Essential and Beautiful

Ever since the year after the Roe vs. Wade decision opened the door for more legal protections for abortions, the March for Life has been held in Washington, DC, as people gather to stand up for life.

With threats to marriage as we know it now increasing, a March for Marriage is being held, recently having held its 2nd annual March event last Thursday, June 19, 2014.

I am very pleased to see people gathering to stand up for marriage as a sacred institution given by God to human society as a channel for the special, intimate love experienced between a man and a woman, and which fosters the life and growth of people, namely, the children the husband and wife have and raise together.

Marriage is suffering from strains in recent years, as activists are seeking to redefine it to suit the desires of homosexuals.  But there have been other issues plaguing marriage, like a rise in divorce rates, and the lack of motivation on the part of many married couples to steer away from divorce.

This is why it's more important than ever to stand up for marriage as God gave it to humanity and intended for us to experience in all its beauty.

To put it in some perspective, I think back to the final moments of the very last episode of the 80's sitcom The Cosby Show.  Theo, who had been a troublesome son growing up, has graduated from college.  It's the evening after the graduation ceremony and the family and other guests have departed, leaving Cliff and Claire alone in the living room.  In the course of their conversation, Cliff tells Claire the doorbell has been fixed, which had been broken all throughout the last season, as a running side plot line.  She laughs it off, but Cliff persists in insisting that, once again, it's working.

To those who want to redefine marriage, I declare that marriage works--it works!

I've seen it work in the example of my own Mom and Dad who have lived happily married for over 30 years, despite the challenges they've faced together, and that I have been brought up well because of their commitment.  And I've seen it work in the example of other couples, especially as I think about my cousins Greg and Melissa, whose relationship I have seen grow into a joyful marriage, and into the even more abundant joy with their young daughter Ava.

Indeed, marriage is a fundamental to human society, and it has persisted through centuries of it as such.  Furthermore, only by the union of one man and one woman can humanity reproduce new offspring, and thus makes sense that such a union would be the way human beings are properly raised.  If we tamper with the institution of marriage, we not only alter the raising of children, but may very well jeopardize the existence of humanity, because we affect how it comes into existence.

So marriage between one man and one woman is important, and it works, so long as we work at it, trusting unto God our marital relationships, like all others, which are a great gift from Him, and reveal the love He has shown for us in giving of Himself that we may live to His praise.

A Pairing Made Deep in the Soul

So I had the opportunity to experience a unique part of Southern-style soul food: chicken and waffle.

From what I've gathered through my own reading, this dish has its origins at African-American night clubs.  Patrons would be there long after dinner, and would hunger for something, but the hour was still too early for breakfast.  The clubs served chicken and waffles, pairing typical foods from both meals.

There's not really anything in a culinary sense that would make the two complement each other--it's really all a matter of the logistics of putting something together to satisfy that middle of the night hunger.

Now, I'm a bit particular about the food I eat, and I usually reserve eating breakfast foods like waffles or pancakes to the time between when I wake up and before the hour right before midday.  Yet, when my Dad wanted to go to the Chicken and Waffles place in Oak Park just east of Madison and East for the occasion of Fathers' Day, I knew the time was right to try something different.  (I had been waiting for such an opportunity to go this place and try this out in the few years since the place opened.)

After going back and forth trying to decide what I wanted to pick from the menu, I settled on what was called "Monique's Love": a fried chicken breast with a waffle.  They came together on the plate, with the waffle having a lump of butter in the middle, and a little cup of syrup to the side.

I ate the dish by consuming the chicken and the syrup and butter and syrup-dressed waffle separately in some bites, and in other bites, eating pieces of them together.  It was an interesting taste in my mouth to have the meatiness of the chicken and the starchiness of the waffle, which was enhanced by the contrast of the sweet syrup.

All in all, I enjoyed my venture into the depths of Southern Soul cooking, and I'm willing to go back and try more of the items on the menu, and definitely the signature plate of chicken and waffles.

Partying Hard with Jesus Christ and Father Kevin

Father Kevin.

For those of us who know him well, that alone speaks volumes.  But I'm going to say more because Father Kevin marks the milestone of 25 years since his ordination as a priest on June 10, 2014.

