Patriotic Greetings 2023: The Foundations upon which the USA Has Been Built

Patriotic Greetings!

Once again, we have the incredible opportunity with this annual occasion to reconnect with and celebrate the foundations of the United States of America in those pivotal days of 1776.

Following the conclusion of the conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions increased between Britain and its 13 North American colonies as the British government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more intensely, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, triggered war, increasing momentum for the colonies' independence.

At the session of the Continental Congress, on June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to schedule a vote on the resolution for July 1 as the colonies used the intervening time to consider their stance.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document explaining the move for independence should it be needed, and Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was its primary author.

On July 1, Congress began discussing the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, they adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing Thomas Jefferson's draft, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.
 
Following several more years of war, the American colonists won a decisive victory at Yorktown against the British in October 1781.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris 1783 formally concluded the war, and the United States of America became fully independent.

I celebrate these days in the wake of an inspirational family vacation in the Metro Area of Washington, D.C., with additional sightseeing in Pennsylvania.

When the Museum of the American Revolution opened in Philadelphia 6 years ago, I was eager for an opportunity to visit, especially after my parents went there a few months after its opening.  I was glad to incorporate a Pennsylvania component to my vacation, including time in Philadelphia.

I started my sightseeing on May 25 with a tour of the Old Pennsylvania State House, Independence Hall, which served as a great prelude for the museum.  The main exhibit showcases different stages of the American Revolutionary Era.  It does a great job of helping visitors connect with this time period, and the end of the main exhibit gives an opportunity for visitors to consider their part in the legacy of the American Revolution.

While there, I had the chance to meet with Kristian, who is on staff.  A couple of years ago, I connected with her via e-mail after contacting the museum about supporting its citizenship class initiative.  I learned about this specific program through a video on its YouTube channel, something I would peruse from time to time as a way to engage with the museum's offerings while waiting for my chance to visit.  She and I made arrangements to meet around lunchtime on the day of my visit.

After getting food from the museum's cafe, we took seats outside, and immediately, Kristian asked me about my interest in the citizenship program.  I expressed how incredible of an opportunity it is for people studying for the US citizenship test to learn the history at a place that focuses on the foundations of the USA.  Furthermore, I'm heartened to hear about people who come to this country and go through the long process to become citizens.  While this country has flaws, it's amazing to see that people are still coming here, recognizing something worthwhile about settling here.  And I see that people get context about what's unique about the USA from this program.

Our conversation soon turned toward my interest in the museum itself and the American Revolution.  I think about how my interest in history started around my late elementary school years, and I became particularly drawn to focusing on the origins of the USA.  Something about considering the roots speaks powerfully about what something is or who someone is.  And for me, I experienced this in the wake of September 11, which created an atmosphere in which I really pondered what this country is about, and how it started to become a unique place in the world.  I spent time studying this time period on my own, beyond what I learned in school.  

And with that mindset, I was eager to watch Liberty's Kids when it debuted on September 2, 2003.  Even though I knew so much about this time period, I learned so much more from watching the show.  Watching it inspired me and made me feel proud to be a US citizen.  It helped me connect with the events by seeing them through the characters, those from history and those inserted into the history to give us a lens for viewing the events as they happened, like the four fictional protagonists at Benjamin Franklin's place in Philadelphia.

It's similar to how the Hamilton musical has sparked interest in this time period by livening it up with today's popular culture and putting it on stage.  When I mentioned Hamilton in our conversation, Kristian noted that across 3rd street is the site where Alexander Hamilton had his office when he was Secretary of the Treasury, at the time Philadelphia was the US capitol.

As we neared the end of our conversation, Kristian noted that we're just about 3 years away from the 250th anniversary of US independence.  She noted the museum staff is going to start considering how to tap into people's intensified interest in the founding of the USA, which is anticipated because of this milestone anniversary.

I really appreciate how a show like Liberty's Kids and the Museum of the American Revolution help connect people with this important time period by showing it as something real, and showing it as something beyond just what's in a book.  It involved people, and we can glimpse that through actual items on display, especially those in the part of the main exhibit about the Battles of Lexington and Concord, with artifacts present from those places on April 19, 1775.

Throughout the rest of my vacation, during the week I spent in Washington, D.C., there were so many other opportunities to connect with the foundations of the USA, as much of it is on display in the city.  I think of exhibits in the Smithsonian, Thomas Jefferson's Library in the Library of Congress, and the Charters of Freedom in the National Archives.  I regularly make a point to visit the National Archives to reconnect myself with the original papers that established our foundational principles.

