Diaspora Digest # 36
|
Editor: Gael Stahl Webmeister: Jack Brennan Submit publishable
letters, articles and comments to: Diaspora Digest Home page: http://www.diasporadigest.org |
21 feb 2005: carroll mitzicko:
It has been a while since I have given you an update on our
latest activities. The big news, of
course, is the loss of our Bishop.
Bishop Gregory left for his new position as Archbishop of Atlanta in
mid-January. We wish him the very best
in his new position and know that he will do an outstanding job. In the meantime we are wondering whom we
will get as our next Bishop. The
expectation is that it will be six months to a year before a new Bishop is
appointed.
One of our concerns with the move of Bishop Gregory is what
effect that will have on our plans and work to merge the four parishes into one
in East St. Louis. We have talked with
Msgr. Margason, the Administrator for the Diocese, and he has asked us to continue
the work as scheduled. There will be
some things that will have to wait for official action until we have a Bishop,
but most things will be able to proceed as planned.
In December, between Christmas and New Years, Fr. Ferd and
I conducted “Go Down Moses VI” in New Orleans.
This is a retreat for young African American men between 16 and 35 years
old. The purpose is to explore with the
young men their place and leadership roles in the Catholic Church. While it is not aimed specifically at
vocations to the priesthood and religious life, it is certainly our hope that
some vocations will result from these experiences. This year we had about thirty young men from several areas of the
country participate. There were some
definite vocation possibilities in the group.
Next year we are considering holding the retreat in Baltimore.
Sister Thea Bowman Elementary School continues to develop
under the leadership of our principal, Sister Janet McCann. Our excellent staff is having a
significant impact on the students with a more individualized instruction. In addition to the usual subjects, the
students also have the opportunity to develop their skills in art, computer,
music and the lower grades are being taught violin while the upper grades are
being taught ballroom dancing. Parents
seem to be very pleased with the new direction of the school. In December we had an Advent Program put on
by the students and faculty that filled the church to overflowing. We also have a waiting list of parents who
want to enroll their children for next school year.
My ministry as Chaplain at St. Elizabeth Hospital continues
to be challenging and rewarding. Due to
financial difficulties and the continuing problem of doctors leaving the area
due to the high cost of Medical Mal-Practice insurance, the hospital has cut
back in many areas including Pastoral Care.
The number of chaplains and the hours they work has been reduced. This has not affected my hours, in fact I
work one more hour than before. On
Saturdays I am the only chaplain on duty from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM and there is
no chaplain in the hospital after I leave.
However, there are chaplains ‘on call’ for emergencies. Our census at the hospital is up which is
encouraging for the future. It seems
strange, doesn’t it, and a little ironic that you should be glad when people
are getting sick.
In January I participated in a four week “Ecumenical Bible
Study Seminar” that was held at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. I served as moderator for the sessions. The topic was “The Eucharist: real presence,
sign, symbol, or remembrance.” This
topic was addressed from four different Christian perspectives: Catholic,
Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, and Christ Unity Church. It was a very interesting seminar. While there were certainly clear differences,
I was also struck by the points of agreement.
Some of my other interfaith experiences include
participation in a Book Study group that meets for five weeks. The book we are discussing is “The Secret
Life of Bees”, a novel by Sue Monk Kidd.
It is a story about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of
love set in the context of the racially charged south of the 1960’s. I also participate in the monthly meeting of
the Metro East Interfaith Partnership which explores various scriptural and theological
topics from various Christian and non-Christian perspectives. We are also beginning our planning for the
annual “Festival of Faiths and Cultures” and “Interfaith Dinner” that is held
in collaboration with the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows in September.
I am also working with the Lenten program named “Called to
be Neighbor.” This year we have ten
parishes from the Belleville area participating. We meet on Mondays at 6:30 PM at one of the parishes. We share a simple Lenten meal with a
presentation followed by table discussion.
This year we are exploring the Church’s call for a “Preferential Option
for the Poor.”
Fr. Ferd continues his work at Althoff and with the Liturgical Commission
of the Diocese. He just completed his last
scheduled seminar on Black Religious Music for Catholic Worship held this past
Saturday at Althoff. W. Clifford Petty,
composer/director, was the presenter.
The other big project is preparing for the Archbishop Lyke Liturgical
Conference being held in St. Louis in June and sponsored by the Diocese of
Belleville.
Fr. Chris is still trying to break into more jails. Jails are usually places people try to stay
out of, but for Chris he always seems to be trying to break into new ones. The prison system does not make it easy to
minister to those incarcerated. Chris
is participating on a statewide committee to try and address some of the
issues.
Well that is what is happening on the “East Side”. I hope you have a fruitful Lent and joyous
Easter. Drop me a line or stop by to
visit if you are in the area. I am
always happy to hear from you.
Peace and everything that is good!
11 Mar 2005: Gael Stahl: I followed up shingles with sciatica and just began walking w/o a
cane last Thursday evening. Just in time to bury another younger friend this
week, 300 miles east in Johnson City in the mountains.
Here's what
I just sent a friend in Germany: “I just came from the eastern time zone
yesterday afternoon. I buried another friend 35 years younger than I, my best
friend in Tennessee. He was the sixth friend I buried of the 30 or 40 folks who
attended our 1981 wedding on our lakeshore. He was the fourth one younger than
I… I'm getting way too accustomed to
being ‘Father Gael’ at the funerals of my dearest friends.”
21 Mar 2005:
Chuck Faso: Begins organizing his pilgrimage to Vietnam
in November.
21 Mar 2005:
Dennis Griffin: This
morning at 5:07 am I got a call from the police saying that there had been a
fire in the complex where my office is located. They wanted me to go out there.
It turns out that there had been a fire two units down from me. The fire department had gotten the alarm
call at 3:09 am. The unit where the
fire started was 100% destroyed. It was
nothing but a black hole with a lot of amorphous black junk in it. We only had a little soot and smell and
firemen's boot prints on the carpet.
They had also popped the cylinder out of the front door lock so that
they could get it. A couple of the
other units were not so lucky. On the
lower level that was three inches of water, and a bunch of other damage. When I got there the fire was out and the
inspectors were just starting to work.
The way they sift through the mess is fascinating. The police sergeant told me that they had
not found any evidence of arson. They
had not
found
multiple sites of origin. All the stuff
that I had planned to do today is totally out the window. Insurance will cover our damage, and
hopefully we will not be put out of business at all.
25 Mar 2005:
Chuck Faso: Greetings
from Washington DC.
I arrived
here today from Chicago. Fr. Bill
Burton ofm, with whom I live in Chicago, and I flew together. Fr. Bill has been invited to preach for the
Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter) at the
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land here in Washington DC. So I accompanied Fr. Bill - to cheer him on,
to visit friends, and to visit the sites.
We are staying with the thirty Franciscan Friars here at the Monastery
on 1400 Quincy St. NE, Washington DC - not far from Catholic University of
America and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Blessings on
you and your loved ones during this week called Holy. May you all be blessed by
God who calls us all to live life more fully, more gratefully, and more
peacefully. Be assured of a remembrance of my prayers during these Holy Week
Days in Washington DC.
Fr. Bill and
I will return to Chicago on Easter Sunday afternoon. Peace! Shalom! Salaam!
21 May 2005:
Chuck Faso: Greetings
from Chicago!
Since Easter, I have preached three parish missions in Illinois
and Nebraska and two retreats to Religious Women (Sisters). Each was a blessing, a challenge and great
fun.
On Monday May 23, I will be going to Sicily for two weeks with
45 people. This will be my fifth visit to Sicily but the first visit to
celebrate the feast of Blessed John, the patron Saint of Caccamo, the hometown
of my Grandma and Grandpa
Faso. This mountain town is thirty miles east of Palermo.
On Sunday May 29, I will be celebrating Mass in Italian for the
people of Caccamo in the Church of Blessed John (Beato Giovanni) for the feast
of Corpus Christi and the feast of Blessed John. This has got me very excited
and a little nervous. Hope their ears
won't hurt too much from my pronunciation.
Be assured of my prayers for you all during these two
weeks. May the Lord give you Peace!
25 may
2005: Sacred Heart Province Death Notice:
We are saddened to learn of the sudden and expected death
of former-friar GEORGE KARNIA at the age of 53. George attended St.
Joe's Minor Seminary and OLA Seminary in Quincy before entering the novitiate
at St. Paschal's in Oak Brook in 1971. He left the Order during the time of his
simple profession. (His classmates include Dennis Schafer, Paul Gallagher, John
Eaton, Larry Janezic, Jim Kelly, and Chris Lambert.) He remained in his
hometown of Chicago until his death. George was preceded in death by his wife
Karen Gutowski and his sister Karen.
Visitation will be on Thursday evening, May 26th, from 3:00-9:00 p.m. in the
Zimmerman & Sandeman Funeral Home (5200 West 95th Street in Oak Lawn,
Illinois.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday morning at St.
Nicholas of Tolentine Church (3700 West 62nd Street) at 10:30 a.m. on Friday
followed by burial in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Remembrances and condolences may be recorded in the on-line Guest Book at
www.parksidechapels.com If you need further information, please contact the
funeral directors at (708) 424-0340 or (773) 767-9788.
"The Souls of the Just are in the Hands of God."
29 May 2005: Jerry
Etzkorn: [After getting an email about the newsletter, Around the Province,
from Gael Stahl.]
Been on the road for a month. Be glad to get the ATP. Heard you'd been 'ailing' and hope things are now better.
29 May 2005: Gael Stahl: Thanks, Jerry. Yes, spent all day
yesterday shoveling and raking clay, running a vibrating compactor to
waterproof the foundations of our new house. Could not have two months ago. The
sciatica was a bad one.
I'm in an
e-discussion with two other friends and our recent big discussion has been
pretty much phenomenology with lots of Freud and Wittgenstein thrown in. I
threw in a little Ferdinand and Merleau Ponty but they weren't up on the
Belgique guy, more on Husserl and Sein und Zeit.
But, I'm finally
learning a bit more. May need to consult with you on something to freshen up my
philosophical thinking roots from 1962-63. You were the best in that you were
the only one who got us actually reading the writers, Hegel, etc. I wish we'd
had you in scholasticism. We never got to read Scotus and I read Ockham only on
my own. Bonaventure, too.
What a waste,
those survey courses, without tasting the authors themselves.
I wonder if Jack
Brennan is sending out the ATPs now. I keep getting them from the province but
not from him, so I better send out a few more.
Thanks for letting
me know you want it.
[Why are you
and my wife always wondering if I am doing what I am supposed to be doing? After reading this exchange, I think Dan
Dolesh is right, we may be way over educated! JB.]
3 Jun 2005: Carroll Mizicko: Life continues to move on!
We have hit some turbulent waters in our process of merging the four
parishes into one. As we move closer to
the time of the actual merger some people’s emotions are running high
particularly in terms of who will be the pastor of the new parish. Some are very adamant that it be one of the
present pastors while others are equally insistent that it be someone new. It is all complicated by the fact that our
new Bishop will not be installed until June 22nd and he is the one who will
have to make the final determinations.
We have arranged for a meeting between the new Bishop and the people of
the parishes in East St. Louis for July 11th.
