The Post: The Day the (Church) Music Died

Welcome, God and All...

 And the three men I admire most

- The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost -

They caught the last train for the coast

The day...the music...died.

{Don McLean, "American Pie", 1972)

Somewhere back around three months ago, I was writing a trilogy over my summer of surprises. Since then, the local water project has been completed and our street returned to whatever normal is supposed to be these days. It's now November, the national election is at its climax, and the US of A is caught between mourning the passing of All Hallows (Hallowe'en) and the anticipation of HanYulFestiMaZaa (an amalgamation of Hanukkah, Yule [the winter solstice], Festivus, Christmas, and Kwanzaa). I suspect that the nation is not in the holiday mood this year because the presidential election hasn't been decided. I know this is perhaps premature - but I don't think so, because as close as this race is, as divided a nation as we appear, it will likely be weeks - and several accusations and court decisions, and potential violence in the streets - before we know who will sit in the Oval Office for the next four years. That's why the countdown to December 25 seems to have started even earlier this year than last. Radio stations began playing music for the holiday season in earnest on November 1, perhaps to take some edge off of the election jitters. And for a couple of hours, I thought it was working. Oh, I'll get into it soon enough, because of what started this whole thing a couple of thousand years ago. This year, though, has the potential of being about as bittersweet as my first Christmas season without my beloved Diane ten years ago.

In the third part of the trilogy, I wrote of a twist in the story of my relationship with God, Christ, and His Holy Church. I learned that one of the now several parishes in which I serve, and possibly for the longest time (roughly 25 years), was on a list of 19 parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Joliet being considered for what they call "targeted restructuring." 

What's this like, you may ask?

In a business sense, this takes on different scenarios. A business entity may have two factories manufacturing similar products. Demand for said products has dropped to the point where operating both factories is cost prohibitive, so the decision is made to close one factory and merge its operations into the other. Another decision could be to drastically reduce production (and thus, employment at one factory but keep it open on a limited basis with reduced staff until business conditions favor a re-opening, sometimes with the addition of a reconfiguration of the facility to handle a new or different product line.

Essentially, this is happening in the Joliet Diocese. There is a lack of demand for as many Catholic parishes as currently exist. Shifting population, the general trend of a lack of interest in ascribing to a religious affiliation (which wasn't helped by churches being deemed "non-essential" during the COVID-19 pandemic); the shutdown during the pandemic itself, the state of the economy and the world stage; even the scandals affecting the priesthood and the dwindling number of priests able to serve as pastors have all had a hand in reducing, as it were, supply and demand in and of the Church, particularly in the United States. Scandal among the priesthood in Joliet attracted LOTS of attention - and lots of lawsuits - and lots of cash settlements that are still being paid out.

The current bishop of the diocese has sought to reduce costs and their footprint. The first of these steps or phases was to reduce diocesan staff by ten percent; and to remove a number of positions from full-time to part-time status. The latter was done to reduce the requirement to provide medical insurance benefits as current US law does not require employers to offer these benefits to part-time staff. Some positions were combined into others to reduce staff.

The second phase was a restructuring of the parishes within the immediate Joliet region (or deanery). After restructuring the number of parishes was reduced from sixteen to eight, with five parishes actually closing, or under the official term, being "extinguished." The original plan was actually going to reduce the number to seven, but a parish built long before the diocese was established in 1948 claimed to have conditions the diocese did not take into account. That parish went over the bishop's head and petitioned the Vatican to have the decision overturned - and their petition was successful. The diocese has chosen not to appeal this overturn. That process began in 2023 and the restructuring took effect in July 2024.

Upon completion of the second phase, the third and current phase was launched. This time, nineteen parishes were tagged in the more populated area of the diocese in the western suburbs of Chicago. I serve in one of those nineteen parishes and have done so for twenty-five years.

One of the earliest reactions to being put on this hit list was one of disbelief. It can't be us. It won't be us. We have a newer campus on a through street with easy access, our facilities are compliant for the disabled, and our location attracts Mass-goers and worshipers from the busy shopping district and office complexes nearby. So much so, that we offer daily Mass at midday rather that early morning to serve this niche.

However, offsetting this is the fact that none of these office and store workers actually live in or are registered in that parish. When the location was considered over fifty years ago, it was likely thought that there would be more family residential homes within its boundaries. Unfortunately, development turned into more offices and stores, and what residential homes have been added over the years are retirement communities instead of single-family homes.

The diocesan committee overseeing the restructuring process started to gather its data. What it looked at was financial resources on hand, offset by any potential outstanding debt; age and condition of the facilities; as well as the record of baptisms and marriages performed annually, and the historical average Mass attendance on weekends. I don't dispute that this information is necessary; it just isn't enough.

In our case, each of the three priests assigned prior to the current pastor reached retirement age during their terms as pastor, and our current pastor is only two years away from retirement himself. In Elgin I had worked with a priest who had been reassigned close to his retirement age and was unhappy about it as the parish he was coming from was newer and he had hoped to retire from there. And it's reasonable to suggest that as priests get closer to their retirement age, that they're looking forward to getting out of administration and to simply work in the background as their health and situation permits. It's also reasonable that they might take a minimal position as possible on growing the community, especially in a community which might be aging as fast as the retiring priest. This is certainly a contributing factor, and it is an important one. Keeping a church open if there's no full-time and capable priest to pastor it contributes to burnout of the priests who are called upon to pastor multiple parishes, not even necessarily in close proximity to each other.

