2017 News and Events in Review

President Donald Trump did much to set a tone this year, from the day he was inaugurated back on January 20.  He let loose a lot of charged statements while seeking to set a new course for US society, often in direct contrast to President Obama's stances, even making "fake news" a term tossed about all the time.  He made some bold moves like recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing the Obama administration's directives on transgenderism and public facilities, and appointing the distinctly right-wing Neil Gorsuch as a US Supreme Court Associate Justice to take the seat vacated when Antonin Scalia passed away.  The Supreme Court heard some cases on hot-button issues like the Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding.  President Trump also issued some executive orders to address problems with immigration, with its implementation not going so smoothly.  He also sparked a conversation about NFL players refusing to stand for the National Anthem, which spread throughout the country.  Even here in Oak Park, some people took to the knee during the national anthem before football games at OPRF High School, and some OPRFHS District 200 board members did the same during the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of their meetings.

Locally, there was lots of controversy over building highrise developments in Oak Park.  There was also a good deal of conversation about two referenda that District 97 put on the ballot to ensure sufficient funds for operating and capital expenses, leading up to local elections on April 4.  The Cook County Board of Commissioners also approved a tax on sugary beverages to shore up the budget, which caused a major outcry and eventually the Board repealed it.

There were several states that faced big problems approving a budget.  Maine and New Jersey experienced state government shutdowns for a few days at the start of July.  Washington avoided a shutdown with about 40 minutes to spare, after debate over how best to fund schools.  Illinois finally broke past its long-lasting budget stalemate by approving a budget that raised state income taxes, overriding Governor Rauner's veto, a move that followed State Senator Christine Radogno's resignation, after remarking she did everything she could.

In September, Governor Rauner signed HB 40 into law, which provides taxpayer money to fund abortions in Illinois.  There were efforts in Congress to rescind government funds for Planned Parenthood.  Rallies were held throughout the United States in February, seizing the momentum with a Republican president now in office and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, as part of efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, although it didn't result in any changes.  There was greater success in passing tax reform.

Offering commentary on many of these issues was Stuart Shepard at Family Policy Alliance of Focus on the Family, including through his Stoplight videos.  The final Stoplight video was posted at the end of November.

The Chicago PBS station WYCC also signed off the airwaves, which I wasn't aware of until several weeks after it happened.  (Fortunately, we still have WTTW-PBS in Chicago, which continues to air fine programming, like the Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary.)  Valparaiso University's Law School enrollment dropped so low that the school was shuttered.

Among those departing from their current line of work was Ms. Gullo, long-time Kindergarten teacher at Irving School.  I am glad that I was among those whose lives she impacted at a young age over the years, through all the delights that Kindergarten involves.

Deacon Lendell Richardson bid farewell to Ascension Parish to take on a new asssignment as deacon at St. Bernardine Parish in Forest Park.

Lisa Madigan decided not to seek another term in office, as did US Representative Luis Gutierrez, who cited the reason of wanting to focus on recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, which was hit hard by one of several destructive hurricanes that hit the United States.

Other major weather events that made headlines included wildfires and earthquakes in Mexico.  There was also major flooding in the Chicago area during the summer, which started out quite hot, enough for me to feel it was worth the money to get a pool pass.  The heat subsided in July and it never got quite as hot as it did during that string of days in June.  But it certainly heated up for a stretch of days in September.  Even November and the start of December featured some rather mild days, before a cold snap hit.

The winter at the beginning of the year started off rather cloudy throughout much of January.  Then February followed with some spectacularly mild, and sunny, weather.  All the while, there wasn't much snow, until a significant snow event in March.

It was also in March that there was a terrorist attack near the Houses of Parliament in London, which was not the only terrorist attack in the United Kingdom this year, including one that happened close to elections there in June.

There was great upheaval in Spain as efforts were launched to make Catalonia independent of Spain.  And there was heated activity over issues of race, like in August when a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville lead to violence.  There was also trouble with acts of ill will directed toward Jewish people.

