intention

Farewell

2010-01-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

I'm still not an expert on living an intentional life. After a little over a year and a half of writing and exploring, I've learned that there is still much I don't know and fail to practice. I know now the difference between knowing what is best and actually implementing major changes. Rather than hitting the perfect balance right away (if it exists), it seems that when I begin doing something better I fall behind in another area. This is human and good to know. But I still believe in practicing what I preach, and I will continue to work toward that goal.

On this day of celebration for servant-leader Dr. Martin King Jr., I dedicate this blog to him and to many others who have inspired me to seek compassion over compensation, to strive for integrity and right relationships with others and with the land.

Thanks for reading. I hope you learned something to carry with you in your pursuit of a life full of truth and joy. May 2010 be abundant with blessings for you and yours. Always journey toward the purpose for which you were created: to love creation with a love that suffers and celebrates, comforts and encourages, and pines for a Jubilee justice for all.

Present and Future King

2010-01-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Even as I was rejoicing with my family this season, I couldn't stop thinking about the future. This is not like me. Not at all. But such is the dilemma when you apply to graduate school in four cities, enjoy where you live, and yet also feel pulled to places in your past, like Cleveland's Near West Side and Detroit. How different from my JV year in Cleveland, when most days I wasn't concerned with anything except work, spending time with my community, and communicating with my girlfriend in Chicago. My "Go West, young man" move has led to significant changes in my life and mindset. My fifteen-minute walk to-and-from the West Side Catholic Center is now a 2-hour minium round trip. The somewhat frequent treks to St. Coleman's for daily mass in the morning are a distant memory, although I do read more. Alot of that reading right now is about gardening and urban farming. I think this is because if my difficulty adjusting from a workplace without a desk to one primarily behind a desk, and also because of my experience serving recycled, donated, and food-bank purchased food for a full year, with its pluses and minuses. Only time will tell if I put this research into practice in a garden versus a farm, but I do know that I'm not sure I like all this forward thinking. It was a lot ismpler to offer my energy to God one day at a time. Maybe my Christmas miracle will be to leave these concerns to Christ, born again and Always With Us, the Emmanuel of my past, present, and future.

Bon Voyage

2009-12-17T18:53:00.001-08:00

The Midwest is soon to have a new folk legend, but she we will need our hopes and prayers to achieve her grand design. Katie Spotz of Mentor, OH, leaves at the end of December for her solo row across the Atlantic Ocean. Katie has prepared for over a year in order to complete this Row for Water, meant to raise money for the Blue Planet Run Foundation. Bon Voyage, Katie, and may America's heartland give you godspeed with the breath of our good wishes!

After all the talk...

2009-12-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

I hear from folks about Black Friday shopping and needing to do Christmas, this is a welcome movement. It is hard for me to say when Santa Claus and the Christmas tree became the center of Christmas, but the reality is that it has for many people. It is sad to me that a push toward a more Christ-centric Christmas needs to be labeled a conspiracy, but it is definitely a positive development. I hope that this so-called conspiracy will find more receptive ears in an economy that has put the focus back on family and simplicity. The holiday can return to being about gifts of time, presence, and faith formation. That's what I'm waiting for this Advent.

Ideas for Rethinking Christmas

Science and Religion in 'Agreenment'

2009-12-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Great article on University of Chicago's Sightings about ecumenical collaboration and dialogue on environmental issues. I was excited about hearing that solar panels will soon adorn Daoist temples in China.

EJ Magazine

2009-11-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered a new resource for environmental news. Produced by the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University (Go Spartans!), EJ Magazine looks to be an excellent resource for staying connected to a world of sustainability and environmental developments, issues, challenges, and triumphs.

Chase Community Giving on Facebook

2009-11-20T07:32:00.000-08:00

Facebookers can put their social network to the cause of social justice by voting for their favorite charities. For more information.

I was able to vote for some favorites like Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the West Humboldt Park Family Development Council, and St. Martin de Porres High School (Cleveland, OH).

Hungry in America

2009-11-16T19:07:00.001-08:00

Jason DeParle writes in the New York Times about a 14-year high in food insecurity statistics. This report strikes close to home, as I spent much of the last yer helping the West Side Catholic Center feed the hungry. I also recently wrote about reading Michael Polian's In Defense of Food, which made me more aware of food deserts and the manufactured food that is often the only recourse of those who don't have enough to spend on real food. I hope the sustainability and local agriculture movement begins to change this trend by making better food available to more people, but for now the tragedy of hunger continues. And not just under bridges and overpasses, but in homes across America.

The article is here.

Carbon Footprint

2009-11-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

I've been curious to do this for awhile, so I remembered tonight to try an online Carbon footprint calculator. I don't know the info on my "house" as I'm in an apartment with utilities included. I'll have to try and run into my landlord and ask what they pay. I did find a secondary carbon footprint 3.77 tonnes of CO2 in a year. I feel like I do a pretty good job not being wasteful, but clearly there is room for improvement.

The Soloist

2009-11-06T05:19:00.000-08:00

Seems like I'm doing a lot of reading lately. I think that's the influence of public transportation. Most recently, I finished the Soloist by Steve Lopez. It was a gift from Terrie, my supervisor last year at the West Side Catholic Center. She has "absolutely loved" the book, and there was no way I could say no after that. It took awhile to get to, but it was well worth the wait.

The book was most important for me because of its realism. It doesn't cut too many corners in describing mental illness. It also makes the clear link between homelessness and mental illness. Mr. Lopez is very accurate when he talks about war veterans and people who have experienced trauma populating places like Skid Row. Trauma makes some people stronger, but it can also send a person to very dark places and change a person's brain chemistry. Many times, people who have experienced trauma seek to isolate themselves. We had plenty of guests last year who were reluctant to talk to anyone. Trust is a difficult piece to repair, especially when it is broken between a person and all of society. This book, however, shows the redemptive power of friendship. Mr. Lopez and Nathaniel's journey is a powerful one, and it has the potential to change the perception of mental illness in this country. I hope it does, and I hope their friendship lasts a lifetime, for both of their sakes.

*I wrote more about trauma in another book review here.

You can call me whatever you want...

2009-10-31T15:04:00.000-07:00

...just as long as you don't call me late for dinner. I heard this joke a lot last year. Of course, it made a lot of sense working in a soup kitchen. Like everyone who participated in the process, I ate alot. So, in the vein of trying to once again re-establish better food habits, I decided to read a book I had heard about called In Defense of Food. Michael Polian authored it to take back dinner from a variety of threats. His book is a great examination of the problems of nutritional science and the difficulties of eating well from supermarkets full of processed food. His simple rules, such as "Eat less food [especially meat], eat mostly vegetables," are easy to understand, but may require more trips to the farmers market to follow. The main thrust of the book is that diseases like diabetes and obesity have been greatly exacerbated by the Western diet and that we should avoid eating that way as much as possible. It is hard to do when most food in stores fall right into a Western diet, supposedly low-fat but with its calories more than replaced by refined carbs. Even most of our breads have more ingredients than the 5 Polian allows. He believes the more complex the food, the more likely it is to come in the context of a Western diet that is either killing us or making us overuse the health care system. So pick up the book and head to your local farmers market, or follow Polian's advice to shop only in the outer walls of the super market. Cook a delicious veggie stir-fry and raise a glass of wine to better food and better health.

Thirty Days

2009-10-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

I just finished Paul Mariani's memoir of his experience with the Long Retreat - thirty days of silence and contemplation. It is a tradition passed down by the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius, and is required of all who seek to join the Company of Jesus and empty themselves for its missions. It is the best memoir I've read outside of Dave Egger's Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, and it shares the same quality of brutal honesty. Paul's journey is one of sin and grace, as was Ignatius of Loyola's journey to sainthood, as are all of our journeys to be what we will become. The power of the book is the way sin is overcome by grace. Paul discovers the truth that the transforming Christ is there for all who are willing to look for Him. Even as I struggle to commit myself to prayer, I am encouraged by Paul's experience. I believe his truth shows us a way to better know the Truth. And that is truly Good News.

Darkness and Light

2009-10-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Today, I finished a database of properties in foreclosure in the neighborhood I work in. I was saddened by the fact that 4 homes went into foreclosure on my recent birthday. This day of rejoicing for me was for 4 families the beginning of possibly the end of their most important material investment. A home is something I'd taken for granted until becoming acutely aware of social injustices in college. Then I spent last year seeing the toll homelessness can take on people, trying to understand and minister as best I could. The positive note is that for those 4 families, there is still time to save their home. NHS may be able to help them. And maybe next year they'll be rejoicing with me.

Domestic Violence Month

2009-10-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. I recently saw a statistic that attributed nearly 10 percent of Chicago murders in 2008 to domestic violence. Please consider contributing in some way to the work of domestic violence hot-lines and shelters. Prayers wouldn't hurt either...

Reality Check

2009-10-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

I introduce with this post the new Value of the Month feature for intention, and also a collaboration with photographer Jeremy Ruzich. A life of intention is developed like a garden, with tenderness, care, and precision. The gardener cannot work on each facet of the garden at the same time, and must focus on individual aspects while keeping in mind the other working pieces and his or her broader goals. So with this feature I welcome readers to think about the way each monthly value influences their life.

I chose Simplicity to be the first Value of the Month, focusing on Presence. Presence, to me, is the act of focusing on the conditions and people present in a given time and place. It is an active choice to give up anxieties and anticipation toward the future in order to respond to the demands of the moment.

Technology has always worked to expand spheres of presence, whether by Train or by Twitter. There are great aspects of these inventions – they allow us to bridge geographical divides and experience events and occurrences nature would have otherwise kept private. But these technological advances can be isolating, giving priority to planning the upcoming Facebook event across the country while we miss our next door neighbor’s birthday party or difficult day at work. However, seeing Presence as a debate over technology’s merits and limitations, which is always my first thought, is useful but does not capture the whole meaning of the word.