Another thing the committee does not seem to have considered is what relationship exists within the present structure of the community. Granted it might appear that we don't do much, but the work we do IS essential. I hope that was made clear during the pandemic. As this particular congregation is more senior, attention can be focused there. But we also consider ongoing faith formation, and that's important because we all need refresher courses in that, and it's not something one can get in fifteen minutes on a Sunday morning. There's no lack of interest, but the numbers are noticeably small. Is it now time for Catholicism in the USA to abandon its neighborhoods and move further into the big box, warehouse look and feel the evangelicals use?

The committee was aware that any suggestion to close a particular church would be met with some opposition, but their reaction to this was not one of sympathy or looking to review and reflect on what information they have or pick up on a solution they had not previously considered. No, their response was a vague acknowledgement that we will be inconvenienced by having to travel another fifteen minutes in suburban traffic to a church building that may not have the ease of access to the disabled. Not to mention that some will feel so 'inconvenienced' that they will choose to effectively leave the Church.

Then there's the fate of those working in the affected parishes. If you're closing a building and moving its assets to another, you don't need two full sets of staff to operate it, so it is very difficult for the displaced staff who must suddenly look for new work - elsewhere. And the thorn in this is that while the restructuring decision will be announced in January, the priests who will serve as pastors in the newly restructured and open parishes may not be announced before May - leaving everyone affected in both places wondering how or if they fit in this 'new' place. That's where I find myself right now. As a musician, one of many and probably sufficient quantity in the surviving facility, there may not be a place for me - especially since at present I make a nearly forty-mile round trip in that suburban traffic every time I serve there, which to now I have been generally happy to do. I love my colleagues and have affection for the community I serve. They have been good to me over all these years, and I will miss them.

What pains me most is that THIS IS THE HOUSE OF GOD AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD I'M TALKING ABOUT! And while we must be prudent and good stewards of our resources, both financial and human, all the conversation has tap-danced around this important difference between a commercial entity and the Church!

People are undeniably upset about this. Some have lost sleep, a few others have wept over the prospect of knowing their house of worship is likely to close (of the scenarios presented by the committee, our chance of surviving closure is only 25%). And many trying to read between the lines and the body language and tone of the committee's spokesperson, sense that the final decision has already been made and is not being announced until after Christmas so as not to lose the large collection usually taken in at the celebration of Jesus' birth, or to mar our would-be festive mood. Sadly, it looks as if in trying to ward off collateral damage, the damage is already done.

Finally, in seeking to figure out where I will land going forward, I must reexamine my place as an 'inactive' deacon. Is there anything at all to be gained by attempting to learn what I would have to do in order to restore my full faculties? Or does it remain a cross I am burdened to bear? And what might God have to say to weigh in on what decision I make?

As I get closer to ending my 70th turn on the merry-go-round that is life, I wonder if I am getting too old for all this drama. Then I remember that for about half of the last ten years my son and I lived in virtual isolation, and while it was no Hell, it may have felt a bit like Purgatory. So, I have to apologize to the reader and ask forgiveness for the presumptuous title of this essay. The music itself will not die. It will continue to live, and I will have opportunities to share in that ministry. I took on leadership in another program, not affected by the potential closure; that in itself keeps me busy. And if God is challenging me to make some sort of comeback, I need to give that serious thought and discussion. That said, I fully intend to hang on to the end of one chapter before jumping to the next. I know that there will be others, knowing that the ship is sinking, will bail out at the first opportunity; I can't see doing that unless that's what God demands. I must experience this sense of loss to be able to fully appreciate whatever will come after it.

Until we meet again, may God be with you...and may God have mercy on us all...

+the Phoenix

The Post: Requiem Eternam MMXXIV

 Welcome, God and All...

Once more I (perhaps as a sort of penance these days) compile for myself and for those who may read it, a list of the famous, near famous, and even infamous who entered eternal life in the last twelve months.

Why do I do it? We as Christians are encouraged to pray for the dead - for Catholics it is a duty. It is a reminder that sooner or later it will be our turn to cross the bridge to the afterlife. I do it now, rather than at the end of the calendar year, because Holy Mother Church has chosen now, as daylight continues to fade and autumn prepares for winter. This is the real meaning of this sacred yet subdued triduum, contrasted with the Paschal Triduum in the spring, celebrating new life in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

My list is somewhat random. It includes many names known to most people, especially my contemporaries; and I encourage you to remember those loved ones and friends of yours who are unknown to me and therefore unlisted. 

2023

October

26 - Richard Moll, 80, American actor (Night Court, House, Batman: The Animated Series).

31 - Ken Mattingly, 87, American astronaut (Apollo 16, STS-4, STS-51-C).

November

7 - Frank Borman, 95, American astronaut (Gemini 7, Apollo 8) and airline executive (Eastern Air Lines), stroke.

14 - Arthur Simon, 93, American Lutheran minister, founder of Bread for the World.

17 - Suzanne Shepherd, 89, American actress (The Sopranos, Goodfellas, Requiem for a Dream), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney failure.

