Today marks a momentous occasion in the history of government, law, and of the world at large, when, on June 15, 1215, King John gave his assent to the Magna Carta at Runnymede, after having been forced to do so by a group of English nobles.
It's a good opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the nature of law and government. I think back to my Justice class in Christ College during the first semester of my senior year at Valparaiso University. In my final essay, I reflected a little on how government came into existence. Drawing from John Locke's Second Treatise on Government, I wrote that, "God gave all humans land in the state of nature, but in order to make use of the land, humans had to apply labor to it, from which emanates private possessions. But then conflicts arise when private interests compete. To better preserve themselves, people band together, and hand the authority of protection of their personal possessions to a government. The society then leaves the state of nature that God ordained". (As an aside, I also quoted from Rod Blagojevich's book The Governor in this essay.)
I see that government originally formed when people banded together for their own well-being. But as societies developed, the power shared by all eventually consolidated into a single figure, namely a king, which was the case by the time of the Magna Carta. And the idea of the divine right of kings, that God ordained kings to sit on the throne, would continue for centuries after the Magna Carta.
But here, a group of nobles challenged the authority of a king who they felt had wielded too much power, and used this document to restrain him, while asserting their rights. There would be other instances in British history when this happened, and then, in a similar spirit came the American Revolution, which was all about dissolving all connections with a King who wielded power to inflict injustices on his subjects.
And in this spirit of the American Revolution came other movements of people to reassert their authority to wield their own governmental powers. Today, few absolute monarchies exist in the world, especially in comparison to democratic governments.
It says something about our desire as humans to want to rule ourselves. Yet we find ourselves needing to strike a balance between delegating authority to certain individuals for logistical reasons, and not letting any of those people have too much authority over us.
That's why I think it's so important to be involved in our government, at all levels, especially in a democratic system like we have in the United States, because it's our government, and we might as well act like it is.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Monday, June 8, 2015
One Decade of Joyful Julian Recall
It is a day I remember in a celebratory spirit each year:
Wednesday, June 8, 2005. That was the
day I graduated from Percy Julian Middle School, marking the end of three
amazing years, when, at approximately 8:20 PM, my 8th grade advisory and science teacher
Ms. Teubert called out my name and I walked across the stage to receive my
diploma from District 97 Board member Dr. Blankemeier. (The picture below captures me (just right of center) walking across the stage immediately after receiving my diploma from Dr. Blankemeier, who is to the left, in a whitish dress.)
While many people write off these years, I fondly recall those three great years I spent as a student at
Julian, because I flourished in many ways as a person during my time there. I feel that many aspects of who I am as a person can be traced back to my
experiences there.
Perhaps this is why I regard middle school in a more generally optimistic way than many, especially the District 97 board candidates in the recent local elections campaign who spoke about the problematic nature of middle school, not only because of the stage of life of the students, but because they dissipate the tight-knit communities the elementary schools foster. I’ll admit that there were many imperfections in my middle school years. Yet somehow, this time of my life always manages to rise above those bad aspects to glimmer beautifully. And it was a very particular arrangement of circumstances that together contributed to making my middle school experience so memorable.
Perhaps this is why I regard middle school in a more generally optimistic way than many, especially the District 97 board candidates in the recent local elections campaign who spoke about the problematic nature of middle school, not only because of the stage of life of the students, but because they dissipate the tight-knit communities the elementary schools foster. I’ll admit that there were many imperfections in my middle school years. Yet somehow, this time of my life always manages to rise above those bad aspects to glimmer beautifully. And it was a very particular arrangement of circumstances that together contributed to making my middle school experience so memorable.
It was also during the campaign that I gained new insights
about what went into making the middle schools possible in Oak Park back around
2000. I engaged in an extensive exchange via e-mail with Bob Spatz, who currently sits on the District 97 board, and who was very involved
in the efforts to get the middle schools built.
And I think that the newness of the buildings and the experience they contain definitely serves as the basis for my memorable middle
school period.
I came to middle school wracked by disillusionment from some hard times during 5th grade, which didn’t at all put me in the
right mindset to start 6th grade, much less starting at a new
school. Yet it was a momentous time in
Oak Park: After much planning, two new
middle schools were completed, and the 6th graders started attending
them along with grades 7 and 8. So that Tuesday, September 3, 2002--what
would have otherwise been a mundane, first day at a new school--was a day that
my classmates and I made Oak Park history as the first group of 6th
graders to attend Julian. At the same time, 5/8-mile west on Washington Boulevard, my
counterparts became the first group of 6th graders at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle
School. Furthermore, it was also
something totally new for my 6th grade core class, and even electives, teachers, and many
others, too, who came from other District 97 schools to teach at Julian. We were indeed starting out together in this
bold new experiment. A term I heard
tossed about during my 6th grade year was “guinea pigs”, in
reference to us being the first to be part of the 6th grade
experience at the middle schools.
So despite my nervousness starting out, I recognized it was
something amazing to be starting at a new school that was also a brand new
school building, which was built thanks to the planning efforts of people at
District 97, and the voters of Oak Park who approved a referendum to raise
taxes to pay for the new buildings.
The buildings have such a sophisticated, modernistic
design. But the part of the physical
space that I feel specially contributed to my success was the team wings. These wings formed the organization of the
academic learning teams of the core classes. I liked this structure of the teams, which helped us form close
relationships with teachers and students, even in the midst of the large
setting of the building.
On those teams, I obtained a great education that
contributed significantly to my personal growth. Especially in social studies class, I was able to learn more about this country, which helped foster in me a strong sense of pride in what it means to be an American, also fostered outside of school, such as through my own reading of books about US history and places, and even watching the PBS show Liberty’s
Kids, which debuted at the same time I started 6th grade. This particular example highlights how significant things happened in my
life outside the walls of Julian, but worked in tandem with certain things
happening at school. It was the first
sense I had of how my education would connect with the larger purposes I would
attain in fulfilling my life’s vocation, extending beyond my schooling, before
I fully comprehended such a concept.
There were other significant projects happened in classes that allowed me to think more deeply about things going on in the larger world, like in math classes, CMT, and Arts and Culture class in 6th grade.
