A rare day of just plain fun and memories relived: Jay O'Reilly and I ventured north to Milwaukee for a day of retracing our historical paths. We had talked about taking a trip to visit the colleges we attended, have lunch somewhere and "catch up" with one another for quite, some time now. However, what with the demands of life, the busy schedules we all lead, our well-intended and long desired trip kept taking a back burner to other, more pressing matters. At long last, we had the time and my car was ready and gas tank filled and northbound we became. In spite of missing one of the major roads that would have taken us to the I-94 toll way, we ended up taking Rt. 83 all the way into Wisconsin. This afforded us the blessed opportunity to take in the beauty and charm of the small towns that we meandered through along the way. Farms complete with red barns and silos, corn fields and grazing cows. It was so wonderful. And our individual memories were churning and turning...

 

Our first stop was Waterford, Wisconsin and the former Holy Redeemer Seminary where I attended college. The building is no longer a school, rather, a rehabilitation center for victims of head and spinal injuries. What a strange feeling it was: the place, at quick glance, looked the same and even smelled the same. Yet, it was all so different, so changed yet still, in some instances, so much the same. The racquetball room was now a little coffee shop for the staff and residents. The chapel, once so beautiful and serenely sacred was now an exercise and strengthening station complete with weights, pulleys, and other such rehabbing equipment. I stared at the stained glass windows and the brown, brick walls...and I could almost hear the chants of Morning Prayer again. Our 'tour guide,' an employee there, took us up to the 3rd floor and showed us one of the spare rooms that are used as guest quarters.   That room was exactly the same as when I was a student there in the late 1970's. Same wall colors, same flooring, same built-in cabinets...my head and heart were taken way, way back and it was good to go "back there," to that time and age again. An added treat came to us when one of my classmates, a former Roman Catholic religious stopped in and visited with us. Turns out, Steve's (my classmate) wife works at this facility. The four of us sat in that little coffee shop and talked about other classmates, those who have passed away and what life was like in a college seminary in the 1970's. It was an oddly strange encounter, but then again, completely and normally wonderful! I could have stayed in that coffee shop for hours, talked and laughed and drank coffee for the entire day. But, we had miles to drive and places to go. After bidding our goodbyes to our tour guide, my classmate and his wife, we continued our journey north. Waving goodbye to the former Holy Redeemer Seminary, turning north onto Sharp Road and west on Wisconsin Hwy. 20, we restarted our road trip.

 

Jay attended Marquette University, which was our next stop. A Jesuit-operated school located right in the heart of Milwaukee, Marquette is a marvelous place. Jay pointed out the buildings where he lived and even the window of the dorm room he shared with two other people. Ah yes, the shared and cramped joys of college life! We stopped and gazed at the beauty of a 14th century structure, St. Joan of Arc Chapel that had been dismantled and piece by piece, shipped over from France and reassembled on the campus. It was nothing more than a cold stone and mortar structure. Yet, its simplicity was starkly radiant and beautiful. I felt so at peace in there. I could have sat in that chapel, in silence and peace, for that entire day and I would have been fulfilled.  

 

It was a sort of "registration day" on campus. A number of groups; social, political, religious and so on had set up tables and all were trying their best to secure signatures of interested students. Jay and I pretended to be a couple of those interested students. Alas, we were a bit "long in the tooth" and not one group offered us a flyer or information. We did get a free glass of root beer from the Lutheran table. We talked with the pastor, Jessica, and discussed the possibility of my coming up to Marquette and taking part in Sunday night worship with them. I'm open to that; as it's always a blessing to share the Good News with all our sisters and brothers. It is what we are all called to do.

 

After lunch in the college cafeteria, we began our trek south to the Land of Lincoln. We talked about the experiences of the day, the people we met and the memories that resurfaced. It was all about community; those that we had been part of so many years ago and the communities of which we are part of today. We talked about St. Nicholas and the people that make up this wonderful, community of faith. We shared how valuable the community of St. Nicholas is to both of us and how much we value all we have in this house of worship. It is part of our lives and we are part of the community. And to tell you the truth, when I come into our church building, into that silence and sacred space, I could sit there all day, embraced in that solitude and commune with our God, one on one, and I would be quite at peace. Then again, the church is an even greater place when the community, the family of St. Nicholas is there. And when I am in the midst of my sisters and brothers, I could easily be there all day, with all of you, and I would be a most happy man, indeed.

 

-Manny

manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org 

 

October 4th, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson will be the featured guest speaker at Elmhurst College.  What a wonderful opportunity to listen to this man of faith, conviction and hope. 

We'd like to gather a group from St. Nicholas to attend this lecture.  Afterwards, we would go out to supper and share in conversation and community.  All those interested in attending need contact Hank Mandziara with your request.  Tickets are a nominal $10.00.  We will provide additional information very soon.  Tickets will go fast, so please contact Hank as soon as possible.

Thank you!

We are all busy with life.  Never seems to be enough time to do all we desire.  Yet, there are opportunities to expand our horizons and give a little more of ourselves.  Clearbrook, an agency that works closely with families who have children with developmental delays, is seeking volunteers to spend time with a child in need for one (1) Saturday a month in nearby Addison, from 10am to 1pm.  What a wonderful way of sharing our time, attention and love with a child that needs reaffirming, compassion and care. 

For more details, please refer to the information sheets located on the bulletin boards at the St. Nicholas Giving Tree in the Gathering Space and/or contact our own Benny Delgado for more detailed information.    Volunteer opportunities are available to any and all, starting at age 11 upwards. 

Bread bakers, baking enthusiasts, any one who has a desire to share in this special ministry; we have several slots still available from now until the end of the year.  This truly is a unique opportunity to be able to share in the life of this community and actively engage in the weekend Liturgies by preparing the bread we use for Communion. 

It is easy, enjoyable and the rewards are, well, divine!  Thank you, one and all.   

Thanks to:

Ethel (Corkey) Stratton, the mother of Hal Stratton

 

For those in transition: those searching for work, those who are moving and those encountering changes in life.