The phrase Novus Ordo Seclorum appears on the Great Seal of the United States, which is on the back of $1 bills. This Latin phrase refers to a new order of the ages that resulted when the United States declared independence.
I think that phrase is fitting to describe what happened on October 31, 1517, when a Roman Catholic monk named Martin Luther released his 95 Theses at the local bulletin board, the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany, intending to spark discussion about flaws in church practices and doctrines. And that act sparked the movement known as the Protestant Reformation, which led to the formation of many new Christian denominations, putting an end to the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe, and also igniting great passions about religion over the coming years and decades.
As I think about this 500th Anniversary occasion, it makes me think about something that Queen Elizabeth II said about the American Revolution on the occasion of her visit to the United States in 1976, the bicentennial year of US independence. While King George III was ready to give every American a bloody nose, she referred to the American Revolution as a valuable lesson for Britain.
I certainly think something similar can be uttered about the Protestant Reformation as far as Roman Catholics are concerned: The Reformation was a valuable lesson, and Pope Francis is the kind of person who I picture saying something like that, as a strong reversal of the passionate views expressed by previous Popes who reigned back in the 16th Century.
So if we think of this as a lesson, what have we learned?
I think for Roman Catholics, the Protestant Reformation is an opportunity to be aware of the flaws that resulted from losing focus on the purpose of certain practices, and pondering the issues raised by the Reformers helps steer us back to the right focus. While I don't know much about the Counter-Reformation, I sense that it was a good response as the Roman Catholic Church sought to refocus itself.
Furthermore, I think this 500-year occasion is a good time for all Christians to think anew about issues of doctrine and practice, both in learning about other denominations and becoming more acquainted with our own, and gaining a better understanding of core Christian principles. One example that comes to mind is the issue of justification, with the debate on whether it happens by faith versus works. Beyond the either/or is the discussion about how faith is a gift, but has to be shown in some way to be meaningful. I find it valuable to think about both sides, no matter what our stance is, because there is merit to both arguments, because the issue is rather nuanced, just like another major concern raised by the Reformers, the issue of Papal authority.
In my life, I have had the opportunity to experience a variety of denominations, which has given me a broader perspective of Christianity, especially as I compare vast differences and note commonalities. The most notable of these experiences was my time at Valparaiso University. Before starting school there, I'm pretty certain the only Lutherans I knew well were my piano teacher and her family. After starting at ValpU, that number skyrocketed. (It's just like how the number of Jewish people I knew skyrocketed when I started at Julian, whereas before Julian, I can say I only really knew one Jewish person and her family well.)
I got to know a lot about Lutheranism not only because of my Lutheran friends, classmates, and fellow collegians, but also because ValpU itself is a Lutheran school. Desiring a way to connect with faith more deeply, I attended the services held at the Chapel of the Resurrection in the late morning Monday through Friday, which actually employed a different worship style each day, including traditional Matins, Taize, and contemporary praise band music. There were a couple of times or so I attended the longer Chapel services on Sundays, and I saw that these services were similar in form to Roman Catholic Mass, using the same readings from the Revised Common Lectionary and having a similar format to communion.
All of this, though, as I came to understand, was a specialized style of Lutheranism that was unique to ValpU, and while the school is officially independent, it leans more toward the progressive style of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In fact, I had some Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod friends who found the Chapel's style to not be a good fit, and so they attended Roman Catholic Mass at the St. Teresa of Avila Roman Catholic Student Center, even though they couldn't receive communion. And actually, one of my close friends attended Mass with me one Sunday as part of an assignment for his theology class. It was a unique opportunity to hear the perspectives of Roman Catholicism from someone coming in from the outside to something new, especially in what caught his attention.
In my desire to know Lutheranism better, I arranged with my good friend Matthew to attend the divine service one Sunday at the Church he attended while at ValpU, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Chesterton. The way it worked out with my schedule, I went there on October 31, which was Reformation Sunday, and the actual anniversary of the 95 Theses. Indeed, that was quite a bombshell to tell the pastor after the service ended, who took it pretty well, and was gracious to Roman Catholics in his sermon. Again, I noticed many similarities to Roman Catholic Mass--Matthew actually would refer to the Lutheran services as "Mass", because, in my understanding, it included the celebration of Eucharist, which involves an encounter with the divinity of Jesus Christ. (They, however, at that church, used a one-year cycle of readings, focusing on the Gospel of St. Matthew.)
I also saw the heart of Lutheranism, which the pastor expressed so well in his sermon. He made it clear that this occasion was not about how Lutherans distinguish themselves from Roman Catholics or adhering to a certain denomination as much as it is about a group of people expressing a commitment to the core values of Christian faith, that we are saved by faith, or in other words, "Christ alone. Grace alone. Faith alone."
I think this 500-year anniversary is a great occasion for us to take steps to get to know each other better, even so far as to attend other denominations' church services. And it's a great opportunity for us to get to know our own core beliefs even better--something that looms large in my mind because this past weekend, a large group of teens at my home parish received the sacrament of Confirmation, in which they publicly professed their faith in the principles of the Roman Catholic Church and their commitment to living them out in the power of the Holy Spirit in which they were sealed. Being part of their formation has helped remind me of what I believe and why, as well as my commitment to live out my Roman Catholic faith. Being strong in faith and its core principles enables us to engage in the kind of dialogue that can build bridges.