We will have to wait and see where things go after the meeting.
Speaking of
the new Bishop. Bishop Braxton will be
installed on June 22nd. Unfortunately, he is going to have to deal with a whole
lot of negative feelings when he arrives.
Much of the negativity stems from the quickness of his appointment and
the lack of consultation of not only clergy and laity of the Diocese, but also
of our former Bishop, Wilton Gregory, and our Archbishop, Cardinal George of
Chicago. Ordinarily input is sought
from all of the above as to the qualities that would be desirable for a Bishop
of a particular Diocese. Due to the
quickness of the appointment that was not done and many people are quite upset. Naturally rumors are also rampant which only
fosters more unrest.
Sister Thea
Bowman School has completed the first year under the new leadership. While it was a difficult year as the
transition was made, overall it was very successful with increased academic
achievements and better discipline and motivation. There is still much room for improvement but the new approach is
making a difference. One of the recent
highlights was our Spring Concert. As
part of the new curriculum our lower grades take violin lessons and the upper
grades ballroom dancing. It was quite
impressive to see some sixty K-5th grade students and their teachers playing
their violins together as a group. The
mastery of the 6th-8th grades of the steps of various ballroom dances also left
one in amazement. Our students are
exposed to the fine arts as part of their overall education in order to teach
self discipline and focus. The monetary
contributions that many of you made this past year enabled us to offer
financial assistance to five needy students whose families could not afford the
full tuition of $2,500.00. Thank you
for your generous support.
Another
interesting education project we are working on is a collaboration effort with
Quincy University to use Sr. Thea Bowman and Althoff High as training sites for
student teachers and counselors. Quincy
University is interested in giving their students more exposure to cultural
diversity and so it can be a benefit to all involved. We are hoping to have something ready to go by the fall.
In the area
of education, one of the great needs of the community is for an adult literacy
program. There were programs available
but the funds were cut. We have many
adults not able to read at all or very minimally. This affects people’s ability to get and hold jobs not to mention
their self-esteem.
We are
hoping to address this need as the new Catholic Parish by offering one on one
tutoring for adults. The program will
start on a small scale but we hope to expand it as we obtain grants for the
program in the future.
In my
ministry as chaplain at St. Elizabeth Hospital I pulled extra hours in May and
will do so again in June. The
administration has cut back on the number of chaplains and so when one is sick
or out of town, we all pitch in to cover for them. There is a very good spirit among the chaplains so we are glad to
help one another.
In May I
helped conduct our quarterly Memorial Service for parents who had a miscarriage
or lost a child at birth over the last three months. We had eighteen parents who were invited to the service at a
local cemetery where the fetuses are buried.
As always it was quite an emotional and moving experience as you try to
offer some words of comfort and hope to the parents and families.
Another
aspect of my ministry at the Hospital is leading a prayer service and offering
a reflection on St. Francis as part of a retreat day for hospital staff. Over the next two years the Hospital
Administration plans to have all of the 1,200 employees participate in one of
these renewal days.
Fr. Ferd has completed another year at
Althoff. The school Gospel choir is
scheduled to sing at the Province Chapter, at our Bishop’s Installation and
attend the Archbishop Lyke
Conference. Ferd is the chair for the
Lyke Conference so we are going to hate to see our phone bill for June.
Fr. Chris continues his prison ministry. He has not added any new prisons recently,
Thank God! He always has interesting stories and anecdotes to share. Chris was recently invited to Chicago to St.
Peter’s to speak on prison ministry at one of their forums. He is also scheduled to give a workshop at
the Lyke Conference this month. Chris
is becoming quite the expert.
June is
going to be a very busy month. Our
Franciscan Province Chapter is set for June 12-17. Ferd and I will be involved in “Hush Harbor” African American
Musicians and Liturgist on June 20-21.
The Clarence Rivers Musical Workshop and the Archbishop Lyke Conference
are June 22-26. In between we will
squeeze in the new Bishop’s Installation on June 21-22. As Ferd often says: “Never a dull moment in the kingdom!” Peace and everything good!
Thanks, Gael. Actually I check every Thursday
for the current Newsletter from Benet. I probably read it more
"faithfully" (?) than some of the friars. Actually I'm in touch with
a lot of the guys from "sem days." One of the questions that comes up
a lot is: when will there be a new DD? I'm sure it takes a lot more hours to
edit and send out than you have, so I don't ask. PEACE
05 jun 2005: Gael Stahl: to Cullan Uhlinger:
I thought I'd get DD out when I devoted
November and December to it. But then I
got so sick that I couldn't work on it until March when I could finally sit in
front of a monitor again. But by then I was so far behind that I still haven't
got up. But I work on it mot days. Complexities and computer problems generate
confusion here.
Bart (Dick) Korn was here overnight last week on a weekend
trip to Jackson Miss. to check out a house they rent. He's already written from
Ohio after his return.
08 jun 2005: Cullan uhlinger:
The web site is: www.thefriars.org Go to
DIRECTORY, then click on to "Around the Province", a weekly
newsletter. You may need an Adobe Reader 6.0. Another Newsletter I get daily
(for free, but they also daily ask for contributions) is Zenit English. It's
kind of a global look at the Catholic Church with an emphasis on Big Ben/Rome.
The Cleveland Diocese also sends a free, weekly newsletter, as most, bigger dioceses
probably do too. Last, but not least is the free Saint of the Day notice that
comes daily c. 7 a.m. Lannie gets mad at me for spending so much time on the
Internet, but I enjoy it. Is there a current directory for members of the DD?
I've been using DD #28 (June, 1999) (hard copy) for email addresses, but it's a
little out of date and incomplete. I'm sure Lannie would be grateful (and so
would I) if you send the web site to me. Sorry to hear about you being sick.
Seems that I recall Muskie telling me you weren't at Medard's funeral.
Hope you are better. PEACE
08 jun 2005: Gael Stahl: Cullan, I'll pass on the word pronto.
Thanks. In fact, Jack Brennan will probably be better at doing it. He has a
large email list. I'll attach my master list of friars for you. Hard to believe
my last list went out in 1999. Seems more recent, but I don't doubt it.
I didn't get sick until Dec (shingles) and
then Jan (sciatica). But I was fine for Medard’s funeral and we had a wonderful
time together. Muski, Mooney, Reuter,
and I age pizza and drank beer deep into the night and yakked. We mentioned you
being in close contact with everybody quite a lot.
Muskie mostly brought us up to date. I liked everything I heard.
10 jun 2005: Chuck faso: From May 23 to
June 5, I was blessed to be in Sicily, Italy, for two weeks with 42 other
people. We traveled from Taormina and Catania on the east coast of this
Mediterranean Island off the toe of Italy, to Marsala, Erice and Trapani
on the west coast; from Palermo and Termini Imerese on the north coast to
Agrigento on the south coast - and much in between, from the steaming volcano
of Mt. Etna near Taormina to the enchanting island of Favignana near
Trapani. Sicily in the spring time is a land lush with flowers and
greenery everywhere. Bright yellow ginestra flowers blanketed the
mountains while exploding poppies painted the deep rolling valleys with bright,
brilliant red. The ancient Greeks and Romans have influenced all
that is seen, felt, and heard in the temples in Agrigento and Segesta
and in the language, architecture and facial features of the warm and
amazingly hospitable people. The Normans, the Arabs, the Spanish,
the French, and others who came, conquered, stayed and enriched Sicily
gifted Sicily in the same ways. All left their imprint and DNA, their
culinary and artistic talents.
A
highlight for me personally was to be able to preside and preach at the
Sunday Mass in Italian in my Grandparents' hometown of Caccamo. We were
there for the celebration of Corpus Christi and the patronal feast day of
the town (8000 people), the feast of Beato Giovanni Liccio, a Dominican
preacher of the 16th Century. Caccamese people return for the feast from
all over Europe, from Canada, from the USA, etc. I first celebrated mass
there in 1979 - the first time any of the Faso's returned to Sicily since John
Faso and Consiglia LoBue, my grandparents, left in 1910. This trip was my
fifth visit to Sicily, but my first to be in Caccamo for the feast of Beato
Giovanni. The Mayor of the Caccamo met us at the city
gates. Many other dignitaries, including a Dr. Faso, a full marching band
and majorettes, accompanied him. They led us into town and to the church of
Beato Giovanni. I prayed there for the family, for all of you, and for
those in Chicago Heights whose ancestors came from that mountain town that
towers over other mountains and valleys, lakes and villages.
On Sunday
after the mass, the Mayor of Caccamo at the famous Castle of Caccamo,
recently restored, hosted us. I returned on Monday with the
Monastero's and the Porto's to visit their relatives, to walk through the
cemetery where I saw many familiar Chicago Heights names: Faso, LoBue, Pagoria,
Stanfa, Macaluso, Purpura, etc., and to meet the Capuchin Franciscan
Friars at the Capuchin Friary next to the cemetery. How often
Grandma Faso told me about the Capuchin Friars and their chapel where she often
went to pray.
I hope to
return to Caccamo for the week of prayer and preaching before the feast of
Beato Giovanni which is always the last Sunday and Monday of May. I can
stay with the Capuchin Friars and be able to participate in the three-hour
procession through the town on the Monday celebration as twelve men carry the
figure of Beato Giovanni in a glass class that contains his remains. What
a retreat that will be. Beato Giovanni's mother's maiden name was
Faso. These thirteen days were sponsored by Joe and Martha Monastero
of Monastero's restaurant on Devon in Chicago, by Dino and Josephine Porto of
Cosmopolitan Travel, and by me. Joe, Dino, and Josephine were born in
Caccamo. Martha Monastero blessed and moved us all many times with her
magnificent gift, talent, and trained soprano voice. A blessing for all of
us. Martha and her husband Joe aided our prayer with their
singing at the last Mass we all celebrated on Mt. Pellegrino high above Palermo
in the Grotto of Santa Rosalia, the patron of Palermo. One complaint
we all shared: there was too much food and every bite was too good! A
rehearsal for the heavenly banquet!
Hope you
can visit Sicily, enjoy the beauty of this Mediterranean island
and taste the great food and wine of Sicily!
Enjoy
these lengthening June days! Much peace and health to you and your
families.
29 JUN 2005: Fr. Eugene (Gentil) Katoski, OFM
“Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister
Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape” (CtC 12).
Our fellow friar and faithful priest of
Sacred Heart Province Eugene (Gentil) Katoski OFM died on June 29, 2005, at the
age of 87, at Loretto Home in Springfield, Illinois. Eugene had been in failing
health for a number of years, suffering from Altzheimer’s Disease.
Eugene (Gene) served the Franciscan Province
of the Sacred Heart as a teacher of history for 51 years * at St. Joseph Minor
Seminary in Westmont (IL), at Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Quincy (IL),
and at Padua High School in Parma, Ohio.
During his years of ministry he also did pastoral work in the
Archdiocese of Chicago and in the Dioceses of Joliet (IL), Springfield (IL),
and Cleveland (OH), and he was chaplain for the Poor Clare nuns in Cleveland.