Ill will was also shown toward a passenger on a United Airlines flight from Chicago-O'Hare Airport to Louisville, who was selected to vacate his seat for a crew member.  Troubles also occurred when a power outage hit Atlanta's airport.  This happened right around the time a terrible train derailment occurred on the Cascades route in Washington--something that hit home for me, because I rode that same route, and train number, back in May, although not on that stretch of track that was inaugurated that day.  Another derailment occurred on the Cascades route during the summer.

Long-distance Amtrak train service was one of those services targeted for budget cuts by the Trump administration's budget proposal.  That led to rallies to save train service.

There were also big rallies held throughout the months of 2017 as people vented their disapproval of Donald Trump, including a Women's March in Washington, D.C.

In the midst of a very polarizing atmosphere, one event that united people was the August 21 total solar eclipse that crossed the United States from coast to coast.  There was definitely a huge amount of hype, but certainly for good reason, because witnessing a total solar eclipse is pretty spectacular.  People flocked to spots outside to view the eclipse, even in the Chicago area where only a partial eclipse could be viewed, and it was somewhat cloudy.

While I wasn't there that day, it was apparently a much busier day than usual at the Oak Park Public Library since it hosted a solar eclipse viewing event out in Scoville Park.  The sorting and shelving team had an unusually large volume of materials being returned on the AMH.  That machine was replaced in December, and it's a pretty swell machine that's now in place to handle the return and sorting of materials.

The Oak Park Public Library also took a significant step in making the library more accessible by instituting a fine-free policy.  The library also hired a Multicultural Learning Librarian, Naomi Priddy, to oversee the recently-acquired Multicultural Collection, and expand opportunities for its use by a larger community of people in accessing its wealth of resources about cultures all over the world.

A new wealth of resources was opened to the public when the Bible Museum opened in Washington, D.C.  Mississippi opened a Civil Rights Museum in celebration of its Bicentennial on December 10.  Nebraska marked 150 years as a state back on March 1.

Dominican University marked 20 years since its name change from Rosary College, an anniversary that followed the name change of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science to the School of Infomation Studies, offering informatics studies in addition to the library information science studies.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops marked the centennial of its inception in the form of an organization focused on the war effort during World War I.  It was 100 years ago that the US entered the conflict.

The world's attention will focus on the United States come 2028 when the Olympics come back to this country with Los Angeles as the host city, decided at an IOC meeting that made Paris the 2024 Summer Olympics host city.  That gives us something to look ahead to, even as we wrap up 2017 and take on 2018.

And perhaps greater fruit will be born from the commemoration of 500 years since Martin Luther's 95 Theses, which brought opportunities for ecumenical dialogue and prayer, which we hope continue to bind the wound to Christ's body.  Perhaps it will happen in the spirit that is exhibited by Taize prayer services, which marked an anniversary at Ascension Parish back in October, 25 years of gathering together as one body of people in Christ to praise our God, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Blue Matrix That Has...

It was 15 years ago this month that my parents purchased the 2003 bluish Toyota Matrix that they still own.

In the weeks beforehand, I participated in some of their trips to car dealerships to look at new cars, even riding in some cars that they test-drove.  I didn't find it all that interesting to be present as they talked with people about cars, but I made a point to be a good sport about it.  But it was pretty exciting when they brought the vehicle home from the Bredemann Toyota dealer in Park Ridge.

That meant it was time to bid farewell to the bluish Volvo vehicle my family had, the only vehicle I had ever really known up to that point in my life.  It was a fine car and served us well in getting us to our destination on various trips, like our trips to Midwest locations including the Double JJ Ranch in Michigan (the last summer vacation for which we used that car), various trips to St. Louis (including one that tied in Springfield, IL, and Bluffdale Farm), and then to spots further away like Niagara Falls, and another trip to locations in Colorado including Denver and Estes Park.  And it got us around town, like on those days when I got a ride to Irving School.