But some of the notable ways I personally expressed myself
during those years at Julian occurred outside of class time in competitions like
the Spelling Bee, the National Geography Bee, and the Word Power Challenge, to
name a few, and I excelled in the first two in that list. I never imagined myself excelling at spelling,
but I made it to the final school round all three years.
As far as the National Geography Bee is concerned, I was
definitely in my element as a participant.
I’ve enjoyed geography ever since grade 2, and this was a fantastic
opportunity to put my knowledge about the world to the test, and have some fun along the
way.
I also served on Student Council, which gave me great
experience taking leadership and working on projects, a couple of which I did
in the desire to serve my fellow students.
I also got to experience “instant celebrity-hood”, albeit brief, on two occasions: When I ran for Student Council Vice
President in grade 7, I gave a campaign speech before the whole school--in two batches--that managed to impress many.
The next year, in 8th grade, many took note of me when I served as the narrator in a video on respect that Student Council did, as part of the school's efforts to promote good character qualities.
The most important area of personal growth I experience
during middle school was a greater appreciation for my own cultural/religious
background. Oak Park prides itself on
being a diverse community, and I was able to experience that more fully when I
left my area of Oak Park and went to Julian.
This happened most strongly with the many Jewish people I met.
Before I started grade 6, I’m pretty sure I knew only one
Jewish person well. In the first few
weeks at Julian, that number skyrocketed.
I encountered Jewish people among my friends and classmates at every
turn of a corner, and had a good relationship with one Jewish friend in particular. There was also my 6th grade math
and language arts teacher Mr. Brachman.
He openly talked about his experiences being Jewish, which added much
depth to our study of the Holocaust.
Their openness to being Jewish as part of who they are was an incredible
experience for me, to get to know these people on such a level, in a more
personal way. The greatest privilege of
my life was when my good friend invited me to his Bar Mitzvah, which opened up the Jewish
religion for me in a whole new way.
Encountering their openness to expressing who they are
caused me to turn inwardly and ponder who I was more deeply, my culture and especially my own
religion. It accelerated a process that
had already started by which I came to appreciate my own Christian faith more
deeply. This was quite a change from the
time of my childhood when I thought little of my background, desiring to be something more exotic.
This was the first time in my life I really embraced faith for myself,
and this newfound appreciation led to the empowerment I received when I was Confirmed a few months after I left middle school, and would be a foundation that
would be built upon during my college years.
Indeed, I grew and flourished as a person during my time at
Julian. And so when I reached the day of
my graduation, I had much to look back upon with great delight.
 |
| My Mom took this picture of me the morning of June 8, 2005, right before I set off on the mile-long walk from home to Julian for my last day as a student there. |
Yet, as time passed, June 8 became for me the crowning day
of all I had accomplished during middle school, and of all the wonderful ways I
had been shaped and had grown, in addition to being the last day I spent as a
student at Julian, the last physical connection I had with the wonderful middle school experience. I would go forth from that graduation
ceremony, carrying forth the person shaped by my middle school years into life
ahead. So that cap I wore was like a
crown upon my experiences.
Looking back from where I am in life now, the origin of many
of my perspectives and aspects of my person I trace back to my days at Julian,
with the two major aspects being my strong sense of patriotism and civic duty,
and my faith. I’ve gotten very involved
in my community and in the democratic process of the republic of the United
States, which was fostered by my studies of US history and government, both in
class and on my own.
Middle school was also the start of the process by which I
came to appreciate my faith. Combined
with what happened during college, I eventually ended up becoming involved in
Religious Education (RE) at Ascension Parish, both as a RE class teacher and a
Confirmation small group mentor. I can
take my strong sense of faith and put in dialogue and interaction with young
people who are forming their own sense of faith. Being around middle schoolers, especially
those who currently attend Julian, reminds me of the amazing time I was having
in life at their age, and what has inspired me to have the sense of faith I
have now. I know from my experience that
there’s so much potential for them at their age, when they are starting to
emerge into their teen years and developing their own sense of who they
are. It has been an honor and privilege
to be part of the faith formation for these young people.
And how wonderful it was, 10 years after I was their age, to
be on the other side of the graduation ceremony, and congratulate the 8th
graders who were finishing their time in the RE program at the end of the
year. When I was being recognized as an
8th grader at the end of my time in RE at Ascension, I sure didn’t
think I’d be back as a teacher of middle schoolers 10 years later, but there I
was, and what a rewarding experience it was.
I recognize that my classmates and I blazed the way for a
whole new middle school experience in Oak Park.
We were the “guinea pigs”, and we made it through three years. So far as I can tell, the middle school
experience continues to be successful, and the people in charge continue to
implement ways to enhance the middle school experience.
Recently, I attended CAST's The Diary of Anne Frank at Julian, and BRAVO's Mary Poppins at Brooks Middle School. Being there for these two productions, I could tell that the students involved, onstage and behind the scenes, really embraced the opportunity they had through theater programming to express themselves creatively. And I think it’s great that
these young people have these excellent opportunities to express themselves as
they forge their own sense of identity and path in life. I know also the middle schools have robotics
programs, which have even involved sending students to national competitions. And there are other big things happening with
the implementation of the International Baccalaureate curriculum, too.
As my marvelous experience at Julian wound down, I was
eager to share my wonderful memories in a speech at the graduation ceremony. While I didn’t get to speak about
my wonderful experiences that night, I’ve gotten to do something just as great,
if not even greater: I’ve spent the past
decade singing the praises of Julian, and will spend the rest of my life doing
so.
Furthermore, my name lives on at Julian with all my other classmates of 2005 on a plaque that is still on a wall in the main first floor hallway at Julian, as a memorial to us "trailblazers" and "guinea pigs" and what we got to experience. I am grateful for all those who made it possible, from the people who had the vision, through those who approved it, and the teachers who made the experience great day in and day out.
Furthermore, my name lives on at Julian with all my other classmates of 2005 on a plaque that is still on a wall in the main first floor hallway at Julian, as a memorial to us "trailblazers" and "guinea pigs" and what we got to experience. I am grateful for all those who made it possible, from the people who had the vision, through those who approved it, and the teachers who made the experience great day in and day out.
Because of you, one decade after my 8th grade
graduation, I am proud to say I am a member of the Percy Julian Middle School
Class of 2005.
