Follow-up: Oak Park Farmers' Market

As I celebrate 33 years in Oak Park during this Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, I know that the Oak Park Farmers' Market is one of many reasons for me to celebrate.  Since it concluded its 50th Season on October 25, it's fitting to follow-up from my previous post from September.

I enjoyed more of the bake sales, including the OPRFHS Female Cross-Country Team, since I've had former students on that team over the years, including this year.  The bake sales were a great way to support many organizations in the community, all the way up to the final day, when it was the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory.

Each week, I continued to see at least one person I know at the Market.  I'm not sure if I've noticed that in previous seasons, so I was glad it happened this year, and I could appreciate the community dimension of the market.

For many years, I liked going to the market to buy a pumpkin that I carved for All Saints Eve.

As we headed deep into autumn, it was delightful to buy from an abundant variety of apples, especially at Walter Skibbe's stand.

Other produce I enjoyed from the market included zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

I cut up and cooked a zucchini in the crockpot with a roast.

Toward the end of the season, I made sure to stock up on microwaveable popcorn.

One week, Mom and I went, and I made a point to linger for at least a couple of minutes to enjoy the folk band's music.

For the final day, I got in line to enjoy stone soup, a representation of the abundance at the market.

Indeed, throughout the weeks of the market, there was a bounty of farm goods and savoring of community connections.

Well done, Farmers' Market.  Congratulations on, and thanks for, this wonderful 50th Season.  I look forward to shopping again in May.

Besides my lunch, here on the table is a snapshot of what Mom and I bought at the Oak Park Farmers' Market one week. 

Dear 1036 Clarence: The Delights of Where I Began

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

I am overjoyed to once again celebrate the anniversary of the day my family came to you.

I still consider you the place where I came into existence.

It has been a joy to bring others to experience you.

When it was time for Thanksgiving Break week 15 years ago, I came home with my longtime roommate Zach, who spent the night.  For sure, I was overjoyed to be coming back home to you.  With each step of the journey, starting with the South Shore Line ride to the Blue Line ride to the walk from the Oak Park Avenue Station, it was special to feel the anticipation build because it would be a whole new type of homecoming as Zach accompanied me.  Once home, we had a nice meal, and we were able to really relax after a week with a large workload.

My other friends followed in making their visits, Richard, Tyler, Roy, and Matthew.  It was also memorable when Roy came to stay with Rogenique during the New Year's Holiday 2022 after we three attended Heather and Zach's wedding.

Over the course of the years, as the seasons passed and I was in different stages of life, I rejoiced in how you held such special meaning.

I'm glad to say that my special experiences have continued.  As is my custom, when I go to Ascension Church, I park right by you and walk there.  As I left RE class one evening earlier this month, I reached Avila where I parked her.  I saw Jim, one of the neighbors, emerge and say he was looking for the aurora borealis. I looked toward the west, and I was amazed to see a red glow in the night sky.

The color red reminds me of the vibrant red color of the tree out in front every autumn.  First, the leaves would change and then a red carpet would appear on the ground around it.  When I marked the 15th anniversary of my Confirmation in 2020, the red color suited my mood in celebrating the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit in my life, and the joy of God's presence.

I felt God's presence manifest in so many special ways inside of you.

That's why I continue to be convinced that I'm not just lucky, I'm blessed!

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

We remain connected:

All my relations.

God's blessings,

Paul

Lord God, I come before you with a heart filled with joyful Thanksgiving for the gift of 1036 Clarence Avenue.  The joy transcends those years and continues to stir my heart. It continues to be a gift that keeps on giving, an impact that outlasts Mom and Dad's decision for our family to live in you 33 years ago.  I am grateful for their decision.  And I bless, praise, and magnify You, O God, the Source of all Goodness. Amen.

Joyful, Joyful, we adore You, Lord.

Thanksgiving Thoughts 2025

I'm stirred profoundly in the heart on this Thanksgiving Day because there's so much about this celebration that touches what is most valuable.  As I read the words of President Washington's and President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamations, I notice a major theme of language that calls the people of the USA to recognize the goodness and blessings around us.

I think about all my travels this year, and how I've been able to connect in new ways with this wonderful country, especially while onboard Amtrak.  One place I went for the first time was Boston, in a region that has contributed so much to the story of the USA, particularly with the way that the colony of Plymouth has figured so prominently into the narrative of the Thanksgiving celebration.

