Dear 1036: God Alive in Touches of Faith

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

We celebrated Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord at the start of this month.

Joyfully we celebrate that God is alive among us on Easter Sunday, just as we do every Sunday, each of which is a Little Easter.

Many Sundays, I recall coming back from Mass with Dad, and he would immediately reach for the radio in the kitchen and turn it on to Relevant Radio and have it play while making breakfast.

By osmosis, I absorbed so much from listening to Relevant Radio, because there's so much to learn about faith.  Years later, I got in the habit of listening to it.

There is something new springing from God's Living Presence among us, manifest in so many ways.  It's special to celebrate the Resurrection, which is the centerpiece of our faith.

As I consider my memories of celebrating this glorious occasion in you, I remember we would have a meat dish as the primary feature, usually ham.  Mom also came up with great ideas for sides.  One year, we set up a great spread of food on the dining room table in a buffet style.  Everyone partook of the feast and then we all sat in a variety of places around the house feasting.

Indeed, there was great joy in those feasts because of what was underlying it.

I have great joy in recalling these memories of you and the ways I encountered God through touches of faith.  You were, and are still, more than just house, but truly a home.

So I declare that you shall not fade into the background but remain deep in my heart as that dearly beloved place.

We remain ever connected:

All my relations.

With gratitude, gladness, and joy in the Risen Lord,

God's blessings,

Paul

The Words that Initiate

I entered into newness of Life on Sunday, April 28, 1991, when I was baptized at St. Cornelius Parish.

It was the ordination anniversary of Father Pacocha, who baptized me.  He passed on from this life into the realm of eternity last January, and on this anniversary, I reflect on his special role.  He was there saying the words and leading the rite that would change me into a new creation as a child of God.  It was wonderful that he could offer an important part of his priestly ministry to me on his ordination anniversary.

He served for many years as Pastor of St. Cornelius.  In retirement, he continued to assist with celebrating Mass on weekends at nearby St. Eugene Church.  I also remember encountering him years after my baptism when he offered a blessing to my grandparents for their Golden Wedding Anniversary following the Saturday evening Mass on their anniversary date, Saturday, July 2, 2005.  He came to the party after the Mass and spoke a blessing over the meal.  In these examples with our family, he was truly a dedicated servant to so many.

Baptism follows a rite, and it speaks to the power of words that bring God's presence alive.  I thought about that reality last week when, for the first time in my life, I served in thw role of Confirmation sponsor.  Back in February, when I arrived for RE class, William, one of my students, approached me before class started and asked if I would be his sponsor.  I had been wanting for years to take on this year, and after spending 13 years involved in RE and investing in young people, my dream of being a sponsor took shape.

As part of the Confirmation Mass, the sponsor approaches the Bishop with the candidate to present him/her.  There was something profound about walking up to the altar and, with my hand on William's shoulder, to stand before Bishop Garcia-Maldonado and pronounce the words, "Bishop, I present Jude."  (William picked St. Jude for his Confirmation saint.)  Saying those words would usher him into a new way of life as a Confirmed Roman Catholic.  Standing right next to William, I could observe how Bishop Garcia-Maldonado placed the blessed oil on William's forehead to seal him with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, it was a great day of celebration for William, and also for me as I marked a Kairos moment in my faith journey of extending this gift of faith in support of someone else in specific way.

Reflecting on what happened 35 years ago and what happened last week, I see that there is great power to words that make God real in our lives, which is a special part of the sacramental life of the Church.

Dear 1036: Springing and Buddy in the House

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

March is the beginning of springtime, which brings signs of new life.

It was a delight to see the grass on the grounds of 1036 turn a nice shade of green as winter subsided.

Even when spring was slow to emerge from winter's grasp, I sought to be optimistic, like 25 years ago when I had a birthday party when I turned 10 and everyone who came got a kite and we flew them in Rehm Park where there was a fresh pack of snow from the day prior.  Eric also ran a game show for us.

We experienced something new when Buddy the dog came to be with our family 20 years ago this month.

He stayed several times at 1036.

It was interesting to watch him adjust to 1036 with wooden floors.  Just as he did at his home, he would take a cookie given to him in the kitchen, walk quickly to the living room, and toss the cookie up into the air.  It was different for him to hear it fall with a thud on the wooden floor, versus a quieter landing on the carpet at his home.