Note: This post is an abridged version of the reflection I wrote for this occasion, which has additional details on specific aspects of my time at Julian, especially certain activities. If you'd like to read it, please feel free to contact me.
The Wednesday Journal recently published a condensed version I wrote of this post and its associated unabridged reflection: http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/5-19-2015/Fond-memories-of-Julian-Middle-School/
 |
| At home, after the graduation ceremony, in my cap and gown, displaying my diploma. |
The Wednesday Journal recently published a condensed version I wrote of this post and its associated unabridged reflection: http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/5-19-2015/Fond-memories-of-Julian-Middle-School/
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Post-College Two Years
Today marks two years since my graduation from Valparaiso University, the event which inspired the launch of this blog.
Especially in the past year since the one-year anniversary of this event, I've noticed a shift in the way I relate to the Valparaiso University community as an alumnus. In my first year as an alumnus, I had many connections to campus in the number of people I knew there as students. But those relationships I had with fellow students are now heading beyond campus. Indeed, there were a number of times in the past year I visited with ValpU friends in other places beyond campus, as they have now become alumni themselves. So the campus is no longer the primary setting for the interactions I have with fellow members of the ValpU community, but is nonetheless what inspires me to maintain them, and what brings them alive when I get together with friends who are now alumni. (I even enter a celebratory mood as I think about the new batch of graduates of the class of 2015, as I had some very good relationships with a number of people in that class in particular.)
Furthermore, it fits well with other events I attend with ValpU alumni, as we share the connection of a common experience on campus. And I've found myself to be among the youngest of the alumni at such events. Once, when I attended a concert of the ValpU Chorale at a church in Chicago while they were on their Spring Break tour, a woman turned to me during the intermission to ask if I was a ValpU student proper, because of my apparent age. My connections to campus are still fresh, and serve as the foundation of memories of good days there.
And it still fills me with a sense of excitement when something like the Department of Geography and Meteorology alumni newsletter shows up in my e-mail inbox. It's exciting to see what's happening on campus, and to hear about the meaningful experiences students there are currently having, because it takes me back to what I experienced.
I've also shifted more focus to living out what I gained, especially the big take-away from my ValpU experience, that of my overall life's vocation, merging my education, job, and other involvements, in my community, church, and family. My college experience was about more than an education--it was about living life to the fullest.
This is what I've been living out day by day since my college graduation. It led me through a discernment process to start pursuing my MLIS degree at Dominican University--and the process of applying for the program there gave me reason to turn back to the many relationships I forged during my ValpU experience. I see this new phase of my life's vocational journey as in line with what ValpU taught me, that work is not the only part of life, but one piece of a larger whole that drives me to live with meaningful purpose.
This vision for life has also inspired me to become very involved in ministries at my home parish. Being part of a faith community is a highly important part of my life, because of the opportunities I have to build relationships, and to serve others. My renewed sense of and appreciation for faith that I gained during college inspired me in particular to be involved in the Religious Education program, as I put my strong sense of faith in interaction with young people who are developing their own sense of faith.
Indeed, college was an extraordinarily significant time in my life, and its influence continues with me as I chart my course through life, to be a good person in my relationships with others, contributing positively to the world around me, and living righteously before God.
Especially in the past year since the one-year anniversary of this event, I've noticed a shift in the way I relate to the Valparaiso University community as an alumnus. In my first year as an alumnus, I had many connections to campus in the number of people I knew there as students. But those relationships I had with fellow students are now heading beyond campus. Indeed, there were a number of times in the past year I visited with ValpU friends in other places beyond campus, as they have now become alumni themselves. So the campus is no longer the primary setting for the interactions I have with fellow members of the ValpU community, but is nonetheless what inspires me to maintain them, and what brings them alive when I get together with friends who are now alumni. (I even enter a celebratory mood as I think about the new batch of graduates of the class of 2015, as I had some very good relationships with a number of people in that class in particular.)
Furthermore, it fits well with other events I attend with ValpU alumni, as we share the connection of a common experience on campus. And I've found myself to be among the youngest of the alumni at such events. Once, when I attended a concert of the ValpU Chorale at a church in Chicago while they were on their Spring Break tour, a woman turned to me during the intermission to ask if I was a ValpU student proper, because of my apparent age. My connections to campus are still fresh, and serve as the foundation of memories of good days there.
And it still fills me with a sense of excitement when something like the Department of Geography and Meteorology alumni newsletter shows up in my e-mail inbox. It's exciting to see what's happening on campus, and to hear about the meaningful experiences students there are currently having, because it takes me back to what I experienced.
I've also shifted more focus to living out what I gained, especially the big take-away from my ValpU experience, that of my overall life's vocation, merging my education, job, and other involvements, in my community, church, and family. My college experience was about more than an education--it was about living life to the fullest.
This is what I've been living out day by day since my college graduation. It led me through a discernment process to start pursuing my MLIS degree at Dominican University--and the process of applying for the program there gave me reason to turn back to the many relationships I forged during my ValpU experience. I see this new phase of my life's vocational journey as in line with what ValpU taught me, that work is not the only part of life, but one piece of a larger whole that drives me to live with meaningful purpose.
This vision for life has also inspired me to become very involved in ministries at my home parish. Being part of a faith community is a highly important part of my life, because of the opportunities I have to build relationships, and to serve others. My renewed sense of and appreciation for faith that I gained during college inspired me in particular to be involved in the Religious Education program, as I put my strong sense of faith in interaction with young people who are developing their own sense of faith.
Indeed, college was an extraordinarily significant time in my life, and its influence continues with me as I chart my course through life, to be a good person in my relationships with others, contributing positively to the world around me, and living righteously before God.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Master of my Destiny: Installment 2
I have just concluded my first semester of studies for my MLIS degree at Dominican University. As usual, this update on my graduate studies is entitled "Master of my Destiny", for those of you specifically following my progress through MLIS studies.
Getting beyond the usual annoying attributes of school, I am enjoying the program so far, as I have learned much this semester. As I said in my installment 1 post, most of what I learned is not necessarily new material, but is a means to step back and think more deeply about what I already know and what is frequently present.