19 - Rosalynn Carter, 96, American mental health activist, first lady of the United States (1977–1981), and of Georgia (1971–1975), complications from dementia.

December

1 - Sandra Day O'Connor, 93, American jurist, associate justice of the Supreme Court (1981–2006), member of the Arizona Senate (1969–1975) and chancellor of W&M (2005–2012), complications from dementia and respiratory illness.

5 - Norman Lear, 101, American Hall of Fame television writer and producer (All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons), cardiac arrest.

8 - Ryan O'Neal, 82, American actor (Love Story, Barry Lyndon, Paper Moon) and boxer, congestive heart failure.

26 - Tom Smothers, 86, American comedian, musician (Smothers Brothers) and actor (Get to Know Your Rabbit, Serial), lung cancer.

29 - Maurice Hines, 80, American dancer, singer and actor (The Cotton Club).

31 - Shecky Greene, 97, American comedian and actor (History of the World, Part I, Splash, Tony Rome).

2024

January

13 - Joseph Zadroga, 76, American 9/11 survivor advocate, traffic collision.

16 - Peter Schickele, 88, American composer and musical satirist (P. D. Q. Bach).

23 - Ice Train, 56, American professional wrestler (CWA, WCW).

23 - Charles Osgood, 91, American news anchor (CBS News Sunday Morning), complications from dementia.

24 - Harry Connick Sr., 97, American attorney, district attorney of New Orleans (1973–2003).

February

2 - Carl Weathers, 76, American actor (Rocky, Predator, The Mandalorian) and football player, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

5 - Toby Keith, 62, American country singer ("Should've Been a Cowboy", "How Do You Like Me Now?!", "Red Solo Cup") and songwriter, stomach cancer.

10 - Bob Moore, 94, American food executive, founder of Bob's Red Mill.

10 - William Post, 96, American inventor (Pop-Tarts).

11 - Randy Sparks, 90, American musician (The New Christy Minstrels, The Back Porch Majority) and songwriter ("Green, Green").

13 - Twomad, 23, Canadian YouTuber and Twitch streamer, accidental morphine overdose.

22 - Edith Ceccarelli, 116, American supercentenarian.

23 - Flaco, 13, American owl, window collision.

27 - Richard Lewis, 76, American comedian and actor (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Anything but Love, Robin Hood: Men in Tights), heart attack.

28 - Virgil, 72, American professional wrestler (WWF, WCW) and actor (Bridge and Tunnel), complications from strokes and dementia.

March

2 - Jim Beard, 63, American keyboardist (Steely Dan).

3 - Presto, 31, German rapper, cancer.

7 - Steve Lawrence, 88, American singer ("Go Away Little Girl", "Footsteps") and actor (The Blues Brothers), complications from Alzheimer's disease.

11 - Eric Carmen, 74, American musician (Raspberries), singer ("Hungry Eyes"), and songwriter ("All by Myself").

27 - Joe Lieberman, 82, American politician, member of the U.S. Senate (1989–2013), Connecticut attorney general (1983–1989) and member of the Connecticut State Senate (1971–1981), complications from a fall.

29 - Louis Gossett Jr., 87, American actor (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots, Iron Eagle), Oscar winner (1982), complications from COPD.

April

1 - C. W. McCall, 93, American country singer ("Convoy", "'Round the World with the Rubber Duck", "Roses for Mama") and politician, mayor of Ouray, Colorado (1986–1992), lung cancer.

2 - Estelle Harris, 93, American actress (Seinfeld, Toy Story, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody).

5 - Bobby Rydell, 79, American singer ("Wild One", "Wildwood Days") and actor (Bye Bye Birdie), pneumonia.

17 - DJ Kay Slay, 55, American disc jockey and record executive, COVID-19.

20 - Robert Morse, 90, American actor (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tru, Mad Men), Tony winner (1962, 1990).

23 - Orrin Hatch, 88, American politician, senator (1977–2019) and president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate (2015–2019), complications from a stroke.

May

4 - Bob Avellini, 70, American football player (Chicago Bears), cancer.

16 - Dabney Coleman, 92, American actor (9 to 5, Tootsie, The Guardian), Emmy winner (1987), cardiac arrest.

27 - Bill Walton, 71, American Hall of Fame basketball player (UCLA Bruins, Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics), and sportscaster, colorectal cancer.

June

4 - C.Gambino, 26, Swedish rapper, shot.

18 - Willie Mays, 93, American Hall of Fame baseball player (New York / San Francisco Giants, New York Mets), World Series champion (1954), heart failure.

20 - Donald Sutherland, 88, Canadian actor (M*A*S*H, Ordinary People, The Hunger Games), Emmy winner (1995).

23 - Julio Foolio, 26, American rapper, shot.

23 - Tamayo Perry, 49, American surfer and actor (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Blue Crush), shark attack.

27 - Martin Mull, 80, American actor (Clue, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Roseanne) and musician.

July

6 - Joe Egan, 77, Scottish singer (Stealers Wheel) and songwriter ("Stuck in the Middle with You", "Star"), heart attack.

10 - Dave Loggins, 76, American singer and songwriter ("Please Come to Boston", "Pieces of April", "If I Had My Wish Tonight").