C.S. Lewis challenged me in The Screwtape Letters, a book of communication between a supervisory demon and his ground-level associate over the temptation of a man, to look deeper into the issue of Presence. His supervisor demon Screwtape writes that devils have worked very hard to focus human attention on the Future to “inflame hope and fear…[because] in making them think about it we make them think of unrealities.” Screwtape advises his associate Wormwood that much of vice is based on future expectations, that, “We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow’s end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now.” I was inspired in college by the possibilities of reform for businesses, politics, communities, and individuals. But C.S. Lewis brings up a strong point. If I let future aspirations consume all of my time and self, there is nothing left over to actually be understanding to the people within arm’s reach.

However you decide to frame the value of presence, I suggest you consider another passage by Lewis, where Screwtape writes, “[God] does not want men to give the Future their hearts, to place their treasure in it. We do.”

Image: ©2009 by Jeremy Ruzich

Hell

2009-09-21T18:57:00.001-07:00

I am reading Thirty Days by Paul Mariani, his memoir about taking the 30-day silent retreat exploring St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. He is asked towards the end of the first week to contemplate Hell. I have a version, as described to me by one of my co-workers today. She worked with ex-offenders in a youth violence prevention through outreach program. One of her employees served his time, all 22 years of it, only to be labeled a sex offender due to a bureaucratic mistake (the crime was not sexual). So, finally free, he finds that he and his family must move constantly, up to 8 apartments in a year, because each community in short time discovers his name on the list and then creates and distributes fliers demonizing his family. It takes three years and numerous arrests for not registering as a sex offender - how humiliating to have to register for something heinous you never did - for legal process to clear him and provide any sort of normalcy. That man went through hell over a mistake. Makes accuracy with paperwork take on a whole new meaning. I wonder what it felt like for him finally to be free?

R & R - September 20th, 2009

2009-09-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Stories for your Sunday:

When schools fail - Celia Dugger reports in the New York Times about apartheid's lingering impact on education in South Africa.

Lobbying - A delegation of Hispanic bishops went to Congress to discuss the needs of Hispanic Americans.

Hot Cocoa Challenge - international development group Progressio launched a cocoa challenge with the slogan "Just Add Water" to bring attention to water issues in the climate change conversation.

Investigating Sustainability - Robert Glennon digs deeper into the environmental impact of ethanol and solar power while writing for In These Times. Haven't dug into it yet, but there may be a counterpoint at Save the Planet.

Behind Bars - The Week reflects on the state of prisons in America.

Make his day

2009-09-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

A fellow FJV sent this blog to me about one of her friends doing a social experiment in NYC. He is taking reader 'adventure' suggestions and writing about his attempts at doing one new adventure each day. It certainly is an unconventional approach to the Jesuit motto "Be a Man for Others."

R & R - September 6th, 2009

2009-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

On a day designated for rest and relaxation, intention brings you another kind of R & R. Reading and Reflection is the name for this Sunday piece that will bring attention to stories reflecting the values of intentional living. Awareness-building allows us to be more empathetic and more knowledgeable when we share and advocate. So, without further ado, here are the stories for this week:

The Worth of Labor - New York Bishop William Murphy released the USCCB Labor Day statement, highlighted by this quote: "the dignity of the worker should be the top concern of any economy."

World Water Week - Progressio's Environmental Advocacy Coordinator Petra Kjell blogs about his participation in World Water Week.

Last Exit - In These Times editorial intern Adam Case writes about a controversial right-to-die organization.

Transformed - Hope Gricus writes for Catholic Exchange about the transformation she underwent under the guidance of Mother Teresa's writings.

Escalation - Tom Shanker of the New York Times reports that the U.S. has increased its share of the global arms market.

Hung out to Dry - Jim Yardley of the New York Times reports on the historic drought hitting India's agricultural sector.

Picture explanation

2009-09-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

I had used the picture I took of a nun praying for the massacred Jesuits of El Salvador for over a year and it was time for a change. Though I loved that image, I decided to go with one with a very personal connection. The picture is of the cups I served juice in at the West Side Catholic Center to those in need in Cleveland. Even in the lunch rush, I did my best to keep the cups in a cross formation. I believed it was a subtle reminder that Christ was at the table with us.

Two options

2009-09-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Two ways to show the strength of a justice movement in numbers that will be meaningful to decision-makers - I post the links and you decided the merits:

Christian Campaign for Immigration Reform - heard about this through a Sojourners e-mail, and its one of their efforts to push for a clear path to citizenship for immigrants.

Catholics Confront Global Poverty - I signed the petition awhile back, but I was reminded of it last night during a Catholic Relief Services committee meeting. The goal is one million Catholics and this will help advocates push legislators for movement on issues of international development and relief.

Waiting for that Wind

2009-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

I've been in Chicago two weeks now - my stuff hit the apartment three weeks ago but I've had stints in South Bend and the Detroit area. It has been strange and good. It's very different from where I was this time last year, immersed in an intentional living community for the first time. Then I was trying to figure out my place with the JV's, the neighborhood, and the values. Now, I feel like I'm a sail waiting to get caught up in the Windy City. I'm happy for the break from work and the chance to spend time with my girlfriend, and yet I can't help but see the Great Lake to the east (it's two blocks away) and be reminded of Cleveland, especially of the times where I felt fully alive, loved, faith-filled, simple.

I know that I will have those times again, that I will find a rhythm and balance to my life. It will look different than my JV life - I haven't journaled in 3 weeks - and it will probably take time for me to recognize the good i am meant to pursue here. For once, however, I am not anxious about it. I used to be so time-conscious, squeezing every last second with activity and often losing myself in the process. I'm confident that I won't let that happen here. The compass that the JVC's four values - simplicity, social justice, spirituality, and community - together form will guide me. I'm excited for the journey, although I do look through Lake Michigan and remember fondly my formation near Lake Erie and before along the Great Miami River. I look to the past now without being anchored by it, and I am free to go where the Holy Spirit guides me.

Asking for patience, collabortion

2009-08-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

I know I mentioned this in the earlier post from Notre Dame, but I am currently making plans to improve the content on this site. I will be exploring different ways of doing that, and it may take time. One way that I would love to see intention change would be to involve more voices. I would love to discuss any ideas people had for collaboration. If you're interested, post here and we'll get in touch.

Please say a Prayer for Ken Bacon

2009-08-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ken Bacon, the President of Refugees International, passed away. The press release is here. It is appropriate on this Sabbath to give thanks for an advocate claimed for a service unimaginable in its glory.

Sorry

2009-08-09T19:37:00.001-07:00

For the lapse in posting. I finished a very rewarding Jesuit Volunteer Corps experience before preparing to move to Chicago. I am now in Notre Dame for what is shaping up to be a helpful conference for post-service volunteers seeking to transition into meaningful careers. I will be back in action soon, and I hope to make the site better. Thanks for your patience and have a blessed week.

Lori, you're a rockstar

2009-08-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Summons member Lori and her non-profit Salud del Sol are featured here in Brass magazine!

A Touching Moment

2009-07-25T11:08:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be gifted an extra ticket to the Near West Theatre's production of "Sweeney Todd." I got to sit with Arline, one of the amazing volunteers at the West Side Catholic Center and enjoy some incredible community theater. At the end, for the standing ovation, a family in front of me lifted up one of the members who had a birth defect that made him unable to stand on his own. They supported him while he clapped and cheered. I heard one whisper after, "You did very well. Good job!" It was sincere and a little tragic and beautiful all at once. I hope we all have someone in our lives who will carry us when we need it.

News about News

2009-07-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

I lived in Ann Arbor last suummer, and just happened to pass through on the way to my last Jesuit Volunteer Corps retreat outside of Traverse City. I noticed a a news box for AnnArbor.com, and had a funny feeling that we might have lost the Ann Arbor News that I had walked past every day on my way to the YMCA. My funny feeling was true. I wasn't a resident long enough to fall in or out of love with paper. But, I do feel bad for the dedicated journalists who loved Ann Arbor.

On the flip side of the coin comes this story in the Plain Dealer's Metro section. In it, a Cleveland media lawyer proposes a change to copyright law that would make bloggers pay for using articles or have to include the link in order to drive readership. It would give more legal ground for papers to go after bloggers. I'll have to dig more into this when I can, but at this point we need smart and creative proposals or we will lose the media insitutions who fund the kind of investigative journalism that helps keep America honest.

Change is Nearing

2009-07-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

14 days left in Cleveland. Hard to believe. The summer has flown by, its blessings lingering even as it slips away. I am not afraid of change. But I can't help beginning to miss all this place has meant to me. From the saints to the streets to everywhere in between, Cleveland has been a lesson in life after school. It has been a lesson in community, in how to accompany people rather than want to change them. It has been a test of faith at times, and a boon of grace in other moments. It has helped cement who I want to be, and shown that I still have much to learn in my striving to understand God's call. I am full of gratitude for all those whose actions or prayers have strengthened me along the journey this year. If there is anything I have come to know, it is that all I have become and done is only possible because of others who have granted me wisdom and courage. Thank you, and may God work through us to make His will known to a world in need of it.

New Social Encyclical

2009-07-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

Caritas International on Pope Benedict's encyclical Caritas in Veritate.

More discussion on David Gibson's Pontifications blog.

Nick Cardilino

2009-07-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

Director of UD's Center for Social Concern. Supervisor. Mentor. Songwriter. Loving husband and father. Teacher. He is many things, and now he is a video rockstar on UD's frontpage after being featured in UD Stories, a wonderful series profiling the great people who make UD the incredible place it is.

Check out his video here!

Misery Loves Company

2009-06-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's death has brought a renewed attention on his tragic upbringing. Having your childhood taken away is something one of my co-workers, who was homeless for more than two decades, understands. The only way he got out of the mindset of hating other people is through forgiveness. Trauma during childhood, during war, during whenever is a significant factor in social problems like homelessness and child abuse. The only way to keep trauma from spreading and cycling is forgiveness. I think that is why my faith tradition places such an emphasis on it. Jesus didn't want the tortured to become the torturers. It's not easy, but the right road is often the rough one...

