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.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
2015 News in Review
As usual, when it comes to reflecting back upon the major news stories of the year, it's incredible to think of all that has happened within the course of the calendar year. Certainly, violence filled the headlines, including terrorist attacks in France, the conflict waged by ISIS, the humanitarian refugee crisis in Europe, numerous mass shootings, and turmoil over police brutality.
There was also a lot of social turmoil: In June, the Supreme Court handed down a decision that made homosexual marriage legal throughout the United States, overriding the laws of states on marriage. But it wouldn't be enough to make a courageous Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, back down and issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples.
Also showing extraordinary courage was David Daleiden, of the Center for Medical Progress, who released a series of videos he had made undercover that exposed Planned Parenthood's harvesting of unborn babies' body parts. These videos caused quite a stir, and garnered more attention in the media about abortion than usual. Many tried to downplay these claims, even going so far as to claim the videos were heavily doctored and lied about Planned Parenthood. Nevertheless, abortion caused a big stir in the mainstream media, and even caused Congress to take action, because there's definitely something to abhor about what Planned Parenthood does.
Congress experienced a change in leadership with John Boehner's resignation, and the election of the brilliant Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House, all this coming months after Republicans won control of the Senate, and thereby both houses of Congress. Of course, the squabbles continue over budgetary matters and how to address major issues of the day.
Bruce Rauner was inaugurated governor in January, and soon started butting heads with the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly about how to fix the budget mess in Illinois. We can only wonder how this will ever get resolved.
In local news, in Oak Park, there were municipal elections, with the District 97 race having a crowded field of contenders. Al Roberts retired as District 97 superintendent as was succeeded by Carol Kelley. In the realm of education, the PARCC test was administered for the first time, much to the exasperation of many. I still remember mentioning something about PARCC in my Religious Education class back in March during the testing week, which induced a collective groan among the students.
Elsewhere in local politics, there was some intense discussion over the construction of noise walls along the I-290 corridor in Oak Park, as well as the proposal for a new pool at OPRFHS. The Oak Park Village Board of Trustees agreed to give Anan Abu-Taleb the title of Mayor, in place of Village Board President.
A notable restaurant in Oak Park, Tasty Dog, closed down, after having been spared from closing years before. Somehow, they lost all their support this time around. Pete's Fresh Market opened up in place of the old Dominick's store. And Pan's grocery store on the 800 South block of Oak Park Avenue became Carnival after it changed owners.
(Notably, many of these stories appeared in The Wednesday Journal, which changed its online article commenting method to now require a Facebook log-in. So that person Q from Oak Park can no longer so readily conceal his identity.)
More personally for me, Aripo's on Marion Street closed down, as did the wonderful Strongbow Inn of Valparaiso, IN--though I was fortunate to enjoy one last meal at the latter during its last weekend of restaurant operations.
We said goodbye to Cardinal Francis George and Ernie Banks this year. We welcomed another British royal child, Princess Charlotte, in July. Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch on September 9, surpassing Queen Victoria's 63 1/2 years.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup again, and the Cubs made a pretty good run in the play-offs toward the World Series, after having been mentioned as the 2015 World Series Champion in Back to the Future II.
The Yellow Line had to be shut down for months because some MWRD maintenance work compromised the stability of a section of track.
Bitterly cold weather followed an enormous snowstorm at the start of February, with a run-of-the-mill summer and a temperate start to this winter, induced by El Niño. There was also a decided lack of tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin.
Notable anniversaries included 150 years since the end of the American Civil, or Sectional, War. Medicare also marked 50 years. The Americans with Disabilities Act marked its 25 year anniversary. It was also 25 years since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope The New Horizons space craft flew by Pluto, giving us some amazing close-up pictures of Pluto. And Star Wars made a comeback, smashing box-office records. What a bang for the close of the year.
There was also a lot of social turmoil: In June, the Supreme Court handed down a decision that made homosexual marriage legal throughout the United States, overriding the laws of states on marriage. But it wouldn't be enough to make a courageous Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, back down and issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples.
Also showing extraordinary courage was David Daleiden, of the Center for Medical Progress, who released a series of videos he had made undercover that exposed Planned Parenthood's harvesting of unborn babies' body parts. These videos caused quite a stir, and garnered more attention in the media about abortion than usual. Many tried to downplay these claims, even going so far as to claim the videos were heavily doctored and lied about Planned Parenthood. Nevertheless, abortion caused a big stir in the mainstream media, and even caused Congress to take action, because there's definitely something to abhor about what Planned Parenthood does.