Eugene Katoski OFM will be waked on Friday,
July 1, 2005, at the Villa West Chapel (100 Stardust Drive) in Sherman,
Illinois, beginning with morning prayer at 10:00am. His Funeral Mass will be
celebrated on Friday, July 1, 2005, at 11:00am in the Villa West Chapel. He will be buried in the friars’ plot in
Calvary Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois.
May he rest in peace!
The sympathy of the friars and their solidarity
in prayer and fraternity are conveyed to the nephew of Gene Katoski OFM, our
own Michael Clarahan OFM, and to the whole Katoski Family.
(Condolences to Mike Clarahan OFM at
mikeclarahan of juno.com or at St.
Peter’s Church-in the Loop,110 West Madison Street, Chicago IL 60602.)
Parents: Stanislaus Kwiatkowski and Susanna
Wodzick
Birth: December 15, 1917 - Waterloo
(Dubuque), IA
Baptism: December 23, 1917 - St. Mary,
Waterloo, IA
Confirmation: December 13, 1931 - St. Mary,
Waterloo, IA
Ist Order Reception: August 23, 1938 -
Teutopolis, IL (Optatus Loeffler)
Simple Profession: August, 24, 1939 -
Teutopolis, IL (Vincent Schrempp)
Solemn Profession: August 23, 1942 -
Teutopolis, IL (Wenceslaus Krzycki)
Tonsure: October 28, 1942 - Teutopolis, IL
(James A. Griffin)
Ost. & Lec.: October 28, 1942 -
Teutopolis, IL (James A. Griffin)
Exor. &Acol.: November 1, 1943 -
Teutopolis, IL (James A. Griffin)
Sub-deacon: November 1, 1944 - Teutopolis, IL
(James A. Griffin)
Deacon: December 8, 1944 - Teutopolis, IL (James
A. Griffin)
Priest: June 24, 1945 - Teutopolis, IL (James
A. Griffin)
1946-1946: Quincy (St. Francis) Student at
Quincy College
1946-1947: Westmont (St. Joseph)
1947-1948: Washington (Sacred Heart) Student
at Catholic University
1948-1964: Westmont (St. Joseph)
1964-1973: Quincy (Our Lady of Angels) Vicar
(68-69)
1973-1987: Cleveland (Padua Franciscan High
School) Faculty
1987-1988: Cleveland (St. Anthony) Part-time
Parochial Minister at St. Charles Parish
1988-1998: Cleveland (Padua Friary) Faculty (88-90),
Part-time Chaplain
for Poor Clares (88-00),
Editor Senior
Friars Talk (91-00)
1998-2000: Cleveland (Padua)
Part-time Chaplain
for Poor Clares (88-00);
Editor Senior
Friars Talk (91-00) in residence at St. Patrick Rectory in Cleveland
2000-2005: Sherman
(Our Lady of Angels) Villa Health Care West –
Retired. On March
2, 2001.
01 jul 2005: Gael
Stahl: Running thru my address list quickly I find you
classmates or semi classmates, and tell you that GK was one of my five
top favorites. He made me really love history with his quirky way of doing it,
peg dates, enthusiasm, cliches, bon mots, etc. He's the one who said he read a
book a week, 52 a year, and I thought that amazing, and set out to equal him.
It took my love of reading to competitive heights, and that's my cuppa tea, I
think.
Happy Independents
(sic) Day. The Demos and Repubs have their party feasts, but we independents
need our own
04 jul 2005: Dan Tanna:
Thanks for GK's obit notice, Gael! I was thinking
about him the other day driving somewhere on the beltway between work and home!
Don't know what it was exactly to bring him to mind; it is not the first
time. Attribute it to the energy and order he brought to our young lives
as our Prefect of Discipline, and, as fortunati under his tutelage, he made sure none of us
would forget Scipio Africanus' decisive defeat of Hannibal at Zama in 202BC to
end the Second Punic War. "Zama Oh Zama" ZOZ - 202. Thanks GK!
We love you.
Hope you and Susan are having a great 4th of July weekend. Couldn't ask for finer, prettier days here in our nation's capital. Spending quality at the Weber, getting some laps in at the pool, reading some Karen Armstrong and Mark Twain, and looking forward to a short work week at the Red Cross about sums in up on this end for Sharon and me. Couldn't be happier with the way it feels.
21 JUL 2005: CARROLL MITZICKO: Greetings from the Eastern Bank of St. Louis on a beautiful summer evening.
We have finally had some rain which has eased but not eliminated the effects of the drought we have been suffering in this part of the country the past couple of months. The crops have been hurt but the farmers are still hopeful of getting at least a decent return on their work.
We have a new Bishop in the Belleville Diocese. Bishop Edward Braxton, formerly Bishop of Lake Charles, LA, was installed as the 8th Bishop of Belleville on June 22nd. He came to the Diocese in the midst of considerable controversy resulting from the rapidness of his appointment, rumors about his leadership style, and the expenditure of a considerable amount, not Diocesan funds but from friends, to fix up the Bishop’s residence. I have had occasion to meet with Bishop Braxton several times and I am basically encouraged. He is a very quiet and reserved man but he seems to listen well and is able to handle rather tense and potentially explosive situations effectively. I think that he is going to be much more directive in his approach as to what he wants done or not done than was Bishop Gregory. He believes in formality always wearing the Bishop’s regalia or suit and collar with pectoral cross. I have yet to see him in anything less formal. He has also indicated that he expects the Priests of the Diocese to wear the clergy collar and be identified as a Catholic Priest on a regular basis. The coming months and years should prove interesting.
With the arrival of the new Bishop our situation here in East St. Louis is on hold. The Bishop has met with the people of the four parishes in East St. Louis to hear their comments and concerns. He has also met with various key Catholic leaders from the area to obtain their input. He seems to be doing his homework. The Bishop has indicated that he is leaning towards any merger taking place the First Sunday of Advent due to many factors that still need to be addressed. A key decision he has to make is who will be the pastor of the new parish. The question is whether to go with one of the Diocesan priests who has been here over thirty years, or to go with some one new. If the decision is to go with some one new, I am probably the main candidate. I told the Bishop that I would be willing to serve if asked. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the Bishop in making the right decision that will be in the best interest of the people of all four parishes. In the meantime, the Bishop has already transferred one of the Diocesan Priests and asked us to assume responsibility for two of the four parishes until the merger actually takes place.
June was a very busy month. We had our Franciscan Provincial Chapter June13_17 during which we elected the Provincial Leadership for the next three years. Fortunately, none of us in East St. Louis was elected to any positions. The following week I was actively involved with three African American Catholic workshops held in St. Louis: the “Hush Harbor” for theologians, musicians and liturgists; the “Clarence Rivers Music Workshop,” and the “Archbishop James Lyke Liturgical Conference.” The Lyke conference had about 600 participants from across the country. Right in the middle of all of that we had the Installation of Bishop Braxton in Belleville. However, we survived and it was all very worthwhile. The Liturgies at the Lyke Conference were especially outstanding with moving music, inspiring liturgical dance, spirited preaching and dynamic participation.
Following the Lyke Conference I immediately dove into the final preparations for a VBS (Vacation Bible School) for the parishes in East St. Louis. This was the first one they had in probably ten or more years. It was called a “Safari Adventure: Searching for the King.” We had about forty children, pre-school to thirteen, take part in the week long event. The program ran from 6:00 to 8:45 PM. It began with a simple meal followed by various activities for the children and a special class for the adults. The evaluations of the program were all very positive.
In addition to the above we continue our other ministries. Almost every weekend one or more of us are helping out at some parish in the Diocese. Last weekend was one of our busiest. We covered a Mass at Ellis Grove and St. Clare in O’Fallon, IL; two at St. Luke in Belleville and four in Breese and Beckemeyer, IL. We are usually not quite that stretched but we try to help out as much as we can. With our having to assume responsibility for two Masses in East St. Louis starting August 1st, that will somewhat limit our availability to help elsewhere.
Fathers Chris and Ferd are doing well and continuing their ministries. The Gospel Choir from Althoff, under the direction of Fr. Ferd, sang at the Provincial Chapter and at the Lyke Conference in June. They are scheduled to make a trip to St. Peter’s in Chicago in August and to Quincy University in September.
Sister Thea Bowman School is closed for the summer. However, things will be cranking up again in a couple of weeks. We have had a much better pre_enrollment than previous years. We are hoping to increase our student body significantly this fall. Fortunately, most of the excellent faculty will be returning which is a real plus. Again thanks to all who made donations to help with tuition subsidy for some of our students. Donations are always needed and greatly appreciated.
At this time I am not sure about when I may get away for a few days vacation. With the uncertainty of the situation around the merger of the parishes in East St. Louis and my possible role, I feel I need to wait until a decision is made. Peace and everything that is good!
1 aug 2005: Fr. George (Agatho) Windolph, OFM:
"Praised be You, my Lord, through our
Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape" (CtC 12).
Our fellow friar and faithful priest of Sacred
Heart Province, George Windolph OFM passed away peacefully this morning,
Sunday, July 31, 2005, at 11:30am in Loretto Home at the Motherhouse in
Springfield, Illinois. He was very alert until his condition changed rapidly
around 11:15am. The friars were at his bedside when he passed.
George was a very generous and gentle man. In
his goodness he donated his body to the Illinois Anatomical Society.
Memorial Services will be held at a later
date in Quincy and Sherman, Illinois. Notification of services will be sent out
as soon as they have been arranged.
We will miss him.
May he rest in peace
The sympathy of the friars and their
solidarity in prayer and fraternity are conveyed to his brother and our
confrere
Jo Windolph OFM and to the whole Windolph Family.
(Condolences to Jo Windolph OFM at St. Peter's Friary, 110 West Madison Street,
Chicago IL 60602)
3 Aug 2005: Scott
Kuhle: Thanks Gael
for the notification re Agatho's death.
As a therapist,
I think that one of the most rewarding statements a client could make about me
would be something to the effect that I had helped them revel more fully in the
wonders of life - in counseling it usually has to do about self and
relationship. Agatho provided me a wonderful foundation for reveling in the
wonders of the macro/microcosmic world in which I live. I still spend a lot of time reading about
science, and – thanks to Agatho - understand much of it.
I hope that
he is now getting a better understanding of String Theory so that he can
explain it to me when I get to the Big Classroom!
Requiescat
In Pace
Peace and
Joy.
4 aug 2005: Jerry Etzkorn: The last time I visited Quincy where George
was stationed at the time, I learned that he had been going to the hospital
regularly to hug, cuddle and walk the babies who otherwise would be left alone
in their 'cribs'. It was just another 'facet' of George's amazing , charitable
and kindly
personality. I always considered it a
privilege to have been his colleague in West Park and Quincy.
4 aug 2005: Gael Stahl: That's our old
(then, young) prof Agatho. Best chemistry, genetics, cosmology,
reproduction, etc., prof I ever had in those subjects. A really natural, good
teacher. It was his charism, and I kept some of those mimeographed textbooks. I think Alan Wolter wrote them or most of them,
but Aggie/George sure could teach them.
4 aug 2005: Jack Brennan: A physician friend of mine borrowed Aggie's manuscript on
embryology from me and never returned it. He told me it was superior to the text he used in med school. A great teacher. Rest in peace, Brother Agatho.