Yet there was a Thanksgiving celebration that happened on these shores long before 1620.  When Spanish settlers founded St. Augustine, Florida, the first permanent European settlement in North America, they celebrated Mass.  At its heart is the Eucharist from a Greek word for Thanksgiving.  In that light, I see strong spiritual overtones in this holiday that is a regular part of my life.  Every time I attend Mass, I think of what I'm thankful for and use it as an opportunity to offer those thanksgivings to God, to uplift my spirits in all circumstances.

One person who helped foster devotion to the Eucharist was St. Carlo Acutis.  He was so devout, going to Mass on a daily basis. He even created a website showcasing Eucharistic miracles throughout the world.  It was a joyful day when he was canonized on September 7.  His story resonates so much with me for many reasons, including that we were born in the same calendar year.

In recent years, I've felt drawn to and embraced the power of what is uplifting.  One great recent example was this past Friday morning. I woke up feeling tired, and then I saw an email from Relevant Radio about the upcoming live audience with Pope Leo XIV at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, which was livestreamed.

As I tuned in, I felt so uplifted hearing this conversation between 5 teens selected for the honor of asking Pope Leo XIV a question and the wonderful insights Pope Leo offered them, which spoke to me.  And I thought of what an honor it was for those teens to have such an incredible opportunity with the first US-born Pope.

God is truly alive, at work to bring us Abundant Life in all our circumstances.  So all the time, we constantly have reason to give thanks.

Word on Fire, Ablaze for 25 Years

Today is Bishop Robert Barron's birthday.  It's particularly special to celebrate him as this year marks the 25th anniversary of Word on Fire, the organization he founded.

I watched a mini-documentary about Word on Fire's origins that was released on October 1, the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, who is a patron of the organization.  Cardinal George heard the call of Pope St. John Paul II to launch a new evangelization.  He recognized the gifts of then-Father Barron, and tapped him to spearhead the work of the New Evangelization.

Something Bishop Barron said in recent months speaks to the nature of Word on Fire.  He says that the Church should move beyond functions inside church buildings and go out to where people are.  He started by broadcasting homilies on the radio.  Now, Word on Fire has become a huge media-driven organization,  providing stellar resources to proclaim the faith in print and oline.  One great example, among the many books from Word on Fire, is the one on the Eucharist.  Its YouTube channel lots of great content.  There's also the Word on Fire program with stimulating discussions.   Bishop Barron hosts interviews with many people to talk about principles of faith.  One I recently listened to was with Rabbi Soloveichik, a fellow member of a presidential committee on religious freedom.  And he offers a weekly homily, which deeply emphasizes the truths of faith and how they should impact us.  He offer makes a remark saying, "Fellow sinners", noting that there are times when we don't live up to the call of living faithfully.  He also draws principles from the readings that summons us to strive deeply for what matters most in life, like loving as willing the good of the other.  He has a truly gifted mind, and this occasions gives us so much to celebrate.

It's a ministry that continues the call of Pope St. John Paul II and Cardinal George.  IT's great that Bishop Barron is visionary in launching a Word on Fire Order that will continue this work into the future, so the Church can continue to answer the call to boldly proclaim the faith.

I saw Bishop Barron speak in person at the National Eucharistic Congress before 50000 people inside Lucas Oil Stadium on July 20, 2024.  When he came out on the stage, people spontaneously gave him a standing ovation.  After a powerful talk on what chastity, obedience, and poverty for all of us, he intended to quote St. Catherine of Siena's attributed statement, "Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire."  Instead, he slipped, and said "...you will set the Word on Fire".

Perhaps that slip speaks to the impact of how Word on Fire has helped people to be who God meant them to be and set the world on fire.

Happy Birthday Bishop Barron!

Congratulations and God's Blessing to Word on Fire!

Bishop Barron at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress

A Capitol Milestone

It was 225 years ago when the US Congress held its first session in the US Capitol, on November 17, 1800. This milestone brings to mind my US Capitol experiences.

My family visited when I was in 2nd grade on Spring Break, and I remember the rotunda was so large and full of artwork.  When we visited again on July 26, 2011, we had a guided tour led by the staff of Representative Danny Davis's Office.  At that age, I could appreciate the experience more, and we went more in-depth.  We started at his office in the Rayburn House Office Building, and then went through an underground passageway into the Capitol Visitors' Center, which had a great museum.

In the lower level, we all stood at the spot that marks the center of the US Capitol and the address system for Washington, D.C.  We then went into the rotunda where I admired the artwork once more. We also saw then-Speaker John Boehner.  We walked around in other areas, including the Statuary Hall.  We even went into the House Chamber to sit in on a few minutes of the House session.