Music for the Soul

2009-06-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Annie Fullard of the Cavani String Quartet brought a quintet of students to the West Side Catholic Center today for the first session of our Music for the Soul programming. The event was entitled "The Mellow Cello" and featured two cellists and music by Shubert. It was a great event, with both performance and dialogue. It was really cool to have world-class musicians in the Drop-In Center, and the guests that chose to stay really enjoyed themselves. I have never had a penchant for string music, but I truly enjoyed myself because of the intimate setting and because I could tell how special it was for our folks. And that's the best part about this show - it is only for our folks. You have to have one of the new West Side Catholic Center ID's to participate. We are one more step on our path to a trauma-informed service environment.

Confused

2009-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

Applying for jobs in Chicago has made clear that I am definitely a jack of some trades and a master of none. It is confounding me right now. I have passion, but sometimes it seems to be diluted because I care about issues ranging from mental health to urban farming and most everything in between. But I am expert on none of them, so where do I go? What should I do? I don't have the focus of so many great people that I met at UD or here in Cleveland, who work tirelessly on one goal and dream. What does that mean? I am trying to trust God to lead me in the right direction, and certainly JVC was the right place for me this year. So, while I'm confused, I know also that I am blessed to have this search. It is a search for vocation, for true calling, for work that inspires. If I do not find it now, I trust that prayer and experience will lead me to it when the time is right, when the seed planted by all I've done and been may ripen and bloom so I can be the servant I'm called to be.

MetroMonitor

2009-06-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

Brookings has released a MetroMonitor breaking down metropolitan economies that provides more solid information than I've seen anywhere else, although I don't get much computer time to search it out. Seems helpful for understanding what is going on where, and could help people make decisions about where to relocate to seek work.

Adele Alive in Cleveland

2009-06-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I was able to stop in and visit the participants of the Adele Social Justice Project's immersion retreat in Cleveland. It was a blessing to meet more young people in the Midwest who believe in the power of community and who want to toil in the Kingdom for a more just world. I also got to see Rick and Lori, who are co-Summons with me, and I have to say that there are few blessings in the world that can compete with a Marianist hug. Adele, one of the Marianist co-founders, was a prolific letter-write, and one of her letters that we discussed talked about the joy of seeing young people "promise fidelity." It was a joy for me to see the same profession of faith nearly two centuries after that letter, and I pray that the retreat bolsters the Marianist spirit in Cleveland. The spirit builds community. And from community, justice flows like a river.

Sure you're not Marianist?

2009-05-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

I had a Marianist moment today. Like many folks who went to the University of Dayton, I was awed by the welcoming spirit and hospitality of the Marianist family. Today, at the Community of St. Malachi 11:00 A.M. mass, I felt that spirit. A gentleman named Ron, a member of the parish counsel, spoke to me after mass because of the way I was singing. I said, "How could I not sing? I haven't heard Alleluia, Give the Glory since I was a student!" We talked for awhile, and I explained that I was a Jesuit Volunteer. He welcomed me to the Community, led me to the parish hall for the weekly reception, and introduced me to some friends. Everyone was genuinely excited to see a new face. I had a great time, and I was excited to see a group of people enthusiastic about ministry and being lay leaders. Now, as Ron said, the trick will be maintaining that spirit as they merge with the more traditional St. Malachi Church. Tradition is important, but hospitality and vibrancy should be a tradition of its own in the church. Jesus welcomed us to the table. The Community of St. Malachi did a wonderful job of continuing that aspect of the faith.

*

Also, blogger Jewels in the Ashes has a passion for helping people in Burma, and now she has posted guidance from the U.S. Campaign for Burma about how you can help.

Time flies when you're having fun

2009-05-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a little over a year since I started intention to explore issues of social justice and intentional, meaningful living. It is hard to believe it is already the one year anniversary. Time truly flies when you are having fun and doing what you love. I'm celebrating with a list below of my favorite posts from the last year:

Lessons from WALL-E? July 7, 2008

There is Sacrifice August 29, 2008

Simly Live (Simply) September 12, 2008

Community or Me, me, me October 15, 2008

Reclaiming Patience November 16 2008

Giving Thanks December 9, 2008

Have a Foolish Christmas December 22, 2008

Accepting our Reality December 31, 2008

A Day in the Life Circa January part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 March 2009

Do I Burn? March 28, 2009

The Children at Santa Clara May 8, 2009

Thanks for reading!!

Cleveland Plain Press and a Graduation

2009-05-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to linking to the articles I wrote for the May issue of Cleveland Plain Press, a free paper that covers local news on Cleveland's West side:

Gang Green leader receives blue ribbon for sustainability

In Ohio City, the fight is for one another

In other news, last night was Benedictine High School's graduation. My neighbor, Ben, finished up his last step before college. He is a great kid and an incredibly talented artist, and I am sure his mom was super-proud last night. See, Ben has lived with Jesuit Volunteers as neighbors for ten years, but only we were the lucky ones to accompany him on this rite of passage. They say Jesuit Volunteer Corps changes you, and I agree. But, this only happens if something strikes you in your experience, be it in the local faith community, at the job, in your house, or elsewhere along the way. Well, I've been fortunate to be struck in each of these places by both kindness and tragedy, and especially by compassion in the midst of tragedy. Nothing has struck me on any greater level than my neighbor Paula, whose commitment to fostering community and working for social justice has not wavered even as she has raised two wonderful kids. What a family, what a night. God is good.

A Little Symbol of Hope for Spring

2009-05-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

The good weather here in Cleveland is its own sign of hope, and yet each morning I am treated to a very tangible example of renewal in the midst of expanding vegetation. When I first arrived in Cleveland, there was a delapidated home near St. Patrick's church. It reminded me of the struggles I would witness before walking into the West Side Catholic Center. Now that spring has sprung, it has transformed into a completely new structure.

The boards are out of the doors and windows, and the new siding gives no clues to where this house was mere months ago. It is exciting to see that someone wants to love this house into a home. I hope that the owners invest also in this neighborhood. We need time, energy, and resourcefulness to help us move forward in the way we treat and take care of one another. We would welcome them to join in that endeavor.

The Children at Santa Clara

2009-05-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

I just finished Elizabeth Marek's "The Children at Santa Clara" this morning. It is a difficult read about a Southwestern home for emotionally disturbed children. It is not an easy way to start the day, as these kids have endured trauma that is deep and real. I wondered what this book meant to me as I got ready for work. Was it just another example of why I need to trust in an absolute and ultimate justice that only the Lord can provide? Because it does not leave you feeling good about our wordly justice, as these kids are the survivors of beatings and sexual abuse, neglect and abandonment. In one case, a set of parents has their five children taken away for locking the two difficult ones in a closet for seven years. Yet, they show up later at the farm to spend Christmas with the normal ones, instead of being locked away somewhere. It doesn't make sense. It can't make sense.

It does. This book gave me a clearer sense of the guests as the West Side Catholic Center. There is no mold for people who become homeless, but many of our guests have endured trauma like this that changes them forever. These kids that the author grows to love have grown up (the book was published in the mid-80's) and could show up any day for our hot lunch. I hope I remember this each time a troubled guest walks through our door.

This connection leaves me with some comfort, because there are people dedicated to helping these kids and then taking care of them when ramifications of their trainwreck childhoods emerge in adulthood. But it also fills me with questions, just like one of the children at Santa Clara, Phillip, who has lost much of himself being the one to feed his brother and sister in the closet all those years. There is no true justice in this world, just as there is no perfect answer to troubled kids and homelessness. There are only questions, compassion, and forgiveness to help us heal wounds and care for one another.

A Good Man Laid to Rest

2009-05-07T10:18:00.001-07:00

Fr. Dave Fallon, a well-loved priest at La Sagrada Familia in Cleveland, was buried today. May he rest in peace, and may God be with his family.

Great combo

2009-05-01T06:45:00.001-07:00

I'm a little late to the game on this, but this letter from Chad Ford comes via one of my favorite blogs, Truehoop, and incorporates sports and social justice. It was exciting to see how Dikembe inspired Chad to reach for his dreams. I knew Dikembe was involved with Basketball Without Borders to bring the game to Africa and elsewhere, but I did not realize just what he meant to so many people. Too bad that, until now, I knew him more for the signature finger-wag than for anything else. This one more example of how a story can change our perception.

To the Uncharted Territory of Life

2009-04-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I watched "Into the Wild." It is the story of a college grad named Chris who wanted to live in the wilderness of Alaska. I am in awe of Chris and his alter ego Alexander Supertramp. He saw the problems in our society, judged no one but his parents, and pursued his dream while treating others well. He transformed those he touched on his journey. In the rough trip, he kept from the vice that creeps into tired minds and frustrated hearts. He lived a life of raw simplicity and presence. He saw the world through eyes of gratitude, appreciative of the small graced events most of us rarely notice.

The irony is that he had to go to the isolated wilderness to have the epiphany that true happiness must be shared with others. May we remember that truth whenever we isolate ourselves with online poker, television, and fences. Isolation and distraction may be healthy and necessary at times, but too often in our culture it is the status quo. This can keep us from pursuing our dreams, and planting seeds of faith and kindness on our way to the mountaintop.

It is easy to forget. Chris can teach us many things. He said in the movie to grab what you want in life. I see some danger in that phrasing if the want is not discerned with right intention, but I agree with the principle of actively pursuing the path God has set for us. We can't let yesterday dictate today if there is an unmet yearning to be fulfilled. If it is good - go for it. Chris said that life is about new experiences. I believe these experiences can lead us to divine and sacred truths. Truths to be shared all along our life's path.

This Happened Where I Work

2009-04-28T08:28:00.001-07:00

My supervisor's son brought youth with disabilities to the West Side Catholic Center for a wonderful event, as described here!

A Novel Approach

2009-04-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Jim McDermott takes a novel approach to this Susan Boyle business. It is a nice story but if it only teaches us that it's never too late to show our true colors than we are missing part of the message. When I watched the video for the first and only time, I was struck by the visible disdain on people's faces before the song had even begun. I've seen so many wonderful cantors in church who don't look like Carrie Underwood, and yet here were people shocked by the performance. Sure, the ugly duckling-esque ending of a standing ovation was nice, but if all it is is nice, then we forget the way this woman was judged.