In my Introduction to Library and Information Science class, one of two online classes I had this semester, the syllabus gave a good round-up of the topics covered, including the Education/Recreational/Information infrastructure, of which libraries are an important part; library history and development, the profession of librarianship and core values, information organization, information-seeking behaviors, information policy, intellectual freedom, collection development and access, library service environments, marketing and outreach, and library advocacy. The textbook for this class was a particularly wonderful read, and gave some good overview for all these topics--thus making it a read well worth my while. I had opportunity to reflect on these issues through discussion posts and journal entries I wrote week by week, based on the text and other articles that addressed these important issues.
In Reference and Online Services, my other online class, we learned how to provide effective reference services, and about the materials we use in doing so. The references services we learned about are answering reference questions, focused on non-fiction matters, and reader's advisory services, which focuses more on finding fictional materials for patrons. We actually had a couple of assignments experiencing these types of services: One involved actually doing a reference interview with a librarian, in-person, by phone, and via electronic means. The other was a simulation of reader's advisory service based on a case study.
In addition, we learned about effective searching techniques, providing services to special groups like children/young adults, which gave me opportunity to read up on childhood development; and web-based/social media tools in reference services.
The resources we looked at include indexes, databases, bibliographic resources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, ready reference resources, government sources; health, law, and business resources; geographical resources, and biographical resources. As an aside, providing reference services is usually for complex inquiries like, What were the stances on major foreign policy issues taken by the candidates of the 1876 US presidential election? Ready references refers to inquiries like, What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
For these resources, we had assignments in which we would actually inspect one example of the given type of resource and evaluate it based on factors like accuracy, currency, the scope, and format. I examined many interesting resources, including the Canadiana, the National Bibliography of Canada; The Columbia Encyclopedia on Infoplease.com, and Biola University's Unbound Bible.
I particularly enjoyed spending time looking around at government websites for the assignment for that week's material, as well as looking at geographic resources, because I enjoy perusing them for leisure anyway.
My one in-person class was Organization of Knowledge. We learned about how means of organizing materials developed in libraries, and what methods are used today--and in our very last class, a little bit about the future of these methods. Part of learning about the methods was a concept called Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, or FRBR, pronounced "Fer-ber", which is a building block for organizational methods. We also learned about how to do cataloging MARC code, step by step through the various fields, to create full records for items by the end of the semester.
The professor went out of her way to make this class fun, especially with the items we used to practice cataloging code--most especially the fake items she used.
Indeed, I covered a lot of ground this semester. The workload wasn't too bad, especially as I set out with a routine to accomplish what needed doing each week.
I also had many wonderful interactions with my classmates. Certainly this was the case for Organization of Knowledge, especially as we worked together on class exercises. But I also developed some good relationships in my Reference and Online Services class, even though it was online, thanks in part to the way the professor structured our class activities.
Overall, this semester has proven that this program is a fascinating journey of learning about the nature of information, something that surrounds us all the time.
And when I step back to think about, I really enjoyed it. I got to have some fun exploring materials and ideas. I look forward to continuing, as I craft more concretely an understanding of how my future career can be about serving others by helping open up the wondrousness of information to them. I pray it may be service in the Spirit of faith in Christ, the almighty servant of God, who is ultimately Master of my destiny.
Getting beyond the usual annoying attributes of school, I am enjoying the program so far, as I have learned much this semester. As I said in my installment 1 post, most of what I learned is not necessarily new material, but is a means to step back and think more deeply about what I already know and what is frequently present.
In my Introduction to Library and Information Science class, one of two online classes I had this semester, the syllabus gave a good round-up of the topics covered, including the Education/Recreational/Information infrastructure, of which libraries are an important part; library history and development, the profession of librarianship and core values, information organization, information-seeking behaviors, information policy, intellectual freedom, collection development and access, library service environments, marketing and outreach, and library advocacy. The textbook for this class was a particularly wonderful read, and gave some good overview for all these topics--thus making it a read well worth my while. I had opportunity to reflect on these issues through discussion posts and journal entries I wrote week by week, based on the text and other articles that addressed these important issues.
In Reference and Online Services, my other online class, we learned how to provide effective reference services, and about the materials we use in doing so. The references services we learned about are answering reference questions, focused on non-fiction matters, and reader's advisory services, which focuses more on finding fictional materials for patrons. We actually had a couple of assignments experiencing these types of services: One involved actually doing a reference interview with a librarian, in-person, by phone, and via electronic means. The other was a simulation of reader's advisory service based on a case study.
In addition, we learned about effective searching techniques, providing services to special groups like children/young adults, which gave me opportunity to read up on childhood development; and web-based/social media tools in reference services.
The resources we looked at include indexes, databases, bibliographic resources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, ready reference resources, government sources; health, law, and business resources; geographical resources, and biographical resources. As an aside, providing reference services is usually for complex inquiries like, What were the stances on major foreign policy issues taken by the candidates of the 1876 US presidential election? Ready references refers to inquiries like, What is the capital of Burkina Faso?
For these resources, we had assignments in which we would actually inspect one example of the given type of resource and evaluate it based on factors like accuracy, currency, the scope, and format. I examined many interesting resources, including the Canadiana, the National Bibliography of Canada; The Columbia Encyclopedia on Infoplease.com, and Biola University's Unbound Bible.
I particularly enjoyed spending time looking around at government websites for the assignment for that week's material, as well as looking at geographic resources, because I enjoy perusing them for leisure anyway.
My one in-person class was Organization of Knowledge. We learned about how means of organizing materials developed in libraries, and what methods are used today--and in our very last class, a little bit about the future of these methods. Part of learning about the methods was a concept called Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, or FRBR, pronounced "Fer-ber", which is a building block for organizational methods. We also learned about how to do cataloging MARC code, step by step through the various fields, to create full records for items by the end of the semester.
The professor went out of her way to make this class fun, especially with the items we used to practice cataloging code--most especially the fake items she used.
Indeed, I covered a lot of ground this semester. The workload wasn't too bad, especially as I set out with a routine to accomplish what needed doing each week.
I also had many wonderful interactions with my classmates. Certainly this was the case for Organization of Knowledge, especially as we worked together on class exercises. But I also developed some good relationships in my Reference and Online Services class, even though it was online, thanks in part to the way the professor structured our class activities.