It was wonderful to share this experience with the throngs of other visitors, including school students on field trips, coming from all over the country.  Indeed, it's special that we can share these treasures as our common heritage, much as we share the principles and ideas they espouse.

The USA is founded upon principles that have continued to drive us and shape the course of our history.  I think about how the Washington Monument symbolizes a people's desire to honor a person who was an important figure in the founding of the country, and how they can draw from his example to continue upholding and edifying the USA.

It's also special to visit Washington, D.C., and go to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the Patroness Saint of the USA.  I marvel at this place ever since the first time I visited 10 years ago, as being there draws me into a spirit of prayer for this country, even as I think about all the people who have come here from all over the world, as displayed by the side chapels showing Mary's image from different countries.

And these principles have been part of the expansion of this country across the continent.  When I traveled to the Missouri River Valley back in April, I went to visit the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, which has an exhibit about how the transcontinental railroad was built. Today, I still appreciate the way trains connect with the geography of the US, like when I rode across the length of Pennsylvania, and then wound along the New River corridor in West Virginia.

Road trips have a similar effect:  Something about looking at the signs along the road gives me a way to savor the geography of the country as I pass through it.  I also think about how the Omaha area had a unique opportunity to connect with the land with the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.  While crossing over the Missouri River, people can pose right on the Iowa-Nebraska border, just as I did.  The same goes for when I have biked across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capitol Beltway, crossing from Virginia through the southern tip of the District of Columbia into Maryland.  Those state border crossings on foot are special opportunities to see two parts of the country come together by doing it myself, without a vehicle.  And I think back to geographical highlights from last summer when I went to the southern border of the USA for a day trip to Tijuana, and then, 2 days later, I visited the lowest point of elevation at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park.

The Native American people have a special part in the land of the USA, having been here for thousands of years.  Despite the hardships they faced when the US government enacted harmful policies to stifle them, they have maintained traditions that focus on upholding the land, their relationship with it, and their relationships with each other and generations before and after them.  St. Augustine Mission is doing such an amazing job edifying the people of the Omaha and Winnebago Reservations, especially in the efforts to build a new school, whose construction was miraculous in so many ways, in large part because of people who responded generously and realize the potential.  St. Katharine Drexel's magnanimous spirit is alive there, and she certainly lived the founding principles of the USA by noticing the plight of African-Americans and Native Americans and devoting her life to serving their needs.

Another amazing woman who has done great work in the heartland is Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota.  I read her memoir, Not My First Rodeo, a few months ago.  I definitely learned so much about farm work from reading her book.  And it was the kind of character she developed by working the land that fashioned her into a noble leader, working to empower people to make something good of the land.

We have so much potential as a people of the United States because of how we were founded.  We came into existence through a struggle to be free, expressing lofty ideas about how we should live in this world.  They are not static, stale ideas, but continue to be part of our existence today, urging us to make much of them in service to other people.  I'm reminded of a Roman Catholic school group I saw touring the Museum of the American Revolution.  The priest with them told the students that the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness stated in the Declaration of Independence connect with the Church's teaching on upholding the sanctity of life from womb to tomb.  Surely we are called to steward a great treasure.

Indeed, we have so much to celebrate on Independence Day (July 2) and Declaration of Independence Day (July 4).  I hope this occasion inspires all of us to do our part to edify this great gift of a country as we build on the foundation laid so many years ago.

Long Live the Spirit of 1776!

Independence Forever!

Let freedom ring!

God Bless the United States of America, land that I love.

Paul

At the end of the Museum of the American Revolution main exhibit, I show myself to be part of the future and the legacy of the Revolution.

Above, I pose outside the Museum of the American Revolution, and below, I pose by the Washington Monument.  Thanks to the fellow visitors who photographed me.

Mom photographed me posing inside the Lincoln Memorial as we ambled on the western end of the National Mall on Memorial Day Observed.

P.S. This Patriotic Greetings note is part of an annual custom.  Here are links to view previous years' notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.  If you would like a print copy of this note please contact me.

Please feel free to share this year's post, or any previous year's post with others.

Also, I mention in this post about my recent trip to the Washington, D.C., area.  I will soon publish a post on that trip on this blog, and I will include a link to it here once it's available.  Please feel free to check back later this week.