Also, a good back-and-forth about changing the way we transport ourselves.

You can help my friend clean medical instruments in Nicaragua

2009-04-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

A letter from Lori, director of Salud del Sol, a group that formed on the University of Dayton's campus to develop a sustainable business in Nicaragua building solar autoclaves to clean medical instruments in rural health clinics:

Salud del Sol, Inc. has decided to gear up our fundraising efforts by competing in a three-week fundraising competition on Global Giving. We are competing through the Global Engagement Summit, a conference we just attended, in their Project Challenge 2009. From now until May 8, we have to fundraise $4000 from at least 50 separate donors to be able to earn a permanent place on Global Giving's website. In addition, the three projects that raise the most money will also receive supplementary cash bonuses of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. The project with the greatest number of unique donors will be awarded a bonus of $1,000.

Please visit www.globalgiving.com/2704 to see our project and donate! The minimum donation is only $10, and there is no upper limit. We are specifically raising funds now for further research on the solar autoclave and for building the capacity of our in-country partner, Las Mujeres Solares, to be able to manufacture and distribute solar box cookers and autoclaves. You can see how we are doing in the competition here: http://www.globalgiving.com/dy/v2/projectchallenge.html.

We constantly update our website with recent articles and blog posts, and you can check it out here: www.saluddelsol.org.

Thank you so much for anything you can contribute, or for any way in which you are able to let other people know about this exciting project and fundraising opportunity!

Sincerely,
Lori

Flying to God

2009-04-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Evan Witty, a UD Flyer, soared to meet God on April 15th. I did not know him well, but he was part of a Lighthouse retreat from which I have very fond memories. I am trying to keep it together as I write this, but reading tributes here and here to Evan have made that difficult. He gave so much to orphaned children in Cambodia. I just finished reading a book about the saints, and when I wonder where the saints are in our world I find that they are not so far away. I wish Evan's family well in this difficult time. I am glad he was happy there, that he was with people he loved. He should've returned home, but instead he returned to God's love. I won't question that plan. I am sure that He is more right than I can ever imagine.

A Facebook group has been started here as a memorial to Evan's sacred life. May we remember him and learn to be selfless and free to do God's will.

Pirates or Victims?

2009-04-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Africa Faith and Justice Network has described the part of the crisis involving Captain Richard Phillips no one else wanted to look at: the cause and effect. That requires asking the tough questions about governance in Somalia. It requires asking tuogh questions about international waters and multinational corporations. AFJN has tried to ask those questions to show you what is behind the piracy. Nothing makes piracy acceptable, but it is still right to show the whole truth of these complex issues. The issue does not end with three snipers' bullets. May the international response be firm yet compassionate, mixing security with solidarity.

The Good Geeks

2009-04-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Watergeeks are trying to make the world and its people healthier through green technology. Check them out here.

Transformation happens in unlikely places

2009-04-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Bart Campolo, an urban minister in Cincinnati, writes about a story of grace in this world that takes place in very unlikely circumstances.

Headline Blew Me Away

2009-04-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

This article, entitled "China Releases Human Rights Plan," surprised me as we aren't that far removed from the news coverage about Olympic boycotts. It sounds pretty preliminary, but still a step towards more respect for people's dignity.

Doing Good

2009-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

My mom told me about these two organizations who take a novel approach to helping others:

ABC news covered how Wish Upon a Hero is helping connect people in need connect with those heroes out there able to meet it. I like when technology connects us rather than distracts us. For more information, check them out here.

The Tap Project is a grassroots approach to the clean water issue. The Tap movement asks restaraunt managers to encourage consumers of tap water to donate $1 towards water development projects. It is a way to enjoy water and give the gift of it at the same time. I like simple approaches, as they are often the best.

Goran

2009-04-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Suton has been a mainstay at Michigan State University. He's been their most reliable man in the post for years, but this is the first time I've been made aware of the story about Suton's past in Bosnia.

Food for Thought

2009-03-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Some important stories to carry you through hump day and beyond:

Row, Row, Row your Boat, Gently Down the...Ocean?

- Paul Ridley finished rowing across the Atlantic to raise money for cancer research.

More Bad Times for Journalism

- The Sun-Times parent company declared bankruptcy. If Chicago can't support a newspaper, can anyone? I'm praying for a turnaround. The press isn't perfect but nothing is and we need the media in this country.

Fire in Athens

-Firebombs destroy property, although luckily no injuries were reported. Political violence is ugly, and solves nothing.

American journalists to face trials in North Korea

- Two American journalists face up to ten years of labor for trying to cover the lives of North Korean refugees in China.

Obama asks Sudan to bring back aid groups

- Our president reacts to this major humanitarian crisis. What a mess. What will it take to make life better in Darfur?

Do I Burn?

2009-03-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, I was in the community's spirituality room, and stopped for a minute to look at the poster we made at the last JVC retreat. At first, I remembered the way we made it, through a mature discussion and mutual creative effort. We decided to represent our community as a firework, since we are a burst of vibrancy to the cities and agencies where we live and work. The firework is fitting, also, because its shimmer is fleeting. We, too, will transform when our time comes, the immediacy of intimate community will be replaced by the lasting ties of having tried to live out our faith and its values in a unique way.

I quickly put the thought of our departure out of my mind. Although I am not afraid of the future, I also am not ready to think about saying goodbye to this piece of my life's mosaic. The quote in the poster, however, continued to hold my attention. "Go forth," St. Ignatius of Loyola said, "and set the world on fire." He seemed to be questioning me: "Greg, are you setting the world on fire?"

The easy answer is no. But the easy answer is often not the most accurate. If the "world" St. Ignatius speaks of is not the globe or the state or the county, but the day-to-day world I inhabit, the outlook is more positive. While I would not say I have set that world on fire with God's love, I have helped make the West Side Catholic Center an even better place to volunteer. I have helped the leadership save energy and resources by not having to shift staff while my supervisor is out recovering from surgery that will be important for her longevity. This is important for the organization because she is kind, generous, and attentive to detail in her ministry of directing the 400+ volunteers who come through our doors. I have tried to be friendly and reserve judgment in my interactions with the people of the street. I have made friends doing so with people that would not seem to share much in common. Not like St. Francis would have, but then, my calling is not his. Within the community, I have been as open and honest as I know how to be, sharing laughs and sorrows. We are imperfect, but I believe that we all are committed to one another and living intentional lives of faith. In doing so, we bear strong witness to how young people can seek God in an often secular country and world.

My community and this Cleveland experience has changed the way I will live. When my firework fades in Cleveland, it will begin anew in Chicago, all the brighter for what I have learned about living the Gospel here in Cleveland. God-willing, I will find an avenue to share His love at every step of the journey that is faith.

Tent Cities

2009-03-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when there are no jobs. There are many of these little camps here in Cleveland, and I am glad those people are welcome at the West Side Catholic Center.

For All I've Been Given

2009-03-25T07:46:00.001-07:00

I had a really moving experience yesterday. I was conducting an orientation for new volunteers, and a women mentioned that her family had benefited from our services in the past. She was the first in her family to go to school, and her success in the medical field inspired her mom to go back in her mid-fifties to become a nurse. And now she is back at the West Side Catholic Center to give her time and skills. Why should we give? First and foremost, for the advance of love and community. But, also, for all that we've been given. Gratitude and generosity are part of our call.

Boxed Water?

2009-03-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

If we have to have packaged water (and expect for tourism, that is an 'if' for me), should we use boxes instead of bottles? You can decide for yourself.

Fast Four

2009-03-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Some food for thought, quite literally in the case of the first two articles:

Mark Bittman writes about the truth regarding organic food.

Kim Severson writes about sugar's comeback as a health food. I think it is pretty ludicrous. Yeah, high-fructose corn syrup is bad too, but I would argue that most Americans need to cut back on sugar if we are to be a healthier nation. I pray we are smarter than this.

James Kanter examines the rise of the Nano car and its environmental impact.

Finally, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops congratulates New Mexico on repealing the death penalty.

A Day in the Life Circa January, part 5

2009-03-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

We gather for spirituality night. Mike leads us in writing out several intentions near to our heart. We place them in a box and draw out the intentions of another community member. I pray for the youth Megan ministers to, kids who have seen too much pain. Their troubles are her troubles, and I pray for her, too, that she sees this burden as a cross leading her closer to Christ. I pray also for her family. They will not see her for awhile, and I hope there will be mutual support in the time to come.

I promise to keep the prayer through the week. We disperse, and I dive into the Gospel of John. Fr. Frank Canfield, my spiritual director, recommended I focus on one of the Gospels when I said I wanted to know Scripture better. I have not done well with formal prayer lately, but I am trying to improve, to be more intentional in my effort. I begin to read. The verses talk about John the Baptist, how he is not the light but came to testify to the light.

I, too, am not the light. My faith has led me here to Cleveland not to preach from a pedestal of moral superiority, but rather to learn how others live and accompany them. It means accepting others, but not compromising in order to impress them. It means living the Gospel a little better each day. Others will see the light of Christ in me if my life bears testimony to a faith of contemplative action, of simplicity, of compassionate justice.

I call Mary, my girlfriend, before bed. We have been apart six months now. We are doing well, especially with her visit right after New Years fresh in my memory. We catch up on the day, and she has just learned of nine credits transferring from the University of Dayton that will lighten her academic load. I know she will be happier without research methods. She has also signed up for her second super-sprint triathlon in August. I am glad that I will be able to support her this time. I know that the road ahead is rocky since I don’t get to visit again until the end of February, but I know we will be alright. That is the grace of love. I can rest assured of it, and it strengthens me for the mission of the morning.

An Ocean Full of Possibility

2009-03-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

How long does it take to solo-row across the Atlantic Ocean? You'll be able to ask Katie Spotz after she makes the trip this December. Katie, from Mentor, OH, outside of my Cleveland home, is an accomplished endurance athlete who has swam the 352-mile Allegheny river and biked from D.C. to Seattle. She is partnering with Blue Planet Run to raise money and awareness on clean water development. She has taken on an incredible challenge for a very worthy cause, and I wish her all the best. Rowing that others may no longer thirst - what an example of grace in the world.