And that's why I got in the family vehicle, having arranged to have use of it for a few hours, and drove 60 miles to Valparaiso, IN, to be present at the celebration of his silver anniversary of priesthood last weekend on Saturday, June 7.  (As I think about, I don't think I've ever traveled a further distance than 60 miles to attend Mass before in my life.  But Father Kevin and his milestone were enough reason that made the journey, on freeways and tollways, and then getting a bit turned around going through wooded areas, commercial strips, and open farm fields, all the worthwhile.)

What an incredible experience to be part of this magnificent celebration.  And how fitting that it was held on Pentecost weekend.  We celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, and how the Holy Spirit is still present and active in our midst, including in Father Kevin's ministry, especially at St. Teresa of Avila.

In his homily at Mass, Father Kevin spoke to both occasions.  He remarked that at the original Pentecost, the Apostles joined thousands of others for a pilgrim's feast.  (In some ways, I guess I can say that my journeying to Valparaiso for this celebration was like going on a pilgrimage.)  They came together in one place, as part of a custom, and God changed their lives forever.  God changed Father Kevin's life forever when he attended Mass one day, and he was encouraged by the words of the priest to consider the vocation of priesthood.

It was a decision that certainly impacted his life, but also impacted many, many others.  I'm sure the huge throng gathered for Mass, and then for the reception afterwards in two of the Harre Union ballrooms represented only a piece of the lives who have left an imprint on Father Kevin, and those on whom Father Kevin has left an imprint.

Certainly, he has reason to leave an impression on whoever he comes into contact with, because he such a lively person--to say the least.  He makes people laugh with all his silly antics, and really gets people riled up and excited.  And he's so full of energy, like when he leads the gathered assembly in his "Party Hard like Jesus Christ" routine--or is it "with Jesus Christ"?--I can't quite remember--which is probably why, back in the day, he was so good when involved with the cheerleaders in coach capacity.

I still remember the Kairos Retreat I attended my freshman year.  Unlike previous retreats, when he came at select times, he spent this entire weekend with the retreat group.  It was there that I saw his full self on display, spirituality and antics all.  This retreat weekend came a few days after he turned 50, and I remember remarking to friends and family after the retreat how I felt that with the energy Father Kevin showed he had bottled up inside of him that he could live to age 300.

Trivia night is always lots of fun with his serving as master of ceremonies.

And he's always adventurous when it comes to ordering Pizza Hut: he never sticks to getting just cheese and maybe pepperoni, but getting more interesting pizzas like supreme, everything, and white sauced pizza.

Then there was the night of the great blizzard of February 1-2, 2011.  In the newly-opened Ministry Life Center's student lounge, students were gathering to have fun on the night before a snow day of no classes.  Father Kevin, of course, was there, delighting that this space was being used exactly as he envisioned it.  I joined a group of people playing Scattegories, which included Father Kevin.  It was interesting to hear his answers, but also his response to the answers another person gave, which Father Kevin found so unusual, he belted out, on more than one occasion, "Can someone please tell me what planet this kid is from?"

By the way, Father Kevin is known for being loud.  Once, at the Mass on the Grass, when he started his homily, and, startled by the loudness of the microphone, said to the effect of, "All of campus will now hear me," someone quipped, "That's nothing new."

Then there was the time I attended Father Ted Mauch's ordination Mass, whom Father Kevin mentored during Father Ted's final pre-ordination assignment at St. Teresa's as a transitional deacon.  During the lengthy opening procession, which included 60 priests from throughout the Diocese of Gary, I was singing the song as they walked by and sang, when I heard a voice louder than the others--which was none other than Father Kevin.

And once, Father Kevin, at the start of Mass, recounted how a child at St. Teresa's once said, "When I grow up, I want to be loud like Father Kevin."  He added that he hoped the child also intended to be loud in the sense of being bold in proclaiming the Gospel.

Father Kevin certainly proclaims the Gospel boldly, and that makes me think about the impact he's left on my life.  Never before have I encountered such a rich combination of adjectives in one person:  Besides being lively, he's a godly, deeply spiritual, and profoundly prayerful person.  Father Kevin showed me how the Roman Catholic Church is an institution full of life, and is a force for positive action in the world, in the way he lives out his faith, and encourages others in the walk of faith.