Congress experienced a change in leadership with John Boehner's resignation, and the election of the brilliant Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House, all this coming months after Republicans won control of the Senate, and thereby both houses of Congress. Of course, the squabbles continue over budgetary matters and how to address major issues of the day.
Bruce Rauner was inaugurated governor in January, and soon started butting heads with the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly about how to fix the budget mess in Illinois. We can only wonder how this will ever get resolved.
In local news, in Oak Park, there were municipal elections, with the District 97 race having a crowded field of contenders. Al Roberts retired as District 97 superintendent as was succeeded by Carol Kelley. In the realm of education, the PARCC test was administered for the first time, much to the exasperation of many. I still remember mentioning something about PARCC in my Religious Education class back in March during the testing week, which induced a collective groan among the students.
Elsewhere in local politics, there was some intense discussion over the construction of noise walls along the I-290 corridor in Oak Park, as well as the proposal for a new pool at OPRFHS. The Oak Park Village Board of Trustees agreed to give Anan Abu-Taleb the title of Mayor, in place of Village Board President.
A notable restaurant in Oak Park, Tasty Dog, closed down, after having been spared from closing years before. Somehow, they lost all their support this time around. Pete's Fresh Market opened up in place of the old Dominick's store. And Pan's grocery store on the 800 South block of Oak Park Avenue became Carnival after it changed owners.
(Notably, many of these stories appeared in The Wednesday Journal, which changed its online article commenting method to now require a Facebook log-in. So that person Q from Oak Park can no longer so readily conceal his identity.)
More personally for me, Aripo's on Marion Street closed down, as did the wonderful Strongbow Inn of Valparaiso, IN--though I was fortunate to enjoy one last meal at the latter during its last weekend of restaurant operations.
We said goodbye to Cardinal Francis George and Ernie Banks this year. We welcomed another British royal child, Princess Charlotte, in July. Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch on September 9, surpassing Queen Victoria's 63 1/2 years.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup again, and the Cubs made a pretty good run in the play-offs toward the World Series, after having been mentioned as the 2015 World Series Champion in Back to the Future II.
The Yellow Line had to be shut down for months because some MWRD maintenance work compromised the stability of a section of track.
Bitterly cold weather followed an enormous snowstorm at the start of February, with a run-of-the-mill summer and a temperate start to this winter, induced by El Niño. There was also a decided lack of tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin.
Notable anniversaries included 150 years since the end of the American Civil, or Sectional, War. Medicare also marked 50 years. The Americans with Disabilities Act marked its 25 year anniversary. It was also 25 years since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope The New Horizons space craft flew by Pluto, giving us some amazing close-up pictures of Pluto. And Star Wars made a comeback, smashing box-office records. What a bang for the close of the year.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Master of My Destiny: Installment 6
This post is part of my "Master of my Destiny" series on my blog in which I share about my happenings in graduate school studies in library and information science.
As I continued beyond the halfway hump of my MLIS studies, and advanced closer to graduation, two aspects that stood out in this fall semester that just concluded were the amazing discussions we had in classes, and the fascinating insights I encountered. Much of it affirms my decision to pursue my MLIS.
Internet Fundamentals and Design class was especially full of good discussions week after week. When I registered for this class, my thought was that we were going to spend lots of time learning about internet design, especially HTML coding. But the class was rather driven by discussions about the nature of digital technologies and the impact they're having on society, even on how libraries provide their services.
We talked about the role of ICANN in maintaining the security of IP addresses, net neutrality, the open source movement, gamification, Google Analytics, and the ideas of Clay Shirky, Chris Anderson, and Jaron Lanier on the impact of digital technologies--you can click on the links to access websites and videos explaining those ideas further to learn more about them. Our professor also brought in a journalism professor at his college to talk about how newspapers had to adjust to changes induced by the rise of digital technologies, especially The New York Times, which speaks very much to how libraries adapt. With the newspaper, they reenivisioned themselves as a digital media outlet that also happens to have a newspaper, rather than just being a newspaper with some online digital content available.