For more info, check out her website here.

One of my favorite parts is the faq - it talks about how it all will work. It will take alot of discipline for the daily schedule she has planned!

Two more...

2009-03-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

I watched the beginning of the Chicago river turning green, but it never crossed my mind to question the ethics. So, thank you Sharon, for doint what I was oblivious to.

Also, some hope from the pope.

World Water Day

2009-03-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

March 22nd is World Water Day for the UN. Check out the info here, and also about the way some musicians will take part.

A Day in the Life Circa January, part 4

2009-03-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

Now, at home, I remember that today is my cooking day. It means I only have a short break at home before I need to start preparing dinner. I call home since it’s been a week. It’s nice to keep in touch and I know my folks would like to talk more often, but I am here. I am committed to intentional community. I must be present. And I love here. It is not perfect but it’s the best living situation in my adult life so far. It is the closest to authentic, Gospel living. My community is well-balanced, spiritually nourishing, and loving. And I like to cook for them. Tonight is one of my best dishes: chicken stir-fry.

Megan helps me dice the red and green peppers. While I pan-fry chicken and boil vermicelli, she is preparing green beans, onions, and garlic. I sauté the vegetables and mix in pasta, chicken, and my homemade sauce to finish. We link hands to bless the food and then it becomes strength for the journey of faith.

Dinner is our best time for sharing. We break bread and open ourselves to one another. Stories are passed around. They fill us as much as the food does. Some are heart-breaking, like the women who go back to their abusers. Others are life-giving, like Ellen’s joy-filled time with the L’Arche community, an interfaith living community that integrates people with and without developmental disabilities. We vent and shout and ache, but mostly we laugh. We laugh a lot. I believe now, stronger than ever, that a sense of humor is required to work in social services. If you can’t laugh and place trust in God for some things, and give up control, you would cry too much and lose hope.

A Day in the Life Circa January, part 3

2009-03-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

This afternoon flies by as many do. I serve juice at lunch, usually red Kool-Aid substitute from Gordon Food Service. There is the man who sometimes flips out if he is handed his plate, and Kevin with his guitar and famous chicken song. There is drunken Dora saying, “Thanks everybody” and not slurring after years of practice. There are 175 people fed, and at least 50 who stare at the counter until the bitter end hoping for seconds. I don’t know if we used to give out seconds regularly, but with Cleveland and the nation struggling financially, we rarely have enough. It’s once-a-week or less, and today is not their lucky day.

After lunch, there is sorting and talking to Lou and Jim. Jim reminds me the Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA, and I ask him how many minutes rookie JJ Hickson played in their latest win. Eight or more and it was a blowout. Lou tells me the news with St. Ignatius sports. Football is over now, and they finished as state champs. It was great to see the community support and celebrate the team. Now, at least for Lou, it is all about basketball, mostly the freshman blue and gold teams. Their games are free and sometimes on Saturday mornings, so I can work the shelter brunch and make it before tip. I enjoy talking with them both. I can tell Lou really needs St. Ignatius. He lives alone in the projects north of Detroit Ave. and keeps to himself to stay out of trouble. He likes football and hoops and a good laugh. And the sports outlet they provide is good for me, especially on a rare slow day. I blow out the candle before walking home with Lou.

I have seen many beautiful things in this neighborhood, from the annual block party to Christmas caroling to refugee resettlement. Some beauty has even been found on my walk home, like the Case Western grad students who serendipitously moved next door to one another with matching Goldendoodles who are now best friends. Today, I am not so fortunate. I watch kids going home from school with their mom. She doesn’t say a word as her kids throw bottles into the street, spraying West 30th with broken glass. Lou says he sees the project kids all the time. He thinks their moms care only about the welfare check. I know it’s not true in every case, but right now I definitely see the neglect he is talking about. I don’t know what the chances of a car losing its tires to the glass are, but I do know that it is pure apathy to let your kids do something so destructive. I hope Lou is wrong, that the boys down the street from me will not be in court by age 15 while their sisters are delivering second and third babies. I can only pray that he is wrong.

Happiness Myths

2009-03-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

I just found the blog Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It is a great resource. I especially like her newest series busting Happiness Myths. Here's a few that I found particularly insightful, as I've noticed people buy into these:

I'll be happy when...

Married? Working the dream job? Rubin shows this line of thinking to be a fallacy. Being grateful, loving others, and enjoying where you are is much more effective than putting happiness off. I should know - I work at a soup kitchen. I've seen miserable people, but I've also seen some incredibly happy people who live what most suburbanites would consider a "rough and tumble" life.

I just need a drink...

You probably don't. Same with the brownie. Rubin suggests we do better to fight the negative feeling by "doing what we ought" despite a bad mood. Your life will turn around.

I'm sorry to complain, but...

In this chicken-and-egg plot, Rubin talks about how we often feel bad because of our actions, rather than the other way around. It takes a thick skin to let something negative not impact you. But, I've found that going about my day as usual makes my anger disappear better than complaining. Whatever 'it' is, 'it' usually isn't as bad as your first reaction would indicate. It doesn't mean we can't talk about the things that upset us if it is reasonable and empathetic. But it also means that insults and back-biting make us feel worse rather than better.

A Day in the Life Circa January, part 2

2009-03-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

I give thanks, and pray for those my memory can dig up before 9 a.m. Then, I am there, having dodged the cars like Frogger. The West Side Catholic Center looms, a beacon welcoming those few others want. Once I lose my coat, I say a prayer at the candle my supervisor Terrie keeps burning for those close to the center that are sick or have passed to the Lord’s care. Then, I lose myself in the process of readying our clothing distribution. I make sure the shopping room is in order. All the volunteers pray before fifty people file in to find that they need. Some are just getting by. Others are furnishing new apartments. If there are no children, I will be in their midst, answering questions and packing clothes into bags for them to take to wherever they call home. Today, there are kids, so I plunge into the childcare room with its seascape mural. A glint in my peripheral vision reminds me that Terrie loves the Rainbow Fish story from my childhood. I’ve watched many kids, most more than once, but today brings new faces. Their names are Albert and Faith. I think they are related, probably step-siblings, but I find out later I am wrong.

Faith is hesitant at first. The other child care volunteer had to tell me her name. Albert wants to play cards. They have fish on them, and one look at the rules tell me they will go over his head, so I hand one at a time, saying, “It’s a spiny fish – do you like spiny fish!?” He yells in delight as he grabs the card, slamming it to the table with a grin. This continues with snails and whales, and I see Faith loosening it up. I involve her in the game, and at first she grabs the cards timidly with a silent nod. But, in ten minutes, she is laughing and smiling on the rocking horse and Albert has been picked up to return to a life that sometimes scares me. I can’t worry too much about Albert while Faith is here, and I have her singing her alphabet and counting to eleven before her grandmother Vicki comes to get her.

Faith will be five in February, and Vicki got custody of her just this week. Most likely, Faith’s mom is in jail. That is the reality of the children who come to us. Vicki works night and can’t get more than four hours of sleep before Faith needs supervision. Vicki leaves with a lot of toys and with hope for obtaining daycare services. Though she is clearly hesitant, having said she thought she was done raising kids, she also loves Faith and I know she will be a good influence.

To Be Continued...

DARFUR: Five aid workers are kidnapped - please continue to pray for Sudan

Fast Four

2009-03-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Four stories for your Wednesday:

William Saletan compares the torture debate to Obama's stem-cell policy and wonders where we're headed by trying to de-politicize science.

Busted Halo is giving daily suggestions for Lent, based on a Fast, Pray, Give model.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reviews Eco Barons, a book about the newest wave of conservationists working to save the planet from consumption.

The First Lady promotes nutritous eating and healthy lifestyles from a soup kitchen to the White House dinner table. I'm pretty sure she'd be welcome here at the West Side Catholic Center next time the First Family finds its way to Cleveland.

A Day in the Life Circa January, part 1

2009-03-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

The alarm clock reads 7:27 a.m. It is angry, squawking. I reach over and appease it. But I do not move. I used to jump, but now I lay there with the clock clenched in my fist. It keeps me awake until I am ready to move. Sometimes, it takes twenty minutes. I slowly stumble through grace, cereal, changing, even exercise if it is less than twenty minutes. By exercise, I mean a few sets of push-ups, some crunches, maybe a set of sumo squats. It is not ideal and even it is hard to come by in the winter, when I do not want to face frozen floors.

Three Hail Marys resonate on West 32nd as I begin the day’s journey. I wish I was strong enough to sing it the same way each day, no matter who is around. The melody and the repetition, both focus my mind and heart. Then, groggy prayers: Lord, Your servant is listening. You have the words of everlasting life. There is only my breath, the breath of God, a gift freely given – grace. A sure sign that I am made in Your image and likeness, to be a vessel of peace, emptied of myself, filled only with Your will. Most days, it all disappears except the spires of St. Patrick’s and St. Ignatius, and, of course, the cars I must avoid if I am to serve that day, that week. Even a braking car at 35 mph poses a threat to my volunteering. I, like many, walk in the streets when it snows.

To Juice or Not to Juice

2009-03-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

That is the question Chris Bell tries to answer in his documentary, "Bigger. Stronger. Faster." Part of the intentional life is questioning commonly held beliefs. You may challenge them and come to find truth, but you may, like Chris does, find a lot of hypocrisy and shades of grey.

Chris is like me in that he grew up heavily influenced by guys like Arnold and Hulk Hogan. We thought these guys could do it all, that they could take on the world. My interest waned with my peer group, but Chris and his two brothers became powerlifters and wrestling hopefuls to try and be strong like Hulk. The problem came later, when they found out about the limits of human potential, about the untold story of anabolic steroids and how they built the careers of both superstars.

Chris finds himself at a moral dilemna, then, in his search for strength. Most of the guys he competes against are taking the drugs, but he can't shake the notion that it is cheating. That is the premise for his cross-country Q & A session, where he interacts with journalists, political officials, and recreational users to uncover the truth about steroids.