I still remember the one evening I had dinner with him at the Union.  It was my junior year, and it was the day after Ash Wednesday.  I went to dinner not looking to meet up with anyone in particular when I encountered him, and he offered to eat with me.

Before we ate, he prayed.  Being away at school, I often found myself in different dining situations, not ever really sitting down at the same time as the people I ate with.  So I largely got out of the habit of praying out loud with a group of people before meals--I would just pray silently.  But that evening, breaking bread with Father Kevin, I was filled with a sense of God present, from the start when he prayed.  From that time on, I made a point to be more intent on praying out loud when I sat down to eat a meal with others.

This particular incident reveals how present Father Kevin is to his flock.  He could be found on campus from time to time, like on this day.  There were other times when he came to Chapel services during the week, sometimes even leading them.  In the midst of living my life as a student, I would encounter him, which is something that really stands out about Father Kevin as a spiritual leader, and allowed me the opportunity to get to know him on a more personal level.

During the remarks made at the reception following Mass on Saturday evening, it was clear that Father Kevin was also truly present to the other community members at St. Teresa's.  Constantly, whether at Mass or at other church functions, Father Kevin radiates a powerful spirituality in which he comes alongside us to urge us on in our walk of faith, and to strive be a community serving the greater glory of God.

The remarks covered the gamut of Father Kevin's spirituality and antics.  One person, who just completed her first year as a ValpU student, remarked that when she talked about Father Kevin to family and friends at home, she would describe him as a "5-year-old inside the body of a grown, bald man".

Another couple shared stories that showed how Father Kevin acts like a child.  They profoundly concluded by saying our faith teaches us to embrace Jesus like a child, and Father Kevin has shown us how to do so, even in all his antics.

As I stood there looking out across the many gathered at the reception, I had this sense that while we were there celebrating Father Kevin's milestone, we also had much reason to celebrate our own sense of community at St. Teresa's, which started as the fruition of a dream to provide a ministry to Roman Catholic students at Valparaiso University back in the 1970's, and has grown into a thriving community, thanks in large part to Father Kevin's efforts.  It made me realize that I was, and still am, a part of something great.  And as Father Kevin has as our motto, "We're all in this together", which was demonstrated beautifully on this Saturday evening.  (And how fitting that the founding priest of St. Teresa's was present for this celebration.)

Being present at this celebration was personally meaningful for me.  This was Pentecost weekend of 2014.  During Pentecost weekend of 2013, I celebrated my graduation from Valparaiso University.  So I was back again at ValpU to celebrate another milestone as I thought back just over a year ago to my own milestone that capped off an extraordinary time of my life.

And like in 2014, back in 2008, June 7 fell on a Saturday.  And on that Saturday, June 7, 2008, I attended my first--and still my only--wedding ever, for my cousin Greg and Melissa.  On that night, we celebrated their choosing to commit themselves to each other in the vocation of married life.  Six years later, I was at a celebration of Father Kevin's commitment to the vocation of the priesthood, and how it has impacted so many lives.  It was so wonderful for me to realize the juxtaposition of these occasions, and how God gifts each person a specific vocation by which each serves and glorifies Him.  It speaks much to me as I think about how I will serve God in my life in the years ahead.

One of those who made remarks at the reception for Father Kevin said she didn't know how to say "just a few words" about Father Kevin.  And in this post, I've certainly gone on and on about Father Kevin, but probably still haven't really covered everything.  But I think there's enough here to say the obvious: Father Kevin is an extraordinary individual, and God's Church, especially at St. Teresa of Avila, has been blessed to have received such a gift from God.

What a 25 years it's been for him as a priest--17 of them at St. Teresa of Avila.  I can't wait to see more of what will come in the years ahead, knowing God has already worked marvelously so far, and confident of more great things.

Father Kevin.

Thanks be to God.