Something I often like to do on the morning of July 4 is watch the Declaration of Independence ceremony live from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  You can watch it here at 10 AM ET/9 AM CT on July 4, or in its archived version later.  This year will be the first celebration with Colleen Shogan, the new Archivist of the United States.

Dear 1036: Summer Sun and Night Lights

Dearly Beloved 1036,

Summertime is here...happiness and cheer...because why does Christmastime have to keep all the happiness?

There was plenty of sun to come through the sunroom windows in the back of the house.  Weasley, the dog, whom we welcomed into the family 5 years ago this month, certainly enjoyed lounging in the sunlight by the windows in that backroom.

One of my favorite summertime memories is going out on warm night, especially after a hot, humid day, and searching for fireflies.

My earliest memories of catching fireflies were in the backyard of my grandparents' house a few blocks east on Highland Avenue.  I would catch fireflies with Naomi, the daughter of their next door neighboring family, who was my age.

I carried on this enjoyable activity on the grounds around you.  As I stood outside, I would keep my eyes peeled for the small flickers of light and then dart after one of them to catch it.

I started with one bug house, which was a cylindrical shape.  Then, on a family road trip, I bought a bug house at Cracker Barrel, most likely somewhere in the Omaha area.  I used it extensively.  One evening, I had a bumper crop of catching 60 fireflies.

Then there was the evening in the summer 2010 when, after an ice cream social we hosted for the neighbors, I was firefly catching for a long time in the evening with the neighborhood children, including Charlie, who lived right across the street.

May you always remember how much I love you and that you will not fade into the background, but still be always illuminated in my memory, like the light of the fireflies always flickering on in illumination.

God's blessings,

All my relations,

Paul

Two fireflies in that bug house on a summer's night at 1036

2023 Annual Speeches Roundup

The first couple of months of the year customarily featured a flurry of speechmaking by government officials addressing the state of their respective jurisdictions, in the wake of the start of new terms.

President Biden delivered his annual 2023 State of the Union Address on the evening of February 7, with the newly-elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy seated behind him.  In the SOTU address, President Biden presented many proposals, and after noting the progress that had been made, he frequently said, "Let's finish the job."  These included addressing healthcare, infrastructure, taxes on those making above a certain threshold of money, education, and police reform.  He also made a big emphasis on cancer research.  Social issues like abortion, in the wake of the Dobbs vs. Jackson decision, and the LGBTQ got more or less a passing mention.  Somehow, hearing that phrase "Let's finish the job" constantly throughout the speech speaks to why I don't think President Biden inspires much confidence.  Many of the ideas are great, but he doesn't seem to ignite the level of confidence that would befit such efforts.

When it came to the Republican response, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered magnificently.  She immediately came across as confident and poised.  There was a bit of disconnect, admittedly, that she addressed social issues that President Biden didn't mention in his SOTU address, including critical race theory.  I also feel like there was a better way to word her statement when she said, "The dividing line in America is no longer between right or left. The choice is between crazy and normal."  "Crazy" doesn't seem to be quite the right word. Nevertheless, it's true that some of the policies promoted are not in line with good common sense as things get out of hand with sound ideology, which I feel she captured well in describing how President Biden has surrounded to the woke mob that can't even define what a woman is.  I felt heartened by how the power of faith shined throughout her speech, and how she made it clear that is a bedrock in her life, and how its absence is affecting so much of our society as people are advocating for the wrong kind of aims.  She truly spoke eloquently about the values that matter most, and appealed for us to embrace them.  The story at the end of her speech was great, especially when she described what she witnessed from the troops in Iraq, including their shouts of "USA!" over and over when they saw President Trump.  It's that kind of strong patriotism and a firm belief in the power of freedom to edify all Americans that truly makes our country great.  Arkansas is honored to have her as its first female Governor.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker started a new term in January.  His inaugural speech sought to strike an optimistic tone, especially in light of overcoming the challenges in the intensity of the recent pandemic, although I still feel some of his efforts as governor were too extreme.  In his speech, he highlighted some of his agenda aims, many contrary to what I feel is best for the State of Illinois.