I'm not expert enough to know if his movie leans too much to one side, but I will say he objectively tried to learn the harmful effects of steroids from medical professionals and political opponents. Whether he censored their comments is not for me to know, but it did not appear that he tried intentionally to hide from the drugs' dangers. In the process, he created a film that gets a lot closer to the truth than A-Roid's villification in the media will ever get. Before the next time you curse out Barry, or scream about other countries doping in the Olympics, watch this movie. You may still think it's wrong, but at least you will have come closer to walking a mile in these athletes' muscles before you condemn them.

Pray for Burma

2009-03-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

I just found out that Sunday is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma. Please remember our brothers and sisters who live there this weekend.

So Rite

2009-03-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to God and to Old St. Patrick’s parish for the grace I serendipitously found at the 11:15 a.m. mass this past Sunday. I was in Chicago for the weekend to visit my girlfriend. We only made it to Old St. Pat’s by the great fortune of a recommendation by Dr. James Burke of Lewis University, a long-time Chicagoan who seemed to have his finger on the spiritual pulse of the city.

So we went, and we found ourselves in the midst of the Rite of Election ritual in which candidates – those who have previously been baptized in a Protestant faith – and catechumens – potential Catholics who are not baptized – are accepted into the Elect of the Church by the bishop. 49 people took to the altar to continue their journey into the faith.

By the coming of March, we enter into the end – often slow here in the Midwest – of winter and the beginning of Lent. It is a time of physical discomfort and intentional self-reflection to prepare for the renewal of our baptismal covenant in the glory of Easter. We must, then, cautiously look ahead to the promise of new growth, new life.

That is what this wonderful group represented to me: the reward of living as we are called. As Father Tom Hurley pointed out in his homily, most converts are brought into the Church by the influence of a caring Catholic, often one who has evangelized through deed rather than word, drawing others to the source of their loving spirit. The nearly fifty candidates and catechumens reminded me of the impact we have on one another. By tending to the garden that is my spirituality and my relationship with God, I can bear fruit in others through the working of the Holy Spirit. And what better time to actively trim away distractions than Lent, so that I may follow Christ more nearly and allow the Spirit to work in all the people who experience the garden of my faith.

Ken, my co-worker, would call these nearly fifty souls ‘new soldiers’ in the battle for the Kingdom, a war he knows all-too-well from living a homeless nightmare for nearly three decades. While I might use a different term like missionary, I agree with him on the importance of the revitalization of the Church. New life is new hope. So thanks again to God and Old St. Pat’s for the reminder of why we do Lent. It is worth all our efforts that others may see the promise of Eden and work for it.

Visit Old St. Pat's
For more on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
For more on the Rite of Election

Questioning a Deadly Norm

2009-03-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

A month-old but new to me, George Lopez's article in America entitled "Military Necessity?" questions the solidifying norm that legitimates civilian casualties in warfare. He writes:

"Beginning with the U.S. destruction of civilian infrastructure in Baghdad during the first Persian Gulf war, advanced military powers have responded to asymetrical warfare by their opponents with devastatingly powerful air and ground attacks. These disproportionate responses are justified by using the language of military necessity. Civilian deaths, these states claim, are regrettable. But they are also inevitable, they argue, because the enemy hides among the civilian population, using it as a shield, thus leaving states “no choice” but to attack civilian centers."

Chechnya and the Israel-Palestine conflict are two examples of the hatred spawned by this response. Whether you call it "Asymetrical warfare," guerilla tactics, or terrorism, the actions of many clandestine agents against the state and its civilians are wrong. Killings like those at Mumbai will always be wrong. But so is a government response that targets civilians. And even scarier is the notion that this is becoming an accepted norm, that society accepts 'collateral damage' that is really the destruction of lives and the shattering of families. The sin of those responsible for death then becomes social sin by a people's unwillingness to question disproportionality.

How do we prevent this? We cannot take to the battlefield and prevent it, but we can talk about it, tell Congress it is unacceptable. Then we start the dialogue Lopez suggests we need, a "sustained and scrupulous dialogue among ethicists, military professionals and international lawyers [which] is desperately needed to dissect this new paradigm and offer reasonable—and moral—alternatives."

For the whole article, click here and scroll to the second subheadline under "Signs of the Times."

One Story to Move the Heart; Another to Move the Body

2009-02-24T14:28:00.001-08:00

Regina Brett writes about Terrance Embry, a Cleveland high school student who saw his future slip away only to have it return in even greater focus.

For more information on Hawken School and QuestBridge.

This story examines the effectiveness of using stairs for exercise. The stress is significantly lighter ascending than going down, so some people have taken to walking or running up a number of flights and taking the elevator down to reduce stress. Definitely shows some merit, especially in high-rise cities like New York and Chicago.

Darfur Update

2009-02-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

It has been reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will authorize a warrant for the arrest of Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, in the next few weeks. The Guardian reports that he will be the first head of state charged since the organization’s founding in 2002 to end impunity for crimes against humanity, often committed by people in positions of authority with the power to shield themselves from the judicial process in their own countries.

SaveDarfur.org is concerned that this process will incite greater violence in the Darfur region, and is calling for President Obama to make it clear that retribution will not be tolerated. The e-action is here for those who want to add their voice to this issue.

Also in Darfur news, the Associated Press reports that the 80 percent UN peacekeeping deployment target will not be met in March as anticipated. United Nations undersecretary-general for field support, Susana Malcorra, announced that the ground forces will be delayed at least three months. No specific date has been set.

Please continue to support those involved in this struggle. Your prayers are needed.

Sports and Social Justice

2009-02-19T09:10:00.000-08:00

Seeing as I love both, I will be posting the best content I find that blends both worlds. Call it balance, call it body, mind, and spirit, but I believe there is a cumulative effect of fulfillment, satisfaction, health benefits in giving of yourself while also nourishing yourself through fitness. This story is about the Smith family, whose endurance against cancer has sparked a non-profit dedicated to bringing smiles, laughter, and fun to kids and teenagers battling serious illness. Tanner is the son, a freshman guard for the Clemson Tigers.

For more on Tanner's Totes

Two Actions

2009-02-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

One.org is running an advocacy campaign for Zimbabwe right now. Please read up and act if you feel so called. As much as Americans have shown distrust in government recently, imagine what it'd be like with a government like their's. Bush left quietly in his helicopter, while Mugabe still reigns.

Also, Catholic Relief Services is asking support on a bill seeking to outline our nation's efforts toward achieving peace in the Middle East.

Barry the Bomber

2009-02-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

Again, two of my loves combined when our President called for a surge in community service at the NBA All-Star Game. Whatever your skills and talents, there is a way to utilize them for the growth of your city or town. Visit USA Service: http://www.usaservice.org/content/home/ or VolunteerMatch: http://www.volunteermatch.org/

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T08:05:00.000-08:00

One of our volunteers presented to a group called Leadership Cleveland yesterday. He was part of a group that brought faces and stories to the issues of poverty and homelessness in our city to a group of emerging leaders in every professional field who can impact change. He closed with a joke, saying, "Men, don't go home this weekend without your roses and candy. And remember the West Side Catholic Center saved you from the doghouse when you see us downtown." He rolled them. But is it really necessary to have candy and flowers to celebrate Valentine's Day?

I would suggest that it isn't, but maybe that is my health and fitness bias. Still, though, the trademark of love is enjoying each other's company, not a willingness to spend money. So whatever you do, make time in the busy lives of children and work to be together. And if you still feel the need for candy and flowers, try these green tips: Earth-Friendly Alternatives

And for those lamenting Single Awareness Day, or those who may embrace it, use it as a day to celebrate friends or family or both. Love is not just between two people - it always happens in the context of community. So write letters to distant people to let them know you care and plan a gathering for those close to you. It is only a bad day if you let it be one.

Cobblers are still around

2009-02-09T10:34:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Men's Health for this tip that promotes good stewardship. Rather than contributing to the wastefulness of a throw-away culture, consider having your best Chuck Taylors and Doc Martens repaired by local professionals. Check out the Shoe Service Institute of America for more information. I searched my ZIP code and found several experts within a few miles of me in Cleveland.

When Sports and Social Justice Collide

2009-02-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

Tracy McGrady in Darfur

Misconceptions about Muslims

2009-02-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

Last night, one of my community members invited a co-worker over to share a meal and our spirituality night. She asked us several questions that highlight misconceptions about Islam.

"Islamist" is a misnomer, used often in the case "islamist extremists." An "islamist extremist" is a terrorist. A practicioner of Islam is a Muslim.

Muslims ideally do not drink, because revelation tells them it will lead to abuse for some and so it is better that all abstain. The sacrifice is shared by the entire community, making the burden easier to bear.

Muslims take on a comprehensive fast during Ramadan, purifying themselves to have a closer relationship to Allah. This means no water and food from sun-up to sun-down, as well as marital sexual relations.

Jihad does not translate into "holy war." That is a caricature of its use by violent practicioners of the religion. Its meaning is closer to "struggle." A personal jihad may be quitting smoking, improving your prayer life, etc.

Our presenter felt empowered by Islam, rather than oppressed. She chooses to wear the scarf to follow Mohammed's teachings, saving her true beauty for her future spouse and male members of her family. Islam means "submission to the will of Allah," and this is one aspect. It does not mean women should not be educated or seek high-level work.

Not all Arabs are Muslims, just as not all Muslims are Arab. The Islamic faith is practiced in Asia and Africa, and has a significant population in the United States and some European countries.

Muslims pray 5 times each day, a cycle that continually renews and recenters their day on faith and its teachings.

For more on Islam: http://islam101.org/

Together They Serve

2009-01-26T12:29:00.001-08:00

The St. Ignatius community has taught me many lessons about extending our hands to others. I have seen a high school strive to develop "men for others" who learn about being Christian, as opposed to merely talking or hearing about it. This community also first introduced me to the L'Arche movement. It is a movement that integrates communities of people with developmental disabilities and those who seek to live and grow with them. St. Ignatius students will dine with the Cleveland communities once a month, as one part of a tapestry of ministries that serve to stretch men's hearts to be able to love all people as Christ did. I am grateful for the opportunity to increase my awareness, and hopefully support the L'Arche mission in prayer, and perhaps in proximity if God calls.