He also really liked jumping up into the brown chairs in the living room, particularly the one that swivels, which I still have with me.

At a certain point, he got into the habit of hopping up on my bed as I went to sleep and spent the night on my bed, which led Mom to remark that he was "king of the castle" when she came into my room in the morning and saw him on my bed.

He may have passed on from us, but wonderful memories of him persist deep in our hearts.

And you, too, 1036 shall not fade into the background, for you and wonderful memories of you remain deep in my heart as that dearly beloved place.

We shall remain ever connected:

All my relations.

God's blessings,

With joy, gladness, and gratitude,

Paul

Buddy enjoys the sedentary living room chair with a Humane Society blanket. 

Buddy curled up on my bed.

2026 Speeches Round-up

February brought the annual time to consider current affairs in Illinois and the USA with the State of the State Address on February 18 and the State of the Union on February 24.

Governor Pritzker, toward the beginning of his State of the State address, mentioned that he looked at previous State of the State Addresses, and he referenced an address that Governor Altgeld gave.  He took a cue from Governor Altgeld to criticize the Trump administration, especially on its immigration enforcement efforts.  Additionally, he criticized the Trump administration for withholding federal funds, which put Illinois in a tight financial spot.  He then made lots of proposals, especially regarding affordability.  Yet he said nothing about one of the biggest causes of unaffordability in Illinois, namely, the rising property taxes that are funding excessive spending in budget line items.  Notably, he talked about curbing the construction of data centers, after proposing more of them in a previous year's address.  He ended the speech by talking about love, but used it as a way to underscore his criticism of the Trump administration as standing in the way of a flourishing democracy.  For me, his talk about love lacked substance.

The following week was President Trump's State of the Union Address.  The speech was the longest ever, and in some respects, it felt too long, although he was masterful in using it as an opportunity to showcase his style of showmanship.  He played heavily into the various stories of individuals, including army officers and even a girl rescued from a flash flood in Texas.  

One point he heavily emphasized was the need to engage in immigration enforcement in an effort to protect the people of the USA from criminals who came into this country through illegal channels.  He then made a point of saying the government's job is to protect its people, and used it as a chance to highlight who was and who wasn't in favor of this stance, which was largely on party lines, as the Democrats remained seated and the Republicans stood to applause.  Then, President Trump specifically singled out Democrats and shamed them.  

One policy point he made that I disagreed with came when he talked about reducing medical costs and highlighted a woman using IVF to have children.  It is not in our best interests as a society to promote IVF, and the Trump administration should cease promoting it.  

He also shared the story of Sage Blair, who was socially transitioned at school to be a male, and then, after running away, experienced immense abuse, before being rescued and returning to being a female. It was a good moment when he emphasized how harmful the pro-transgender agenda is.

President Trump struck a triumphant note toward the end of the SOTU speech to celebrate the achievements of the United States and mark the upcoming 250th anniversary of Independence.

It was telling that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger gave the SOTU response speech at the Old State Capitol in Williamsburg, which was probably the only aspect of the speech I liked.  Overall, I wasn't impressed with her remarks.  She criticized the Trump administration for having a draconian approach to immigration enforcement.  She even expressed her admiration for her children walking out of school to protest.  At certain points, she flashed a smile while criticizing President Trump, which I disliked.  During her remarks, she said that in the spirit of the American Revolution, Americans are stepping up to "reject the unacceptable".  I would say that the election of President Trump was an opportunity when the country rejected the policies of the Democratic Party that undermined the moral foundation of this country and imposed morally objectionable policies.

Within days of the SOTU Address, The Father Leo Show had a wonderful episode in which he offered his take on SOTU.  If you have about 40 minutes, it's worth your time to watch.  I basically agreed with Father Leo's take on the SOTU.  President Trump made good points, but leaned too heavily into criticism and calling out members of Congress who were unwilling to go along.  It's important for a leader to call out what needs fixing, while also having a sense of graciousness in responding to critics.  Ultimately, we can draw from our strengths to edify this country, building upon the foundation of the ideals that were part of the beginning of this country to continue upholding the best of who we are.