Overall, this semester has proven that this program is a fascinating journey of learning about the nature of information, something that surrounds us all the time.
And when I step back to think about, I really enjoyed it. I got to have some fun exploring materials and ideas. I look forward to continuing, as I craft more concretely an understanding of how my future career can be about serving others by helping open up the wondrousness of information to them. I pray it may be service in the Spirit of faith in Christ, the almighty servant of God, who is ultimately Master of my destiny.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Thoughts on the Many Thoughts
We've completed another local campaign cycle here in Oak Park, with the voters having stated their minds during the April 7 elections.
What stood out to me during this campaign season was the variety of candidates running for the various offices, especially for the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board of Education. For the first time since I've started voting, the District 97 race was contested, and had quite a crowded field.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to get to know many of the candidates in a personal way at a candidates' forum sponsored by the Village Managers' Association at Trattoria 225 back on the evening of March 18. The event was structured to be an opportunity to informally mingle and speak with the candidates in the various contested races. I was at it for quite a while talking with the candidates, and I got into some pretty interesting conversations.
This was certainly the case when I talked with the three candidates running for the Oak Park Library Board of Trustees, with whom I shared my own perspectives from the work I've completed so far on my MLIS degree as I make my foray into the field of library and information science.
There was quite a range of perspectives and backgrounds presented by the candidates in the various races.
Fred Arkin, who won a seat on the OPRFHS District 200 Board of Education, is an alumnus of OPRFHS, and serves as a wrestling coach, underscoring his commitment to the students there.
Gil Cabacungan, who attended West Point and served in the US Army, had this very visionary plan to make the high school a very ergonomic and energy-efficient building by reorienting it so it runs west-east and the solar panels placed on top would achieve maximum energy efficiency. To accommodate the building's reorientation, he also had the idea to move the football field south of Lake Street and make Lake between Scoville and East a pedestrian zone. He claimed that his experience on a nonprofit board, the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, would allow him to get the funds needed from higher levels of government to do all of this. Much of this plan seems impractical, but at least he's been thinking big.
Sharon Patchak-Layman, who ran unsuccessfully as an incumbent, had some notable ideas about the high school. She raised concerns about how there's too many students there and the need to implement policies to give students other opportunities so they don't all have to be in the building at once, especially as District 97 will soon be sending upwards of 700 more students to OPRFHS. We also chatted about a lot of other things, like the nature of the middle schools in Oak Park, as she formerly served on District 97's board.
The Park District candidates fell into two groups: the three running on a slate, and three others who all ran on their own, so to speak. The slate included two incumbents, including Vic Guarino, a great guy I first met several years ago when he ran for the District 200 Board, and who I've seen around at my home parish, Ascension Church. The incumbents were very practically minded about things the Park District has done, like the new Ridgeland Common facilities, whereas the three others wanted to implement some new initiatives, like community gardening, and even having a space at every park for dogs to be off the leash.
The District 97 candidates were a great and varied group of individuals: There were the candidates who ran out of frustration with the way the board and Dr. Roberts, the superintendent, have handled their business recently. Then there were those with interesting backgrounds, like Rupa Datta, an education policy expert and Holly Spurlock, who works at Groupon. Rita Kahn has experience serving in an administrative capacity with the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. Sarah Arguello taught English in South America.
Then there was Marcus Croom, who has some experience in educational leadership. I had a very good conversation with him at the candidates' forum. One question I like to ask candidates is what their moral vision is, a big picture question to get their sense of how they approach life. Mr. Croom was excited when I asked that question, and was ready with a well-thought out answer: "More human fulfillment, less human suffering", which governs the way he approaches education, to ensure every child succeeds.
There were also the two incumbents. Jim O'Connor, who lives two doors away from me, is very experienced in education as a teacher, principal, and policy expert. Then there's Bob Spatz, who worked extensively to make the middle schools in Oak Park a reality. I had some good conversation with him back and forth over e-mail about his work with the middle schools. I was glad to hear that someone put in so much thought and effort to make the middle schools what they are, as my time at Julian Middle School was one of the best times of my life, in part because of changes he helped implement.
It was a little difficult to pick from such a diverse group of candidates, but I nevertheless made my choices and then voted. As I went off to vote on Tuesday, April 7, at my polling place, the Oak Park Conservatory, I couldn't help but think that six years before, just weeks after turning 18, I went there for the first time to vote, after having spent much time researching the candidates, even attending forums. It's been a great experience, being engaged in the democratic process of our republic, especially at the local level, because these races have a very significant impact on us.
Here's to all the wonderful discussions that took place during the campaigns, and best wishes to all the winners as they go off to do their work.
What stood out to me during this campaign season was the variety of candidates running for the various offices, especially for the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board of Education. For the first time since I've started voting, the District 97 race was contested, and had quite a crowded field.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to get to know many of the candidates in a personal way at a candidates' forum sponsored by the Village Managers' Association at Trattoria 225 back on the evening of March 18. The event was structured to be an opportunity to informally mingle and speak with the candidates in the various contested races. I was at it for quite a while talking with the candidates, and I got into some pretty interesting conversations.
This was certainly the case when I talked with the three candidates running for the Oak Park Library Board of Trustees, with whom I shared my own perspectives from the work I've completed so far on my MLIS degree as I make my foray into the field of library and information science.
There was quite a range of perspectives and backgrounds presented by the candidates in the various races.
Fred Arkin, who won a seat on the OPRFHS District 200 Board of Education, is an alumnus of OPRFHS, and serves as a wrestling coach, underscoring his commitment to the students there.
Gil Cabacungan, who attended West Point and served in the US Army, had this very visionary plan to make the high school a very ergonomic and energy-efficient building by reorienting it so it runs west-east and the solar panels placed on top would achieve maximum energy efficiency. To accommodate the building's reorientation, he also had the idea to move the football field south of Lake Street and make Lake between Scoville and East a pedestrian zone. He claimed that his experience on a nonprofit board, the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, would allow him to get the funds needed from higher levels of government to do all of this. Much of this plan seems impractical, but at least he's been thinking big.