For more information on St. Ignatius in Cleveland: St. Ignatius College Prep

For L'Arche USA: L'Arche USA

On Jean Vanier, L'Arche's founder, from the pages of America: Jean Vanier's Gift for Living

From the president's mouth

2009-01-23T10:22:00.001-08:00

America will not torture.

Thank you Jesus!

the story

Honoring MLK Day

2009-01-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

I supervised a parish group who volunteered their morning today, helping us to serve lunch and prepare for our clothing program tomorrow. They were celebrating MLK Day the right way.

In the morning, we showed a biographical film on Martin Luther King, Jr. in our drop-in center. Before lunch, a former guest of the West Side Catholic Center who now volunteers delivered remarks, suggesting that one of the best ways to honor MLK's memory is by dwelling on the consequences of our actions before we do them. In other words, he asked us to be intentional in the way MLK was. If your actions do not bear fruit that is loving, rethink them. If you bear grudeges, seek to forgive. If you are apathetic, put yourself out there to help someone else and see what happens. Barack Obama is going to stand before us tomorrow because he got us to believe in change. But, we cannot sit idly by and wait for him to deliver. True change must begin with each individual. Like I read in an editorial during the Spitzer scandal, all moral crusades must begin in the mirror. If we all change into more intentional people, full of love and respect, then we will honor MLK with a dream come true.

Washington Post's coverage of Obama on this day of service.

Article suggestion

2009-01-17T14:30:00.001-08:00

Richard Malloy writes an honest article about the challenges and possibilities of attracting young people to service in the church.

A Golden Opportunity

2009-01-13T09:57:00.000-08:00

I encourage you to take your young adult children, a friend, a co-worker, or anyone who would be open to a dose of reality to see "Slumdog Millionaire." If you miss it in theatres, you can rent it and have a viewing party. Similar to "Blood Diamond," this is a rare opportunity in which a movie with applicable moral and social justice implications is also popular enough to interest the mainstream. It is a perfect film for connecting with people and opening room for dialogue about avenues for seeking a more just world. Like "Blood Diamond," the theme of resilience can be used directly to educate others about how to work for change. After conversation about any number of issues from street children, poverty, religous hatred, torture, and/or gang violence, you can end on the positive note that by being as resilient as the protagonist, we can take steps toward raising awareness, impacting legislation, and supporting groups already working on the issues that compel us. No one story saves the world, but there are certain ones we should rally behind for their power to moves us from our complacency. "Slumdog Millionaire" is such a story.

Trailer on Youtube

Quite a Journey

2009-01-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

When Dave Eggers agreed to help tell Valentino Achak Deng's story in 2003, I doubt that he knew the journey he was in for. 3 years of writing, co-founding a foundation that distributes the funds from his book, What is the What, and visting Southern Sudan were probably not in his expectations for the project. But the world is better for a literary journey that turned into a working group trying to rebuild the town of Marial Bai while benefiting the Sudanese refugees in the United States. For more information, please visit the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation.

Preparing for 2009

2009-01-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

I've collected a few itmes that should help people reflect and prepare for the New Year:

University of Miami researchers take a balanced look at the role of religion in accountability when it comes to resolutions.

If you are considering changing exercise habits in 2009, consider this report by the New York Times - although exercise is good, it is not a cure-all and a comprehensive approach involving nutrition continues to be the most sure-fire way to improving health.

Dr. Peter Piot retired after starting the UN AIDS program 13 years ago. He reflects on where we've come, and where we still have to go in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Corruption is a well-known word to those interested in international development. This is an important story about Chihuahua City police showing that there is hope in reforming corrupt institutions.

Finally, a new way to volunteer through the UN that fits our emerging online lives. Try being an online volunteer.

Accepting Our Reality

2008-12-31T08:43:00.000-08:00

New Year's resolutions often fail. It happens for many reasons - lack of will, misplaced passion, temptation, forgetfulness, etc. But, as stewards and activists, there is one resolution that we cannot afford to let fail, and that is to be truthful to ourselves and to our responsibilities in this world.

Why be truthful? Because, in our broken world, it is easier to be wrapped in denial. It hurts less. The stories and encounters I have heard and had with bipolar disorder supports this. Chemical imbalances impair logic and leave people blind to the consequences of their actions. Yet, have we, all of us, not done this, as our ancestors did? It is easier to rejoice in falling gas prices than to reflect on their implication for the planet. And it is much easier than questioning the American approach to transportation, and lobbying for more public transportation or a more viable alternative to the freeway system. This is just one example - self-delusion can be done daily and it can become as routine as breathing. But, it doesn't have to be this way.

The Matrix was a popular as an action film, but it also warned viewers of the dangers of denial. When the protagonist, Keanu Reeves' Thomas Anderson, acted on his feeling that all was not right with his world, he discovered that things were not as they seem. He discovered the real world, hidden away by lies. We too can take the red pill of acceptance this New Year's Day and everyday. Doing so, we choose to accept the reality of suffering and stand with those in need. How can we be believers, activists, stewards, and caring citizens if we hide from the truth? We cannot, just as we cannot be Neo, and Christians cannot be Christ. But we can be Christ for one another. What we can be is a nation and a world of brothers and sisters who see the world as it is and respond with compassion. If we can be that in 2009, it will have been a resolution for the history books.

A few topics

2008-12-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

These are the stories that have struck me lately.

America magazine has provided much food for thought this year, and December has been no different. Maryann Cusimano Love wrote about maternal health here, arguing for more awareness, pressure, and prioritization so that the Millenium Development Goal on this issue is not just wishful thinking. She writes:

"The goal is still distant, halfway to the target year. As U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon notes: "Maternal health stands as the slowest-moving target of all the M.D.G.s. US $10 billion would ensure coverage of basic services for maternal, newborn and children's health. More investment for training community health workers would be a strong step towards strengthening health systems." In recent years, governments and nongovernmental aid groups increased attention and funding for H.I.V./AIDS and malaria relief in developing countries. But this investment has not been forthcoming for maternal health.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of all industrialized countries except Latvia. In Ireland only one woman in 48,000 dies in childbirth. The rate is more than 10 times higher here in the United States, which was ranked 41st out of 171 countries in maternal death. The death rate is even worse for African-American women in the United States, who are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Catholic Relief Services is working hard in Sierra Leone, where the problem is worse. One out of eight women there die in childbirth."

More must be done on this issue. If you can contact your representatives in government, you will have taken a step for many mothers who cannot speak up.

The editors wrote an editorial called "Ban the Bomblets" for the Dec. 1 issue. They asked for the United States to support the international campaign against cluster munitions:

"Hope for the eventual abolition of cluster bombs has now emerged through an international treaty that bans their use. The treaty was spearheaded by Norway and adopted in Dublin in late May. Called the Convention on Cluster Munitions, it is to be signed in Oslo on Dec. 3 in the presence of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. It will go into effect after 30 nations have signed and ratified it. The treaty requires signatories not only to stop manufacturing and using cluster bombs, but also to destroy stockpiles within eight years.

The United States will not be represented at the signing. It strongly opposed the Dublin agreement on the ban and pressed allies to work against it, including the United Kingdom. Eventually, though, the United Kingdom agreed to support the treaty and become a signatory. A Pentagon spokesperson has contended that cluster munitions are militarily useful and that their elimination from U.S. stockpiles would place at risk the lives of U.S. soldiers and those of coalition partners. As might be expected, other nonsignatories include Israel, Russia and China. Largely through pressure from countries like these and the United States, the convention has a loophole in its Article 21, whereby signatories could legally cooperate militarily with nonsignatory nations, like the United States, that make use of cluster munitions."

Obama's transition team wants your input, and this would be an important issue to include.

Finally, for those living in Cleveland or other sections of Northeast Ohio, a site that outlines a plan for economic development in the region.

Have a Foolish Christmas

2008-12-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

“We are fools for Christ,” Paul says in First Corinthians. But are we really? During Christmas, we are fools for many things, from gifts to cleaning and decorating. Most of all, we can be fools for tradition. Because we have always made our homes spotless, or put up gaudy lights, or baked cookies like we were feeding a militia, we can easily go on auto-pilot this holiday season and do the same. If that is the case, then we have given up the reflective nature of Advent and assimilated in choosing a consumer-based, tradition-for-its-own-sake holiday. How can we be fools for Christ if we tarnish the value of Christmas in this way?

We cannot, and so we must avoid the complacent route and examine our traditions. Do cookies bring our family together, or is their production and consumption as empty of value as the calories? Is cleaning and decorating done to an extreme that is less about respecting our guests and more about constructing a pristine illusion of how good things should be but are not? And do all these activities detract from a powerful season for faith formation and family bonding? Taking the time to answer these questions will help you decide what is truly meaningful this holiday season. This means taking a step outside what is comfortable to be a fool for Christ.

For Paul, this meant being loving when it wasn’t in your self-interest. He admonished the Corinthians to bear persecution and respond to malice with kindness. As spiritual descendents of the Corinthians, are we able to step outside ourselves on a daily basis when things don’t go our way? Can we laugh off getting cut-off on a freeway, or be polite when our food is only lukewarm at a restaurant, or respond with compassion when asked for money? In my work at the West Side Catholic Center, a basic-needs center providing warm meals and clothing, I have seen our food, our attempts at love, rejected and even scorned at times. Sometimes our efforts and gifts go unappreciated. Yet, the volunteers and staff return because we are fools for Christ, doing His work even when it doesn’t feel good. Granted, most of our guests are gracious, which makes me wonder: could we, could I be steadfast in love if it was not reciprocated? That would be foolish, right?

It would be just foolish enough for Christ, who willingly died a humiliating death to be the light of the world. So be foolish enough to question tradition this holiday so that the season has a renewed value in pushing us to be joyous fools for our Savior.

Recognizing a Special Woman

2008-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

I volunteered through Best Buddies International, a group providing social opportunities to folks with developmental disabilities, and saw the impact of Special Olympics. It was fun to talk to my friends every few weeks and hear about their practice and training. It gave them something to strive for, and yet it was only for the sake of competing. No tears were shed at a loss, except those of celebration in the accomplishment of getting out there and giving effort. Where most saw misfortune, Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw possibility and dignity. So, cheers to her for receiving Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award.