4 aug 2005: marty hegarty: Dear John,
Though not a Friar, I have always enjoyed
Diaspora and news of this province. It always seemed to me that stories of
Teutopolis, Oak Brook etc. were universal to all seminary experience especially
the profs. Please change my e-mail to martyhegarty of sbcglobal.net
5 aug 2005: bob willford: Thanks for forwarding the obit. [George
(Agatho) Windolph] Remember the
Cosmology classes quite well.
8
aug 2005: bob link: Hi,
Gael and John.
I received your notice about Agatho's
death. What a shocker. Thanks for the info. His brother, Nestor, was in
my class at Westmont, and then we were together down in Brazil.
In 1960, when I was back home in Quincy on
vacation, I bummed a vacuum tube tester!!! (do you still remember those
things?) off of Aggie. He hated to part with it; it was one of those good
military issues, but he was a generous soul. God rest his soul.
We moved recently and also have a new e-mail
address. Here's the update: 2804 Wessex Dr., West Dundee, IL 60118,
(847)428-3053 blink8 of comcast.net
Thanks for including me. God bless you all.
9 aug 2005: Fr. Joe Zimmerman: Link to Fr. Joe’s moving funeral homily: http://www.diasporadigest.org/articles/George%20Windolph%20funeral.html
"Praised be You, my Lord, through our
Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape" (CtC 12).
Our fellow friar and faithful priest of
Sacred Heart Province Floribert Veverka OFM
passed away peacefully this afternoon,
Thursday, August 25, 2005, at 2:00pm
surrounded by the members of the Our Lady of
the Angels Friary in Springfield,
Illinois.
Floribert served the Church and the Order as
a parish priest in various places throughout the province.
The funeral services will take place on
Saturday, August 27, 2005 in the Villa West Chapel,
Sherman, Illinois. Morning Praise will begin at 9:00am. Visitation will continue
until the time of the Mass. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at
11:00am. Burial will take place on Monday, August 29, 2005, in the Friars' Plot
of Calvary Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois.
May he rest in peace.
The sympathy of the friars and their
solidarity in prayer and fraternity are conveyed to the family and friends of
Floribert Veverka OFM.
2 Sep 2005: Gael Stahl: The accounts of the new provincial postulants and of the superb cranky Floribert Veverka whom I've only known from the distance (towards the end, that may have been almost everyone from the sound of it) is worth a look for those of you who don't check the newsletter regularly. Floribert is an example of what we can become if our sense independence is carried to its logical extreme after we're able to carry it out in our own lives. Kind of reminds me of one of the eremites in the desert in the early centuries, maybe Anthony?
[To
check out Around the Province (the newsletter to which Gael refers above): http://www.thefriars.org/atp/index.html then click on the Sept 1 issue.]
2 sep 2005: bob willford: Thanks for the copy of Around The
Province.
Floribert seems to have been a man of substantial contradictions (not unlike
most of us, I suppose). Maybe it's a
"guy" thing to want to always be the giver of help rather than the
receiver.
By the way, if you get the chance, could you
please change the email address you have for me to beepster of comcast.net
Thanks much, John, and take care.
Pax et bonum
2 sep 2005: chuck neuman (Hubert) Hi, Jack,
Thanks for including me on the ATP
mailing list. I never met Floribert, but I was sorry to learn
GK was gone. He was such a big part of St. Joe's.
2 sep 2005: john Hogan: Thank you for including me in your e-mailing your Provincial news... I am interested in hearing of my former confreres...I am retired in the Diocese of Gary, IN and am living in Michigan City, IN.... I am active in the area parishes and in leading pilgrimages to Europe and will be heading to the Holy Land in two weeks... Take care and God bless... Father John Hogan, formerly, Malcolm, ofm.
9 sep 2005: scott Kuhle: Hi!
It's interesting what can happen when events occur at the same time! This Wednesday Nathan and Rachel arrived at our house as refugees from New Orleans and we received notice from WSU that our account at the university was being closed because Mary Ann didn't register for classes this semester. So what is the connection? Nathan, a man of action, decided that it was time for Mary Ann and me to have Broadband internet service and so got us all taken care of by last night (Thursday). Wow, what a difference in downloading information - it's amazing to be in the 21st century.
I am going to take this opportunity of informing you of our e-mail address change to update you on Nathan and Rachel's experiences. Mary Ann and I have been following the events in New Orleans in the newspapers and on TV, but, needless to say, neither provide quite the same flavor of the effects of Katrina as do Nathan and Rachel's personal accounts. Listening to their stories certainly gives one a different perspective about many of the events pre and post Katrina. Nathan said that Chevron, his employer, has the most up-to-date and sophisticated system for gathering weather information because of their oil rigs in the Gulf. He said that early Friday afternoon, there was some concern about Katrina's potential in the gulf, but still little concern about it causing serious problems on land. Before he left work on Friday, their was a bit more concern, but still no urgency. They followed the progress of the storm during Saturday, and finally Saturday evening decided that they would evacuate their home, about 3 miles northwest of downtown, and packed pictures and important document. They and their 2 dogs left their home at 4:45 on Sunday morning; even at that early hour it took them 2 hours to get out of New Orleans, and then another 10 hours to reach Houston - generally a 6-7 hour drive.
Wednesday evening, our dog, Oona, grabbed Nathan's sandal, and Nathan said, "Give that back because it's the only thing I have to wear on my feet." He then added that everything that they now know that they have is packed in 4 suitcases. They still have no information about their home. They have seen a satellite picture of their house, and it is surrounded completely by water, but there is no way to determine from the picture how high the water was, or got. Nathan, of course, will be able to return to work in a week in a temporary office in the Chevron building in Houston, but Rachel knows almost nothing about her job at an elite private school located in the Garden District. She has received word on her school blogging site that the school escaped any flooding, but currently there are no plans to resume classes, possibly not until after Christmas, because all of the students have taken refuge throughout the south.
Both Nathan and Rachel say that they, and the evacuees they know, have received only the kindest and caring reception. Despite their uncertainty about what they will find when they return - as of yet they have no idea when that will be - they are not complaining about anything, and expressing a deeper awareness and appreciation for what is really important in life.
I hope that this finds you well and getting ready for a nice weekend.
Peace and Joy.
10 sep 2005: Benet Fonck: Dear Gael:
I write to you to express my gratitude
and appreciation for your support and comfort at the time of my Mother’s
death. So many people like you have
offered kind words, encouraging thoughts, and fervent prayers. Such solidarity and solace is so soothing
and strengthening. Thanks so much!
My family and I are so gratified
that we experience such love in family and friends and fellow Franciscans and
are grateful for all “the articulations of condolence, the demonstrations of
concern, and the manifestations of encouragement from all of you * Franciscan
friars, Sisters of St. Francis, Secular Franciscan, friends of the family, and
so many others * at the death of our dear mother,” as I stated in my general
note in the newsletter of our Franciscan Province.
It has been almost a month now
since Mother has passed. So often I
think of something or someone and say to myself, “I ought to tell that to
Mother”; and then I stop in my tracks.
She’s no longer there to communicate with!
Mother had been completely
bedridden from Valentines Day of 2003 to the day of her death, August 15, 2005,
the day we celebrate the passing of the Blessed Virgin Mary from earthly to
heavenly life. On that day two and a
half years ago she suffered another mini-stroke (TIA) and fell, crushing her
right foot. The foot was repaired with
surgery, but her bodily functioning was never the same after that. Her limbs (especially on the left side) were
severely weakened, though not paralyzed.
Any time she raised her head more than 45 degrees, she suffered a
seizure.
She had suffered more TIAs and
she endured bouts with pneumonia, but what finally took its fatal toll was an
infection that developed in a bunion on her right foot which, because he her
diabetes, never would quite heal.
In the end she could no longer
fight the infection and was in excruciating pain. On the 14th, my Dad’s birthday anniversary, she was admitted to
the hospital with a blood pressure of 60-over-40. On the 15th itself she deteriorated rather quickly. Finally * in the presence of two of her daughters,
Sue and Sister Rosemary, and one of her caregivers * she quietly and calmly
returned to the Lord, to her husband Arthur, to her parents Andrew and Mary
Ann, and to her older brother Joseph.
Before she died, she opened her
eyes wide and turned to the left, as if to say something to Sue. Then she just fell silent. Many of the hospital staff commented that
they had never seen so peaceful and gentle a death before.
In saying good-bye to a great
woman who was the icon of the mothering side of God and of the way to be a
mother to God, we cherish her memory, thank her for her witness, pray for her
eternal rest, and pledge to carry on her legacy. And we are given the hope and assistance to do all this from people
like you.
God give you peace!
12 sep 2005: gael stahl: Bros, I want you to know that Benet, the
provincial newsletter of the weekly e-pub (he does a good job) appreciated the
kind words of old companions.
I really appreciated these
details of his mother's death. And his experience of them. We've mostly all been thru it. It's a hell of
a note not to be able to pick up the phone and communicate. So, let's keep in practice.
16 Sep 2005: Dennis Newman: Dear
Gael,
I always wondered why I hadn't
gotten any e-copies of the Diaspora.
Today I think I may have discovered the answer. While trying to verify
an old classmate's address on Google, I stumbled across THE FRIARS website. There I think I may have
been successful at updating my info on that list. But just in case...
Kathy and I moved in fall of 2003
from our home of 25 years in Bridgeview, where we raised our 4 children, out to
rural Minooka, SW of Joliet. We're more or less empty-nesters, with our
youngest daughter still living with us--for a while, anyway--and our youngest
son overnighting from time to time. I'm still working as Dir. of Music at St.
Fabian's, loving what I do (except for the 80-mile round-trip commute!). This
summer Kath and I were out to see some dear friends, classmates John (&
Sandy) Miller (at whose home in Crete IL we'd met you) and Jim
"Hank" & Leanne Pfeifer, both now in Montana. I assume you've
got their updated info too (Hank just moved a few months ago).
Here's ours: Dennis &
Kathleen Newman (simple vows, 1967), 809 Rivers Edge Dr, Minooka IL 60447-4600;
(815) 521-0696. Email:lifesong of sbcglobal.net.
Hope all is well--and thanks for
updating our listing. I look forward to where- and whenever a new Diaspora
Digest might be on its way!
18 Sep 2005: Marty Hegarty: [The last WEORC issue referred to
”cafeteria” Jews or Christians or something and I wrote their general eddress
and got this from their retired editor, Marty. GS] Dear Gael,
I have missed the Diaspora. I am
Emeritus with WEORC and receive some of their communications. Someone of them
may answer but I thought I would tell you what I think it means. Some of the
hierarchs including our Cardinal George have used the pejorative term
"Cafeteria Catholics" meaning you choose what you want from the
Catholic Church. This was an ironic term for Jesus indicating he did not follow
all the prescriptions and proscriptions of his contemporaneous Jewish leaders.
I think modern religious scholars would say there were many forms of
"Jewness" and that early followers of Jesus were "Christian
Jews." Anyway, that's my opinion.