We also talked about the design of webpages, which is an important part of how usable they are for people visiting them. To reinforce these principles, we did a usability study assignment. For this, I created a test of functions on an actual library's website, and then had people complete the test. From the results, I created a presentation, for which I pretended to be giving to the library's board, making recommendations for how they could make the website more usable. I actually liked this assignment to a large extent, especially getting people's reactions to how the website was designed, those who did my test, and those in class when I presented.
I was fortunate to be in this class with one of the professors I had over the summer term for Library User Instruction. He did a stellar job engaging us in these topics, which I feel made the class a richer experience than if we focused more on coding. But it was nice to play around with coding and see how it all makes web pages come alive, which took me back to a website design class I had in high school.
Knowledge Management was an online class, so we didn't necessarily have lots of discussions in the usual sense. But the class was chock full of amazingly fascinating insights, in the assigned readings and in my professor's lectures. The semester started out with discussions on the nature of knowledge and information, as well as how we as people process knowledge. Towards the middle of the semester, we got into topics that focus more specifically on knowledge processes in corporations, especially how organizations can facilitate meaningful learning for their employees, and what is involved as they undergo change. Toward the very end of the semester, we had an assignment in which we created a taxonomy of resources, organizing them into topics and by their various facets.
I had a couple of big essay assignments in this class. For the first, I tackled the gargatuan matter of what is knowledge, which I described as information that is used for some end. For the second, I talked about groupthink, a type of mindset that occurs in group settings when groups as a whole make bad decisions, even when a minority of members have reasons to be against the decision being made the way it is, but don't speak up, resulting in a bad decision. Some feel groupthink led to situations like the botched Bay of Pigs invasion and the Challenger space shuttle disaster, the latter of which is discussed in the memoir Gabby: a Story of Courage and Hope, from which I drew a scene to set the stage for my essay's introduction. Both essays were a lot of work, but I was pleased with the end results.
Management of Libraries and Information Centers class combined some aspects from the other two classes: We talked somewhat about how to run organizations, which brought up principles that are applicable in general to any organization. We also had some good discussions, especially when the midterm and final presentations occurred. Some of the topics we covered were management theories and their history, the structure of organizations, staffing/human resources matters, and marketing. The professor has had extensive experience working in various jobs in libraries, especially managerial positions, and would often mention anecdotes from his experiences in them, even as he handed us documents like job descriptions and on effective management practices. We also had two guest presenters who talked about what it takes to be a manager in a library, one a library director, and the other an AV manager. The former handed us lots of documents related to her work, including tax forms, legal papers, and library policies. I think the big take-away from the class is that management is an art, and having experience in it is an important way to build management skill.
What was really nice about this semester was that I was building up a good body of knowledge on the principles of librarianship, even upon what I gained in previous semesters, and I could apply many of these principles to the work I have at the Oak Park Public Library. This happened on our all-staff institute day earlier this month. To start, we had a presentation on storytelling, actually given by a Dominican LIS professor. Ultimately, it's not the telling of statistics that demonstrates the value of a library in a community, but the stories of how it makes an impact on the people who use it. We spent much of that day talking about how to tell the library's story. I know from MLIC classes that libraries are always going to be important, even though the way they provides services changes. It's important to communicate how the library can always be an important part of its community, because of the way they bring people together to interact and engage with ideas. This day was definitely a great opportunity for me to see how my studies and my work fit together. And being there with many of the library staff gave me a great sense of the place where I work, and who I work with, and made feel proud to be part of it.
Indeed, it's great to see how my studies and my work come together as I pursue this path, seeking to live out my life's vocation, laid out by the Master of my Destiny.
As I continued beyond the halfway hump of my MLIS studies, and advanced closer to graduation, two aspects that stood out in this fall semester that just concluded were the amazing discussions we had in classes, and the fascinating insights I encountered. Much of it affirms my decision to pursue my MLIS.
Internet Fundamentals and Design class was especially full of good discussions week after week. When I registered for this class, my thought was that we were going to spend lots of time learning about internet design, especially HTML coding. But the class was rather driven by discussions about the nature of digital technologies and the impact they're having on society, even on how libraries provide their services.
We talked about the role of ICANN in maintaining the security of IP addresses, net neutrality, the open source movement, gamification, Google Analytics, and the ideas of Clay Shirky, Chris Anderson, and Jaron Lanier on the impact of digital technologies--you can click on the links to access websites and videos explaining those ideas further to learn more about them. Our professor also brought in a journalism professor at his college to talk about how newspapers had to adjust to changes induced by the rise of digital technologies, especially The New York Times, which speaks very much to how libraries adapt. With the newspaper, they reenivisioned themselves as a digital media outlet that also happens to have a newspaper, rather than just being a newspaper with some online digital content available.