12 - Bob Booker, 92, American writer and record producer (The First Family), heart failure.[

13 - Richard Simmons, 76, American fitness instructor and television personality (General Hospital, Match Game, Hollywood Squares), complications from a fall.

18 - Lou Dobbs, 78, American political commentator (Lou Dobbs Tonight), television producer (CNNfn) and writer.

18 - Jerry Fuller, 85, American songwriter ("Young Girl", "Travelin' Man", "Show and Tell"), lung cancer.

18 - Bob Newhart, 94, American comedian and actor (The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, Elf), Emmy (2013) and Grammy (1961) winner.

27 - Vladimir Petrov, 66, American professional wrestler (Jim Crockett Promotions, UWF, WWF).

August

1 - Leonard Engelman, 83, American makeup artist (Ghostbusters, Batman Forever, How the Grinch Stole Christmas).

1 - Daniel Selznick, 88, American film and television producer (Blood Feud, The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind, Hoover vs. The Kennedys).

9 - Carl Weathersby, 71, American blues guitarist (Albert King, Billy Branch).

13 - Wally Amos, 88, American businessman (Famous Amos) and television personality (Learn to Read), complications from dementia.

13 - Greg Kihn, 75, American musician (The Greg Kihn Band), songwriter ("Jeopardy"), and radio host (KFOX), complications from Alzheimer's disease.

15 - BeatKing, 39, American rapper ("Then Leave"), pulmonary embolism.

15 - Bob Weatherwax, 83, American dog trainer.

18 - Phil Donahue, 88, American talk show host (The Phil Donahue Show) and filmmaker (Body of War).

21 - John Amos, 84, American actor (Good Times, Roots, The West Wing), heart failure.

September

2 - James Darren, 88, American singer ("Goodbye Cruel World") and actor (Gidget, T. J. Hooker), heart failure.

5 - Sérgio Mendes, 83, Brazilian bossa nova musician ("The Look of Love", "The Fool on the Hill", "Never Gonna Let You Go"), Grammy winner (1993), complications from long COVID.

9 - James Earl Jones, 93, American actor (Star Wars, Fences, The Lion King), Tony winner (1969, 1987).

17 - JD Souther, 78, American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter ("You're Only Lonely", "Her Town Too", "New Kid in Town").

20 - David Graham, 99, British actor (Thunderbirds, Doctor Who, Peppa Pig).

27 - Dame Maggie Smith, 89, British actress (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey), Oscar winner (1969, 1978).

28 - Kris Kristofferson, 88, American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter ("Me and Bobby McGee", "Help Me Make It Through the Night") and actor (A Star Is Born), Grammy winner (1972, 1974, 1975).

30 - Pete Rose, 83, American baseball player (Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos) and manager, World Series champion (1975, 1976, 1980), heart disease.

October

17 - Mitzi Gaynor, 93, American actress (There's No Business Like Show Business, The Birds and the Bees, South Pacific), singer and dancer.

19 - John Kinsel Sr., 107, American World War II veteran (Navajo Code Talkers).

23 - Gary Indiana, 74, American novelist, playwright and art critic (The Village Voice), lung cancer.[

23 - Jack Jones, 86, American singer ("Wives and Lovers", "Love Boat") and actor (Over the Garden Wall), leukemia.

24 - DJ Clark Kent, 58, Panamanian-American DJ, hip hop record producer and music executive, colon cancer.

25 - Phil Lesh, 84, American Hall of Fame musician (Grateful Dead) and songwriter ("Box of Rain", "Truckin'").

29 - Teri Garr, 79, American actress (Tootsie, Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters of the Third Kind), complications from multiple sclerosis.

May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through Your mercy, O Lord, rest in peace.

Until we meet again, may God be with you - and may God have mercy on us all...

+the Phoenix

A Summer of Surprises, Part Three

 Welcome, God and All...

In my previous post I brought up something very important: It seems we should all be on our knees repenting, asking God to intervene that calm and order might be restored in our land; but it seems a majority of the American public doesn't believe in that anymore.

Indeed, studies have indicated - long before the COVID lockdowns - that more and more Americans find that religious observance and freedom have little or no relevance in their lives. I read a homily given by a Catholic priest (who is conservative leaning, but not far right as some others); he states that some of this is unintentional, blaming it on how things like the cost of living can make it very difficult to find even 15 minutes to pray, let alone attend Mass (or the worship service of their choice) for an hour once a week. The reality is that such reasons - good, bad or indifferent - coupled with the pandemic lockdowns have greatly reduced the size of many congregations. Costs to operate church facilities, like everything else, have increased dramatically; and revenues have fallen, also dramatically to the point that Church officials have had to consider what would have been inconceivable sixty years ago.

During the great migration of the 19th and early 20th centuries, churches seemed to spring up not unlike a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Many were formed along ethnic lines, especially in big cities like Chicago - the Italians had their parishes, the Germans, theirs, and the Irish, their own as well. And their location was often based on donations of land, and not necessarily strategically located by geographic area. In my own region there are still two Catholic parishes within walking distance of each other. That one of them hasn't been closed yet is only due to the fact that one of them ministers to a large Hispanic population, and the other, to the non-Hispanic. One thing for certain, though - the era of the neighborhood church serving not only as the center for worship but also the center of a neighborhood or community has all but vanished. This leaves Church leaders having to consider what is called (in my area) structured or targeted reorganization. And for the first time in my life, I'm serving in one such parish that, along with nineteen others, are on edge waiting to learn their fate. As an example, another geographic cluster in the same diocese went through this process a year ago. Sixteen parishes were reduced to seven, and five building campuses were closed permanently. Ultimately those five buildings will be de-consecrated and sold.