19 Sep 2005: Marty Hegarty: Dear
Gael,
I will look forward to Electronic
Diaspora. Do you remember a guy from
the seminary by the name of Jim Roetheli. He was not ordained but he
still has fond memories of the Franciscans. He goes to Mass with us on Sunday
and introduced himself by saying he saw my name in Diaspora. He lives a very
simple life and does not have much money but he seems to embody the true spirit
of Francis. If and when you come up with an electronic issue, I will share mine
with him.
19 Sep 2005: Gael Stahl: to Marty Hegarty I don't know Jim, but he's well liked
by our guys. I bet he's the same one.
And thanks for WEORC tradition.
You've done well there keeping the Chi family together.
20 sep 2005: Cullan uhlinger: Was Sorry to hear that Br
Loyola died suddenly. Ralph Zetzle just called me and said they
buried Loyola today. He served the funeral Mass for my Mom in January.
RIP, Loyola - many
will miss you. Peace.
20 sep 2005: Scott (Scotus) Kuhle:
Thanks, Cullan,
for the notification regarding Loyola. Such a good person; one of
my regrets is that I didn't get to know Loyola better because we were forbidden
to talk much less visit. How harsh and how awful we treated our brothers.
Looking at Loyola's picture and stats in the Catalogus, I see that he is 6 days
younger than I. I knew that we had common Chicago roots, but were
never allowed to talk about, or share, them during all those years at St. Joes,
T-town and Cleveland; before coming to St Joe's, I used to go to the Southside
so would have had experiences to share with Loyola. I used to attend the
Sunday evening service in the huge assembly church where Mahilia Jackson
sang. What an exciting, incredulous experience that was for an eighteen year
old Catholic - a two tiered "altar" area filled with swinging,
swaying, singing Blacks, and a full church alive with clapping, praising people
- often they were assisted by ushers and uniformed women who were available to
assist people who were "slain in the spirit."
Requiescat in pace.
Please note that Nathan has me up and running with a Broadband connection which
means fast, fast fast download time, but also a new address: scottkuhle of adelphia.net
Peace, Joy, and Love.
22 sep 2005: jack bartz: Jack sends us a link to the
Joliet “Catholic Explorer” which ran a piece on Chuck Faso’s interesting career as a traveling preacher: http://www.catholicexplorer.com/explore4325/atd/traveling-franciscan-maps.shtml
22 sep 2005: dennis newman: Thanks, Gael, for updating any friar-related lists you may
maintain.
Re news on my end: Kathy and I are virtually empty-nesters. Of our
4 children: Brian's married to Barb, and teaching English at Joliet West HS
(and rec'd the Teacher of the Year award last year!). Kelly is supervising
visual-displays on the 3rd floor of Old Navy's flagship store in Chicago's
loop. Tim is living in nearby Morris, while doing a fine job selling phone-book
ads. Bridget is Dir. of Communications at her alma mater, Queen of Peace HS. My
Kathy, by the way, has left Queen of Peace; since this summer, she's now
office-mgr for a Joliet endodontist (an old friend, who'd called to offer her
the job--much closer to our home--this past spring).
I'm still at 'Fabian's, doing a lot of composing/arranging, looking forward to
the 7th season with our adult and children's choirs. Things here are a little
topsy-turvy, since the previous pastor resigned this past May, and none
of the staff knows what the future will bring. Time, as always, will tell. In
the meantime, we've all got work to do...
This past summer, Kathy and I took a long trip west. We picked up Jim & Sue Ballard, along with Frank Coens, at Jim and Sue's home in
Winona MN, then spent 2 days crossing thru SD and Wyoming to final arrive on a
Weds nite at John and Sandy Miller's
door, just S of Whitehall MT. They served us a great meal--Hank & Leanne Pfeifer joined us too--, drinks on their deck
while we watched the moon rise behind the mountains; they provided rooms for
the night in their beautiful new home, and breakfast the next morn. Then we
joined back up with Hank & Leanne at their new home in Butte the following
night, where we were joined by Dick Swetala and his wife Helen, along
with Leanne's Dad, John. Hank & Leanne's home's right on the edge of a golf
course: marvelous view! Kath and I don't play the game, so we stayed with Helen
and John while the rest spent the evening on the links. Next morning it was off
to H&L's 2 A-frames overlooking Georgetown Lake, high in the mountains west
of Butte, where we would be joined by 1 more classmate and his wife, Charlie & Donna Pruemer. H&L, just
as last time we were there, were marvelous hosts. Staying at their cabins was
like being at a resort: the use of a jet-ski & trips in their speedboat
were all part of the package! Leanne must have never left the kitchen, given
the amount of food that was constantly filling the table on the deck outside.
The two nights, three days we spent with them have given us lasting,
wonderful memories.
That Sunday after Leanne's serving us root beer floats for the road, JB, Sue,
Frank, Kath and I bade the rest goodbye, and headed north in our van for
Glacier Nat'l Park. Hank & Leanne had said it would be breathtaking, and it
truly was. For Kath and me, it was our first time visiting the park, and we
loved the rafting on the white-water river and driving up the corkscrew turns
of the Going to the Sun Hwy.
Our trip was 4000 miles, but spent with friends, it went by all too quickly.
But we'll have the chance to share some memories tomorrow night: John and Sandy
are in Chicago, staying with Sandy's cousin; but they're planning to drive out
to Minooka for dinner at our place. It'll be good to see these dear friends
again.
That's all the news for now. Peace to all.
24
Sep 2005: Dennis Newman:
Gael, I just sent this email [see 22 sep 2005] above off to JB, John Miller, and Hank Pfeifer. I meant to include your email-address along
with theirs, but somehow forgot. So here's your CC too. Nice to hear from you,
and thanks again for doing whatever updating you can do, re my address and
phone info on fringe-friar websites.
Are you, by the way, still
publishing Diaspora Digest? If not, has
anyone else taken over this most-appreciated task?
Hope all is well!
28 Sep 2005: Carroll Mizicko: It has been some time since my
last official newsletter. That does not
mean that nothing has been going on, only that we are still in a holding
pattern regarding the future of the Catholic Church in East St. Louis.
Bishop Braxton has not yet made a decision about the proposed merger of
the four parishes. The Bishop has
asked to have a meeting at the Franciscan residence with the priests and
leadership representatives from each parish on October 11th. Hopefully we will know something more
definite after that meeting.
In the meantime life goes on.
One of the main areas of concern have been the tragic events surrounding
hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Fr. Ferd
is from New Orleans and we had a great deal of anxiety about his family. Fortunately they all evacuated safely but
have pretty much lost everything as their homes were among those flooded. We had a lot of other friends in New Orleans
including the Poor Clares and the Franciscan Friars from Cincinnati. As far as we know all made it out safely for
which we are most grateful. We need to
continue to keep all the victims in our prayers and offer help in any way we
can. It will be a long time before most
families will be able to experience any sense of normalcy in their lives.
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School is back in full swing after the
summer. Our entire regular faculty returned this year which is a blessing. We
believe in the new direction the school is taking under the leadership of
Sister Janet McCann, ASC. While we were
hoping for a larger enrollment we understand that when you make a radical
change in focus it may take a year or two to establish your credibility. We continue in our commitment of providing a
quality Catholic education that will make a difference in the lives of our
students from this impoverished community.
With an annual tuition of $2,800.00, which does not cover the per-pupil
cost, many families struggle to send their children to Sister Thea Bowman
School. If you would like to make a
donation to help support a child to get an education that will help them to
break out of the cycle of poverty, it will be greatly appreciated. Checks can be made to the Franciscan Friars
and specified for Sister Thea Bowman School Donations are tax deductible.
In my ministry at St Elizabeth Hospital I have been asked to be a
part of the team that is conducting retreat days for the staff. Several days a month thirty to forty staff
from the hospital, housekeeping to
administration, are required to attend an all day session that focuses on the history, mission and spirituality of
St. Elizabeth Hospital. I conduct a
prayer service before lunch that places the day in the context of Franciscan
Spirituality. These days will continue
through next spring so that virtually all of the 1,200 staff will have
experienced this spiritual renewal. One
of the things I stress in my part is that each and every person is important
and that what each person does and how well they do it contributes to the
overall effectiveness of the hospital.
I have started my fall schedule of adult education classes for
East St. Louis. I am offering four week
sessions on the Bible, Black Catholic
History, a Book Discussion on “The Purpose Driven Life” and “Through Ebony
Eyes,” and a special series on the “Advent Liturgy.” There is no problem in offering the courses, the challenge is to
get people to attend. People are quick to say we want this or that, but then
when it comes to attending people often back off. However, my attitude is that we offer the classes and if only a
few show, we work with them. Jesus said
“Feed my sheep” not count them.
Fathers Ferd and Chris are both doing well. Fr.
Ferd has taken his Gospel Choir from Althoff to Chicago and to Quincy
recently. Both trips were great
successes. The Gospel Choir continues
to impress people as black and white young people show their enthusiasm and
energy in praising God in song. Fr.
Ferd also attended the Gospel Music Workshop in Milwaukee in August and has
come back with volumes of new music that he wants to teach to others.
Fr. Chris continues his ministry to our brothers
and sisters who are “guests” of the Government. He is expanding his contacts state wide and nationally and hopes
to promote more communication between the chaplains of our correctional
institutions.
I, with Chris and Ferd, had the opportunity of attending a retreat earlier this month for those
involved in African American Minsitry led
by Fr., Bryan Massingale, a Diocesan Priest from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
and a Moral Theologian. Our focus was
on comparing African American Spirituality and Franciscan Spirituality. Where do they complement one another? Where do they challenge one another? Each presentation was followed by dialogue. The dialogue was enhanced by input from Jim Hoffman of our Province Peace and
Justice committee, and Tom Fox and Al
Jost from the Hispanic Ministry.
The prayer services and Masses were also designed to bring Franciscan
and African American Spirituality into dialogue. Fr. Bryan was intrigued by the Franciscan concept of “Perfect Joy.”
I had a surprise visit from cousins Jack and Sandy Mizicko and
their son Andrew from Joliet this week.
I was able to show them where we live and work and the Shrine of Our
Lady of the Snows. If you are ever in
the area be sure to give me a call.
Life can be frustrating but it is never without hope. While we struggle with where we are at with
our ministry in East St. Louis, we
still believe that we are where God intends us to be. We trust that God will show us, and move us to where He wants us
to be in the future. Peace and
everything that is good!
28 sep 2005: john mILLER: [Re reunion of a few members of Novitiate class of 66 –67.] I understand Dennis wrote you about our get together this summer. These are a few pictures. In order on the first picture are (Left to right) Dennis Newman, Frank Coen, Hank Pfeiffer, Humble self, James (JB) Ballard. The second picture adds Dick Swetala. The third picture shows me and Dick Swetala taken at Hank’s house. Click the link below to see photos: Then click on “View Album as a Guest.”
26 Oct 2005: Carroll Mizicko:
Happy Halloween! It
hardly seems possible that it is time for little ghosts and witches to begin
making their appearance. Halloween
always takes me back to my days in grade school at St. Peter and Paul School
near Leonore, IL. I recall the Halloween parties our parents had for us
and how we would all dress up in costumes, sometimes home-made using a brown shopping
bag with a face drawn on it and holes cut out for. eyes and mouth. There would be a parade around the hall of
all of us in our costumes and of course there were games and plenty of treats. Those are fond and precious memories. At, Sr, Thea Bowman School this year we are
having a “Trunk and Treat” day on Friday.