We also talked about the design of webpages, which is an important part of how usable they are for people visiting them. To reinforce these principles, we did a usability study assignment. For this, I created a test of functions on an actual library's website, and then had people complete the test. From the results, I created a presentation, for which I pretended to be giving to the library's board, making recommendations for how they could make the website more usable. I actually liked this assignment to a large extent, especially getting people's reactions to how the website was designed, those who did my test, and those in class when I presented.
I was fortunate to be in this class with one of the professors I had over the summer term for Library User Instruction. He did a stellar job engaging us in these topics, which I feel made the class a richer experience than if we focused more on coding. But it was nice to play around with coding and see how it all makes web pages come alive, which took me back to a website design class I had in high school.
Knowledge Management was an online class, so we didn't necessarily have lots of discussions in the usual sense. But the class was chock full of amazingly fascinating insights, in the assigned readings and in my professor's lectures. The semester started out with discussions on the nature of knowledge and information, as well as how we as people process knowledge. Towards the middle of the semester, we got into topics that focus more specifically on knowledge processes in corporations, especially how organizations can facilitate meaningful learning for their employees, and what is involved as they undergo change. Toward the very end of the semester, we had an assignment in which we created a taxonomy of resources, organizing them into topics and by their various facets.
I had a couple of big essay assignments in this class. For the first, I tackled the gargatuan matter of what is knowledge, which I described as information that is used for some end. For the second, I talked about groupthink, a type of mindset that occurs in group settings when groups as a whole make bad decisions, even when a minority of members have reasons to be against the decision being made the way it is, but don't speak up, resulting in a bad decision. Some feel groupthink led to situations like the botched Bay of Pigs invasion and the Challenger space shuttle disaster, the latter of which is discussed in the memoir Gabby: a Story of Courage and Hope, from which I drew a scene to set the stage for my essay's introduction. Both essays were a lot of work, but I was pleased with the end results.
Management of Libraries and Information Centers class combined some aspects from the other two classes: We talked somewhat about how to run organizations, which brought up principles that are applicable in general to any organization. We also had some good discussions, especially when the midterm and final presentations occurred. Some of the topics we covered were management theories and their history, the structure of organizations, staffing/human resources matters, and marketing. The professor has had extensive experience working in various jobs in libraries, especially managerial positions, and would often mention anecdotes from his experiences in them, even as he handed us documents like job descriptions and on effective management practices. We also had two guest presenters who talked about what it takes to be a manager in a library, one a library director, and the other an AV manager. The former handed us lots of documents related to her work, including tax forms, legal papers, and library policies. I think the big take-away from the class is that management is an art, and having experience in it is an important way to build management skill.
What was really nice about this semester was that I was building up a good body of knowledge on the principles of librarianship, even upon what I gained in previous semesters, and I could apply many of these principles to the work I have at the Oak Park Public Library. This happened on our all-staff institute day earlier this month. To start, we had a presentation on storytelling, actually given by a Dominican LIS professor. Ultimately, it's not the telling of statistics that demonstrates the value of a library in a community, but the stories of how it makes an impact on the people who use it. We spent much of that day talking about how to tell the library's story. I know from MLIC classes that libraries are always going to be important, even though the way they provides services changes. It's important to communicate how the library can always be an important part of its community, because of the way they bring people together to interact and engage with ideas. This day was definitely a great opportunity for me to see how my studies and my work fit together. And being there with many of the library staff gave me a great sense of the place where I work, and who I work with, and made feel proud to be part of it.
Indeed, it's great to see how my studies and my work come together as I pursue this path, seeking to live out my life's vocation, laid out by the Master of my Destiny.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Another Friendly Silvery Salute
Today I'm giving a big-shout out to my dear friend Richard Pinkepank, who marks a quarter of a century on this his birthday.
I had the privilege of meeting Richard at the very start of our time together at Valparaiso University. I can't recall exactly how we meet, but after we attended an orientation meeting together the day before our classes officially started, we just found ourselves talking to each other.
We would see each often quite often, always being in the same residence hall and having many classes together in our shared major of meteorology. He's been super-interested in meteorology ever since he was a young child. And to this day, he's always on the look-out for a big weather event, dropping everything when it finally shows up, whether a raging snowstorm or a powerful thunderstorm.