When I was new to middle school, my parents were in the process of acquiring the new car.  And like the Volvo, it has served our needs well throughout the past 15 years.  It got us around town, like me to school, first Julian, then OPRFHS, and then to Valparaiso University, as well as Dominican University when I didn't bike or go by public transit there for graduate school classes.  It was the vehicle I used to build up behind the wheel experience once I started the process of learning how to drive.  I'm glad my parents have graciously let me use it often throughout the years for short trips in the area, and even the one time I took it to ValpU to bring some of my belongings back home during the week leading up to my college graduation.

And we took some great family trips using the vehicle, including the Outer Banks in North Carolina (2003), Lake Lure in North Carolina (2005), Nashville (2006), Williamsburg in Virginia (2009) right before going to start at ValpU, the Great Smoky Mountain area of Tennessee and North Carolina (2010), and Washington, D.C. (2011).

Indeed, it's a good vehicle that's still working pretty well.  I think back to the days when someone would pick me up from school, and as I walked out of school, it was always nice to see the sight of that bluish vehicle waiting to take me home.  Similar to the home in which I grew up, the Matrix is one of those things that is part of how I have experienced life for the past 15 years, and I'm delighted that my family has had use of it.

Time to Start Celebrating Illinois's 200th Year

Today marks the start of the 200th Year of Illinois Statehood, as it was 199 years ago this day that Illinois became a state.  The Governor's Office of Illinois Bicentennial has a number of wonderful celebrations already listed on its website for the coming year.

I myself am eager to celebrate Illinois over the course of this year, the place where I was born and have been a citizen all my life, which motivates me to think about what's special about Illinois and how it has contributed to the world around it.

In my effort to celebrate this 200th Year of Illinois leading up to the Bicentennial in 2018, I will share 200 things about Illinois in various posts on my blog.

And I'm making popcorn #1 on my list.  It is the official state snack food, as signed into law by Governor Rod Blagojevich back in 2003.  I think the choice is fitting because there's so much corn grown in Illinois.  Popcorn is a quintessential product of the soil, which suits the Illinois Bicentennial's catchphrase "Born. Built. Grown."

A healthy treat I like to share with people is popcorn I buy at the Oak Park Farmers' Market--#2 on my list--as there are many farmers throughout Illinois who sell their goods at markets like the one in Oak Park.  They sell ears of corn that can be put in the microwave to make popcorn, which pops right off the ear.  And it's just the flavor of the popcorn itself, in a natural state.  Indeed, it's pretty tasty.

So as I get myself into the spirit of celebration today, I eat and share some of that popcorn as I celebrate.

Furthermore, it's quite timely that the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest had an Open House on this day at its recently opened History Museum--#3 on my list.

I went there for a visit in the middle of last month with my then-fellow colleagues at the Oak Park Public Library.  Toward the end of our time there, I mentioned to Frank Lipo, the Executive Director, how appropriate it was to have the open house of the history museum on Illinois's Statehood Day.  He then mentioned to me that the OPRF Historical Society started 50 years ago in response to a call issued by the organizers of Illinois's 150th-year celebration.  They asked what people in local communities were doing to commemorate Illinois history, and that encouraged some citizens in Oak Park and River Forest to start the historical society.  (They even met at the Oak Park Public Library as they got the society started.)

Visiting something like the OPRF History Museum helps focus my thoughts on my place in this state of Illinois, and the place my community of Oak Park has in this state, even as just days ago I pondered the special part Oak Park has played in my life upon the 25th anniversary of moving here.

Even as visitors to the museum get to know the history of this local area, we can be part of commemorating its history as part of the larger story of Illinois, just as those who started the OPRF Historical Society did nearly a half-century ago.  We recall what our history is about, to better understand who we are, as we go forth to be the best in our own place and for the world around us.

On display at the museum is a desk given to a local resident who was part of the Illinois State Constitutional Convention back around 1970.  This story is just one of many local residents who helped shape the world around them.  We reflect their stories as we draw from its richness to make Illinois the right kind of place.

While I am a lifelong Oak Park resident, I was actually born on the North Side of Chicago, and moved here when I was 20 months old.  I can say I've had a truly Illinois experience as I have the mark of the city of Chicago on me, and then went into the suburbs, encompassing a greater sense of being an Illinoisan.  That movement is a good way for me to start focusing on the vastness of everything Illinois has from Cairo to South Beloit, from Quincy to Danville, and everything in between, and that's plenty of reason to celebrate leading up to the Bicentennial Day on December 3, 2018.