During the Preparation of the Gifts at Mass on Saturday, as a gift to Father Kevin, the community of St. Teresa's fitted the altar and ambo with silvery cloths, to celebrate his 25 years as a priest.  Above, Father Kevin comes up to the podium in the ballroom after all the remarks offered in tribute to him.  Deacon Bob, dressed like Father Kevin (in White Sox garb) and addressing him, is to his right.

The Depth of Geography

"Without geography, you're nowhere," reads a bumper sticker I've come across on a car in the parking lot by Calvary Memorial Church.  That's an anecdote I've embraced by my passionate interest in geography for years.

And it's something that 10 young people manifested recently, at the annual National Geography Bee was held at the headquarters of the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC.

As a participant in the Geography Bee in the past, I especially make a point to watch the final round of the Bee every year, to keep up with this wonderful event, just as I enjoyed watching it in the years before participating.

This was the first year the Bee wasn't hosted by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, who, by the way, was in the audience and was acknowledged during the course of the proceedings--and does he look different not being in the presence of lots of lights and donning make-up.  Instead, broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien hosted.  She had a very refined style as she spoke, and a nice way of presenting herself, and did well running things on the stage.  (But I found one of the things she said a bit unsettling.  Right before the first eliminations started taking place, she talked about how the competition would get more fierce, with some wording I thought was too strong for a setting like this.)

I took note of how the contestants walked in as they were introduced at the beginning of the event, a different kind of touch to getting the excitement level up right off the bat, following a brilliant opening montage.  There were also some nice recorded video bits interspersed throughout the hourlong program, in which the contestants shared more about their interests and how they feel about participating.

It's always interesting to see how the folks managing the competition embellish the questions.  One was handed to Soledad from a drone, as National Geography Society staff out in the field use various drone devices in capturing photos of, for instance, lions.  Another was given by an astronaut on-board the International Space Station.  And still another came from a judge from a singing competition show who asked a pointed question about the location of his hometown in Australia.

I really liked the category of questions that involved a map of a city and the playing of music from that country.  I found the music for each question very catchy.  I was a bit surprised none of the contestants attempted to guess the city name (which would have been worth 3 points), and instead guessed only the continent (which merited 1 point).

The category with the food was also interesting, focusing on the culture of the locations through a particular lens.  I would have thought that more of the contestants would have gone for the challenge question, as at that later point in the proceedings, some didn't necessarily have as much to lose.

The final round of the Bee has adopted a points system in recent years, rather than eliminations after two wrong responses.  The organizers worked out the logistical issues that came up with timing when there was more back-and-forth among the contestants.

I was delighted to see the contestants act so cordially when they were dismissed after eliminations, shaking hands with fellow contestants as they exited the stage.  Even while acting so maturely, they showed themselves to be the young people they are.  In comparison to the very polished style Soledad O'Brien displayed, the youngsters just gave answers off the cuff in their own way, especially when talking about their ideas for future pursuits.  They didn't try to put on some kind of show, even champion Akhil Rekulapelli, an 8th grader from Virginia, when Soledad asked him how he felt about winning, and he just said he didn't know how to feel at such a big moment.  They expressed themselves in a genuine way, and that's one of the reasons why I like watching this competition.

What's really neat about this competition is that it gets these young people thinking more holistically about the world--and not just the 10 who get to the final round, but the hundreds of thousands across the nation who compete in the lower-level rounds.  It's not merely about memorizing facts about the location of places.  It's about having a broader understanding of the people, cultures, and politics of those places, the context in which they fit, and the way they interact.  By advancing into the more advanced levels of the competition, these young people show that they want to embrace a greater understanding of this world in which we live, and what fills it.  This is something I feel is very inspiring to all of us.

As I watched the proceedings of this year's competition, I couldn't help but think back to when I participated in it, during my middle school days.  And then I realized that this competition is one of the reasons why my middle schools years were such a special experience for me.  Those years were filled with opportunities like this, providing a channel for me to engage my interests and passions about things in this world.  Furthermore, it was inspiring that I had something, like this competition, affirm my desire to understand the world more and more.  And these kinds of opportunities were only present during my middle schools years, and haven't really come up in the same way since.

Indeed, it was something that inspired me at a young age, and urged me on to understand the world better as a way to enhance myself as a person.