There are two things that stand out to me about Richard: The first is that he's incredibly hard-working. He knows what he needs to get done, and keeps himself focused on the tasks at hand. The second is that he really enjoys being with his friends. One of his favorite things to do is hanging out with people he knows.
Indeed, we shared many meals together, and many conversations, all over the ValpU campus, and beyond. I still recall fondly the first time I went to visit his neck of the woods in LaPorte County, Indiana, whose county seat, LaPorte, is his hometown--and that's the third thing I have to note about Indiana during its Bicentennial Year. LaPorte, which is French for "the door", is a decently-sized city in the central part of LaPorte County, surrounded by farm fields. Richard's side of town is a lovely wooded area. It all seems like a dandy little place out in the Indiana countryside.
During that visit, we also spent some time in Michigan City--the fourth thing I'll note about Indiana--which was my gateway into LaPorte County, as it is where I disembarked the South Shore Line, at the Carroll Avenue Station. I was very astounded when the train entered Michigan City, and I realized the track runs right down the middle of 11th Street, lined with homes, and cars passing by on either side of the train, rendering the 11th Street Station a kind of glorified bus stop. It's another decently-sized city, sitting right on the shore of Lake Michigan, with beaches. I had a nice visit there, and a nice Mediterranean/Middle Eastern lunch.
The two locales are in a big rivalry in high school sports, which I saw on full display during my visit. It's the Wolves of "The City", as it's colloquially named, versus the Slicers of LaPorte.
Visiting these places helped me gain a greater sense of who my friend Richard is. He is a friend I am blessed to have, who would always gladly call out my name whenever we'd see each other, and with whom I delight to continue in friendship that transcends time and space.
I had the privilege of meeting Richard at the very start of our time together at Valparaiso University. I can't recall exactly how we meet, but after we attended an orientation meeting together the day before our classes officially started, we just found ourselves talking to each other.
We would see each often quite often, always being in the same residence hall and having many classes together in our shared major of meteorology. He's been super-interested in meteorology ever since he was a young child. And to this day, he's always on the look-out for a big weather event, dropping everything when it finally shows up, whether a raging snowstorm or a powerful thunderstorm.
There are two things that stand out to me about Richard: The first is that he's incredibly hard-working. He knows what he needs to get done, and keeps himself focused on the tasks at hand. The second is that he really enjoys being with his friends. One of his favorite things to do is hanging out with people he knows.
Indeed, we shared many meals together, and many conversations, all over the ValpU campus, and beyond. I still recall fondly the first time I went to visit his neck of the woods in LaPorte County, Indiana, whose county seat, LaPorte, is his hometown--and that's the third thing I have to note about Indiana during its Bicentennial Year. LaPorte, which is French for "the door", is a decently-sized city in the central part of LaPorte County, surrounded by farm fields. Richard's side of town is a lovely wooded area. It all seems like a dandy little place out in the Indiana countryside.
During that visit, we also spent some time in Michigan City--the fourth thing I'll note about Indiana--which was my gateway into LaPorte County, as it is where I disembarked the South Shore Line, at the Carroll Avenue Station. I was very astounded when the train entered Michigan City, and I realized the track runs right down the middle of 11th Street, lined with homes, and cars passing by on either side of the train, rendering the 11th Street Station a kind of glorified bus stop. It's another decently-sized city, sitting right on the shore of Lake Michigan, with beaches. I had a nice visit there, and a nice Mediterranean/Middle Eastern lunch.
The two locales are in a big rivalry in high school sports, which I saw on full display during my visit. It's the Wolves of "The City", as it's colloquially named, versus the Slicers of LaPorte.
Visiting these places helped me gain a greater sense of who my friend Richard is. He is a friend I am blessed to have, who would always gladly call out my name whenever we'd see each other, and with whom I delight to continue in friendship that transcends time and space.
Friday, December 11, 2015
A Starting Salute to Indiana
Today, December 11, marks the beginning of the 200th Year of Indiana Statehood.
As we progress toward the Bicentennial day in one year, when Indiana marks 200 years since becoming a state on December 11, 1816, I want to offer tribute to this neighboring state, where I also spent my undergraduate college days.
Over the course of the next year, I'm going to share 200 things about Indiana, drawing from what I know about the Hoosier State, and what I've experienced of it.