I learned that this was happening in one of the several parishes where I serve late in May. And almost immediately the speculation started. There are about as many reasons to keep us open as there are to shut us down. On the plus side, our buildings and grounds are in good physical condition and there is no outstanding debt. On the minus side, our current pastor is not a diocesan priest, but one from a Carmelite order. He is from India, speaks with a heavy accent and it's often hard to understand what he's saying.

To keep us focused on something positive while the diocesan advisory committee gathers data, performs analysis, considers a few "what-if" scenarios, and ultimately makes their recommendations to the bishop, I am thankful for four things. And that's good, because even under the best outcome, I don't see how or if I fit in it. As a result, through prayer and discernment, I am focusing on where I might land closer to home.

God has not disappointed me, but the path has many twists and turns. For openers, the local parishes (in a separate diocese than the one undergoing targeted restructuring) have newly reassigned pastors and the whole process of working with them has to start from scratch, can be painful and is time consuming. There is also my status as an inactive deacon. I've interpreted this to mean that I cannot function in the liturgical ministry of the diaconate but have not been laicized. For the longest time that was covered by my abilities and availability as a pastoral musician, one of the four things for which I'm thankful.

The second thing has been my involvement in the "That Man Is You" program. Now in its tenth program year, the program is designed to attract men to redevelop their sense of spirituality and leadership as Catholic Christian husbands, fathers, and community members. The program has grown from the seed of one person giving 26 talks (complete with statistics, charts and graphs) to several men, most well known in Catholic circles, giving those same 26 talks. It's a virtual parish mission of sorts. I have genuinely benefitted from the program - and we managed to continue it virtually during the COVID lockdown. Now, I have been tapped to lead the program, as the current leader has purchased a condo in Florida (I have heard that many retired folks do that) and would not be able to devote time to it as he would be away a good chunk of the time. When he asked me, he said I was his first - and only - choice. Lord, I am not worthy... I believe I am up to the task, but how this fits in with two new pastors as yet I have no clue.

The third thing I'm thankful for is the appearance of the acclaimed dramatic series on the life of Jesus and the character study of his disciples, The Chosen. Yes, you can call me a fan. Yes, you can tell me that a lot of the teleplay is not found in the Bible. Yes, it leaves out some important parts and suggests possibilities that aren't likely the 'gospel truth'; but it's doing exactly what its creators want it to do - spark discussion, get people to open their Bibles, and become aware that there is a loving God out there - and for some this awareness is for the first time in their lives. The parish which is being considered for restructuring decided to hold a viewing and discussion group this summer. I wanted in on it as I had led a similar group in my home parish for the first two seasons and I would not have any reservations about it now. It will keep us occupied and focused while we await our corporate fate.

The fourth thing for which I'm grateful is seeing opportunities to enrich my own love for the Church, her sacraments, and her ministries. I have appreciated my growing circle of family (including my developmentally challenged son), friends and colleagues who help lift me up when I need them, and vice-versa. This has led to an even greater desire to seek out and focus upon the path of holiness. The recent National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis was very beneficial to me. Even though I could not attend, I was able to watch the liturgies and the key talks either live on television or streamed through the internet afterward. The initial Holy Hour on the first night held me tightly.

It was a boost I truly needed, for I would be tested almost immediately, from near and far. The 'near' was a challenge from one of my nieces, who identifies as an evangelical fundamentalist - those who claim that what we are to believe is only in the Bible, and if it's not there, the opposing family can steal and take the money (oops, wrong metaphor).

That discussion began on a passage in the Gospels where Jesus tells his disciples, Do not call anyone on Earth your 'father.' You have but one Father, your Father in Heaven. And it went on a slippery slope from there. I remember reading or hearing somewhere that, unless you're a degreed theologian you should never argue with a fundamentalist. (Same sort of thing as the saying about never teaching a pig to sing.) But wait a minute - isn't there a passage within the Bible that states that no man can add to or take away from Scripture? So what does that say about the removal of chapters, verses, and entire books of the Old Testament during the Protestant Reformation? Lord, have mercy...

Of course, the devil must have his due right after a genuinely uplifting spiritual moment. I'm referring to something I apparently missed in the opening dramatic drivel of the Summer Olympics in Paris only hours ago. In the name of artistic liberty, or freedom of expression, apparently some drag queens lined a section of the River Seine and parodied the da Vinci painting of the Last Supper. Why they didn't fall in the river I don't know. On the other hand, should we now be banning classic clips of Milton Berle who dressed in drag as part of his act? Should we chastise Jamie Farr for cross-dressing all those years on M*A*S*H? But have we reached the point in time where we can no longer ignore it and hope it goes away?