ValpU President Mark Heckler once remarked at an alumni event that the university holds to the idea that its people have strong faith, and so engage in dialogue with other denominations and religions, which has led to the university's welcoming stance toward other Christians and even religions, like Islam. I definitely experienced this diversity on campus. I even think of my close group of friends, with whom I stay in contact, as Roy arranged for us to have regular meetings over the phone, which include Bible study and fellowship time about things happening in our lives. Our group has incredible denominational diversity: Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), nondenominational Evangelical, Baptist, and me as the Roman Catholic. How wonderful it is that we share such great friendship with each other, and faith in one God.
Two weekends ago, I was pleased that Father Hurlbert addressed this 500-year anniversary occasion in his homily, because it gives a lot for us to think about as Roman Catholics, and compels us to reach out to our fellow Christians of other denominations. He mentioned that the big issue that led to the division of Christianity was resolved in 1999, when a group of Roman Catholic and Lutheran scholars, after much study, signed a joint declaration about oneness in belief on the principle of justification by faith rather than works. Truly this is a chance for us to see what unites us, and to use that to help us bridge the gaps that divide us still, in the hope we can build bridges based on what we share in common. Indeed, he remarked that the ecumenical movement started because missionaries of different Christian denominations wanted to unite around beliefs, rather than presenting different concepts of God.
I'm heartened to see this progress toward Christian unity, because of the devastation that has occurred because people are divided and so entrenched in their divisions. It makes me want to utter the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all get along?" Yet it seems that we can't get along, because as humans, we all have differences on how we express our faith in common principles, which is what led Martin Luther to speak up 500 years ago, after having a profound revelation about the meaning of a passage in Romans 1.
But as we let our passions settle, we make the effort to come together, and we can see that there is so much that unites us. And as Father Hurlbert said, while much work remains to be in true unity again as one Christian body, there is hope that if we can find common ground on the big issues like justification, we can find progress further. And ultimately, we together proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ Who Saves, in the power of the Holy Spirit, for the greater Glory of God.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Sunday, October 29, 2017
50 Years of Deep Thinking
It's October 29, and that means it's time for the Valparaiso University community to turn its attention to especially recognizing and celebrating Christ College, the Honors College at ValpU. It marks the day in 1964, when a committee, established by legendary ValpU President O.P. Kretzmann, first met, a committee that would eventually form Christ College.
The recent Homecoming 2017 event at ValpU included festivities on Saturday, September 30, celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Christ College, and I was eager to return to the campus that served as the setting for an extraordinary time in my life, and to celebrate this special part of the university.
I arrived on campus right about 9:30 to get myself ready to participate in the CC 50th Celebration Quiz Bowl Challenge. When an e-mail was sent out from Christ College seeking volunteers to play on teams, I pretty much jumped at it. The game was a combination of Jeopardy and Quiz Bowl. Play started with a toss-up question, and the team that answered the toss-up question correctly was eligible to pick a category and a points amount.
After Teams Fingerle and Piehl played, I then moved into place at the table with my team, led by Richard Schiming.
We had a good team, with a variety of graduation years represented, ranging from 1969 to 2016. I was especially pleased to see an American Revolution category. Another category was about economics, which was fitting for the team leader, Richard, a retired economics professor.
And did I ever get pumped up seeking to answer questions, even though I had some close calls with improperly formatted answers. We triumphed over Team Schumacher, led by Russ Schumacher, a Jeopardy champion, which qualified us to compete for the championship. We played off in a series of 5 toss-up questions with Team Fingerle to determine the champion. Our team ended up placing 2nd, but in the end, we all had fun, and even those not on the championship team went home with a Christ College mug. Plus, we enjoyed ourselves playing a game answering questions on a variety of subjects, just as in our time in Christ College, we discussed knowledge in a variety of subject areas--so how fitting to have a trivia game as part of the Golden Anniversary celebration.
After the trivia game ended, there was an open house. I went around with my friend Tyler, who had arrived shortly before the trivia game started. We looked around Mueller Hall, and mingled with former professors and other fellow Christ College alumni. It was delightful being back in a place that served as the setting for many memorable learning experiences and then some.
At one point during the open house, Jennifer Prough, one of my former professors who now serves as interim dean, offered remarks, as did ValpU Provost, Mark Biermann. They both spoke well about the special role Christ College plays at ValpU. Dr. Biermann, who at the start declared his academic background in the sciences, even went so far as to counter the phrase "soft skills" that are part of the humanities-based Christ College program, alluding society's idea of their uselessness, saying that the skills students acquire in Christ College classes allow them to approach life with thoughtful critical analysis, and enhances their college education overall. After the remarks, a Lego model of Mueller Hall was unveiled--please see the picture below that I took--an effort spearheaded by Professor Andrew Richter, Dean Prough's husband.
Following the remarks, Tyler and I continued to wander around.
Indeed, this session made me think about much, including my path to obtaining my MLIS. I realized that the path I took made a lot of sense, because Christ College gave me a good liberal arts backing to my education that helped me think broadly in a variety of subject areas, and I see that being put to use now in my LIS work, as I interact with a variety of subjects.
The afternoon was an open period, so Tyler and I met with our friend Richard, and made merry visiting over lunch, and then over to his apartment, chatting about our lives and things happening with us. Tyler and I then went to 4 PM Mass at St. Teresa's, which was a wonderful time to reconnect with a community that played a significant part in my ValpU experience--and actually factored considerably into the autobiographical essay I wrote during my Christ College Senior Colloquium as I reflected on my experiences at that time in my life. After Mass, I spent time reconnecting with Deacon Bob and his wife Karen, and Oleta and Jim Chester and Mary and Bob Emery, two couples with whom I shared an extraordinary week at St. Augustine in Nebraska during spring break of my senior year. It was wonderful to see them all.