To start with the 1st thing I have to share about Indiana, I can't help but think, as I write this, about the special event that's happening this night in Indiana, at the Chapel of the Resurrection on the campus of Valparaiso University: It's that time again for the annual Advent Vespers. It is a beautiful service in the candlelit Chapel in which those gathered offer prayer and praises to the God whose coming we long for so deeply. Attending this service for four consecutive years while a ValpU student is one of my best memories. One very powerful memory was in 2011, during my junior year, when, toward the end of the service, we sang "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending." The effect of the song was so immense, I felt like I could fall down prostrate in worship of my God and King. The next year, 2012, during my senior year, there was a very stunning visual effect when the altar was set ablaze.
Another great memory I have of my time at ValpU is the 2nd thing I'm going to share: Tomorrow's date, December 12, was the day in 2010 when St. Teresa of Avila (Roman) Catholic Student Center dedicated its Ministry Life Center, a new addition to its facilities. It happened at the special Annual Advent Student Mass and Dinner, on a very snowy day. Bishop Melczek, the now-recently retired Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary, was the principal celebrant of the Mass, and blessed the new facility. I always looked forward to this event each year, because it was a great time for us students to celebrate at the end of the first semester, together at Mass, and then with a splendid meal following. On this occasion, in 2010, we celebrated the new addition, which marked the beginning of many new opportunities for us as a ministry that could take place in that space.
So there's something to get us started. I'll look forward to more blog posts in which I share more about Indiana, a fine state.
As we progress toward the Bicentennial day in one year, when Indiana marks 200 years since becoming a state on December 11, 1816, I want to offer tribute to this neighboring state, where I also spent my undergraduate college days.
Over the course of the next year, I'm going to share 200 things about Indiana, drawing from what I know about the Hoosier State, and what I've experienced of it.
To start with the 1st thing I have to share about Indiana, I can't help but think, as I write this, about the special event that's happening this night in Indiana, at the Chapel of the Resurrection on the campus of Valparaiso University: It's that time again for the annual Advent Vespers. It is a beautiful service in the candlelit Chapel in which those gathered offer prayer and praises to the God whose coming we long for so deeply. Attending this service for four consecutive years while a ValpU student is one of my best memories. One very powerful memory was in 2011, during my junior year, when, toward the end of the service, we sang "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending." The effect of the song was so immense, I felt like I could fall down prostrate in worship of my God and King. The next year, 2012, during my senior year, there was a very stunning visual effect when the altar was set ablaze.
Another great memory I have of my time at ValpU is the 2nd thing I'm going to share: Tomorrow's date, December 12, was the day in 2010 when St. Teresa of Avila (Roman) Catholic Student Center dedicated its Ministry Life Center, a new addition to its facilities. It happened at the special Annual Advent Student Mass and Dinner, on a very snowy day. Bishop Melczek, the now-recently retired Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary, was the principal celebrant of the Mass, and blessed the new facility. I always looked forward to this event each year, because it was a great time for us students to celebrate at the end of the first semester, together at Mass, and then with a splendid meal following. On this occasion, in 2010, we celebrated the new addition, which marked the beginning of many new opportunities for us as a ministry that could take place in that space.
So there's something to get us started. I'll look forward to more blog posts in which I share more about Indiana, a fine state.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Novus Ordo Seclorum: Roman Catholic Style
Today, December 8, was the day 50 years ago, back in 1965 that the Vatican II Council concluded. It had been convened by Pope St. John XXIII in 1962.
These proceedings happened long before I was born, so I've only read and heard things about what happened in those momentous days from those in the generation that included my grandparents. I know that St. John XXIII, who was a person well along in years, and not expected do accomplish much during his papacy, really shook things up in the Roman Catholic Church by convening this council.