25 Years of Home and Place

Today marks the anniversary of an event that has played a significant part of my life:  It was 25 years ago this day, November 28, 1992, that my family moved to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, IL, and ever since, I have called this place home.

I am so blessed that I have lived here for a quarter-century, and have become intimately familiar with this place, and have been shaped so greatly by it.  More than being just a house, my family home where I grew up on Clarence Avenue has been the place to share what Pope Francis describes as the love and joy of family life, which has enriched me so greatly, and having that love ever present to me throughout my childhood has helped me grow up strong into the person I am today.  In this home I got to enjoy many things that made childhood delightful.  I take great comfort in having such a place that I still hold near and dear to my heart, and can point to as the place where I encountered such love.

This occasion also makes me think again about what Oak Park means to me, just as I did after Dan and Ann Ruggaber came to visit me here in the summer following my graduation from Valparaiso University.

I have a confession to make on this joyful occasion, though.  When I was at Irving Elementary School, I couldn't help but notice that so many of my friends lived in southeast Oak Park, closer to Austin Boulevard, but I lived much further west, and that bothered me.  I was practically jealous of people who lived further east, because I thought the east was somehow superior to the west.  Of course, it makes sense that so many of my school friends lived to the east, because the majority of the Irving School district lies in southeast Oak Park, with just a small section between East and Euclid Avenues, which was transferred over from Lincoln School a few years before I started.  Alas, though, as a child, I just didn't have the full understanding of things that I have now to see all this.  There were even times where it seemed like Irving School had an unfavorable reputation, and I lived in the lone Irving household on the block.  I'm glad to say that whatever reputation Irving had back then no longer exists, and Irving School has become quite sophisticated.  Indeed, I was quite heartened to read an opinion piece in The Wednesday Journal a couple of years ago written by a mom of two Irving alumni I knew, and her opinion, along with those who posted comments below it in the online version, speaks to the sense of pride I feel having been part of the Irving community affixed to southeast Oak Park, with such wonderful neighbors and friends.

Plus, I eventually came to appreciate the area of Oak Park where I grew up, which got underway when I went to Julian.  I was able to see my part of Oak Park as a special piece of the patchwork that comprises Oak Park, offering its own unique contribution to the diversity that Oak Park prides itself in, and which I was able to sense more deeply upon starting at Julian, where I interacted with so many people from all parts of the village.  And in some ways, this continued into high school.

Growing up, I would go to other places, like on vacation, and simply remark, "I'm from Chicago" when asked where I live.  But my view of being an Oak Parker really changed when I left for college and I realized there was a distinct gap between what I considered home and where I was spending much of my time, which made me view Oak Park in the special lens of being home.  So when people started asking me where I live, I would distinctly say "Oak Park".  Eventually, I started saying, "The Chicago suburb of Oak Park", to give people a better sense of where exactly I live, though, frankly, any person who's engaged in enough of a conversation with me to ask where I live is already interested in knowing enough about me so that asking where Oak Park is wouldn't be that much of an added burden.  Besides, it's interesting to think of where people think Oak Park is located in Illinois if they've never heard of it.

While this entire region is dominated by Chicago, I still think that Oak Park has its own unique spot in the metro area, offering particular contributions that make Chicagoland the great patchwork quilt of communities that it has, which is why I saw I'm from "Oak Park" and not strictly "Chicago".

And what a strong sense of community we have here in Oak Park.  While this is a village with a large population, there are so many ways we connect with one another.  As was the case with me as part of the Irving community, all the elementary schools foster a sense of close-knit communities in eight different areas of Oak Park, as even the private schools do, too.  The schools' close-knit community speaks to how we live close to our neighbors, as I know it's the case for me on my block, and also those on the other side of the alley from us. 