Then it was time to attend the second installment of festivities for Christ College's Golden Anniversary, an evening reception. I arrived after the dinner buffet had already opened, which was catered by Don Quijote, a Spanish restaurant in downtown Valparaiso. (There were many dishes on the buffet tables that weren't really Spanish, like beef sandwiches and meatballs in different varieties, but at least there was paella. And there was good food there overall, in great abundance.) Dean Prough, ValpU President Mark Heckler, and Dean Franson all gave remarks. President Heckler extolled the place Christ College has in the large ValpU community and the significant role Christ College plays. In tribute to Dean Franson's work at Christ College, especially in providing academic advising services to students, Dean Prough named Dean Franson an honorary Christ College Scholar. Dean Franson was overcome by such great tribute in her honor, which is well-deserved, given how much she has done for the Christ College community, especially in aiding students through academic advising for classes.
Also during the reception, alumnus Frederick Barton talked about the various careers and other pursuits CC alumni have embarked on in life after ValpU. He organized his remarks around the theme of the Christ College alumni community is like being its own town, complete with teachers, pastors, judges, and church choir singers. I was intrigued to see the breadth of what Christ College alumni do with their lives.
Subsequently, there was a short break, which gave the chance for us to mingle. I talked with former professors, and even met some big names like Russ Schumacher. Also while mingling, a woman approached me and, like many others did throughout the day, complimented me on my spirited performance in the morning trivia game. When I looked at her name tag, I realized I had just been approached by Rebecca Pallmeyer, who is a federal judge in Chicago for the U.S. District Court for the Northern Illinois District.
Judge Pallmeyer served as co-moderator along with Dan McAdams, another alumnus, for a panel featuring all the living deans of Christ College, past and current--one of the early deans passed away.
Their remarks ran the gamut from discussing how Christ College got started to the challenge of how an interdisciplinary humanities-based honors college program, like that at Christ College, can remain relevant in this present day and age. I was also intrigued to learn that the Lilly Fellows program was funded by the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company, which has provided teaching fellowship opportunities, including some of my professors--not to mention offices in the Linwood House, a fascinating spot on campus. After closing remarks, I lingered a little longer, chatting with professors and others before beginning my nice, long drive back to Oak Park.
I left feeling so glad I participated in the festivities celebrating the institution that was a special part of my studies during four years at ValpU. The humanities-based program provided a nice compliment to my scientific studies for my major. Truly, the Christ College program distinguishes itself like no other program in the words summed up by what appears on the back of the Golden Anniversary t-shirts that were distributed: "Read Carefully. Interpret Responsibly. Discuss Thoughtfully." I think those sentiments express why the Christ College suited me so well. I like to spend time musing on the nature of life, to get a greater understanding of the question that was ever present before us in Christ College studies: "What does it mean to be human?"
In the quest to answer that question, I was able to engage with so many different ideas in a diversity of texts. Certainly, the freshmen program is defined by the structure that allows an intense look at several texts. In the first semester, we did looked at philosophers, most especially Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, a time-honored tradition by which Christ College freshmen are "broken in". We also looked at the Bible, St. Augustine's Confessions, and Marco Polo's travels, which many disliked, but which I rather enjoyed. The second semester's first half had a focus on social science, including William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, Jane Austen's Persuasion, and stories by Lu Xun. There were also the big undertakings of the freshmen program, with more time-honored traditions like creating our freshmen production, which for my class was the story of a Western town called Nugget where the women, led by the mayor's Russian mail-order bride, rebel against the men and banish them. Then came the freshmen debates in the 2nd semester, giving us the chance to research and craft arguments about major issues at the international, national, state, and university levels. (At my debate, I gave a speech addressing the US government's plan to move Guantanamo detainees to a prison facility in northwestern Illinois--in a debate that was aired live on the Internet.) The 2nd semester also gave us the chance to be in research seminars focused on specific topics, resulting in large compositions. My 20-page essay was about a monument to Confederate soldiers in Oakwoods Cemetery on the Southeast Side of Chicago.
In subsequent years, I continued the Christ College quest with classes like Word and Image, which truly stands out among all classes I've had. This was the kind of class in which we would, for example, look at an image, and discuss the significance of the image's design and presentation. Then came a focus on theology with Christian Tradition, looking at the Bible and the writings famous theologians including Origen, G.K. Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis. Come senior year, I had a class on Justice in the first semester, in which I wrote an essay in which I incorporated ideas from Rod Blagojevich's book The Governor. Then, in the 2nd semester, I was in Creation Narratives, cross-listed with English and Theology, and taught by renowned author Walt Wangerin, who facilitated our discussions of creation narratives from different cultures.
Throughout all my years, I participated in time-honored traditions, like the freshmen production and freshmen debates of subsequent freshmen classes. I also enjoyed Thursday evening Symposium sessions, featuring wonderful speakers on subjects ranging from opera to the Higgs Boson particle. (We had weekly plenary lectures during freshman year, up until Spring Break, with speakers talking on topics related to our texts at hand, including freshmen program professors, ValpU professors, and outside speakers.)