So great job to all the participants of this year's National Geography Bee, and Godspeed to all those who will participate in next year's Bee.  No matter how well you do, keep inspiring us to know this amazing world and all that fills it in greater depth.

Illinois's Crucifixion of Marriage

On June 1, 2014, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness (RFMF) Act officially becomes law in the State of Illinois.  This law now changes the definition of marriage in Illinois to the union between one man and one woman to the union of any two people, thereby permitting the marriage of homosexual couples.  And I declare that truly marriage has been crucified in Illinois.

I remember last year when the legislation was going through the General Assembly.  It seemed that the Illinois State Senate passed it without much fuss, but it wasn't such a piece of cake for it to pass the House.  Its sponsor, Greg Harris, even got up and spoke at the end of the May 2013 session that he wouldn't call it for a vote because he wasn't confident it would be approved by enough House representatives.

There was a sense of hope that the legislation could be defeated.  That was the hope that urged me to take a stand for one man-one woman marriage by going to Springfield for Defend Marriage Lobby Day, sponsored by the Illinois Family Institute, and to take my stand for opposing RFMF.

So it was with disappointment and heartache just a couple weeks later when I heard the news that the House had passed the bill, which meant it would become law because it already passed the Senate and Governor Quinn was adamant about signing it.

If not outwardly, I cringed inwardly when I heard about Speaker Mike Madigan twisting the words that Pope Francis had spoken during a press conference the summer before stating, in regards to homosexual priests seeking God, "Who I am to judge?", as justification for passing the legislation during the debate before the vote.

As I took in the news, that my dear home state had taken this turn for the worst, I couldn't help but think, Why did this have to happen?  The legislation passed the House with a very close vote, and it could have easily have been voted down.

As I processed this, my thoughts turned to the seminal event of Christian faith: the crucifixion.  Christ was condemned by the religious authorities, who wanted to practice religion their own way.  When Christ was brought before Pilate, the governor insisted He was innocent and wanted to release Him.  Yet at the trial of Jesus, the cries of the crowd for crucifixion prevailed, and Pilate gave in and sentenced Jesus to be crucified.

Many of Jesus's followers and disciples looked to Him as the One from God who would save Israel.  Therefore, it didn't make sense to them that Jesus would die.  He was supposed to conquer the world, not be conquered by it.

Yet through the awful and senseless killing of Jesus Christ, God was able to bring about the salvation of the world, and give new Life to His people when Christ rose from the dead on the third day.

Similarly, the cries of the LGBTQ advocates, emotional and otherwise, demanded that the law be changed so they could be allowed to consummate their love with the benefits of marriage.  But there were, and are, plenty in this state who believe otherwise, and they raised their voices, too.

It would have been great if the legislation had been voted down and marriage in Illinois could have been preserved as the union between one man and one woman.  And it was so close.  Why did it have to happen?

As God was able to draw something good out of the awful event of the Crucifixion, I think something similar can definitely be said of this situation.  While it's terrible that marriage has been redefined in Illinois, I'm sure it is all part of God's plan for this world.  While it seems God has been defeated in a way by this law, I know that God will ultimately triumph on the "third day", and all unrighteousness, that which is not of Him, shall fade away.  That is why I will keep on waiting upon God, standing for the truth that marriage is a sacred gift He has granted to humanity to be a life-long relationship between a man and a woman, modeling the love that He has shown to us humanity.

Somehow, even in this awful mess that exists, I know that God will redeem it and draw out of it a glorious triumph.  And as I join God's people in waiting upon Him in these troubling times, I know we shall share in the triumph.

All Aboard for Trains!

I don't make much of a secret my enamorment of trains.  If you've been following my blog, you'll know that I took a train trip to North Charleston, SC, the second of two in 2013, with the other one being to Austin, TX in January.  There's a certain charm to using trains to traveling about this great country.  It's a mode of travel that allows me to really experience it.  (I also like using light rail train systems in various US cities I've visited.)

So that's why the second Saturday in May is a fun day for me, when National Train Day comes chugging in.  This year was the 7th annual National Train Day, and I've been to almost all of the events held on this day at Union Station since the first one held on Saturday, May 10, 2008.