The council effected a series of changes that I feel ultimately made the Church more accessible to the faithful. These changes were evident in liturgy, so that Mass is no longer in Latin, but in the vernacular language, and the way the priest and the congregation interact at Mass changed, too, to compel the faithful to more actively participate in the liturgy. The council's proceedings also resulted in a whole new understanding of what it means to be part of the church, with a shift toward a more pastoral focus on the part of the leaders, a drive toward works of social justice, and a different understanding of how the Roman Catholic Church relates to other Christian denominations and religions, going so far as to acknowledge they all have some measure of goodness and truth. Certainly, leaders like Pope Francis and Archbishop Cupich have really stood out in the short time they've been in their respective offices for the pastoral approach they take to their leadership roles. They've shown it the way they reach out to people. I can't help but think of this in Archbishop Cupich's going around to celebrate Mass at different ethnic parishes, and then at a suburban parish on Easter Resurrection Sunday. And Pope Francis wanted to reach out to the people of localized church by having Cardinal Vigano invest Archbishop Cupich with the pallium at Holy Name Cathedral, which was a great opportunity for us in Chicago and all of Illinois to celebrate who we are as a Church, here, and in connection with the Church Universal.
Certainly my experience in the Roman Catholic Church has been a positive one, which I'm sure has been facilitated by these changes that made it more accessible, even as we, the faithful, continue to be called to hold firm to the Truth the Church teaches--a far different image that the Roman Catholic Church cast in the years before the 1960's. I've certainly been blessed by the opportunities to serve in a variety of liturgical ministries at Mass, and have been challenged to make much of the weekly experience of Mass in my daily living.
Vatican II was a time when the Church thoroughly re-examined itself and produced some changes to reinvigorate itself. It's certainly good to do this every so often, so we are continually keeping ourselves in right standing before God and living out that relationship meaningfully toward others. And we always have room for improvement. Father Bob, who is an assistant celebrant at Ascension Parish, has more than once noted in his homilies that statistics show people are leaving the Roman Catholic Church in large numbers, and he says it's because they are not encountering the Mercy of God through their experience in the Roman Catholic Church. With the Jubilee Year of Mercy starting today, now is a good time to renew our commitment of faith to the God who has shown us such great mercy, and joyfully go forth to share that mercy to a world that desperately needs it. I feel that's what it means to be Church.
These proceedings happened long before I was born, so I've only read and heard things about what happened in those momentous days from those in the generation that included my grandparents. I know that St. John XXIII, who was a person well along in years, and not expected do accomplish much during his papacy, really shook things up in the Roman Catholic Church by convening this council.
The council effected a series of changes that I feel ultimately made the Church more accessible to the faithful. These changes were evident in liturgy, so that Mass is no longer in Latin, but in the vernacular language, and the way the priest and the congregation interact at Mass changed, too, to compel the faithful to more actively participate in the liturgy. The council's proceedings also resulted in a whole new understanding of what it means to be part of the church, with a shift toward a more pastoral focus on the part of the leaders, a drive toward works of social justice, and a different understanding of how the Roman Catholic Church relates to other Christian denominations and religions, going so far as to acknowledge they all have some measure of goodness and truth. Certainly, leaders like Pope Francis and Archbishop Cupich have really stood out in the short time they've been in their respective offices for the pastoral approach they take to their leadership roles. They've shown it the way they reach out to people. I can't help but think of this in Archbishop Cupich's going around to celebrate Mass at different ethnic parishes, and then at a suburban parish on Easter Resurrection Sunday. And Pope Francis wanted to reach out to the people of localized church by having Cardinal Vigano invest Archbishop Cupich with the pallium at Holy Name Cathedral, which was a great opportunity for us in Chicago and all of Illinois to celebrate who we are as a Church, here, and in connection with the Church Universal.
Certainly my experience in the Roman Catholic Church has been a positive one, which I'm sure has been facilitated by these changes that made it more accessible, even as we, the faithful, continue to be called to hold firm to the Truth the Church teaches--a far different image that the Roman Catholic Church cast in the years before the 1960's. I've certainly been blessed by the opportunities to serve in a variety of liturgical ministries at Mass, and have been challenged to make much of the weekly experience of Mass in my daily living.
Vatican II was a time when the Church thoroughly re-examined itself and produced some changes to reinvigorate itself. It's certainly good to do this every so often, so we are continually keeping ourselves in right standing before God and living out that relationship meaningfully toward others. And we always have room for improvement. Father Bob, who is an assistant celebrant at Ascension Parish, has more than once noted in his homilies that statistics show people are leaving the Roman Catholic Church in large numbers, and he says it's because they are not encountering the Mercy of God through their experience in the Roman Catholic Church. With the Jubilee Year of Mercy starting today, now is a good time to renew our commitment of faith to the God who has shown us such great mercy, and joyfully go forth to share that mercy to a world that desperately needs it. I feel that's what it means to be Church.
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