All of this took place in the context of a close-knit community, underscored from the day in May of my senior year in high school when Dean Piehl personally called me to welcome me into the Christ College community. It continued an orientation the following month when I forged good relationships right away with fellow Christ College freshmen. And it continued throughout that first year since we as freshmen spent so much time together with our peers, sharing the joys of creating of freshmen production, and the challenges like attempting to understand Aristotle, and weekly essays. I made connections with other students outside my class, like my teaching assistant for Monday class during the first semester, who was also the same person who led my orientation group back in June. As a sophomore, I was a "CC big sibling" to two freshmen, which was a nice way to connect with the new group of students. I had some great professors, and especially during my freshman year, they were so good in helping me while I adjusted to college and the nature of Christ College class work.
Indeed, it's relationships that enhance our life's experiences so much, and certainly this Golden Anniversary celebration was enhanced by spending it with fellow alumni, from my class and others, along with Christ College staff. Together we muse over this place that is dear to us, reminiscing on the shared experience we had on campus as we thought about what it means to be human, and pondering its continued impact on us and our the world. For I think we have all come away from our experiences as more well-rounded and thoughtful people.
The recent Homecoming 2017 event at ValpU included festivities on Saturday, September 30, celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Christ College, and I was eager to return to the campus that served as the setting for an extraordinary time in my life, and to celebrate this special part of the university.
I arrived on campus right about 9:30 to get myself ready to participate in the CC 50th Celebration Quiz Bowl Challenge. When an e-mail was sent out from Christ College seeking volunteers to play on teams, I pretty much jumped at it. The game was a combination of Jeopardy and Quiz Bowl. Play started with a toss-up question, and the team that answered the toss-up question correctly was eligible to pick a category and a points amount.
After Teams Fingerle and Piehl played, I then moved into place at the table with my team, led by Richard Schiming.
 |
| I thank my friend Tyler Holle for getting this picture of me right before play started. I am second from the left at the table, in a yellow-colored sweater vest. |
And did I ever get pumped up seeking to answer questions, even though I had some close calls with improperly formatted answers. We triumphed over Team Schumacher, led by Russ Schumacher, a Jeopardy champion, which qualified us to compete for the championship. We played off in a series of 5 toss-up questions with Team Fingerle to determine the champion. Our team ended up placing 2nd, but in the end, we all had fun, and even those not on the championship team went home with a Christ College mug. Plus, we enjoyed ourselves playing a game answering questions on a variety of subjects, just as in our time in Christ College, we discussed knowledge in a variety of subject areas--so how fitting to have a trivia game as part of the Golden Anniversary celebration.
After the trivia game ended, there was an open house. I went around with my friend Tyler, who had arrived shortly before the trivia game started. We looked around Mueller Hall, and mingled with former professors and other fellow Christ College alumni. It was delightful being back in a place that served as the setting for many memorable learning experiences and then some.
At one point during the open house, Jennifer Prough, one of my former professors who now serves as interim dean, offered remarks, as did ValpU Provost, Mark Biermann. They both spoke well about the special role Christ College plays at ValpU. Dr. Biermann, who at the start declared his academic background in the sciences, even went so far as to counter the phrase "soft skills" that are part of the humanities-based Christ College program, alluding society's idea of their uselessness, saying that the skills students acquire in Christ College classes allow them to approach life with thoughtful critical analysis, and enhances their college education overall. After the remarks, a Lego model of Mueller Hall was unveiled--please see the picture below that I took--an effort spearheaded by Professor Andrew Richter, Dean Prough's husband.
Following the remarks, Tyler and I continued to wander around.
 |
| Here I am posing with images of former Christ College Deans Mel Piehl (to the left in the picture) and Mark Schwehn (to the right), which were out on a table in a Mueller Hall hallway. Thanks to Tyler for taking this picture. |
We ended up in a room with Professor Graber, who, along with two Christ College seniors, was leading a discussion about the CC freshman program. The two seniors are Teaching Assistants, who, one day a week, lead a discussion group of freshmen. It was a great opportunity for me to think back upon the texts we studied that first semester at Christ College, as well as our freshmen production, and to think about how it fits into our education and even our lives. One person in the room participating in the discussion was an alumnus who offered memories of the structure of CC when it was in its infancy back in the 1960's/1970's. I also enjoyed hearing the perspectives of current Christ College seniors.
Indeed, this session made me think about much, including my path to obtaining my MLIS. I realized that the path I took made a lot of sense, because Christ College gave me a good liberal arts backing to my education that helped me think broadly in a variety of subject areas, and I see that being put to use now in my LIS work, as I interact with a variety of subjects.
The afternoon was an open period, so Tyler and I met with our friend Richard, and made merry visiting over lunch, and then over to his apartment, chatting about our lives and things happening with us. Tyler and I then went to 4 PM Mass at St. Teresa's, which was a wonderful time to reconnect with a community that played a significant part in my ValpU experience--and actually factored considerably into the autobiographical essay I wrote during my Christ College Senior Colloquium as I reflected on my experiences at that time in my life. After Mass, I spent time reconnecting with Deacon Bob and his wife Karen, and Oleta and Jim Chester and Mary and Bob Emery, two couples with whom I shared an extraordinary week at St. Augustine in Nebraska during spring break of my senior year. It was wonderful to see them all.
Then it was time to attend the second installment of festivities for Christ College's Golden Anniversary, an evening reception. I arrived after the dinner buffet had already opened, which was catered by Don Quijote, a Spanish restaurant in downtown Valparaiso. (There were many dishes on the buffet tables that weren't really Spanish, like beef sandwiches and meatballs in different varieties, but at least there was paella. And there was good food there overall, in great abundance.) Dean Prough, ValpU President Mark Heckler, and Dean Franson all gave remarks. President Heckler extolled the place Christ College has in the large ValpU community and the significant role Christ College plays. In tribute to Dean Franson's work at Christ College, especially in providing academic advising services to students, Dean Prough named Dean Franson an honorary Christ College Scholar. Dean Franson was overcome by such great tribute in her honor, which is well-deserved, given how much she has done for the Christ College community, especially in aiding students through academic advising for classes.