In February, he delivered his State of the State and Budget Address.  He had many noble proposals, all aimed at bolstering the quality of life for the people of Illinois.  He also ended his speech on a note acknowledging the hard-working nature of Illinoisans.  His speech also addressed social issues that, again, are opposite of what I feel is best.  He talked adamantly about protecting and expanding access to abortion in Illinois, but nothing about how to support mothers to carry children to term and care for and raise them.  And he adamantly spoke about standing against book censorship, but said nothing about how he would dialogue with those who have legitimate concerns about the content of books in libraries and navigating their children through them.  Despite his efforts, Governor Pritzker doesn't inspire much confidence in me, and hopefully, the right voices will help steer the state of Illinois back in the right direction.

Connecting Anew 10 Years Later

Among the many places I went to once and was profoundly impacted by being there, St. Augustine Mission in Winnebago, NE, stands out prominently, as I have often shared in blog posts.  Even just going to certain places once has a powerful effect, and fortunately, it has worked out for me, largely thanks to Avila, that I have returned there to reconnect.  Furthermore, befitting the Easter Season, I  would experience something from the past anew.  I timed my visit with the annual St. Augustine Mission Circle of Dreams benefit event, and so the first part of my reconnection trip there was to the Omaha area, where the benefit is typically held.

Here's the altar inside the St. Augustine Church, adorned for Easter Season by the Benedictine sisters.

(As typical with my posts, all photos are mine unless otherwise noted.  And all times are Central Daylight Time (CDT)).

So I packed up Avila on a summerlike day in spring at my home base on Thursday, April 13, 2023, and headed west, with the summery weather in full force the whole way as I journeyed along a long stretch of I-80 to reach Nebraska, just like I had 10 years prior.  

One item that I took with me was a gray suit.  I thought it would be my first time wearing it for an occasion outside of Illinois, but then remembered that the first time I ever wore it was outside Illinois, on the day I graduated from Valparaiso University, which was also Pentecost Sunday.  However, it was certainly the longest journey it has ever had yet, and the first time it crossed the Mississippi River.

Shortly after crossing the Mississippi River into Iowa, I stopped to fuel up my tank and my stomach at the Iowa 80 Truckstop, the World's Largest Truckstop, right by Walcott, IA--please see photo below.  

I thought it would be an enjoyable experience to partake of the buffet at the Iowa 80 Kitchen, the only sit-down restaurant there.  (First, I had to tend to a little bit of Religious Education-related work.)  The buffet had a pretty good spread of food.

From there, it was about half an hour on I-80 to my lodgings for the night.  I stayed at the same home where I booked AirBnb lodgings 4 years ago when I was sightseeing in West Branch, IA.  This time, I got to meet my host.

Around 8 AM the following morning, I was on my way west once again.  I attended 8:30 Mass at St. Patrick's Church in Iowa City.  

Exterior of St. Patrick's Church

The church building was stunning, especially the way images of the saints were incorporated into the sanctuary.  

The sanctuary of St. Patrick's Church

And while there, I learned more about the story of how the original St. Patrick's Church was heavily damaged in a tornado on the evening of Maundy Thursday, April 13, 2006.  In the context of Easter Season now, it's amazing to think of how far they've come in building a beautiful new church space.  Following Mass, I went to the adoration chapel, which had on display a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was recovered from the rubble--please see the photo below.  The church decided not to put the hands back on that had been severed as a sign that we, the faithful, are called to be the hands of Christ in the world.  And surely that statue serves as a reminder of what they overcame and the Resurrection they experienced as a church community.

After I stopped at Wendy's for a quick breakfast of a honey chicken biscuit sandwich, I continued westward.  In Des Moines, I stopped at a Subway restaurant for lunch, what I'm fairly certain is the same Subway my group stopped at 10 years ago.  At the first rest stop west of Des Moines, I ate my sandwich.

Between 1-2 PM, I reached I-880, and continued due west until I reached the observation tower near I-29.  I got great views of the Loess Hills, the Missouri River Valley, the Omaha skyline in the distance, and even storm clouds headed east.

View looking west

Viewing looking northeast, with storm clouds in the distance, and Avila parked down below

View looking east, with I-880 appearing toward the lower right of the photo

The observation tower itself

From there, it was a quick drive to I-29, and then I headed south to Omaha.  I arrived at the Lewis and Clark National Trail Headquarters in Omaha between 2-3 PM.  I looked at the museum exhibits, and then walked nearby to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and strolled over the Missouri River back into Iowa, and back again into Nebraska.  It was a warm and sunny summerlike day, just like it was back in Chicagoland. 