The vast network of sidewalks makes it easy to walk places, including the schools I attended in Oak Park.  It's great that I'm able to walk to Church, as many people find driving a more viable option.  Biking is also a feasible option, and I take advantage of it to go to places that are further from home, like the Oak Park main library and downtown Oak Park businesses, where I used to work before starting at the Oak Park Public Library.  We have a nice scene of businesses in Oak Park, including many intriguing restaurant options.  Some have not been able to make it, like Arepa's, which was truly one of my favorites.  But there are other good places around, like Jerusalem Cafe, Grape Leaves, Q BBQ, and Boss Burrito.  Downtown Oak Park is one of many business districts that seeks to offer a distinct flair, just like the Harrison Arts District, with the Buzz Cafe and the Happy Apple Pie Shop.

Being an employee of the Oak Park Public Library has helped me engage with my community on a deeper level.  My work in the sorting and shelving room has allowed me to see the kinds of materials people are checking out through what's returned, and through the holds that come through to be processed for Oak Park patrons.  Being on the other side of things as a staff person has given me a window into the efforts the library has undergone to better serve the community, through projects like the space changes and the more recent implementation of the fine-free policy.

Being hired to work at the Oak Park Public Library was kind of like a dream come true.  I didn't necessarily imagine myself working there as I grew up, but being hired was a fitting thing to have happen to me because of how much of an impact the library had on me.  I went to the Maze Branch of the Library on a field trip in Kindergarten, which is when I got my first library card, and the world opened up to me.  During the summers, I eagerly participated in the children's summer reading program.  I visited the Maze Branch each week during the summer to check in my progress, and then check out books.  I was so eager to mark off as many minutes as I could that as soon as I walked out the door of Maze, my head was in a book, and I read all the way home, removing my shoes with my head still in a book, as I made my way to a seat.  When I got older, I gave back to the community by volunteering to help run the summer reading program.  Truly I have seen the positive impact libraries can have on a community.

So besides just working, I've also been part of discussions about the community.  To facilitate continual staff participate in learning, the library offers Learn While You Earn sessions, which are meetings that cover a variety of topics.  One of these sessions that's held regularly, and which I have attended consistently, are the Story Hours.  They are kitchen-table style conversations to talk about what library staff are learning about the community through work and through being out in the community.

The most recent Story Hour I attended was actually a field trip to the newly-opened Oak Park-River Forest History Museum.  We had the chance to look around the space and hear from Frank Lipo, the Executive Director, who shared about how the space is arranged, how the museum was refurbished from the space that used to be a firehouse and then the office building of the village's public works department, and what their hopes are for the future.  He shared a few stories about some of the artifacts on display:  There was about a piece of art done by a commercial artist who lived in Oak Park for a time.  Years later, some people gave the painting to the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society after finding it under their porch.  Frank strongly grabbed my attention when he said the address of where it was found, across the street a few doors north of where I live.

It's amazing to get a glimpse into what life was like in Oak Park in years gone by, and to see what contributions people made to this village.  I then think about what I've contributed to Oak Park during the quarter-century I've lived here.  The one thing that comes to my mind was the development of the current middle schools in Oak Park.  And by the circumstance of going through District 97 grade by grade in the way I did, I just happened to be in place at the right time to be handed the opportunity to be in the first group of 6th graders to attend the new Oak Park middle schools.  And the middle school I attended was named for an Oak Park resident, Dr. Percy Julian, who was a pioneer himself in science and racial justice.  I'm delighted to have been part of carrying on his legacy of shaping Oak Park for the better.

So yes, I delight in the love of home and family I've had, and the sense of community to which I've belonged.  In great joy this day, I declare myself proudly to be a resident of Oak Park for a quarter century.

Thanksgiving Thoughts 2017

There's always something so special about Thanksgiving Day, an occasion that combines a sense of being part of the United States with the divine and the spiritual, truly making it an American Holy Day.

It's a great occasion for us to remember who we are in relationship with God, the One Who created us and has blessed us in so many ways.  Even reading over President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation, which established this holiday as an annual celebration, I can't help but be struck by how many wonderful blessings the people of the United States could count, in the wealth of their lands, their commercial activities, and even their relationships with other countries.  Such a litany shines brightly in the midst of the trying times of war between North and South.  It's definitely clear that times of crisis are a good opportunity to remember why we are blessed.