Also during the reception, alumnus Frederick Barton talked about the various careers and other pursuits CC alumni have embarked on in life after ValpU. He organized his remarks around the theme of the Christ College alumni community is like being its own town, complete with teachers, pastors, judges, and church choir singers. I was intrigued to see the breadth of what Christ College alumni do with their lives.
Subsequently, there was a short break, which gave the chance for us to mingle. I talked with former professors, and even met some big names like Russ Schumacher. Also while mingling, a woman approached me and, like many others did throughout the day, complimented me on my spirited performance in the morning trivia game. When I looked at her name tag, I realized I had just been approached by Rebecca Pallmeyer, who is a federal judge in Chicago for the U.S. District Court for the Northern Illinois District.
Judge Pallmeyer served as co-moderator along with Dan McAdams, another alumnus, for a panel featuring all the living deans of Christ College, past and current--one of the early deans passed away.
 |
| From left to right: Dan McAdams, Rebecca Pallmeyer, and Deans Baepler, Schwehn, Piehl, Kanelos, and Prough. Picture is mine. |
Their remarks ran the gamut from discussing how Christ College got started to the challenge of how an interdisciplinary humanities-based honors college program, like that at Christ College, can remain relevant in this present day and age. I was also intrigued to learn that the Lilly Fellows program was funded by the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company, which has provided teaching fellowship opportunities, including some of my professors--not to mention offices in the Linwood House, a fascinating spot on campus. After closing remarks, I lingered a little longer, chatting with professors and others before beginning my nice, long drive back to Oak Park.
I left feeling so glad I participated in the festivities celebrating the institution that was a special part of my studies during four years at ValpU. The humanities-based program provided a nice compliment to my scientific studies for my major. Truly, the Christ College program distinguishes itself like no other program in the words summed up by what appears on the back of the Golden Anniversary t-shirts that were distributed: "Read Carefully. Interpret Responsibly. Discuss Thoughtfully." I think those sentiments express why the Christ College suited me so well. I like to spend time musing on the nature of life, to get a greater understanding of the question that was ever present before us in Christ College studies: "What does it mean to be human?"
In the quest to answer that question, I was able to engage with so many different ideas in a diversity of texts. Certainly, the freshmen program is defined by the structure that allows an intense look at several texts. In the first semester, we did looked at philosophers, most especially Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, a time-honored tradition by which Christ College freshmen are "broken in". We also looked at the Bible, St. Augustine's Confessions, and Marco Polo's travels, which many disliked, but which I rather enjoyed. The second semester's first half had a focus on social science, including William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, Jane Austen's Persuasion, and stories by Lu Xun. There were also the big undertakings of the freshmen program, with more time-honored traditions like creating our freshmen production, which for my class was the story of a Western town called Nugget where the women, led by the mayor's Russian mail-order bride, rebel against the men and banish them. Then came the freshmen debates in the 2nd semester, giving us the chance to research and craft arguments about major issues at the international, national, state, and university levels. (At my debate, I gave a speech addressing the US government's plan to move Guantanamo detainees to a prison facility in northwestern Illinois--in a debate that was aired live on the Internet.) The 2nd semester also gave us the chance to be in research seminars focused on specific topics, resulting in large compositions. My 20-page essay was about a monument to Confederate soldiers in Oakwoods Cemetery on the Southeast Side of Chicago.
In subsequent years, I continued the Christ College quest with classes like Word and Image, which truly stands out among all classes I've had. This was the kind of class in which we would, for example, look at an image, and discuss the significance of the image's design and presentation. Then came a focus on theology with Christian Tradition, looking at the Bible and the writings famous theologians including Origen, G.K. Chesterton, and C.S. Lewis. Come senior year, I had a class on Justice in the first semester, in which I wrote an essay in which I incorporated ideas from Rod Blagojevich's book The Governor. Then, in the 2nd semester, I was in Creation Narratives, cross-listed with English and Theology, and taught by renowned author Walt Wangerin, who facilitated our discussions of creation narratives from different cultures.
Throughout all my years, I participated in time-honored traditions, like the freshmen production and freshmen debates of subsequent freshmen classes. I also enjoyed Thursday evening Symposium sessions, featuring wonderful speakers on subjects ranging from opera to the Higgs Boson particle. (We had weekly plenary lectures during freshman year, up until Spring Break, with speakers talking on topics related to our texts at hand, including freshmen program professors, ValpU professors, and outside speakers.)
All of this took place in the context of a close-knit community, underscored from the day in May of my senior year in high school when Dean Piehl personally called me to welcome me into the Christ College community. It continued an orientation the following month when I forged good relationships right away with fellow Christ College freshmen. And it continued throughout that first year since we as freshmen spent so much time together with our peers, sharing the joys of creating of freshmen production, and the challenges like attempting to understand Aristotle, and weekly essays. I made connections with other students outside my class, like my teaching assistant for Monday class during the first semester, who was also the same person who led my orientation group back in June. As a sophomore, I was a "CC big sibling" to two freshmen, which was a nice way to connect with the new group of students. I had some great professors, and especially during my freshman year, they were so good in helping me while I adjusted to college and the nature of Christ College class work.