At Union Station at the opening remarks for this year's event, Tom Carper, who sits on the Amtrak Board of Directors, spoke well to the theme of this year's event: Trains Matter.  He talked about how railroads helped build up numerous cities throughout the US in years past, and how they still play an important role in moving people around today, especially in a region like the Midwest.  A commissioner with the Chicago Department of Transportation also spoke and said that nearly 120000 people board or alight trains at Union Station every day.  As far as those numbers are concerned, that ranks it up there with the top 10 busiest US airports, and that's more people than pass through Midway Airport.

Following the opening remarks, I went to look at the train equipment displays, which featured various cars used on Amtrak passenger trains.  It was a great chance to see some spaces I wouldn't have much access to, like the kitchen in the lower level of the dining car, and the sleeping car accommodations.  There were also some luxury vintage rail cars on display for people to walk through.

Sleeping car accommodations

Above and below: views of the kitchen, in the level beneath the dining car

Something else fun I did this year was take a ride on an Amtrak National Train Day excursion train.  The train traveled out into the rail yard south of Union Station, onto the tracks that head southwest toward St. Louis, and then south onto the tracks that cross the South Branch of the Chicago River, near Ping Tom Park.  We then went all the way back into Union Station, and out the other side onto the tracks that head north, toward Fox Lake, Milwaukee, and beyond, before going back into the south rail yard and then back to the platform.

All the while, an Amtrak staff person was giving commentary about the operations of Amtrak trains, such as the logistics of the track signals, and the various facilities used in the south yard to maintain them, like where the trains get washed.

She also spoke about the importance of trains today.  And it's vital to have a transportation option like trains to move people around the country, when, for example, flying falls short.  It's certainly good to have this option, in case of a situation when aviation operations have to suspended, like we saw in the days right after September 11, and in 2010 when Eyjafjallajokull erupted.  And it's good just to have it as another mode of transportation.  She also said trains provide a great way to connect with fellow passengers and enjoy the journey.

There is indeed a certain sort of magic and charm to train travel.  You hop on, sit in a nice, comfy seat, and just relax, while taking in the sights along the route.  And there's a certain sense of community that the train fosters, as it allows for people to move around comfortably while spending a number of hours together.

While it's true that my passion for trains is fueled in part by an aversion to air travel--at least for domestic trips--it's also motivated by an appreciation for the way trains allow me to really see the country I'm going through, to be able to appreciate the journey, and not be so focused on getting to the destination.

I look forward to seeing how leaders and other citizens work together to enhance the rail infrastructure in the United States so that it can continue being an important part of moving people around.  And I look forward to more opportunities to experience the thrill and charm of riding the rails and soaking in this great country.

Thanks to the kindly conductor, whose nametag read "R. Jimenez", who offered to take pictures of people riding the NTD excursion train

Fitting Tribute, Now Silver

On Sunday, May 25, 2014, the 25th National Memorial Day Concert was held on the west lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I've made a point to watch this concert every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day (observed) for the last decade or so.  It is a masterpiece in offering tribute to those who have served this country in the armed forces and paid so dearly, having given the ultimate sacrifice, or living the rest of their lives dealing with the effects of major injuries.  The concert includes the telling of some of the stories of these people, narrated by famous actors.  They do such a good job bringing dignity to these people and their families, who represent who represent just a few of those who have been touched by war's effects.

The musical pieces also offer moving tribute to the soldiers, especially the prayer that is sung, which, over the years I've viewed the concert, has been the "Our Father", the Schubert rendition of Ave Maria, and "Pie Jesu".

There is also opportunity to give recognition to those who serve with the medley of the songs of the branches of the Armed Forces.  And there's usually the inclusion of some very lively music from the era of World War II, like the USO-style musical number during this year's concert.

This concert does a superb job in helping us remember the sacrifices made by members of the US armed forces in service to this country, and the struggles for the injured to live their lives, and the families who participate in the sacrifice along with them.  It is important that we remember what sacrifices have been made for this country, so that we can rededicate ourselves to the work of creating a truly great and righteous United States of America for all people to live in, in this the peace won for us.