was great having the newly-installed Bishop Hying come celebrate Mass for the occasion.
Grape #8, Feed My Starving Children: This is an amazing organization, dedicated to an important cause, grounded in Christian faith, and extremely well-organized and efficient, which was evident the first time I ever participated in meal packing back in late September 2014. I was so glad to have the chance to participate this year in their MobilePack event at Chicago Union Station in August, and then again in early November at their Schaumburg location.
Grape #9, degrees in the family: There were many in my family who worked hard to earn advanced degrees, including my Mom for her Master's in nursing and my cousin Megan for her master's degree in the psychology/counseling field. My cousin Greg also made big progress through post-doctoral work, too, even as his family grows to include a new daughter, Emma, born back in August. And my cousin Jenny in Colorado got her bachelor's degree.
Grape #10, starting and progressing through graduate school: It was nice to go back to school, because there are so many interesting things to learn, which makes the process enjoyable in classes, if not always the assignments, etc. There is a lot I've liked about the MLIS program so far, as it has given me some insightful new ways to look at the world, through learning about the nature of information and knowledge. And I've had good professors and wonderful classmates. (Please refer to my "Master of my Destiny" series on this blog.)
Grape #11, another Confirmation class: I marked the 10-year anniversary of my Confirmation on October 15, which made it so special and emotional to watch a new group of young people make their Confirmation just a little over a week later, and to be part of their faith formation in the preparation process.
Grape #12, Religious Education teaching: Each year I teach it just keeps getting better. Every week I go to teach class with a sense of joy deep down, because when I am in the presence of my students, at middle school age, I am taken back to that time when I first encountered the joy of embracing faith for myself. Indeed, this teaching role keeps me fresh and alive in the spirit of faith. And my impact this year has been doubled as I engage in my role shepherding my students, discipling them into the ways of Eternal Life.
In that same spirit of faith, I render unto God thanks and praise for the experiences of this year, knowing everything that happens in my life shapes me in some way, as God works in all of them to create the person who glorifies Him. And so I give a final salute to 2015, a remarkable year in which God worked wondrously in my life.
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