The outside of the Lewis and Clark National Trail Headquarters building, with part of the Bob Kerrey Bridge appearing near the bottom left of the photo

The Bob Kerrey Bridge, looking east from Nebraska toward Iowa

Here I am standing on the Iowa-Nebraska border on the Bob Kerrey Bridge, looking toward the north. The Missouri River appears behind me.  I thank the pedestrian who I stopped and kindly agreed to photograph me.

Subsequently, I went to my hotel, the Quality Inn, due east in Council Bluffs.  Around 5:30, I was back out in the summery weather and bound west, back into Nebraska, bound for the Indian Creek Golf Course in Elkhorn, just beyond the northwest side of Omaha.  I wore the gray suit that usually serves as my all-purpose outfit for special business-attire occasions.  It was the first time the suit crossed both the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, and certainly is the farthest journey it's ever had.  I felt like I was brining it full circle as I neared the 10th anniversary of my ValpU graduation.

The hour between 6-7 PM was a time for mingling.  I got talking with some of the attendees, including the Benedictine sisters.  I also chatted with Father Mark, the St. Augustine priest and mission director.

In this photo, Father Mark appears to the left of me. A fellow participant took this photo.

Dinner hour began at 7 PM.  I wondered aloud with those seated at my table if maybe there would be something truly Nebraskan for dinner like steak.  After some speculation it would be something different, sure enough, we got dinner plates with steak and shrimp, along with asparagus.  

I sat at this table during the meal.

Here's my dinner plate.

Like I did during the reception, at the dinner table, when people asked me about my connection to St. Augustine, I shared the story of my service trip there 10 years ago.  I realize there's a certain power to my story because the week I spent there has kept me so strongly connected to the mission from miles away and years later.  It was fitting to attend this event on this evening, as it reminded me of the Friday in April 10 years ago when my group got together for a reunion, a little more than a month after we returned.

A little later in the evening, several people made remarks, including Father Mark, and Chris LaPointe, who attended the St. Augustine school and is still active in the Winnebago community.  There was also a video played that showed St. Augustine schoolchildren going into the new school for the first time.  It was delightful to watch their reactions.  And there were two awards presented.  The evening ended with an auction.

As I left, I noticed rain sprinkles starting, consistent with the lightning I saw from inside.  I drove to US Route 6, and followed it east through Omaha.  While driving, the skies rained in great torrents.  By the time I arrived back at my hotel in Council Bluffs, the rain had lightened significantly, and the temperature had dropped.

It was certainly a cool, cloudy day on Saturday.  After breakfast, including a Belgian waffle, and taking it easy, I checked out of the hotel.  I drove east to downtown Council Bluffs.  First, I went to visit the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, housed inside a Carnegie library building, once the Council Bluffs Public Library.  When I found out there would be a guided docent tour at 1:30 PM, I decided to just take a quick look.  And then I went to the nearby Council Bluffs Public Library, which is quite an impressive space--and furthermore impressive that it was built several years ago with privately raised funds and used not a single taxpayer dollar.

Above is inside the Council Bluffs Public Library and below is the entrance outside.

Around 12:30 or so, I went to have lunch at Boxer Barbecue, which was a recommendation from the lady greeting people at the museum.  I was back at the museum in time for the tour.  

Outside the Union Pacific Railroad Museum

The museum's exhibits are really well done. The first level shows the development of the transcontinental railroad.  

Above is a display for the Transfer Hotel that was once in Council Bluffs, IA

Display with pieces of a wooden rail tie and metallic rail from the original transcontinental route

And then there are exhibits of how the railroad was run back in the 19th Century.  The upper level has an exhibit on the nature of passenger train travel in the 20th Century.  

Passenger seating

Lounge car

Dining display

A fellow visitor photographed me as I pose in the train seat in a display that companies train, auto, and air travel.

The other side of the upper level has displays on the operations of the Union Pacific Railroad today, including track maintenance, dispatching, and train operations, including a hands-on display where you can sit in the operator's seat, and even sound the whistle.  The docent--I think his name was Richard--did a good job pointing out notable points in the displays.

Directly above and below are displays on the UP Railroad today in the upper level of the museum.

Model train running near the ceiling in the upper floor display on the UP Railroad today

A fellow visitor photographed me as I pose by the "Run the train" display.

I would honestly say that this museum is one of the best.  It does a great job displaying relevant information and highlighting the story of the Union Pacific Railroad throughout the past century and a half, even helping us better understand how the railroad operates today.  The museum has content that I feel appeals to a wide audience including the many families with children I saw there.