The Church indeed calls us to get on our knees in awe, wonder, and - surprise! humility and reparation; and not only for our own sins, but for the sins of others. I sense we have enough trouble seeking forgiveness for ourselves, let alone others; it was Donald Trump who, when courting the Christian vote eight years ago and, asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness, responded that he had never done anything to be forgiven for. It's the same Donald Trump who just days ago told a gathering of Christians at a campaign rally that if they voted for him this November "they would never have to vote again." He insists he was joking. Like he also stated that on Day One in 2025 he will act as if a dictator. He claimed that was supposed to be a joke, too. And on the other side of the aisle, there's talk of codifying the right to abort an infant in the womb as under Roe v. Wade, as well as supporting the fiasco of gender identity and redefining marriage. Only they're NOT joking.

Is it surprising to anyone that we could use direct divine intervention right about now? We do see it; it's not all that hard to find. We see it in the enthusiasm of the pilgrims who make it to things like the Eucharistic Congress or World Youth Day. We also see it in the life stories of individuals like Francis of Assisi and Carlo Acutis; of Joan of Arc and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, just to name two men and two women. We also have the direct intervention of God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ; yet, like the contemporaries of His time, we are looking for a leader in battle armor, mounted on a white horse, who will single-handedly undo all the emotional, spiritual, and physical damage humanity has inflicted on itself. If there's one thing my encounters with Christ tell me again and again, is that the uniform didn't fit the Messiah - and still doesn't. What He leaves us is His blueprint, His Way, Truth, and Life; His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. His yoke is easy, and his burden, light. His requests are simple: Follow Him and Love one another as I have loved you. And in spite of a world seemingly eager to destroy itself, the most genuine surprise of all is that God is still in control and does great things for those with faith as small as a mustard seed.

Until we meet again, pray for me as I pray for you. May God be with you - and may God have mercy on us all...

+the Phoenix

A Summer of Surprises, Part Two

Welcome, God and All...

In my previous post, I brought up that I believe the pace of things have accelerated - certainly since the COVID lockdowns four years ago. Then, many of us had to curb at least part of our activities; and we weren't happy about it. There was a presidential election on the horizon - and we weren't happy about that, either. 

Another surprise this summer is the continuing erosion of common sense and sensibility in the US of A. (I believe so, anyway.) Why would it be possible for the previous occupant of the seat of government - who left in a huff and something of a disgrace, no matter how you look at it - how is it possible that he's running for that office again? What kind of stranglehold does he have on conservative policies and people that after everything that's been thrown at him, he emerges as the candidate with virtually no opposition?

And given the rollercoaster ride the nation has been on under his successor, why did anyone think he could rest on his record as the incumbent and become the frontrunner for his party - again, unopposed?

There have been remarks from all over America that neither candidate is truly fit for office. President Joe Biden, at age 81, was definitely showing signs indicating a slowing of cognitive ability. And his track record as president is hardly stellar. His opponent, former President Donald Trump, at age 78, is not much better as he has spent most of the last four years in one court room or another, and when he is not, he has been carrying on and on about how the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from him. Then there was the debate just a few weeks ago, in which Biden failed miserably while Trump continued to carry on with many half-truths if not outright lies; it depends on which pundits you listen to.

To top it all off, there was an assassination attempt on Mr. Trump at a rally in rural Pennsylvania only a few days ago. There was a huuuuge breakdown in security at all levels, and the director of the Secret Service has become the scapegoat in all this and was forced to resign.

There was a call by both political parties to tone down the campaign rhetoric, stating that "political violence has no place in America." That lasted less than a week. It should be made clear that, while there is no excuse for it, political violence has never been far from the surface in our nation's history. From the Boston Tea Party to the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, to assassination attempts against Presidents Lincoin (1865), Kennedy (1963), and Reagan (1981, which failed); along with many other demonstrations turned to riots, political violence is a thread that has run (unbroken, so it seems) throughout our history.

Coming to a head was the fear that Biden would lose the election in November, he was ultimately coerced by other leaders of his party to end his run for reelection. First, he releases a statement on social media, in part because he tested positive for the latest COVID variant and had to isolate at his beach house in Delaware. Just a couple of days ago he was cleared to return to the White House and gave a nationwide address that, in fifteen minutes, said nothing about why he changed his mind, only that is was for the good and unity of his political party. He might have said at the very beginning that he decided for the good and unity of the country as a whole, but it was clear that he was being pushed out by his political party. And yet, the praise and laud and thanksgiving for Biden's half-century in politics rang out. 

Quickly, with time being a concern and having few options, the vice-president, Kamala Harris, has been given the mantle of candidacy with seemingly overwhelming support. I don't know all the idiosyncrasies of the election process, nor can I claim whether or not this development could be evidence of rigging the upcoming election, but one thing is clear to me - the voice of the people who voted for Joe Biden in the primaries has been denied, and that troubles me. It seems to sidestep the intentions of our founding fathers and sets up a situation where no future election may be fair and free.

All this colors the upcoming convention in Chicago next month. The last one held here was in 1968; at that time there was rioting in the streets over the failed policies of the government at the time, along with our involvement in Vietnam. This time, while attempting to be removed from it, we have failed government policies, and involvement in the wars between Russia and the Ukraine, and Israel vs. Palestine. I had a bad feeling about what could potentially happen at the convention, and it's not relieved at all by the changing of the nominee over the last few days.

It seems we should all be on our knees repenting, asking God to intervene that calm and order might be restored in our land; but it seems a majority of the American public doesn't believe in that anymore...