Sharon Patchak-Layman, who ran unsuccessfully as an incumbent, had some notable ideas about the high school. She raised concerns about how there's too many students there and the need to implement policies to give students other opportunities so they don't all have to be in the building at once, especially as District 97 will soon be sending upwards of 700 more students to OPRFHS. We also chatted about a lot of other things, like the nature of the middle schools in Oak Park, as she formerly served on District 97's board.
The Park District candidates fell into two groups: the three running on a slate, and three others who all ran on their own, so to speak. The slate included two incumbents, including Vic Guarino, a great guy I first met several years ago when he ran for the District 200 Board, and who I've seen around at my home parish, Ascension Church. The incumbents were very practically minded about things the Park District has done, like the new Ridgeland Common facilities, whereas the three others wanted to implement some new initiatives, like community gardening, and even having a space at every park for dogs to be off the leash.
The District 97 candidates were a great and varied group of individuals: There were the candidates who ran out of frustration with the way the board and Dr. Roberts, the superintendent, have handled their business recently. Then there were those with interesting backgrounds, like Rupa Datta, an education policy expert and Holly Spurlock, who works at Groupon. Rita Kahn has experience serving in an administrative capacity with the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry. Sarah Arguello taught English in South America.
Then there was Marcus Croom, who has some experience in educational leadership. I had a very good conversation with him at the candidates' forum. One question I like to ask candidates is what their moral vision is, a big picture question to get their sense of how they approach life. Mr. Croom was excited when I asked that question, and was ready with a well-thought out answer: "More human fulfillment, less human suffering", which governs the way he approaches education, to ensure every child succeeds.
There were also the two incumbents. Jim O'Connor, who lives two doors away from me, is very experienced in education as a teacher, principal, and policy expert. Then there's Bob Spatz, who worked extensively to make the middle schools in Oak Park a reality. I had some good conversation with him back and forth over e-mail about his work with the middle schools. I was glad to hear that someone put in so much thought and effort to make the middle schools what they are, as my time at Julian Middle School was one of the best times of my life, in part because of changes he helped implement.
It was a little difficult to pick from such a diverse group of candidates, but I nevertheless made my choices and then voted. As I went off to vote on Tuesday, April 7, at my polling place, the Oak Park Conservatory, I couldn't help but think that six years before, just weeks after turning 18, I went there for the first time to vote, after having spent much time researching the candidates, even attending forums. It's been a great experience, being engaged in the democratic process of our republic, especially at the local level, because these races have a very significant impact on us.
Here's to all the wonderful discussions that took place during the campaigns, and best wishes to all the winners as they go off to do their work.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
The Paschal Mystery Version 2015
I am keenly aware that our present existence is influenced by events that happened in our past. That's why I've enjoyed studying history as a personal hobby, because it takes us back through story of how we came to be who we are today.
It's the reason I enjoy celebrating Independence Day. It's also why the Triduum is the most meaningful church celebration of the year for me: It speaks to those pivotal days nearly 2000 years ago when Christ effected His salvific work. These days are at the heart of what it means to be Christian.
For sure, I have my favorite moments that I always look forward to each year when the Triduum comes. (To see that list, please refer to the comment I posted at the end of my post on last year's Triduum 2014.) But at the same time, I seek to keep myself open to how I can experience this annual observance in a new way each year.
There are so many powerful elements in the services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the prayers, Scripture readings, and other symbols. But this year, I found myself very drawn to the lyrics of the songs we sang.
It started off right away at Maundy Thursday Mass, with the song "We Should Glory". Those lyrics speak to what the Triduum is all about, that Jesus Christ reigns as King upon the Cross, and we should glory in Him and His Cross, because they are the means of our salvation.
I was given the task of proclaiming the first reading at Maundy Thursday, which is a selection from Exodus 12, when God gives the Israelites, through Moses, instructions for celebrating the Passover. This reading sets the context in which Christ established the New Covenant in which we stand, by which we are saved.
The one thing that struck me from the foot washing rite was how much of a family experience it was: There were some couples and families together helping wash feet, and families came together to wash each other's feet. It speaks to how we experience the presence of Christ in our families and in our Church family.
When it came to Cross Friday, I found myself faced with so many wonderful opportunities for prayerful reflection. I ended up at St. Mary of Celle Parish in Berwyn in the afternoon for a live enactment of the Passion of Christ. Upon reaching the point when Jesus is condemend to death, we all left the church sanctuary and walked the Way of the Cross as we followed Jesus walking around the block.
As I walked, I felt as if my movements were joining me to Christ. This is an important idea behind the Triduum: We don't merely remember these things happening to Christ, but we place ourselves in them, that we may be one with Christ who joined Himself to our humanity. I also thought back to the March for Life Chicago 2015, when Archbishop Cupich remarked that we march and join ourselves to the plight of those women in need. I was indeed marching there on this Cross Friday, joining myself to Christ and the way of His Cross, as it is still experienced today through those who suffer.
Later, I attended an evening service at Calvary Memorial Church. The service leader, who happened to be my brother, began the service with a few remarks, encouraging those present to feel the weight of this somber occasion in the words of Scripture and the songs. I indeed felt a certain sense of heaviness, remembering the sufferings of Christ.
The service I attended a little later at Ascension gave me more opportunity to reflect on suffering, a very real part of our human experience. It was a part of our humanity that God didn't shun, but rather, Jesus Christ fully entered into our sufferings, even upon the Cross. Though God doesn't remove our sufferings, He strengthens us to face them. That is why we join ourselves to His Cross, symbolized in the Veneration of the Cross, that our sufferings may have redemptive power.
And to God we offered our intercessions solemnly. These ritualistic intercessions were different than before. There was one intercession praying for all government officials, from the federal level all the way down to the local level.
The beginning and end of this service felt so stark. Yet the music spoke so richly, as we honored the death of Christ, knowing what it brought us, together with His Resurrection.
The next morning, on Holy Saturday, I attended Morning Prayer. Gene, the Pastoral intern at Ascension, offered a wonderful reflection on anointing, a major part of the baptisms to take place much later that day. One meaningful part of Holy Saturday Morning Prayer is laying hands in blessing on the Elect, who were to be baptized.
Then, when Morning Prayer ended, it was time to decorate the Church, getting the Bride (at Ascension) ready and beautiful for the Groom.