Indeed, it's relationships that enhance our life's experiences so much, and certainly this Golden Anniversary celebration was enhanced by spending it with fellow alumni, from my class and others, along with Christ College staff. Together we muse over this place that is dear to us, reminiscing on the shared experience we had on campus as we thought about what it means to be human, and pondering its continued impact on us and our the world. For I think we have all come away from our experiences as more well-rounded and thoughtful people.
 |
| Here's to celebrating 50 years of Christ College. Thanks to Tyler for getting this picture of me. |
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Passing it on, as One Chosen and Called
It's been 12 years since my Confirmation, and since 12 is divisible by 3, that means we've cycled back to the same set of readings that were proclaimed at the Mass of my Confirmation. They include God's words about using Cyrus for His purposes in Isaiah 45 and Psalm 96 that acclaims God's majesty. The 2nd reading is a very fitting passage about God's work in the Thessalonians from 1 Thessalonians 5 (including a reference to the Holy Spirit's work), and the Gospel reading is the story in Matthew when the religious authorities pose to Jesus a question about paying taxes to Caesar, to which Jesus's response includes the profound statement, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God."
In the years immediately following my Confirmation, I was eager to get involved in some way in the Confirmation of succeeding classes, because my experience of that sacrament was so profound in my life. In one of those years--and it may have been three years later in 2008--I was at the Confirmation Vigil on the evening before another group's Confirmation. Mrs. Ondrla, who at the time was the Ascension Parish Director of Religious Education, told the young people that they should keep their red binders for three years, which contained all the reflection sheets on the readings they did throughout the preparation process. In three years, the readings would cycle back to those readings they reflected on, which would be an opportunity for them to see that while they change, the readings stay the same. Indeed, as I think about not only that set of readings, but other sets of readings, especially those that have made an impact on my life--it's amazing to think how true those sentiments ring.
Furthermore, it's amazing to see how the Church endures throughout the ages, under God's guiding hand, from the time God bestowed it upon the Apostles. It is a great gift that is given to us who have faith in God, to be part of a community of people who share this one faith.
It has certainly been a great gift in my life to have faith and to express it in the Church. But I realize that God has granted me the gift of faith through people, especially in the context of Church community.
My uncle's home parish is Holy Family, whose feast falls shortly after Nativity Day in late December. I sent him my special greetings for the occasion one year, and he pointed out to me that family is like the smallest unit of church, as I have also heard it said that family is like a domestic church. I have been blessed to have so many family members who are committed to faith, and passing it on to me as a member of the next generation, especially my parents, for whom that is an important role they play. And it extends to my larger family, especially as I've involved people like my uncle in my faith formation as my Confirmation sponsor, a relationship that has extended well beyond that moment before Bishop Kane 12 years ago, even as it involved much in the preparation process leading to October 15. Even my grandparents, full of wisdom in many years of living, have imparted insights of faith to me.
Then, of course, there are the church communities of which I've been a part. Other parishes beyond Ascension have been involved in forming me to receive various sacraments, and giving me the opportunity to be involved and use my talents for the glory of God. Calvary Memorial Church provided vibrant youth groups to help me learn lots about faith in my middle and high school years. St. Teresa's helped me gain a totally renewed understanding of faith, through the example the various people of the community showed in extending their love to ValpU students by ministering to them, and showing them true care. And then there were other faith communities of which I was part at ValpU, with opportunities to engage with people of faith among my friends.
And having received this gift of faith, I am now part of the important work of passing it on, which is the crux of what I do as a Religious Education catechist. In my 8th grade class last month, I talked about the role of Sacred Tradition in the Roman Catholic Church, which touches upon so much of what we do. In Tradition, our faith is handed on to us from Christ through the ages through various people. I told my students that I didn't invent faith--it was something passed on to me, as I now pass it on to them. To illustrate this, I taught my students the Party Hard Like Jesus Christ routine I learned from Father Kevin at St. Teresa's, who created it as a rub-off of his days as a cheerleading coach. And they got such a kick out of it.
Two days later, I was at Julian Middle School, my beloved former middle school, which some of my RE students attend Julian. I was there during lunch time on official library business, spending time with the students during their lunch periods. A group of gals in my class came outside and approached me after they finished eating, and requested that I lead them in what they called "the song", which I then ascertained was the Party Hard Like Jesus Christ routine. I was tickled that this was happening to me.
As I lead them in having some fun during their lunch period, it dawned on me that I was in the midst of an incredibly profound experience. I was back at the place that played a significant role in helping me embrace faith as my own, sharing something with my RE students that I learned in college, which was the time in my life when I flourished in faith, and inspired me to channel my newfound zeal for faith in teaching RE and passing on the faith, which has been an important part of my life post-college. Indeed, so many signifcant aspects of my life came together all at that moment.
Speaking of having an enjoyable time, I joined with my students in a large group from Ascension in having quite an exuberant time at the 2nd Annual Holy Fire gathering of the Archdiocese of Chicago for grades 6-9. It was incredible to watch their response to the line-up of the gathering, which included Roman Catholic rapper and youth minister Joe Melendrez, motivational speakers (including Noelle Garcia who openly up about her personal struggles as a teen), Eucharistic adoration (which, incredibly, brought a crowd of nearly 4000 to silence), and Mass celebrated by Cardinal Cupich, with words of encouragement from Pope Francis.
During one of the breaks, I was talking with the mom of one of my RE students. We discussed my involvement in teaching Religious Education. She told me how I engaged so deeply in this ministry, and even remarked how she saw that, for me, teaching RE is my calling.