And there are still more surprises, those that have a very personal, spiritual, and direct impact on me, and these are even larger than life in my mind than what I've chronicled here...how does this counter the implications the news cycle always wants to bring up? How does any of it get me closer to God, and what do I do with it to make my corner of His kingdom on Planet Mother Earth a cut above the fray?

More to come...until then, may God be with you - and may He have mercy on us all...

+the Phoenix

A Summer of Surprises, Part One

Welcome, God and All...

 It has been an interesting time in my corner of the Kingdom of God on Planet Mother Earth. Just when one was beginning to sense that the pace of events was down to a mild roar and thus manageable, other events take place that shift the delicate balance and have me struggling to keep up. I am managing, but it's due to the grace of God and the presence of Jesus in my life.

The first surprise: About mid-May, my family and I started seeing utility markers on our lawns. A week later, with no announcement from the municipality, heavy construction equipment appeared in my neighborhood and proceeded to dig up the street for roughly five blocks. Three days into the project, I received in the mail the notification from the city. (Due to the inefficiencies of the postal system in the US of A, mail sent local for local delivery (same postal code) goes to a sorting center twenty miles away and then comes back for actual delivery.)

The project, which lasts the entire summer, is replacement of the storm and sanitary sewer system in this five-block area. Toward the beginning of the project, the water mains had to be shut off on three different occasions for an entire day each time. Following that, a boil order was issued until sampling indicated that the water was within tolerances and safe for drinking.

There have been a few occasions where equipment blocked access to our driveway. That's problematic because my sister and I both have some mobility issues. Distance, as well as the rougher terrain caused by digging up and barricading our street had us praying that such tasks would be short and manageable, which up to now have been. We've reached the point where over the next month the streets affected will be repaved and the smell of fresh asphalt will fill the hot, humid summer air. 

Initially, so much dust got kicked up and got into our house (through the HVAC unit that, even with the windows closed) that we all came down with sinus and infections. This hit my son especially hard; he was coughing at times so much that I considered the possibility of having to take him to the emergency room at the hospital. Thankfully, that didn't happen - but as I said, we will soon be dealing with fresh asphalt being laid. It's not over yet, but we are managing with prayer and the grace of God.

A recent heat wave spawned about a week's worth of severe weather. You might have read about it, even if you're not from Chicagoland. There were 24 confirmed tornados over a two-night period, and on both nights the warning system was activated here. While the second night was worse overall, the first night was worse for us specifically as a tornado touched down less than five miles from us. With all the loose gravel and construction equipment, we feared we would suffer direct damage or power loss; and properties nearby did suffer damage, but we did not, again due to (I believe) the power of prayer, perseverance, and preparation.

You'd think that would be enough dramatic excitement for one summer, but there's more, and it challenges my sense of sanity. I have to chronicle these separately to keep this from becoming a novel. But as a teaser, as if you haven't guessed, other events, those of a spiritual nature, have surprised me. One encounter has the potential of closing a very important chapter in my pilgrim journey, while another left me asking myself what right I had, if any, to be an ambassador for Christ in any venue whatsoever. A third encounter has affirmed that God is not finished with me...yet, but am I up to the task?

More to come...until then, may God be with you and have mercy on us all...

+the Phoenix

Another Dance with Death

Greetings, God and All...

About ten days ahead of Easter, I got a phone call from one of the music coordinators whom I work with; asking my availability for an upcoming funeral service. She started her conversation with "It's funeral season..."

I almost cringed when I heard that. Ultimately, she was correct; since March 20 I have participated in six services for the departed. One of the parishes scheduled two on the same day; Catholic Church law prohibits the holding of funeral Masses over the Easter weekend, from Thursday through Sunday.

It's the most recent one that has me reaching for the keyboard, in spite of the fact that because of my declining visual acuity and tingling extremities (a consequence of type 2 diabetes with which I was diagnosed in 2022) I don't write reflections as much as I used to.

Just after Easter, a member of my extended family ended a battle with cancer at age 63. I received a call from a surviving brother that morning. I immediately offered my condolences and intentions to pray for all concerned; and placed myself at his disposal. If there was anything I could do, please let me know.

Initially it was intended to hold a full funeral Mass, but because of the Church's restrictions over Easter (see above) the venue would not be available in a suitable time frame. Because of this, and because I had the privilege of putting to rest others of my extended family over the years, I was called upon again to officiate at the visitation service at the funeral home and the final commendation at the cemetery. Leading the service meant I would give a brief homily based on one of the Gospel passages commonly associated with resurrection themes.

This wasn't going to be a large turnout. (Most funerals aren't largely attended, especially these days.) It would be an intimate gathering of family and co-workers who know the importance of paying their respects and offering consolation and prayers.

Over the years I have undergone a sort of spiritual evolution. God has provided me the means, the time, and the inspiration to go where He sends me. All that is another story for another time. It's important to mention it only because one has to reflect on what should be said and done in an effort to allow God's consolation to be sensed. Because of the number of services I'd sung in recently, I sensed I wanted to do something different. I knew my audience; I already had ideas swimming in my mind; I just needed God's help in making it flow smoothly. I decided to let the Holy Spirit direct me, rather than write it all out. In the past I would write them out only to have a stray but relevant thought cross my mind during delivery, and then ramble a bit to get back to my written text. But I also floated some ideas across a few 'outsiders' to make sure I wasn't taking a wild step off a cliff which might upset people who neither needed nor deserved it. Now, three days later, I am trying to commit what I said to writing, because it flowed so well at the time.