Yet it's not enough just to behold and bask in our blessings.  Thanksgiving is truly something that compels us to action.  At the annual Oak Park-River Forest Community of Congregations Interfaith Thanksgiving Prayer Service, a local rabbi talked about a Jewish teaching that says gratitude must spur us on to grow in virtues, by which we serve and love others.  Even as we gave thanks for the sense of community we share with other people of faith, we were spurred on to uphold those values for the making of a better world, especially through the passionate preaching of Pastor Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church.

Even Jesus says, "Those to whom much is given, much is required", in Luke 12:48 NIV, a statement echoed by President Kennedy.  As we take the opportunity to remember our blessings on this occasion, we renew ourselves in the work of making those blessings extend as we reach out to others.

Going to Mass is one important part of celebrating Thanksgiving Day for me, because by going to the table of the Eucharist, I give thanks to God for His gifts to me, and in partaking of Him, I am transformed to live for Him, with Him inside me, that I may be a blessing in the world.  I couldn't hep but think how fitting it is that Thanksgiving Day is on a Thursday, the same day of Holy Week when we celebrate Christ's institution of the Eucharist.  Week after week when I go to the Eucharist, I continue to be called to that transformation so that I may live a lifestyle steeped in gratitude that compels me to offer myself up in love to Him and others, in the model He has given us.

The Protestant Reformation Then and Now

I spent time recently with the story of Martin Luther, on account of the 500th anniversary of the 95 Theses, and also because of his birthday back on November 10.  Combined with my attendance at events for the 500th anniversary, I here share a follow-up to my previous post reflecting on that occasion.

I watched two programs on Martin Luther I had taped some time ago.  The first was a documentary entitled Martin Luther: the Idea that Changed the World.  It combined interviews with experts and dramatic scenes from Martin Luther's life.  The driving theme of the program was Martin Luther's quest to answer the question of how to be a good person, and ultimately, gain Heaven while living in a sin-stained world.  He was overcome with such great guilt, which led to his entering the Augustinian order, putting him in a position to encounter ancient truths in Scriptures that led him to speak out against the Roman Catholic Church.  Having experienced God's graces so powerfully after great anguish caused him to hold unyieldingly to the principles he proclaimed and taught, even when his life was threatened by powerful figures in Europe.

I don't know if I should say this, but I think Martin Luther is a genius.  He had a brilliant mind that drove him to speak out against the Church in a very articulate way, especially through his 95 Theses.  Somehow, those statements launched a movement that would powerfully impact the world, especially when combined with other circumstances at the time, that gave him influence beyond him as a person.  The documentary emphasized how the relatively new invention of the printing press, the first form of mass media, seized on his writings and produced them in large quantities for the masses, which helped his ideas spread like wildfire.  That's when the trouble started, when the authority of rulers was challenged.  The situation, indeed, got rather complicated because there were political circumstances at stake, beyond the theological stakes.  Martin Luther was certainly more concerned with the latter, but others were more concerned with politics, like the Pope, who had so much more political power than in modern times, and even King Henry VIII, who at first defended the Roman Catholic Church, but then cast it aside and established the Church of England to suit his own desires, including his own ideas of power.

I also watched a Rick Steves program on Martin Luther and the Reformation.  There was footage of places in Germany related to Martin Luther, including in Eisleben, Erfurt, and Wittenberg.  But Rick Steves took great care not just to tell about events in Dr. Luther's life, but to furthermore place them in the context of church history and the sociopolitical situation of the time.  Rick Steves indicated that the Roman Catholic Church emerged in a power vacuum after the end of the Roman Empire, and so came to dominate Western Europe for the subsequent 10 centuries, holding sway over the political situation as well as the every day life of people, which, for commoners, he described as being unglamorous.  As tends to happen in the world, those people and institutions that gain great power become corrupted, and Dr. Luther rightly called the Church out on its corruption.  Rick Steves emphasized at the start and end of the program how Dr. Luther's actions also were about progress, as they affected the world order in which societies moved toward lesser influence of massive institutions like the Roman Catholic Church, and greater individual freedom.