Recapping Epic Times in Northern Italy

The world came together in the northern reaches of Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics.  I was definitely eager to watch the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

So I had the TV on that Friday evening, February 6, to see the opening ceremony unfold.

The one aspect that stood out to me was the melodious nature of the artistic portions that sought to highlight the music and art of Italy, particularly with the various dance numbers.  It was intriguing to see the paint tubes pour out colors in tribute to Italy's art scene. The one part of the ceremony that was odd to me was the sign language performance.  It was epic to hear Andrea Bocelli sing "Nessun Dorma" toward the end of the Opening Ceremony, which reminded me of when Luciano Pavarotti sang the same piece toward the end of the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Torino.  The following day, as Abuela and I talked about the ceremony, we looked at the English translation of the words in "Nessun Dorma", which helped me appreciate it further as a grand piece.  The ceremony flowed well, even with components in two different locations. I wasn't too familiar with either city, so it was nice to see the cities' offerings on display

The closing ceremony also displayed the music scene of Italy splendidly with an elegant historic touch in the Verona Arena amphitheater.  I liked the elegant outfits of those seeking to represent the opera.  I thought the ceremony ended anticlimactically with the video of the person closing the door.  Something more epic would have suited me.

Each time the Winter Olympics happen, I'm most interested in the curling, which is mostly on services I'm unable to access.  As it happened, I stopped by the South Oak Park Fire Station to drop off extra food from a church function, and I saw through the garage door that they were watching Olympics curling while waiting for their next call.  The following day, the final day of the Olympics, I woke up shortly after 6 AM to catch a few minutes of a curling match.

I happened to turn on the TV when Alyssa Liu did her gold meal skating performance, which was spectacular.  On the final day of the Olympics, before going to Mass, I watched snippets of the USA vs. Canada hockey game.  I looked away from the TV at the moment of the goal that earned the USA the gold medal in overtime, though I could tell throughout the game that the action was so fast-paced.  And it was an epic moment in the final day of the games for the USA men's hockey team to win the gold medal, just as the women's hockey team did.

It was a grand time when the world came together in northern Italy, and I look forward to the next Olympic event in the USA.

Dear 1036: Music on a Winter's Night

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

I have enjoyed watching the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic events time after time.  It's a great way to see the host country's culture and history on display.

I recall the Friday evening 20 years ago, February 10, 2006, when the Torino Olympics opened.

I recall two pieces of music in particular.

Having a strong interest in geography, I was very interested to hear the performance of the Italian National Anthem, "Brothers of Italy".

At the end of the ceremony, following the lighting of the Olympic cauldron in the stadium, the inestimable Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti, in his final public performance of his life, sang the famed "Nessun Dorma".  He made it sound so grand and epic, a fitting piece to feature toward the conclusion of the ceremony.

Recently, Andrea Bocelli sang it at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.  Abuela and I were together talking about it, and I decided to look up the lyrics and their English translation.  The final word is "Vincero", translated to say, "I will be victorious", reflecting his hope for what will emerge when the night gives way to dawn.

Music has a way of powerfully expressing what is deep within us, our yearnings and our hope.

Reflecting on these memories evokes something deep within me, bringing me into the dawn-like joy of what you, dear 1036, are in your essence, a special place that has defined.

So I declare that you shall not fade into the background but remain deep in my heart as that dearly beloved place.

We shall remain ever connected:

All my relations.

God's blessings,

With deep joy,

Paul

Dear 1036: The Flag that is There

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

On our Branson mini-vacation 22 years ago, we stopped at a Five-and-Dime Store.  There, I bought a US flag.

I eagerly put it on display on my desk in my bedroom.

Complementing it was a poster I got at the Bright Ideas store with the US flag and all the state flags.

The flag of the USA is a great symbol that speaks to how deeply I feel about this country.

To this day, I still have that flag, and I think about it as the USA celebrates the 250th anniversary of independence this year, and what the deeper meaning of the flag.

As I look at you, 1036, I think about the deeper meaning of what it was to live in you, and how I was shaped to be the person I am, embracing the values of being part of something greater.

And I declare that you shall not fade into the background but remain deeply in my heart as that dearly beloved place.

We remain connected:

All my relations.

With joy and gratitude for you,

God's blessings,

Paul