So, after a few short prayers, and giving the assembled mourners a chance to share a story of an event or relationship they had with the departed, I launched into a passage from chapter six of the Gospel of St. John, the part that reads "and I will raise them up on the last day" (probably because that morning I had been singing the well-known hymn "I Am the Bread of Life").

And I went on...something like this.

What is heaven like?

It's a question I don't know I can truly answer, but one I know we have contemplated at one time or another, or are contemplating now.

No doubt you've seen artists' renditions of heaven, with scores of angels too many to count gathered around magnificent thrones on which are seated God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; inspired by some verses in the book of the  Revelation to John (the last book in the Bible).

Then we have what Jesus says about His Father's house in John's Gospel, chapter 14 (a favorite citation at funeral Masses), where He says, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places (mansions)." I think the best example of that is given to us by Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, who gives us separate spaces in the hereafter for the Catholics, the Protestants, our Jewish brothers and sisters, and ultimately the 'nones' who are completely oblivious to the whole thing.

When my wife and mother left this world ten years ago, my association with heaven was that of an eternal banquet. the biggest buffet in the cosmos. That concept has just recently been challenged by a lay Catholic evangelist who reminds me that it's not about the food.

And there's the concept that God in His heaven is this infinite source of energy, none of it bad; and when we get to heaven we become one with that energy for eternity.

But these are all human interpretations.

St. John also writes in one of his letters that God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God; and God abides in them. This should indicate that there's an inexhaustible presence of intimacy, one that is expressed to us in earthly life as sacrificial and superabundant in mercy. So much so that there is no place for hatred, anger, disease, political intrigue, counter agenda of any kind. In short, a better place than the here and now. And God puts in our hearts a longing to be in that better place. When someone close to us passes into eternal life, he/she crosses the bridge built by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary, under the escort of his/her guardian angel. God is present in this room right now, through the presence of the guardian angel each one of us has been given.

What we do know then, in our limited sense, is God loves us in a deeply intimate way, and longs for us to be one with Him where He dwells and is found. When we pray for our departed loved ones, we are performing what the Church calls an act of mercy. We long for them to be at peace, forever and ever. And we're curious to know how it turns out, aren't we? We long to see it play out, and to be in that better place. Let's make the most of every opportunity to make our own lives mirror, to the best of our ability, that better place. Let us be thankful for the gift of family and friends in our lives.Together, through past, present, and future, let us continue our journey to that better place.

The 'Post'/Making the Rough Places Plain: A Prayer for Holy Week

 Lord Jesus,

I thank You for the moments of inspiration that come to me when it seems I need it most. Thank You for life itself, even as challenging as it is, for...well, it should be obvious, correct?

I thank You for those saints, visionaries, and fathers of your Church, and for the rich symbolism found in our sacred rituals and Tradition. Without this, we would find ourselves foundering worse than we already are.

In Your inexhaustible mercy and superabundant love You have given us the opportunity to walk in Your footsteps. For some that might mean a geographic pilgrimage to the places in which You lived and ministered long ago. For most of us, including me, it means stepping outside of our box in space and time to unite with You through the insight given to us through Your Holy Spirit.

In this last week before Easter is observed, I pray that I (and many others) cheer and shout for joy as you make Your humble but still royal entry into the Holy City.

May we eat at Your table, partaking in the bread and wine that has become Your Body and Blood, Your Soul and Divinity.

May we follow you into our chapels, our Garden of Gethsemani, to pray, keep watch, and learn and understand the way of suffering You take in our stead.

May we understand that the stark emptiness of our church altars represent the humiliation You endured - and continue to endure - as You are stripped of Your royal dignity, and are scourged and beaten mercilessly.

May we discover in our reading of the accounts of Your Passion and Death that we, too, are confused and afraid. Some of us still turn away from the repulsive thoughts of the senseless actions of others - especially when it happens in the name of your Father in Heaven. May we find ourselves in that place and time when it was asked in the midst of a mob, Which 'son of a father' do you want released to you? That we, too, in our weaknesses so far removed from the actual event, cry out for Your crucifixion.

May we understand that your words, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, should in and of themselves have been sufficient for our ultimate salvation; but in the end, it would not satisfy our bloodlust.

May we have the courage to remain at the foot of Your Cross, alongside the Apostle John, and the Virgin Mary, your - and now our - Mother.

May we dutifully and lovingly pause at Your tomb, intended for someone else but would never be used for its original purpose.

May we keep vigil in the most profound way, recalling the history of our salvation and recognize Your rising as the Light of all lights.

May we courageously. yet humbly, witness and proclaim that You are risen and among us still.

May we keep all of this in our hearts as the celebration of the Week That Changed the World ends and life returns to 'normal'...

No - May You light the way to establish or renew or make of our lives a new and different sense of what is 'normal.' That is what You did everything for. 

May the holy angels bring this prayer before You, Lord Jesus; Who lives and reigns together with the Father and the Holy Spirit - one God, forever and ever. Amen.