These programs piqued my interest in the major writing for which he is known, and so I read the 95 Theses.  There is definitely a strong focus on the practice of indulgences, with an insistence of forgiveness of sins coming by grace through faith alone, and addressing the authority of the Pope.  He offered a lot of food for thought to spark discussion in the university community.

That's the spirit of what Dr. Gard, President of Concordia University Chicago, said in his remarks before a panel discussion held there on the eve of the 500th Anniversary of the 95 Theses.  He mentioned how fitting it was to have this panel discussion at a university, where discussion of ideas is meant to take place.

The panel discussion, entitled The Reformation at 500: an Interdenominational Conversation, featured two people I've personally met: Dr. Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College, and Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago.  It also included Dr. Matthew Harrison, Bishop and President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, who I've heard of before, but had only seen in person for the first time at this event.  The panel was moderated by Manya Brachear Pashman, the religion reporter for The Chicago Tribune.  (This page features a biographical profile of each panelist and includes a video recording of the discussion.  If you have an hour to spare,  I highly recommend watching the discussion because of the sharing of great insights, and even a high-five exchanged between Cardinal Cupich and President Harrison, which had something to do with similar views on predestination.)

The panel, from left to right: Dr. Ryken, President Harrison, Cardinal Cupich, and Manya Brachear Pashman

It was clear from the opening remarks that there would be some disagreement among the three panelists, which Ms. Pashman hoped for as a journalist.  One major issue raised was how salvation happens.  Cardinal Cupich talked about how works and faith are equally essential, while Dr. Ryken mentioned that there is no "Christ and", because Christ alone is the One Who makes salvation possible.  President Harrison also remarked that the righteousness of God is a finished act.

President Harrison also talked about the Lutheran Church's divisions, with confessional Lutherans and state Lutheran churches, especially in Europe, which have taken a decidedly progressive stance on issues.  He contrasted these divisions in Lutheranism with how Roman Catholics are not similarly divided, and continue to hold fast to truths of the Magisterium.  President Harrison even talked about how he read works by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and how much depth there is to Benedict's writings.

All three speakers appeared to be in agreement that the Protestant Reformation was an unfortunate event in world history that caused division to Christ's Church, seeking to refer to the 500th anniversary as a "commemoration", rather than something like a "celebration".  Cardinal Cupich deferred from referring to the Protestant Reformation as a "necessity", which implied its inevitability--and that led to the predestination remark that resulted in a high-five exchanged with President Harrison.  I would agree that the Reformation wasn't inevitable, but resulted from a collection of circumstances that came together in a particular way to cause it.

They also spoke about how heartened they were by the very fact that they were all together in one room having this discussion, being open to other's views, even to the point of being willing to face someone saying "you're wrong".  And they talked about ways Christians of all denominations could work together, in efforts to address social ills and encroachments by the government on religious freedom.

It was such a great conversation, and I was a little bit startled when the hour was done:  I felt like they could have kept going for so much longer.  I could have even gone on longer in conversation with a Lutheran pastor named Paul who sat next to me.  Before it started, he turned to me and asked why I had come to the discussion, and that turned into quite a conversation about our involvements in church:  He shared about his work as pastor, and I shared about my teaching Religious Education.

The next evening, October 31, I joined with  Lutherans and fellow Roman Catholics at Holy Name Cathedral for a prayer service.  The co-presiders were Cardinal Cupich of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and Bishop Wayne Miller of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  (How about that for two evenings in a row seeing Cardinal Cupich, and the third time in the month of October.)

Left: Bishop Miller. Right: Cardinal Cupich.

The prayers, songs, Scripture readings, and other readings focused on the Church, the Word of God, the tragedy of the division that resulted from the Protestant Reformation, the renewal that also occurred in the church, and what unites Roman Catholics and Lutherans.