There was so much richness in the Great Holy Saturday Easter Vigil, right from the start as the Paschal Candle was lit, speaking of Christ, our glorious Savior, with so much symbolism. Those praises continued in the Exultet, with its glorious language acclaiming how God worked wonders through the centuries in saving us, even unto Christ, whose Resurrection we acclaim and celebrate on this blessed night.
One noticeable difference this year was a reading from Jonah. There's a fitting connection between Jonah, who spent three days in the belly of a whale, and Jesus, who spent three days in the tomb.
There was quite a flood of light during the Gloria. And then, during the Epistle reading, the lector actually came down from the ambo and addressed the Elect in a personal way. The Elect were often addressed directly during the Mass, yet what was said to them applies to all of us who have already been baptized for sometime.
Then, finally, came the great moment of the Alleluia acclamation. I got emotional hearing David Anderson's voice lead the choir in breaking out that great song of praise of Christ and His new Life. (And, oh, how those Alleluias roll off the tongue with added delight after the Lenten hiatus.) But again, this wasn't about remembering Christ coming back to life, but our coming to new life in Christ, which we did as we witnessed the four baptisms (and five confirmations), and then processed to the font to renew ourselves in our baptisms. Serving as Eucharistic minister gave me the chance to witness the new neophytes, and one newly Confirmed, complete their initiation by partaking of the Eucharist for the first time. All throughout, the choir led us in great music, especially the anthem sung during the Offertory.
The celebration got going right away the next morning when Mom put on some celebratory Easter music at breakfast.
And the musicians at Mass really sang their hearts out in offering praises for Christ's Resurrection, as did the incense in its own way. As I swung the thurible in the procession, and then paused at the back side of the altar, I saw a huge cloud of incense smoke rise above the altar toward the dome, which was an incredible sight.
Plus, the sanctuary was packed, and made everything seem so alive that Sunday morning. I realized more fully how packed the Church was when I served as Eucharist minister for the back half of the Church. There were so many people who passed by, and it went on for quite a bit of time. I even had to wait a while in the back of the Church for people to exit before I could get back to the sacristy at the end of Mass.
The celebration continued as I spent time with family later in the day, even during a car ride when I brought my Grandma to our meal. Our meal was quite a feast, with both lamb and ham, from Costco.
The General Norms for the Liturgical Year, #18, speaks to the importance of these three days, saying they form the heart of the Church year, and giving meaning to all the 362 other days. We have this faith because Christ rose from the dead, after having died, and signifying His death to be part of a New Covenant in the blood He shed. By celebrating this Sacred Holy Paschal Triduum, we are renewed in the basis for the faith we live every day, reminded of where it all started. And as part of living this faith, we join ourselves to the Christ who gave Himself for us, that in dying and rising with Him, we may fully live this new life, which points our way now toward Heaven, where we shall dwell with the God who loves us so much, and sent His Son to make Heaven a possibility for us.
That's why I look forward to these sacred celebrations every year, and they were something to behold this year as always.
It's the reason I enjoy celebrating Independence Day. It's also why the Triduum is the most meaningful church celebration of the year for me: It speaks to those pivotal days nearly 2000 years ago when Christ effected His salvific work. These days are at the heart of what it means to be Christian.
For sure, I have my favorite moments that I always look forward to each year when the Triduum comes. (To see that list, please refer to the comment I posted at the end of my post on last year's Triduum 2014.) But at the same time, I seek to keep myself open to how I can experience this annual observance in a new way each year.
There are so many powerful elements in the services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the prayers, Scripture readings, and other symbols. But this year, I found myself very drawn to the lyrics of the songs we sang.
It started off right away at Maundy Thursday Mass, with the song "We Should Glory". Those lyrics speak to what the Triduum is all about, that Jesus Christ reigns as King upon the Cross, and we should glory in Him and His Cross, because they are the means of our salvation.
I was given the task of proclaiming the first reading at Maundy Thursday, which is a selection from Exodus 12, when God gives the Israelites, through Moses, instructions for celebrating the Passover. This reading sets the context in which Christ established the New Covenant in which we stand, by which we are saved.
The one thing that struck me from the foot washing rite was how much of a family experience it was: There were some couples and families together helping wash feet, and families came together to wash each other's feet. It speaks to how we experience the presence of Christ in our families and in our Church family.
When it came to Cross Friday, I found myself faced with so many wonderful opportunities for prayerful reflection. I ended up at St. Mary of Celle Parish in Berwyn in the afternoon for a live enactment of the Passion of Christ. Upon reaching the point when Jesus is condemend to death, we all left the church sanctuary and walked the Way of the Cross as we followed Jesus walking around the block.
As I walked, I felt as if my movements were joining me to Christ. This is an important idea behind the Triduum: We don't merely remember these things happening to Christ, but we place ourselves in them, that we may be one with Christ who joined Himself to our humanity. I also thought back to the March for Life Chicago 2015, when Archbishop Cupich remarked that we march and join ourselves to the plight of those women in need. I was indeed marching there on this Cross Friday, joining myself to Christ and the way of His Cross, as it is still experienced today through those who suffer.
Later, I attended an evening service at Calvary Memorial Church. The service leader, who happened to be my brother, began the service with a few remarks, encouraging those present to feel the weight of this somber occasion in the words of Scripture and the songs. I indeed felt a certain sense of heaviness, remembering the sufferings of Christ.
The service I attended a little later at Ascension gave me more opportunity to reflect on suffering, a very real part of our human experience. It was a part of our humanity that God didn't shun, but rather, Jesus Christ fully entered into our sufferings, even upon the Cross. Though God doesn't remove our sufferings, He strengthens us to face them. That is why we join ourselves to His Cross, symbolized in the Veneration of the Cross, that our sufferings may have redemptive power.
And to God we offered our intercessions solemnly. These ritualistic intercessions were different than before. There was one intercession praying for all government officials, from the federal level all the way down to the local level.
The beginning and end of this service felt so stark. Yet the music spoke so richly, as we honored the death of Christ, knowing what it brought us, together with His Resurrection.
The next morning, on Holy Saturday, I attended Morning Prayer. Gene, the Pastoral intern at Ascension, offered a wonderful reflection on anointing, a major part of the baptisms to take place much later that day. One meaningful part of Holy Saturday Morning Prayer is laying hands in blessing on the Elect, who were to be baptized.