There's something magnificent about the building, the site of important government functions.  Moving beyond the fickle nature of politics today, it's amazing to simply marvel at the bulding itself and appreciate what it says about who we are.

Dear Bishop Kane

In celebrating the 20th anniversary of my Confirmation one month ago, I can reflect back on 20 years and see how much of an impact it had on me.  One of the best early examples was when my first-year high school literature teacher assigned us an essay about a transformative life experience.  I quickly chose my Confirmation as the subject of that essay, and my teacher, who was a Catholic-turned-Buddhist, was pleased with what I shared.  The effects have continued all the way to accompanying youths at my home parish today in preparing for Confirmation.

One of the tasks they have is to write a letter to the Bishop on why they want to be confirmed.  That was not a task that was part of my Confirmation process.  Yet I know what I would have written based on my understanding of how much groundwork was done to make Confirmation an impactful experience, which I recognize now even as I did 20 years ago.

Dear Bishop Kane,

I am eager to be confirmed as a Catholic Christian.  

I grew up attending Mass with the St. Giles Family Mass community before my family switched to Ascension.  Throughout my life, I have grown to appreciate what happens at Mass, and my faith in general.

Starting as a student at Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park has made an enormous impact on me.  I went from my area in southern Oak Park to a new school in 6th grade with students from all over the Village.  We pride ourselves on diversity in Oak Park, and I saw that in a big way upon starting at Julian and meeting people from a variety of backgrounds, especially many Jewish people.  Before Julian, I knew only one Jewish person and her family.  Once I started at Julian, that number increased immensely.  As I met so many Jewish people among my new classmates, I learned more about their religion.  And then I turned inwardly to reflect on who I am as a Christian, and I began to appreciate my faith more.

I have come to enjoy the liturgical seasons.  Instead of just celebrating Christmas and Easter on single days, we have seasons before and after them to continue focusing on the rich meanings we can draw out of them.  It's wonderful to attend Mass and open ourselves up to new insights that are presented in the weeks of these special seasons.

There is so much richness in the Church, and I get to be part of it more fully as a Confirmed Catholic, and draw something from it for my day-to-day life..  Being grounded in the Church, I will live out my faith more fully in the world with great courage.

God's blessings,

Paul

Chris Stefanick and His Golden Milestone

The Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John Lateran is a great opportunity to recognize the one and only Chris Stefanick, who turned 50 on his birthday on October 30.

I first encountered him when the Ascension Religious Education program used the Chosen curriculum for the middle school classes.  It was then that I learned he's a well-known Roman Catholic speaker, and I quickly came to understand why.  He has an energetic style as he answers the Great Commission to proclaim the Good News, and how it's truly Good News for us on a personal level.

He's at the head of Real Life Catholic.  ON a weekly basis, he releases a new video, many of which are interviews with people who present great insights on topics related to the spiritual life, like Maggie Craig on friendship.  He hosts Reboot events at parishes across the country.  I had the chance to attend one of these events in Orland Hills a few years ago and I talked with him for a moment during the event.

Last year, I heard him speak before 60000 people at the final day of the National Eucharistic Congress.  Even as he spoke before a huge crowd in Lucas Oil Stadium, I still felt that energetic style that resonated with me on a personal level.  The driving point of his message is that we're loved by God, and we're meant to grow in a relationship with Him and share this amazing reality with others.  Case in point, he lives what he preaches.

White House Milestone

Washington, D.C., received its most distinguished resident for the first time 225 years ago when President John Adams arrived to live in what is now the White House, on November 1, 1800.  This milestone anniversary reminds me of the importance of this building for both its role in our government and how it presents our nation as a whole to the world stage.

I have been inside the White House twice.  Back in 1999, when our family had a spring break trip to Washington, D.C., we got timed tour tickets to go inside.  5 years later, we got access into the White House during a short trip there in December 2004 and we saw the special decorations in place.  20 years later, I was in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area again for time with family in December 2024.  I met a family that went to the White House grounds to see a display of trees for all 50 states, and I took a cue from them and went to see the displays myself.

The White House is not just the residence and workplace of the President of the United States, but also is a living display of who we are as a country, collecting a treasure trove built by each President of items that speak to the USA.  The White House Historical Association does a great job stewarding the history and treasures of the White House, as I've seen through its various offerings, especially on YouTube.

The day after arrival, President Adams wrote to his wife in a letter, "I Pray Heaven To Bestow The Best Of Blessings On This House And All that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof.”  This quotation is now on a mantel in the White House.  May we continue to pray that wise and honest men may humbly acknowledge the important role they take in the office housed in this building.