There were great remarks offered in the messages:  We are called to live a Christianity that drives us outward to care for others.  While we are not saved by works, we're known by them.  We open our hands to receive the graces of God in abundance and then release them.  For the One Who binds us together is more powerful than what tears us apart, and how good it is when we live together, like Psalm 113 says.

It was notable that Lutherans were at a Roman Catholic Cathedral, of all places, to commemorate the anniversary of the 95 Theses, which Bishop Miller mentioned in his remarks.  And while I was there, I was kind of reminded of the story of The Sneetches, because at the end of it, no one could tell who was who.  And with the exception of certain clergy and religious people present, I couldn't really tell who was Roman Catholic and who was Lutheran.  And we were all together to join together in prayer, as Cardinal Cupich and Bishop Miller renewed, with their signatures, the 1989 Joint Covenant between the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Cardinal Cupich and Bishop Miller signing to renew the Covenant

It's indeed a great sign to see that we can come together, and be open to one another.  We have much progress to accomplish still--as evidenced in part by people standing outside Holy Name with signs denouncing the ELCA's support for abortion.  But we've definitely made strides since that movement 500 years ago that wounded Christ's vision of unity for His Church, especially in the fact that Protestants and Roman Catholics are coming together, and experience the powerful presence of God among us, Whom we shall one day worship forever in His presence as one multitude of the faithful.

The Energetic and Adventurous Spirit of Josh

At this time of year, we think about those who have departed from us into the realm of Eternity.  Today especially I think about my cousin Josh.

My Uncle Bernie adopted him about 10 years ago, seeking to provide a good life for a teenager, having spent much time working with and empowering teens through non-profit organizations.  Because of some unfortunate circumstances in his family life, Josh definitely needed true love and care, which my Uncle provided for him so abundantly.  Indeed, I remember seeing a photo of my uncle posing with my cousin before they went into family court to finalize the adoption, and Uncle Bernie was beaming with joy.

When Uncle Bernie brought him into our family, I was personally excited.  Being the youngest of the four grandchildren of my mom's parents, I didn't have the chance to welcome a newborn into the family after me, like my older brother and cousins did for me.  I enjoyed having a new family member, because part of me has yearned to play the role of a benevolent "older brother" kind of figure, and I was able to do so for Josh.

My cousin Josh was a rather energetic, adventurous kind of person.  My Mom tells a story from when she was with him and my uncle waiting at family court to finalize the adoption, and Josh looked out at a construction crane in downtown Chicago and expressed his desire to swing around from the top of it.  He also had a sense of adventure during a winter season when he built a shelter outside entirely made of snow and slept inside it.  Like Uncle Bernie, Josh enjoyed outdoor activities.

Josh also enjoyed playing games, both cards and other board games.  I recall a story published in a newsletter about how my Uncle Bernie adopted Josh.  For his first meeting with my uncle, Josh brought a bunch of games with him so they would have something to do together.  He and my uncle must have great minds because my uncle thought alike and brought a bunch of games with him, too, leading the caseworker to remark that they had found their match.  When we had family gatherings, like on holidays, Josh and Uncle Bernie were eager to play some kind of game.

At Church, Josh ran the equipment during Mass in the AV loft, just like Uncle Bernie does.  He was even part of the Knights of Columbus, first as a squire, and then as a full-fledged member once he turned 18.  When he was confirmed, he selected the name Gabriel, one of the prominent angels, the servants who boldly do God's work in accomplishing His purposes, which I found fitting for his personality.

His family background caused him to struggle in life, but there were many times he also embraced a very strong sense of life.  I remember he was once over at my house, and we ended up having a great conversation about life and the nature of our society, the final extended conversation I had with him before his sudden and tragic death.

It was heartbreaking for him to depart from us.  But to the very end, he received the great love of our family, as well as a huge group of his friends who attended.  My Grandma put it best when she remarked that his funeral was one of the best she's ever attended.

Truly his life reminds us of what it means to be a family in which we share the kind of love that nourishes our souls and allows us to live fully the life God desires of us, giving of our love from the heart, mirroring the love we look forward to sharing with Him one day, forever, in His presence.