The students can dress up in their costumes and then the parents will be
on the parking lot in their cars with trunks open and the children can move
from car to car to collect their treats.
It is an adaptation of “trick or treating” in the neighborhoods which
provides more control and safety in these dangerous times, especially in the
inner cities.
Bishop Braxton met with the clergy and representatives from
the four parishes in East St. Louis involved in the proposed merger on October
11th. The bottom line is
that the Bishop is not ready to make a decision yet. He is receiving lots of letters, phone calls and E-mails from
people with many different points of view.
He indicated that he felt he would be ready to make a decision in
January. In the meantime there is
nothing much we can do since we don’t know which place or places may be kept
open and which closed. It is a
difficult time for the people being so uncertain of the future. Attendance at three of the parishes is
significantly less, presumably because some people have decided to go
elsewhere.
St. Elizabeth Hospital continues to struggle to keep its
doors open with the cost of mal-practice insurance and the resulting problem of
keeping doctors in Illinois rather than moving to other States where the cost
is less. The situation does seem to
have improved. Providing good health
care to the community continues to be a challenge due to the great costs
involved. The working poor and those
with limited insurance are especially at risk.
My ministry as chaplain at the hospital continues to be both fulfilling
and challenging. I continue to also be
a part of the retreat/renewal days that are being held for the hospital staff
two or three days each month.
Sister Thea Bowman Elementary School continues to function
well. The faculty challenges each
student to strive for their full potential and not be satisfied with just
getting by. Having a smaller enrollment
and a staff committed to excellence makes this possible.
I am continuing my involvement with the Metro East
Interfaith Partnership. We have begun
our Interfaith Book Study groups again.
This fall we are reading and discussing the novel “The Kite Runner” by
Khaled Hosseini. It is set in
Afghanistan and is powerful and haunting.
In the spring we will discuss “God at 2000” which brings Christian,
Jewish and Muslim authors into conversation about their faith in God. On November 6th we are sponsoring
a bus tour that will visit a Catholic Church, a Muslim Mosque, and a Jewish
Temple. This is our way of observing
three significant celebrations of the three faith traditions that all were
observed in October: the feast of St. Francis and his visit to the Muslim
Sultan, the Muslim celebration of Ramadan and the Jewish High Holy Days. Then on January 30th I will be
moderator and part of an interfaith panel that will discuss “What is your faith
tradition’s view of God?” This will be
followed up by two more informal dialogues on interfaith traditions and beliefs
with regard to “repentance and reconciliation” and “healing and
wholeness.” Finally in May we are
planning to bring youth together from various faith traditions to work on a
common community project. We have asked
the “Faith Beyond Walls” organization to help us with this project.
The Althoff Gospel Choir is scheduled to hold their fall
concert this coming Sunday, October 30th at the High School at 3:00
PM. If you happen to be free they are
well worth your time. It is wonderful
to see such an integrated group of young people come together and obviously
enjoy “Praising the Lord.” Fr. Ferd
certainly is doing a wonderful job with the choir and in working with the young
people at the school.
Fr. Ferd recently drove down to New Orleans with a U-Haul truck to
see what he could salvage of his Gospel Music collection that was housed at his
brothers’ house which was totally flooded from hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, all of the LP records and
audio tapes were lost along with the computer with all of the information on it
and audio equipment. However, he thinks
that he will be able to salvage the CDs but only with a lot of work in cleaning
them up. Fr. Ferd said that the
devastation in New Orleans was just unbelievable. It will be years before New Orleans can fully recover.
Fr. Chris continues his prison ministry and finds great fulfillment
and satisfaction in reaching out to our brothers and sisters who are
incarcerated. One of the things that he
reminds us of is that there are thousands of Catholics in the prisons in our
Diocese and that they are members of the Catholic Church. They need to be looked upon and treated as
our brothers and sisters who have gone astray and not as charity cases.
Well that is some of the news from here for now. I hope all of you have a pleasant fall. If you are ever in the area be sure to stop
by for a visit or at least give me a call.
Peace and everything that is good!
2 nov 2005: Dan Mazar: Thought you
guys might be interested in this account of Zachary Hayes's fete at CTU last
week. Delighted that they got around to
celebrating his service. [See the article in the ATP: go here http://thefriars.org/atp/index.html Click on Nov. 3, 2005. JB]
3 Nov 2005: Chuck faso: Fr.
Chuck is arranging more pilgrimages. He is traveling to the Holy Land in April
and to Russia in May. See his web site for details. http://frchuckofm.org/pilgrimages.htm
12 nov 2005: Chuck Faso: Dear Family and Friends,
Hello from Chicago! This year continues to be a blessed time of preaching parish missions and retreats from Florida to Wisconsin, from New Orleans to Ohio.
I have been able to travel with groups and on my own to France, Ireland, Israel/Palestine, Italy and Sicily.
On November 16, I am joining a group of 15 people for a 12 day pilgrimage to Vietnam. Yes, a pilgrimage that will include Catholic churches and Buddhists Shrines, Franciscan Friars and Friaries. Why Vietnam? I invite you to click on to www.VNpilgrimage.com for information about our pilgrimage to Vietnam, and about its history and culture, our daily Itinerary of our travels from Saigon to Hue and finally to the far north city of Hanoi.
Know that I will praying for all of you during the many prayer services and masses that we will celebrate in that beautiful country. More about Vietnam when I return from Far East - after the 15 hour flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco - and before I preach in New Orleans Dec. 2-4 and lead pilgrims to the Holy Land Dec. 5-15. Hope we see each other soon. Much peace to you and your families!
19 Nov 2005: Dan Mazar: I am told that Max Behnan has suffered several strokes in the last weeks. Sounds serious to me. Pax.
19
Nov 2005: Gael Stahl:
This morning, I was reading the October 2005 issue of Around
the Province <http://thefriars.org/atp/index.html>
about GK and Agatho/George Windolph
dying. Benet quoted our comments to those I flash write to about what Aggie
meant to us as a superb professor. [A must read: Fr. Joe Zimmerman’s touching homily given at Fr. George Windolph's funeral ]
25
Nov 2005: Tom Lenz:
I was looking for Diaspora Digest news on the internet and couldn't
log on to the last known site from 2002: websites.
quincy.edu/hardeja/digest Has it
changed, stopped or what? [From our
site, we are linked to all of the Sacred Heart Province web sites; e.g. Around
the Province. JB.]
I'm at TLenz41 of aol.com.
I'm now in Spring Hill, Fl., a snowbird, still a landlord, but in
Florida, you buy for appreciation and not the rent as in Buffalo. Had my first grandchild six months ago. Divorced, annulled, re-married and taking
life easy. [Thanks for the update, Tom. GS]
25
Nov 2005: John Laker
My name or address must have been dropped from the Diaspora Digest
list in the last year or so. Are you still publishing the Digest? If so, please get my name back on the
list. I would love to get caught up
with all the wayward friars. Thanks. [Click
here, oh wayward one: http://www.diasporadigest.org Also, check out your demographics at: http://www.diasporadigest.org/ffas.html
and let us know if we need to make any changes. Thanks for asking, John. JB]
27
Nov 2005: tom lenz:
Pax.
My wife and I just witnessed a deacon ordination at our Church in Spring Hill,
Fl and it brought back memories of my ordination as an excorsist at Mayslake so
long ago. We all use our talents as we find out what they are; and I can
say that I don't think mine is to be a deacon or a priest -- but then life takes
such unexplainable turns. I felt so proud of this new deacon as he hugged
his bishop at the Kiss of Peace. There go I??
27 nov 2005 Gael Stahl replies:
Hi, again, exorcist, We have lots of parish deacons in Nashville. Most of them are older men. I got the idea this one might have been youngish? I think you're valuable in your chosen path, more so than an exorcist can be, and not all are called to be deacon or priest, but it's not too late for you to join the new deacon, is it?
03 Dec 2005: Gael Stahl: On this eve of a Sunday in Advent, I
greet ye Fringe friars!
Click here to
read a fun review of new book about Francis/Clare, but I'm not sure the book
covers anything new or better than the one with great photos for which Benet
Fonck wrote the text. Like many of you, I find it hard to pass up a new bio
of Francis. There's a new one most every year, it seems.
In this season, I refer to brother Francis
a lot for adding to the celebration Christmas in church with Christ's Mass and
visualizing it with nativity scenes and maybe a bit of noel and drama. He made
Christmas a special kind of winter feast.
Now our culture celebrates the less savory
aspects of a great pagan feast and a great Christian feast and we've kind of
lost the core Christian aspects of caroling the shut-ins and taking food boxes
to the poor in our communities, and those other things we learned and practiced
back when we were together as joy loving Christians.
Nor do we any longer have the great yule
logs and bon fires and mead jousting and singing and dancing in merriment under
the mistletoe of the joy loving pagans.
But every season under heaven has its
transformations. Peace be with you at
this special time.
05 Dec 2005: dan mazar: Like you, I am always interested
in a new bio of Francis. Most of them don't seem to bring a new insight for me.
The last one I read was written a
few years ago by a diocesan priest from Kansas. His last name is
Hays. The title escapes me. It had troubadour in it. I found it to
be a well-written bio that lacked the treacle that usually accompanies
Francis. You probably have already read it.
I particularly enjoy Christmas
because of the Incarnation. The idea that God loves me that he would have
sent Jesus, even if there were no original sin, oozes comfort. Goes a
long way to relieve the famous Catholic guilt. The old Midnight Mass
(Solemn High with all the bells and whistles) always gave me peace. Plus
getting to open the gifts after Mass, instead of waiting until morning!
Seriously, I understand that Max
Behnen is in bad shape after a series of strokes. He is to have
carotid artery surgery soon. No details, I'm afraid.
Cal Geisen celebrated #84 yesterday.
He still resides in Texas and continues ministry. Hope you and Susan are
keeping well and stirring the pot in Peckerwood Lane. Francis wanted us to smear the wall with meat gravy and have a
drink or two. I don't need much more urging than that. How about
you?
Keep
the holiday well. Pax.
05 Dec 2005: Gael Stahl
Muskie (Jim Schmitt) recommended the same book. (On the Road with Francis of Assisi) And his salutation was neat. Something like: “May the season of
Advent and Christmas touch your life deeply.”
06 dec 2005 dan mazar:
I see that you have just finished
Matins and Lauds also. I, too, am usually up by 6 am. In
fact, I just finished listening to Vespers and Compline on a CD by the Monks of
Solemes. They, of course, do the Benedictine style. Not as haunting
as the version we used.
Fel's (Fr. Francis Leo Madsen) death anniversary is coming next
month--Jan 3. It will mark 38 years. I always remember him with a
martini and a stinger.
You are most welcome to use my "deathless
prose" about Christmas. I stole most of that stuff from Duns Scotus
and translated it into "Chicago-ese".
Did not Muskie join a
diocese years ago?