That was a profound insight she shared about what I do. It helps make clear the progression of my faith, from being chosen by God and believing by accepting the gift of faith handed on to me from Him through others, to now being called to live out that gift in a specific way and to pass it on to others. That's what I think has kept me so energized, is that I have embraced the calling.
And I can only wonder how my faith will keep abounding and growing as I continue to heed the calls God bestows upon me in the years ago come.
In the spirit of Confirmation--and yes, I guess a pun is intended--I think of a wonderful hymn, "God Has Chosen Me", which has been used at Confirmation Masses at Ascension. (The video below omits the third verse, which is included in this version, and uses that word "call".)
The 2nd verse definitely speaks to my journey in faith, especially in teaching Religious Education, as I "set alight a new fire" in the hearts of my students and bring "to birth a new Kingdom on Earth" as my students live out their faith.
And it started, as St. Paul writes, because the Gospel came to me not in word alone, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:5). And it was before God that I made this commitment to acclaim Him as Lord alone, giving Him what He is owed, a life spent living out the faith He granted me and by which He accomplishes His purposes.
And I can only wonder how my faith will keep abounding and growing as I continue to heed the calls God bestows upon me in the years ago come.
In the spirit of Confirmation--and yes, I guess a pun is intended--I think of a wonderful hymn, "God Has Chosen Me", which has been used at Confirmation Masses at Ascension. (The video below omits the third verse, which is included in this version, and uses that word "call".)
The 2nd verse definitely speaks to my journey in faith, especially in teaching Religious Education, as I "set alight a new fire" in the hearts of my students and bring "to birth a new Kingdom on Earth" as my students live out their faith.
And it started, as St. Paul writes, because the Gospel came to me not in word alone, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:5). And it was before God that I made this commitment to acclaim Him as Lord alone, giving Him what He is owed, a life spent living out the faith He granted me and by which He accomplishes His purposes.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Gleaming in the Spirit of Taize
We are gleaming in a silvery milestone: It was 25 years ago this week that a group of people first gathered at Ascension Parish in Oak Park, IL, to pray in the spirit of Taize, on Friday, October 2, 1992. According to what I recall of remarks made by David Anderson, the Ascension Parish music director, there were about 30 people at that first Taize prayer, mostly Roman Catholic, along with one Baptist and one Lutheran.
The name Taize is from a monastic community in France which developed this style of prayer. It involves short songs with simple messages about God and faith that are sung repetitively to create a meditative atmosphere. The Taize community also uses this prayer style as an outreach to Christians of other denominations to promote a spirit of ecumenism.
And that's exactly what people can experience at Ascension on the first Friday of every month, February through December, and in January on New Year's Day, the World Day of Prayer for Peace, on whatever day of the week it falls.
Ever since that day 25 years ago, Taize prayer has come to draw quite a crowd of people from various denominations throughout the local community, and even beyond. Someone once told a story about a group flying from Mississippi to Chicago to attend the Taize prayer service at Ascension and then returning home on a late-night flight. Indeed, Ascension has developed quite a reputation for its monthly Taize prayer service, as people mention it to me from time to time when I tell them Ascension is my home parish. There's always a good-sized crowd at Taize: Even the one time I attended on July 4, at least half the church was filled. On New Year's Day, some people end up sitting in the choir loft on New Year's Day because the church sanctuary is already so full.
While Taize prayer services have been happening for a quarter-century now, I've only become a regular attender since I graduated from ValpU. I first encountered Taize on a regular basis at ValpU, because one day a week, the style of prayer at the late morning weekday Chapel services was Taize. I became very drawn to the meditative style of the prayer in song, the truths each song expressed.
After graduating, I wanted to continue experiencing Taize, so I started regularly attending the monthly Taize prayer at Ascension--though I think the very first time I ever attended was actually during the summer before my final year at ValpU at the invitation of my brother.
I keep coming back, in large part because I'm so drawn to the music. It's especially magnificent when Father Bob Hutmacher plays his harp, an instrument with a sound that suggests angels themselves brought it down from Heaven.
I also like how a Scripture passage is read in multiple languages, as a further sign of how Truth is something that touches people universally. David Anderson once gave me the privilege of being one of the English readers back in May of this year.
I've enjoyed praying at Taize so much, I made a point to regularly invite the families of my Religious Education students to come. One time, one of my students and her mom came, and the mom noted how beautiful it was.
Speaking of young people, it's wonderful how youth are specifically invited to participate in passing of the light, during which there's always an absolutely beautiful musical melody playing. Passing the light precedes singing a Psalm, the Scripture reading, and then the time when the congregation processes forth to place their candles in dishes filled with sand at the altar. Then comes a period of silence, lasting about 10 minutes--something else I experienced occasionally at Chapel services at ValpU, usually happening separately from Taize prayer days. I came to appreciate the silence and stillness very deeply. In the midst of life's flurried pace, I relish sitting in silence and simply being still. While my mind does wander, I definitely value the chance, for a short period of time, to deliberately remove myself from being surrounded by noise.
I find it especially meaningful to attend Taize prayer in liturgical seasons like Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, because the specific songs and other elements of the service help set the tone so well for the season. Taize prayer during Lent usually provides an opportunity to pray around the Cross: After the closing prayer, instead of a song to signal a definitive ending, a cross, decorated in the icon style, is taken from its position mounted on the altar and is brought down to a level closer to the floor. People then approach it and kneel down and touch it as a way of unloading our burdens on Christ. This happens while the meditative Taize songs continue, providing a soft ending. It's a moving opportunity that adds to much to the prayer, and it happens periodically throughout the year.