Why, Georgia, Why (Us)?

2008-12-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

No, John Mayer was not at the gates of Ft. Benning on the November 21-23 weekend to ask his song’s question with a social justice twist. Instead, it was up to the more than twelve thousand people gathered to raise voices and ask the government one question: why don’t we close the School of the Americas (SOA)? We did it, and I believe we will be heard. With new representatives in office, this could be the year that it is shut down forever. So, before we watch that possibly unfold, I think it is important to respect the history of the protest by asking how we got here. That requires an answer to the questions of why does the SOA exist and why do we flock to Ft. Benning year after year.

The government’s response to the first is pretty clear, that the school provides education and training to military personnel from member states based on the democratic principles ratified in the Charter of the Organization of American States. That document opens with this ideal, “The American States establish by this Charter the international organization that they have developed to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence.” But, too often peace, justice, and solidarity are jeopardized in order to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The academy holds as its graduates many who have promoted the latter two through torture and disappearance, disguising an agenda of political suppression as the defense of liberty. This history includes the plight of Chile, in which many of Augusto Pinochet’s top men were SOA graduates, according to SOA Watch, a non-profit dedicated to non-violent resistance against the school. Armando Fernandez Larios, an SOA graduate, was one of the men indicted in 1979 by a U.S. jury for the stranger-than-fiction car bomb assassination of former official Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffit, a U.S. citizen, in Washington D.C. in 1976. While peace and justice may be in the curriculum, they are clearly not the only tenets if we have trained a man who thought promoting democracy required killing a former Chilean on American soil. It is hard to imagine Larios’ application to the SOA including a personal statement about his aspirations to learn conflict resolution and consensus-building. So, the name has changed, but there is a past here that cannot be erased. Blood spray-painted over is still blood.

Proponents of the school will defend it as a place fostering democracy, but no one can give an answer to soothe the pain in our hearts over an institution that is a remnant of dirty politics and support for foreign oppression. A long-term activist told me at the protest that he didn’t care if all WHINSEC did was sell candy these days. He said he would still rally year after year due to his faith in the sanctity of all life, whether labeled dissident or not, and the place’s history of taking in people whose creed is violence. He can’t speak for the whole crowd, but I think his perspective hints to the answer of why we gathered this year and why we have persisted in this protest.

We gathered for Rufina, for El Mazote, and for the murdered Jesuits and churchwomen. We gathered to honor the dead and to speak for those in Latin and Central America whose cries lie on deaf ears both national and international. We gathered to oppose injustice, because we can identify that wrong has been done that is forever tied to this school. We gathered to put crosses in that fence so that whoever cleans them off will see the blood associated with this so-called school. And we continue to gather to sustain and build upon a movement that began as a small witness but has become a force to fight violence with non-violence and close the SOA forever.

Mother Teresa once said that the value of our love is in the loving rather than the result. Although the school’s doors remain open, this protest is still an incredibly vital display of love for our brothers and sisters in Latin America. We gathered in solidarity as one human family on Victory Drive and we will do so until our family is free from the clutches of the school’s history.

Being Pissed On

2008-12-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

It did not take delicate metaphors or dazzling prose for me to become fully committed to Dave Eggers’ novel "What is the What." It was not even the aggressive style and stark honesty that I have come to appreciate from his other works. For in telling this fictionalized memoir, Eggers has given up some of himself and how he has written in the past in order to be immersed in the story of one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. What brought me body, mind, and soul into the book was the protagonist being urinated on.

Strange, right? Perhaps, but I had never been presented with the reality there so clearly. The boy that did the peeing was delirious from walking with little food or rest from Sudan to Ethiopia. He did not know what he was doing – he had lost himself, not in an intentional or purposeful way, but as a way of coping with stress far beyond the physical capabilities of his body and mind. This is the brokenness of the human condition as it was found in the escape of the Lost Boys from the civil war in Southern Sudan. As an aspiring activist, I am drawn to work like this to have my eyes continually opened. I do not want to be blind to the difficulties and suffering that persist in the world. It is hard to keep this up, but I think that is part of the value in it. Because we have so many options for distraction, it is increasingly important to set away time to be informed, to be in solidarity in some imperfect way, to know what it is we would like to see change to improve the quality of life and potential for full development for all people. This is even more poignant as we recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. In doing so, in seeing the reality of suffering and contemplating triumph over it, we learn to lead better lives for ourselves by taking nothing for granted. We live lives of hope and joy because we are full of purpose in our work, in our activism, and in sustaining right relationships. This is not wrong. Being miserable is not the same as being in solidarity. Seeing brokenness and not caring is the wrong we must avoid, for that is what it means to be truly broken.

Giving Thanks

2008-12-09T06:10:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving came and went and it was lovely. I celebrated with family, gobbled the obligatory turkey, and said grace as I have for several years now. The only observable difference between this year and the last is that I wore the Jerusalem cross of a Jesuit Volunteer alongside my Marianist cross, and likely looked more the part of a spiritual guide. But I didn’t dive into the spirit of the holiday with any depth as I scrambled to see friends and make up for lost time with the people I love. We had a spirituality night on Monday and reflected on Abraham Lincoln’s commemoration of the holiday. I was surprised by his words. This was not the secular turkey-fest of a holiday we know. With the bloodshed of the civil war as his backdrop, Lincoln encouraged this holiday as a time of thanksgiving to God for the hope in what America could become, the exemplary lives of grace that Americans could lead if they but chose to. This was not a president who used caution when talking about God, for he believed in his heart that only faith could begin to comprehend suffering as somehow redemptive. Only faith could move us beyond ourselves to see through struggle to a light shining in the horizon, giving life to dreams of a calm harbor at a tenuous time in our history. I realized how little reverence I had given to this holiday, and how little most of us know about its roots.

It is easy to follow the status quo in America. Despite the economy, most people can still eat turkeys and buy presents. And all of us can choose to ignore what these holidays actually mean. But, in doing so, we lose some of the richness of spirit that they hold. At our worst, we succumb to worshipping, or at least loving, things rather than loving people and worshipping God. The greatest gift Christians will ever receive is our messiah, not an ipod, and I hope we remember this as we continue through Advent. This is so easy to forget in our culture, but it is vital that we do not lose the value that actually exists in holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I took it for granted this year, and celebrated a watered-down Turkey Day rather than giving thanks for the blessings in my life and in this world. I hope that my experience will be a lesson for you.

And so, I give thanks for so much, because it is never too late to do so. I give thanks for parents who pushed me to reach for my dreams. I give thanks for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and the understanding of my loved ones who supported me in this journey of faith and service. I give thanks for the health of my grandmother. I give thanks for the community here in Cleveland, not only my direct housemates but also my neighbors and the extended Jesuit Volunteer and Catholic Worker community who have taught me invaluable lessons. I give thanks for the Summons and the Marianist family. I give thanks for friendship and for mentors. I give thanks for the spark of faith that burns in my heart. Although I nurture it with imperfection, it holds the inspiration to transform my life into one of service, compassion, and love.

No Longer Lost and Alone

2008-12-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

“It’s not about you.” Joan Wagner spoke this powerful phrase last December to the Embers community as they made their first vows in Immaculate Conception Chapel. This reminder was poignant on a day where we celebrated that these young people, all committed pillars of faith and service on UD’s campus, were choosing to come together for a higher purpose. These newly christened Embers had such great hearts that poured out love, and were readying themselves to commit to a year of doing so together while hoping to do so for a lifetime. But Joan was right. The truth for them and for all those in the Marianist family gathered is that all we do is not for ourselves but for God.

I was preparing to enter formation in the New Year when I heard those words. My heart was pure joy as I watched these young men and women lose themselves for the sake of community with others and with God. This is the path I continue to follow as a Jesuit Volunteer in Cleveland, where I have embraced a new community. Although my Marianist experienced is less intimate, it is a blessing to know that I have the prayers of the Summons and those of the global family guiding my steps. This comfort allows me to enter my present community with full intention of heart, mind, and soul. And it is through community that I trust my vocation in life will be revealed as I grow closer to Christ by Mary’s intercession. My life is no longer about me, and I do not regret the summons into community for even a second.

Fast Four

2008-11-30T15:21:00.000-08:00

Four articles for your post-Thanksgiving week.

Mitch Albom tells us what he'd like to tell Congress.

Intentional community living in Chicago.

Defending public service, a son of the Levin family speaks out.

Update: For this woman, the letter is far from a lost art.

The Lost Art of the Letter

2008-11-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

There is something magical about a handwritten letter. Call it nostalgia if you must, but we inherently know there is more value in is than in an e-mail or text message. If you don't believe me, than trust history! So much of what we know about influential figures from Jane Addams to Thomas Merton comes from their preserved letters. The founders of the Marianists, who are near to my heart, laid the foundation of the Marianist family with much letter-writing. Their legacy spans the globe from Dayton, OH to Koronga, Malawi. Now, it can be argued that this whole notion is sentimental, that letter-writing is a dinosaur awaiting the meteor that mobile Facebook, Blackberries, and texting can appear to be. The truth is that the fate of letter-writing, and the intentional value it holds, is in our hands.

One key aspect of letter-writing is literacy. 'Ur' and 'lol' and numbers '4' words like 'for' will never look as passable in print as they do on a computer or cell phone. The letter has a sense of both intimacy and formality that respects the intelligence of both parties enough to use grammar and full sentences. Another crucial piece that makes a letter important is intentionality. You cannot write a good letter in five minutes, and the recipient recognizes this. A letter says "I've been thinking of you" in a way that is sincere and true. Rather than seeing this as a critique of the other more common forms of modern communication, I challenge you to embrace it as a reminder that a well-written letter will always be in-style and meaningful. If it becomes lost and antiquated, than the blame will be our own. So appreciate the letter while we have it, and perhaps generations to come will rediscover the honesty and strength that a letter can hold.

For those interested in recycled envelopes and stationery: Greenline paper