Just after 3:30, I departed the museum and drove a little bit south to see the Golden Spike Monument, marking mile 0 of the Union Pacific Railroad for the transcontinental route.  There used to be a hotel on the site where travelers could spend the night.

And then I drove back into Omaha and went to the north side to visit the Great Plains Black Heritage Museum, arriving around 4 PM.  It's a small museum in the storefront of a historic building.  Inside a man, who I presumed was the director, showed me around the displays in two different rooms.  They included African-American fraternal groups, famous African-Americans with honorary streets in Omaha, lynching violence, the Omaha Star (an African-American newspaper), and African-Americans with distinguished accomplishments, including in sports, politics, and the military.  It was nice to get shown around and get commentary about the displays.

Displays for boycotts organized by the DePorres Club at Creighton University

Sports display

Desk for the Omaha Star,

Exterior of the museum

Between 4:30-5:00, I headed south and went to visit the Gerald Ford Birthsite.  He was born in the lower level of a large home that no longer stands.  On the site are landscaped gardens and displays about President Ford, and also past governors of Nebraska and mayors of Omaha.

Landscaped garden area at the birthsite

This display shows a model of the house where Gerald Ford was born

Next, I went to attend 5:30 evening Mass at the Cathedral of St. Cecilia.  I got stuck navigating the traffic flow on a major street just south of the cathedral and then I had to park a couple blocks away because many people were there for a fundraiser event, so I walked inside just seconds before Mass started.  It was ironic that this Mass, held inside the only US cathedral named for the patron saint of music, had no music.  Yet it was still an important encounter with God in a massive space with impressive church art and architecture.  Without music, Mass was over in 40 minutes.  I lingered for a while admiring the space.

The sanctuary of the Cathedral of St. Cecilia, looking toward the atlar

Interior of the Cathedral, looking toward the back

Exterior of the Cathedral of St. Cecilia

For dinner, I drove southwest a few minutes to get an iconic Nebraska Runza sandwich.  Once I finished, I went kitty-corner to fill up at Hy-Vee and then shop for a few groceries.  Then I began my journey to Winnebago, following the route of US 75 from central Omaha through the rural areas of eastern Nebraska.  I arrived at St. Augustine Mission shortly after 9 PM.

The following morning, on Sunday, after breakfast, I went for a drive to Walthill to see St. Joseph, and then to Rosalie to see the site of the sweat lodge.  It was a cool, cloudy, and windy morning.  I returned to St. Augustine in time for 10 AM Mass.  It was a special occasion with four children receiving their first Holy Communion, and one of them also getting baptized at the same Mass.  The decorations in the sanctuary added a special touch of Easter, which Father Mark said the sisters did.

Sanctuary of St. Augustine Church

I was talking with Father Mark after Mass and I mentioned my interest in seeing the new school building.  So he kindly took me up on my request and took me on a tour.  The building is impressive, with the latest modern designs, along with spacious rooms, and great amenities, like a cafeteria, which weren't available in the current school building.  Father Mark mentioned that everything fell into place just right for the school building to become a reality.  He even mentioned that people involved in the construction project told him that they wouldn't raise enough money for the school.  Yet the money appeared through the generosity of so many.

South side of the school building: The glass doors lead into the school cafeteria, which is below.

School library

The door to the left is the 7th grade classroom, and the door to the right is the 8th grade classroom.

School gym

After returning briefly to the rectory, I headed out for the afternoon.  I got a light lunch of two tacos at a restaurant in the Winnebago development across from St. Augustine Mission.  Subsequently, I drove north toward Sioux City.  I eventually picked up I-29 and took a joy ride to Dakota Dunes in South Dakota.  Back in Iowa, I stopped at the Sergeant Floyd Boat Museum/Visitors' Center to get postcards.  From there, I went to the Cathedral of the Epiphany for the Divine Mercy Sunday Holy Hour, which was a mystical and prayerful experience.  The interior of the sanctuary is a stunning space, including the tabernacle that appears like a gold house.  After it ended, I learned that Vespers was scheduled at 4 PM, so I lingered to attend that prayer time.

Interior of the sanctuary

Exterior of the cathedral

After returning to Winnebago, later in the evening, Father Mark offered to take me out to dinner.  We went to Ranchito in South Sioux City.  On the menu, I was intrigued by the Entometada dish, and when I asked the server if she would recommend it, she did.  The dish had beef in between two tortillas, which was topped with sour cream, tomatoes, and cheese.  I enjoyed it.  (The entree appears in the photo below.)