There are some especially wonderful songs prayed at Taize prayer in those liturgical seasons that follow the great Feasts of Christmas and Easter. Praying at Taize on January 1 is a fitting way to start the new year, as well as to continue celebrating Christ among us as the Word Made Flesh, in the spirit of the Christmas Season. And the joyful Easter songs combine with the flowers and other decorations in Church to enhance our celebration of the Risen Lord in the Easter Season. Then comes Pentecost, when the songs turn our focus to the Holy Spirit of God.
And all throughout the year, we have opportunity to voice our prayers aloud: Toward the end of the petitions, we are given the opportunity to name aloud those we know who are ill in mind, body, or spirit. Then, the reader of the petitions asks for what else we should pray. And so we use our voices to offer up prayers for specific intentions on our hearts. As we exit, we exchange a sign of peace, and put worship into action by donating money, which goes to support charities in the local area and abroad.
Indeed, Taize is an opportunity for us to experience the presence of God through a series of simple and profound gestures. As the community of those who gather moves forth from this silver anniversary, I pray we continue in this profound and simple spirit of prayer uniting us with God and one another. If you are ever available to come to Ascension Parish in Oak Park on the first Friday of the month, February through December, or January 1, please know you are always welcome.
The name Taize is from a monastic community in France which developed this style of prayer. It involves short songs with simple messages about God and faith that are sung repetitively to create a meditative atmosphere. The Taize community also uses this prayer style as an outreach to Christians of other denominations to promote a spirit of ecumenism.
And that's exactly what people can experience at Ascension on the first Friday of every month, February through December, and in January on New Year's Day, the World Day of Prayer for Peace, on whatever day of the week it falls.
Ever since that day 25 years ago, Taize prayer has come to draw quite a crowd of people from various denominations throughout the local community, and even beyond. Someone once told a story about a group flying from Mississippi to Chicago to attend the Taize prayer service at Ascension and then returning home on a late-night flight. Indeed, Ascension has developed quite a reputation for its monthly Taize prayer service, as people mention it to me from time to time when I tell them Ascension is my home parish. There's always a good-sized crowd at Taize: Even the one time I attended on July 4, at least half the church was filled. On New Year's Day, some people end up sitting in the choir loft on New Year's Day because the church sanctuary is already so full.
While Taize prayer services have been happening for a quarter-century now, I've only become a regular attender since I graduated from ValpU. I first encountered Taize on a regular basis at ValpU, because one day a week, the style of prayer at the late morning weekday Chapel services was Taize. I became very drawn to the meditative style of the prayer in song, the truths each song expressed.
After graduating, I wanted to continue experiencing Taize, so I started regularly attending the monthly Taize prayer at Ascension--though I think the very first time I ever attended was actually during the summer before my final year at ValpU at the invitation of my brother.
I keep coming back, in large part because I'm so drawn to the music. It's especially magnificent when Father Bob Hutmacher plays his harp, an instrument with a sound that suggests angels themselves brought it down from Heaven.
I also like how a Scripture passage is read in multiple languages, as a further sign of how Truth is something that touches people universally. David Anderson once gave me the privilege of being one of the English readers back in May of this year.
I've enjoyed praying at Taize so much, I made a point to regularly invite the families of my Religious Education students to come. One time, one of my students and her mom came, and the mom noted how beautiful it was.
Speaking of young people, it's wonderful how youth are specifically invited to participate in passing of the light, during which there's always an absolutely beautiful musical melody playing. Passing the light precedes singing a Psalm, the Scripture reading, and then the time when the congregation processes forth to place their candles in dishes filled with sand at the altar. Then comes a period of silence, lasting about 10 minutes--something else I experienced occasionally at Chapel services at ValpU, usually happening separately from Taize prayer days. I came to appreciate the silence and stillness very deeply. In the midst of life's flurried pace, I relish sitting in silence and simply being still. While my mind does wander, I definitely value the chance, for a short period of time, to deliberately remove myself from being surrounded by noise.
There are some especially wonderful songs prayed at Taize prayer in those liturgical seasons that follow the great Feasts of Christmas and Easter. Praying at Taize on January 1 is a fitting way to start the new year, as well as to continue celebrating Christ among us as the Word Made Flesh, in the spirit of the Christmas Season. And the joyful Easter songs combine with the flowers and other decorations in Church to enhance our celebration of the Risen Lord in the Easter Season. Then comes Pentecost, when the songs turn our focus to the Holy Spirit of God.
And all throughout the year, we have opportunity to voice our prayers aloud: Toward the end of the petitions, we are given the opportunity to name aloud those we know who are ill in mind, body, or spirit. Then, the reader of the petitions asks for what else we should pray. And so we use our voices to offer up prayers for specific intentions on our hearts. As we exit, we exchange a sign of peace, and put worship into action by donating money, which goes to support charities in the local area and abroad.
Indeed, Taize is an opportunity for us to experience the presence of God through a series of simple and profound gestures. As the community of those who gather moves forth from this silver anniversary, I pray we continue in this profound and simple spirit of prayer uniting us with God and one another. If you are ever available to come to Ascension Parish in Oak Park on the first Friday of the month, February through December, or January 1, please know you are always welcome.
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| Candles lit up around the altar at the end of the October 6, 2017, Taize Prayer Service at Ascension, marking 25 years of praying in the spirit of Taize |
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