I chat with Dan Tanna via
email off and on.
Keep in mind Jerry Etzkorn.
He popped his artificial hip out of the socket a few weeks ago. Went to
the hospital to have it re-set. He said it hurt like hell and hopes he will be
able to pick up his golf game after recuperation.
Greetings to Susan. Keep on
keeping on.
Pax.
[Have you read “St. Francis
of Assisi – Performing the Gospel Life” by Lawrence Cunningham of Univ. of ND?
I’m about half way through; I like it a lot. The author is a lay history prof
at ND. JB]
10 dec 2005: cullan Uhlinger: (to Jack Brennan): Hope all is well with you in the beautiful
NW. I was in Portland with Pat Evard for four days about a month ago. My
wife surprised me with an airline ticket for my birthday two weeks before I
went. She called Pat and set it up. For Christmas she's giving me a plane
(puddle jumper) ticket to go ice fishing off an Island in Lake Erie - and again
without her. Does it sound like she's trying to get rid of me?
Peace.
13 dec 2005:
Carroll Mitzicko:
Merry Christmas! As I extend that greeting I can’t help
but reflect on all of the “political flap” presently heard about whether we
should say “Seasons Greetings” instead, or whether we should call the tree a
“Holiday Tree” instead of a “Christmas Tree.” It seems to me to be such a
bunch of nonsense and a sad commentary about what a small minority has been
able to accomplish in curtailing and limiting the use of religious symbols in
society. This makes it all the more important that we in our personal
lives witness to our religious beliefs in what we say and do. Part of the
call of Advent is the reminder that we are to be like John the Baptist, “a
voice crying in the wilderness, prepare a way for the Lord.” As we
“rejoice” in the light and hope of this season, let us also give witness to the
true “reason for the season” and keep God primary in all of our celebrations.
Nothing new has developed with regard to the future of
the four parishes in East St. Louis. Bishop Braxton has said
that he will make a decision by the end of January but has not given an
indication of what direction he is leaning: closing all four parishes and
establishing a new one which was the recommendation of the committee, or
keeping one or more of the parishes open.
My ministry at St. Elizabeth Hospital continues to be
challenging but also very fulfilling. The hospital continues to struggle
financially but seems to be holding its own at the moment. Our census has
been fluctuating quite a bit making staffing difficult which in turn has a
direct impact on the finances. It is strange when you find yourself
tempted to “pray for more sick people” so that you can care for them. We
have taken a short break from our monthly “Spirit Anew” retreat days for the
staff of the hospital but they will pick up again in January and be at least
monthly events through next December.
Sister Thea Bowman School continues to flourish as it
offers a quality academic education in a Catholic family context. On
Tuesday, December 13 the students and faculty will offer an “Advent Prayer
Service” for the community. The gifts and talents of students and faculty
will be featured as minds and hearts are raised in gratitude to God as we
prepare to celebrate the greatest gift of His love on Christmas.
The Metroeast Interfaith Partnership that sponsored the
“Bus Tour” of a Catholic Church, a Jewish Temple and a Muslim Mosque last
month, is taking a little break at the moment. However, we begin again in
January with a Theological Forum on “Images of God” to be held at the Shrine of
Our Lady of the Snows. I have been asked to serve as the Moderator for
the panel and the presenter of the Christian view of God. The
other presenters will be from the Hindu, the Muslim and the Jewish
religions. It should be an interesting evening. The forum will
be followed by evenings of Interfaith conversations: in February and
March on various faith traditions views on forgiveness,
repentance, reconciliation, healing and wholeness. In April and May
we will break into small book study groups to discuss the book “GOD AT 2000.”
Finally in May we plan to sponsor a day of community service work involving
youth from our various faith traditions. It is an exciting and very
enriching experience.
“CUP”, Catholic Urban Programs, which serves the poor
and the homeless in our community, continues to struggle even more than usual
to find the funds and resources necessary to meet the many needs of people in
this impoverished community. With all of the other natural disasters this
past year, it has affected the amount of regular donations organizations such
as “CUP” receive. Many people gave generously to hurricane and other
disaster victims but have cut back on their support of local charities.
However, we are confident of God’s providence and that we will continue to
receive enough to make a difference in many people’s lives. We are
currently in the process of preparing over two thousand Christmas Baskets for
the needy in our area.
On the 2nd Sunday of each month I usually travel
to Granite City, Illinois to attend the meeting of the Monte La Verna
Fraternity of the ‘SFO’ (Secular Franciscan Order), formerly called the Third
Order of St. Francis. I am the Spiritual Assistant for the group
and always find the meetings interesting and spiritually uplifting. One
of the projects the Fraternity recently took on is the adoption of a family
here in East St. Louis that is in need. It is a single parent family with
four teenage children. The Fraternity provides food, clothing and some financial
help with the intention of helping the family to become financially
independent.
I made a trip up north in early November for a Franciscan
Province meeting. On the way I stopped in Peru, Illinois to visit my Aunt Helen
Mizicko. She is 97 and holding her own. I also saw my cousin Marian
Egizio in Joliet. Her main concern now is her granddaughter, two years
old, who has a rare, benign tumor on the optic nerve of both eyes which is
inoperable. They are hoping to shrink it with chemotherapy. Please
keep the family in your prayers.
On the day after Thanksgiving I again drove up north to
Mokena, Illinois to attend the funeral of my other remaining Aunt, Toni
Mizicko, who had died on the 22nd. She was 95. I had a
chance to visit with more cousins from the area.
I know this letter is mostly about me but Fathers Ferd
and Chris are both doing well. Both are still very involved in their
respective ministries and doing good work.
May the Christ whose birth we are preparing to celebrate
bless you and yours this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
15 dec 2005: gael Stahl: Fr.
Jason Kommer has passed away.
Jason Kommer taught speech to enough of us that I bet almost
all of the DDs pretty well knew him. I can't remember if I had him, but
probably did, because I remember his booming deep voice that modulated layers
of meanings - usually benign and considerate and generous - to help us get his
self-confidence in public speaking. What a difficult task. So fraught with
emotion. [To read Fr. Benet’s article on Jason, click here http://thefriars.org/atp/index.html
and then click on ATP: Dec. 22, 2005.]
PS: Hope your cellulitis is improving,
Benet. I saw a note about it in last week's ATP. Damnable stuff. May your
antibiotics be sure, steady, and curative.
18 dec 2005: Francis Roethli: Dear Friends and
Relatives,
How did the time fly by so fast this year? In less than a week Christmas will be here and we are just now
finishing our annual letter and Christmas cards. We will be late this year, but we want everyone to know that you
will all be in our thoughts and prayers on Christmas day and during this
holiday season. For some reason or
another we have been extra busy the end of this year.
This was an excellent year for us, which started with a very special
visit. Ron, Francis’s brother came in
January to spend three weeks with us.
He got away from the cold winter weather in the USA and almost melted in
the HOT summer weather here in Brazil.
We went Rio to the Sugar Loaf Mountain, the statue of Christ on
Corcovado Mountain and visited many places that have strange names for all of
you such as Buzios, Cabo Frio, Sana, Glicerio, Friburgo etc. etc. Ron even learned a few words in Portuguese
and for the first time in his life went swimming in the ocean. His visit with us was wonderful and one that
we will never forget. We were on the go
all three weeks and were very sorry to see him leave when the three weeks
ended. For all of us it was a very
special visit which we all enjoyed.
Eddie, now 25 years old, took giant steps during this year. He has completed the second year of
Administration in a college here in town and doing real well. He is still battling with the depression he
suffers from but this year has made very much progress. It will still take time to overcome all the
negative effects of the depression, but he is doing extremely well.
Joel, 23 years old, will graduate in his psychology course in
July. He could have finished his course
the end of this year, but he opted to spend one more semester as he would have
more time especially for the internship which is part of the course. He plans to continue his studies after he
finishes college. He is still busy in
his job with the county mental health department and is gaining a lot of
valuable experience plus earning a little money.
Ronnie, 18 years old is finishing up high school the end of this year
and in February will begin his studies in Administration in college. He took the entrance exam for college in
November and was able to pass. He will
be studying here in town, in the same college where Eddie studies, so he will
not have to travel and hour and a half back and forth to college like Joel has
to.
Elisia continues as president
in her Legion of Mary group, which is doing very well as they continue to grow
as a little community and friends. They
are kept busy with the home visits they do and all the other activities. This year she did help out in other projects
in the parish and enjoys this very much.
For her birthday present she wanted to go to the Basilica and shrine of
Our Lady of Aparecida, which is about a 6 hour drive South of here. We went there last weekend and it was a
wonderful experience for all of us. The
basilica is the second largest church in the world, only smaller than St.
Peter’s in Rome. They estimated that
there were around 200,000 people there this past weekend. We never saw so many people together and it
was a very gratifying experience. This
was the second time we went there as we went there three years ago.
Francis continues with his work in the work boat company which now has
37 vessels here in Brazil and they expect more to come to Brazil next
year. He never has a dull moment in the
office as there is always too much to do.
It was a lot easier when they only had 15 vessels. On November 1st he had a small
surgery to remove a cist, and everything went well with the surgery.
A few months ago we were all worried about Elisia’s mother, who will
turn 95 this coming year, as she had some health problems and did not feel very
well at all, which concerned everyone in the family. But with the help of the doctors and medicines she managed to
overcome the bad spell and is now doing real well again. In January we will go up there to Santarem
for a visit with Elisia’s mother and family.
We are looking forward to that. It
will be good to get away for a little bit and see and visit with Elisia’s
family and our friends in Santarem once again.
For us it is a nice time of the year as it is summer time here and the
plants are all green and the flowers are blooming. This past year we did a lot in our Green Area in the front of the
house. We do not have to bother with
snow for Christmas, as here we are having beach weather.
That’s about it for this time.
We hope to hear from each and everyone of you during the Christmas season. Our e-mail address is: froetheli of uol.com.br , our phone number is 55 22
2772 1408 and our address is: Francis & Elisia Roetheli; Rua Aime Borges
Chaloub, 157; Miramar; 27943-540 Macae, RJ, Brasil. It is always a great pleasure to hear from all of you.
Even though we are late this year, we want to wish everyone a Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year. Everyone
will be remembered in a special way this Christmas season.
Francis, Elisia, Eddie, Joel & Ronnie
18 dec 2005: linda & Jerry Etzkorn: Dear Friends,
We hope this finds you well and happy. We hope not to bore you with the news of our family this year. I know we are looking forward to receiving cards, notes, and letters from you. We love catching up on your news too.
It has been a very happy year for us. No international trips but many miles put on the car (which is over 177,000 now – our goal is 200,000). Although some travel occurs throughout the year, much of it was added in two separate chunks. In April we did a four-day quick trip to Dallas where we got together with several of Jerry’s classmates. We came home for a couple days and then off for the month. Between May 1st and June 5th the following was our itinerary: Fairfield Glade to Lafayette, IN, (Alan’s) to Kalamazoo, MI, (conference) to Olean, NY, to Smuggler’s Notch, VT, (for some time with daughter Kierin and granddaughter Melia at a timeshare) to Rochester, NY, (Kevin’s) where we caught a plane with Kevin and his girlfriend Sandy for a week in Whitefish, MT, then back to Rochester and on home for a few days before going to southern Indiana for Alan’s wedding to Amanda Rathburn which took place on June 4th. The end of May up to the wedding was a time of great news for the family. In addition to Alan’s wedding Kevin got engaged in Montana (Linda smuggled the ring out to MT –talk about nervous!) and Kierin found out that she was pregnant with her second child. She and John are expecting this little one on December 31st, our anniversary. Some years are reasonably calm and others aren’t!