Upon our return to St. Augustine, I asked Father Mark if I could look around inside the current school building, to relive moments in there before it is razed.  As we walked around, I pointed out spots with particular memories.  

Here I pose on some kind of observation platform above the current school gym floor.  Photo is by Father Mark.

Back at the rectory, we visited with the Foley's, who were also staying there.

The following morning, I was up early for 6:30 Mass, with the sunlight already starting to emerge.  It was a cool morning, but I could tell it would warm.

Monday morning at the St. Augustine Mission

Following breakfast and packing, I began my drive east back to Oak Park.  I made a quick stop to mail postcards in downtown Winnebago.  Just before Decatur, I stopped at the scenic overlook with the Earth Lodge model, and the view was still as good there as I remember it from previous visits.

View toward the Earth Lodge from the parking lot

View of the Missouri River from the Earth Lodge

View looking up toward the Earth Lodge from a path leading down toward the Missouri River

From there, it wasn't too long of a drive to cross back into Iowa and then get on I-29 south, and then to I-80, traveling along the rolling hills.  

Above is a view of the rolling hills, looking west, at a rest stop on I-80 in western Iowa.  Below is a Hy-Vee truck at that same rest stop.

In the early afternoon, I stopped for lunch in Clive, IA, at Cracker Barrel, near Des Moines, continuing a custom I enjoy on road trips.  I also took advantage of stops at the fabulous Iowa rest stops.  The skies were sunny and the temperatures were pleasantly temperate.  The fields of opportunity in Iowa gave way to the fields of Illinois in the early evening.  I reached Chicagoland by 7 PM, and I was back at homebase around 8 PM, in conditions much cooler than the summerlike day when I had left.

This trip was a special time, and I reflect on it in terms of a remark Father Mark made on Monday morning right before I was about to leave.  He expressed that I always have a home at St. Augustine Mission and indicated that it's clear I feel so connected there by virtue of my profound time there 10 years ago during the service trip.  Even as I've my continued forward in life, it's special to circle back to places like St. Augustine because its impact on me persists:  As I've mentioned before, my faith flourished in my college years.  I sense that my first time at St. Augustine, with an overarching purpose related to faith, sparked something in me to seek to incorporate spiritual components in all my travels over the past 10 years, in light of how my first trip to St. Augustine Mission had a purpose strongly driven by spirituality, as have the subsequent trips. 

It was inspiring to go there for a service trip 10 years ago, and I continue to be inspired by what's happening there.  I am definitely amazed by what Father Mark told me about the school that some people doubted St. Augustine could raise the money, and then it appeared.  I saw this story as a great example of the reality of Easter present in our world, something new blooming, just like the story of St. Patrick's Church in Iowa City.  With some challenges present in my life, it was an uplifting experience to go on a trip and have these encounters.  It helped me feel the spirit of the Easter Season, fitting with the Spring Season, and how this time of year reminds us of how we are made anew.

I certainly also enjoyed the opportunity to take in the sights of the USA in the Great Plains.  Notably, I crossed the Missouri River 10 times during this trip, two of them on foot.  There was so much about this trip in which I connected with the land of the heartland of the USA.  I'm glad I got to spend more time in the Omaha area.  And visiting the railroad museum offered some context for how people connect to this land through the efforts made to transport people.

Furthermore, the Native American people are so intricately bound to the land, because their culture has drawn so much from it for thousands of years.  Despite the hardships they've faced in recent centuries, they have found ways to flourish by continuing to tap into the land, being connected to the earth and to one another.  That sense of connection certainly adds context for how I still feel connected to St. Augustine and so many other places and people that have impacted me and made me alive.  In the context of the communion of saints, we are connected with those who have gone on before us to Heaven, and we are connected with the church throughout the whole world.  

As life continues and changes occur, it's special to have these "Kairos" encounters with God to circle back to as we continue our journey, always knit and connected together, and to see how we continue to experience them anew.

Mita Kuye Oyasin.

All my relations.

The new St. Augustine School lit up at night shows a cross, which appears near the center of the photo.

Father Mark Bridgman photographed me in the rising sunlight of Monday, April 17, following Mass at the St. Augustine Church.

P.S. Here is a news report about the dedication of the new St. Augustine Mission School, which was on April 18.