Then, when Morning Prayer ended, it was time to decorate the Church, getting the Bride (at Ascension) ready and beautiful for the Groom.
There was so much richness in the Great Holy Saturday Easter Vigil, right from the start as the Paschal Candle was lit, speaking of Christ, our glorious Savior, with so much symbolism. Those praises continued in the Exultet, with its glorious language acclaiming how God worked wonders through the centuries in saving us, even unto Christ, whose Resurrection we acclaim and celebrate on this blessed night.
One noticeable difference this year was a reading from Jonah. There's a fitting connection between Jonah, who spent three days in the belly of a whale, and Jesus, who spent three days in the tomb.
There was quite a flood of light during the Gloria. And then, during the Epistle reading, the lector actually came down from the ambo and addressed the Elect in a personal way. The Elect were often addressed directly during the Mass, yet what was said to them applies to all of us who have already been baptized for sometime.
Then, finally, came the great moment of the Alleluia acclamation. I got emotional hearing David Anderson's voice lead the choir in breaking out that great song of praise of Christ and His new Life. (And, oh, how those Alleluias roll off the tongue with added delight after the Lenten hiatus.) But again, this wasn't about remembering Christ coming back to life, but our coming to new life in Christ, which we did as we witnessed the four baptisms (and five confirmations), and then processed to the font to renew ourselves in our baptisms. Serving as Eucharistic minister gave me the chance to witness the new neophytes, and one newly Confirmed, complete their initiation by partaking of the Eucharist for the first time. All throughout, the choir led us in great music, especially the anthem sung during the Offertory.
The celebration got going right away the next morning when Mom put on some celebratory Easter music at breakfast.
And the musicians at Mass really sang their hearts out in offering praises for Christ's Resurrection, as did the incense in its own way. As I swung the thurible in the procession, and then paused at the back side of the altar, I saw a huge cloud of incense smoke rise above the altar toward the dome, which was an incredible sight.
Plus, the sanctuary was packed, and made everything seem so alive that Sunday morning. I realized more fully how packed the Church was when I served as Eucharist minister for the back half of the Church. There were so many people who passed by, and it went on for quite a bit of time. I even had to wait a while in the back of the Church for people to exit before I could get back to the sacristy at the end of Mass.
The celebration continued as I spent time with family later in the day, even during a car ride when I brought my Grandma to our meal. Our meal was quite a feast, with both lamb and ham, from Costco.
The General Norms for the Liturgical Year, #18, speaks to the importance of these three days, saying they form the heart of the Church year, and giving meaning to all the 362 other days. We have this faith because Christ rose from the dead, after having died, and signifying His death to be part of a New Covenant in the blood He shed. By celebrating this Sacred Holy Paschal Triduum, we are renewed in the basis for the faith we live every day, reminded of where it all started. And as part of living this faith, we join ourselves to the Christ who gave Himself for us, that in dying and rising with Him, we may fully live this new life, which points our way now toward Heaven, where we shall dwell with the God who loves us so much, and sent His Son to make Heaven a possibility for us.
That's why I look forward to these sacred celebrations every year, and they were something to behold this year as always.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
A Matter about Religion
The Jewish festival of Passover is at its end. At this time, I can't help but think back to the beginning of last month, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the United States Congress, on the day before another Jewish holiday, Purim, began.
He started his speech addressing the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and other ambitions by making a timely reference to the story in Jewish history of Esther, and ended it with a reference to another story, that of Moses's leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, pertinent to the occasion of Passover now at hand.
I find it wonderful that Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out Moses's appearance in the House Chamber, which, according to the US Capitol Architect's website, is in a marble relief portrait along with 23 other Lawgivers throughout history. Moses was in a long line of individuals who contributed to the basis of governmental Law upon which the US Constitution was established, individuals whose images appear above the House gallery doors. It's amazing to note these various details that compose the design of such important spaces.
Furthermore, it's fitting that Prime Minister Netanyahu made these religious references because what's at stake in the Middle East conflicts right now involves religion so heavily. These Islamic countries base their government, and the whole of their society, on Islam, which is something that countries like the United States don't conceive so well because of the secular nature of our society.
That's probably part of the reason why sometimes US leaders don't always prove so helpful when mediating in these conflicts, especially when it comes to aiding Israel in standing against a menace like Iran, which has as the foundation for its government, the idea of waging jihad against all those outside of Islam, and is now flexing its nuclear muscles.
Those outside the Middle East should more intimately understand the major role of religion in these conflicts as they seek to help alleviate them. Because we see again another example of how a major world power seeks to annihilate the people of God, the Jews in Israel, just as Haman did thousands of years ago, based on their religion, and how Israel continues to stand strong, as Moses commanded them before their entry into the Promised Land.
He started his speech addressing the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and other ambitions by making a timely reference to the story in Jewish history of Esther, and ended it with a reference to another story, that of Moses's leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, pertinent to the occasion of Passover now at hand.
I find it wonderful that Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out Moses's appearance in the House Chamber, which, according to the US Capitol Architect's website, is in a marble relief portrait along with 23 other Lawgivers throughout history. Moses was in a long line of individuals who contributed to the basis of governmental Law upon which the US Constitution was established, individuals whose images appear above the House gallery doors. It's amazing to note these various details that compose the design of such important spaces.
Furthermore, it's fitting that Prime Minister Netanyahu made these religious references because what's at stake in the Middle East conflicts right now involves religion so heavily. These Islamic countries base their government, and the whole of their society, on Islam, which is something that countries like the United States don't conceive so well because of the secular nature of our society.
That's probably part of the reason why sometimes US leaders don't always prove so helpful when mediating in these conflicts, especially when it comes to aiding Israel in standing against a menace like Iran, which has as the foundation for its government, the idea of waging jihad against all those outside of Islam, and is now flexing its nuclear muscles.
Those outside the Middle East should more intimately understand the major role of religion in these conflicts as they seek to help alleviate them. Because we see again another example of how a major world power seeks to annihilate the people of God, the Jews in Israel, just as Haman did thousands of years ago, based on their religion, and how Israel continues to stand strong, as Moses commanded them before their entry into the Promised Land.
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