Then in September Jerry and I were on the road again. This time from home to Lafayette to Boyne Mountain, MI, for a week, to Toronto for a conference, to Kevin’s in Rochester and home from there.
Everyone is doing fine. Melia is now three; Evan is 1½. And we LOVE being grandparents! We only wish we could see everyone more often.
Jerry is working as much as ever on his critical editions. He has three volumes being published this year from Franciscan Institute Press, a handbook for preachers composed around 1285 by a Franciscan Friar. In addition he’s working on another by himself, one with a professor in Switzerland, and another with a professor at the U. of North Carolina in Asheville. Believe it or not, he’s even dictating Latin to Linda!
We are both healthy, happy, and busy – although I must tell you that Jerry is off the golf course for about a month because he dislocated his artificial hip. On the golf course—where else? He hit a ball at the edge of a fairly dry creek bed and in the process of retrieving the ball, which was below his feet, out came the hip. With some very helpful golf course buddies, he got to the hospital where it was duly replaced in its socket, but he said he learned a lesson from the experience. 1. Hit your ball in the fairway instead of in the creek. 2. If you hit it in the creek, leave it there!
May you experience God’s love this Christmas and every day of your lives. And remember, we’d love to see you here in the Glade any time. There’s plenty of room.
18 dec 2005: Dick Lohkamp:
I hope all is well with you. I miss D.D.
but after reviewing your work on the Web, you are a busy man. I've been on adjunct
faculty at Villanova teaching business ethics! Best wishes. [It’s
encouraging to know that you are teaching business ethics, Dick. My dad, who was a business man and more
cynical than I, once said: “If you want to get ahead in business, you have to
be willing to use your mother’s face for a stepping stone!” JB]
21 dec 2005 Chuck faso: Merry Christmas and a Blessed Happy New
Year!
Greetings from Chicago Heights where I am
spending several weeks with my two sisters, Mary and Polly.
Already, another Christmas for us all and
another year older and wiser, holier and more graced-filled, more answers and
more questions, more joy and more frustrations. I hope that you have been able to be amazed by new discoveries
and new friends, new insights and new recipes, new places to visit and new
dreams to reach for. John Barrymore said that you only get old when you let
your regrets take the place of your dreams. So, may the Christmas Star and
Hanukah Lights empower us to dream new, wild, exciting, challenging dreams for
2006!
My year has been happily filled with
preaching in Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee, Louisiana, France, Italy, Palestine, and Israel. During this year, I have been blessed to
have traveled with groups to the Holy Land, Vietnam, Sicily, Italy.
Each pulpit and each country with its own
unique culture and customs, foods and religions, challenges and possibilities
still bring me much energy and fulfillment in my Franciscan and priesthood
commitments. Through all the traveling and meeting of new people, the great
gift of you, family and friends, is
always the greatest blessing and gift, for which I am so grateful.
My sister Polly has been in the hospital
several times, has been put on dialysis due to kidney failure, and then surgery
for removal of her para-thyroid. Polly
continues to have a heart of gold and worries more about everyone else than
herself. My sister Mary is the devoted
sister who cares for Polly; Mary continues to work for the Illinois Office of
Rehabilitation doing a great job caring for the needs of young and old. Our five nieces, one nephew, two great-nieces
and one great-nephew continue to grow and mature in grace, age and wisdom - and
to be a source of joy and support.
Next month I will celebrate my 65th
birthday, somehow, already. And I am
loving it all. Sharing my life with
three Franciscan friars keeps me grounded and focused on what my life is about.
The new year offers me more preaching from Florida to Hawaii, and trips and
pilgrimages to Russia and the Holy Land.
I hope that the new year brings you all
much health and peace to your hearts and families. There is never enough time
to see you all and be in touch as much as I would hope to.
May we live in a world rooted in
liberating justice which will bring about lasting and healing peace in our
churches and in our world. Blessings in
abundance on you and your family and friends during this Season of Christ's
Birth, this Season of Love and Light, and all through the New Year of
2006! Hope we see each soon! Much love and peace.
27 dec 2005: Dennis Newman:
Thanks for the note on Jason--yes,
I had him for speech. Senior year HS I think. Booming voice indeed. He, I
believe, was the one largely responsible for our class' being able to get up
before a crowd and actually feel like we had something to say...
By the way, you mentioned something about seeing the news about Jason in
"ATP." Is this some kind of e-zine that is open to people like
me getting a copy of? It sounds like a great way to stay advised as to what's
happening with our friends in and around the Order. [Around the Province
(ATP) is a weekly that is also an e-zin.
It is very well done by Fr. Benet Fonck. Here is the link and once
there, you have a choice the week you want to download. http://www.thefriars.org/atp/index.html You may also find other Franciscan links on
our “Links of Interest” page. Bro. Jack
Hardesty did the work on it. We stole
it and tweaked it a bit. JB]
Best wishes for a joy-filled Christmas for you and yours.
30 dec 2005: bert (bill) miller:
Gael and Jack,
I wondered what became of the Diaspora. Thanks for hanging in there and keeping the
network alive and modernizing.
I am still here in Dittmer with my main
focus on the residential recovery management program for men removed from
ministry. We are filled and awaiting
the decision of Ordinaries regarding the care of those men removed to see if
expansion is necessary.
I was in Rome last month for training at
the Franciscan Curia. I have been
appointed visitor General for the Albuquerque Province. I begin this assignment next week, Jan.
2. It is an awesome challenge. So pray that I do not get in the way of the
Spirit. The men in the Southwest are
among the greatest.
I look forward to picking up on the
diaspora fraternal news from around the country in the near future.
Peace, blessings and may you all have a
blessed New Year.
[Bert, your email bounced. Do you have
a new one? Thanks again for teaching me
to drive the bus and to be a better handy man!
JB.]
30 dec 2005: Father John Hogan, aka Malcolm:
Thank you Brennan. I have enjoyed
receiving the Disaspora News for the many years it came out in print and the few
news reports that I received via e-mail. When I finish this thank-you note I
will check in on you inter-net news.
God bless and a Jesus-filled New Year.
30 dec 2005: Dick Mayer: Thank you, thank you, thank you for years
of service. I'll check it out.
Pax et bonum indeed!
30 dec 2005: dan mazar: Congrats on making a website for the
DD. Certainly should be more efficient
and less trying for you guys to do editing and mailing and the like. It will be
interesting to watch the epistles roll in!
Happy New Year to all. Pax.
30 dec 2005: Cullan Uhlinger: Jack, I can't begin to thank you and Gael as well as Br.
Jack for your time and effort to keep so many of us "connected."
PEACE and LOVE to all in this NEW YEAR.
30 dec 2005: Dan tanna: Jack, I am right there with Cullan
too! Ad multos kudos to you, Gael, and Br. Jack! The past 30 just
would not have been the same without the Digest.
Muchas gratias, Amigos!!!
Of course we remember our gracious
confrere, Br. Jack Hardesty, who along with Br. Sebastian made us
(class of '60) feel like we were dining at the Ritz frequently. Elric
Sampson's dandelion wine rattles a
few memories too.
30 dec 2005: Tom Ess, ofm: Thanks. Peace.
31 dec 2005: Roberto J. Flores: (Solano)
Fantastic!!! Thanks for all the work in putting this together.
31 dec 2005: Bill bergman: I
like the new direction of the website.
I am ever so grateful and Kudos to all who made it happen.
My email address is now billbergman of msn.com
. My email address at California State
University, Chico is wbergman of csuchico.edu
and my website there is http://www.csuchico.edu/~wbergman My home address is 9 San Ramon Dr., Chico,
CA 95973. Cellular: 530.518.4912 (best voice mail)
31 dec 2005: dan mazar: Happy New Year. This web site of the Digest is great way to start of 2006. Maybe the karma has changed and the stars
have realigned. Pax.
31 dec 2005: Scott kuhle: Hi Kindred Political Spirit (KPS),
I'm catching my second wind after arriving
home from an exhilarating 20 mile last bike ride of the year. I bucked a head wind going to Moscow, but
had a grand tail wind pushing me back to Pullman - hopefully, an omen for
2006. I have been in contact with most
of you a number of times this past year with information that I think is
important to mull over. I often receive
responses from KPSs about an article or my comments. Occasionally one of you will write a note of disagreement about
the content of an article or a personal stance of mine. I appreciate this type dialogue because it
well illustrates that people of thought and good will can discuss important
issues while treating one another with dignity and respect. One KPS recently wrote in an e-mail that,
while he didn't always share my concerns and opinions, "It is good that
people have different opinions and in the long run it has to be the best for
the USA." How better to summarize
my intent of being in contact with a Kindred Political Spirit.
I know that it is easy to Delete e-mails,
but in this day and age when we receive so much information on our computers, I
will not include you on the list of KPSs, if you prefer; please let me know,
since it is not my intent to "bug" a friend whom I value.
I am ending 2005 correspondence to the
KPSs with the following quote by Hermann Goering that was sent to me yesterday
by a KPS. "Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all it
is the leaders of the country that make policy, and it is always a simple
matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist
dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be
brought to the bidding of the leaders.
This is easy. All you have to do
is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of
patriotism and exposing the country to danger.
It works the same in every country." --Hermann Goering, speaking at
the Nuremberg trials after World War II
Although this is ominous, it need not
paralyze us with fear, but rather provide us with grist for the mill so the we,
"the common people" do what we can to make our country and the world
the safe and wonderful place we know that it can be. As I creep daily towards a birthday celebrating the completion of
another decade, I am ever more aware of the preciousness of life, and how
quickly it passes. Working with very
troubled individuals, I am acutely aware of the pain and misery that life can
bring. In my own personal life, I revel
in the magnificence of life, and it is that wonder that I want to share
with others.
It is my wish that the year 2006 brings
you and your loved ones an abundance of blessing and love.
Peace and Joy.
JANUARY 06 UPDATES: Can anyone help us locate the following whose letters were returned by USPO? Bruce Orey, Larry Johnson, Rev. John Bolderson, Herb Wheatley, Ed Dean and Warren Kmiec? If you have any information on these persons, please send to ddeditors@diasporadigest.org
For your information the letter of Rich Yeager was returned – new address is 51 Rockcastle St. Apt N, Corbin KY 40701-8618. Jerry Voss now at: Voss Painting, 15212 E 89th St N, Owasso OK 74055-8495. - GAEL STAHL
01 Jan 2006: Marilyn Stahl: … Will be connected with you in
cyberspace. Thanks for your years of faithful devotion to the DD… I love reading about all of you. [The Editor-in-Chief’s sister was NOT
paid to say this! JB]
return to diaspora digest main page