Minnesota – Page 16 – Thoughts Towards a Better World

#797 – Dick Bernard: A School Election

November 5, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, Education, Minnesota, Politics /by dickbernard

NOTE: I did a post in the Woodbury Patch that is essentially the same as the below post. You can view it here. A directly related column originally appeared in the Woodbury Patch on October 30, 2013. You can view it here. In addition, a letter of mine on the topic of the Woodbury School Election appeared in the Woodbury Bulletin on October 30, 2013. It can be read here: Woodbury Bulletin Ltr002.
UPDATE Nov. 6: Here are the results of the election as they appear on the School districts website. More details as I learn them.

Nov. 5, 2013 Woodbury MN

This is being written and will be posted on November 5, 2013, before any voting counts in my School Districts election of five school board members, and decision on three referendum questions before the voters.
I’m writing early to avoid pre-judging reason(s) for outcomes. That can come later.
Personally, I’ll be most interested in the voter turnout. We are a generally very prosperous school district, but in the two preceding school elections, in 2009 and 2011, the turnouts have been dismal:
2009 – 6%
2011 – 8%
2013 – ?

Nov. 5, 2013

There are many good reasons to expect a much higher turnout this round; but there were plenty of good reasons the last two rounds as well. In a district where about 18% of the population (17,300 or 94,000) is enrolled in public school, we should do much, much better. And this in a state where the voter turnout in the last few elections was as follows:
2006 – 61%
2008 – 78%
2010 – 56%
2012 – 76%
I’m betting our district was at least as high as the state average voter turnout, if not higher.
I suppose there are rewards for not voting but I’m not sure what they might be.
I know there are consequences, whether one wins because of a low turnout, or loses. We, the people, are always the losers in the long run.
School districts are people organizations.
Not voting at all is always a very powerful vote, never in the non-voters best interest.
When you read this, the election will be over, and quite certainly the results will be easy at a link on the school district website.
When you’re looking at the results ask yourself what you know about each of the Board members just elected, as well as the other incumbents remaining on the Board.
These are the people who will be in charge of making the policy affecting our children for at least the next two years. The Board members who approved the three referendum questions took an action for your children. For some, taking this action might have been considered a political risk.
My business was public education, both as teacher and teacher representative, so my acquaintance with school boards, school board individual members, and school districts goes back many years and hundreds of meetings in diverse (and usually physically uncomfortable) settings with an interesting assortment of Board members.
In my office is an old curriculum booklet with which I was involved, which was used beginning in 1971-72. In that first year, the Board of Education members (Anoka-Hennepin #11) are listed. At the time, Anoka-Hennepin was already larger in enrollment than my present day South Washington County ISD 833.
These were the Board members that year of 1971-72: Carl Swenson, Nils Sandell, David Spencer, Alton Drury, Robert Gordon and John Weaver (yes, no females. A typical profile then…) (In todays election, 9 of the 17 candidates are women – though two of the men and one of the women showed no evidence of actually campaigning for their position.)
I still remember all of these: there was, let’s see, an insurance executive, a physician, a corporate manager; a farmer; a Minneapolis teacher; and a businessman. In a former year, one member was a rural letter carrier. One Board member later became a state legislator.
In those years there was no partisan politics allowed. I’d say five of the six were typecast as pretty conservative (including the teacher member), but all of them took their responsibility of representing all the children of the school district very seriously. They were a good Board, as were almost all of those that I saw in action over the years.
Likely the upcoming Board in my district will be a decent one too, but there needs to be much more active involvement by local citizens in both selecting and monitoring the actions of school board members.
Our children (and grandchildren) deserve our attention.

Nov. 5, 2013

#796 – Dick Bernard: Green Card Voices

November 2, 2013/2 Comments/in Community, Immigration, Minnesota /by dickbernard

Today was one of those days where the unexpected trumped the average and ordinary, and in a positive way.
There were a couple of items on todays agenda. They were accomplished, but they were also rans in terms of interest value.
I stopped, first, at my 92 year old friends house. He invited me to go upstairs to see what workmen there to install insulation recently found in the attic. It was an attic difficult to access, so the treasures had been there for years, and since his wife had first lost her memory, and then passed away, There was no active memory of what had been stored up there.
Among the treasures, in one of the bedrooms:
(click any photo to enlarge)

Immigrant chests found in an attic.

These chests, likely used for trans-ocean passage from northern Europe to the United States over 100 years ago had been packed full of assorted items. They were now empty, but the visual effect itself was pretty powerful. (They’ve been assigned to family members as keepsakes.)
The man with whom I was meeting then told me about a meeting he was invited to at two p.m. at a library in south Minneapolis. It was an event, he thought, to honor a Bangladeshi man who owns a well known Indian restaurant, Gandhi Mahal, in south Minneapolis.
I had another meeting to go to, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get to the library event, but all worked out, and at 2 p.m. I was at Hosmer Library at 36th Street in Minneapolis (just east of I-35W) for their free fall concert series: “Nikolai Kolarov: Cello Music from Bulgaria and Eastern Europe.” It wasn’t what my friend had thought would happen at 2:00, or so I thought at the beginning. Nonetheless, the concert was very good.
Hosmer has a tradition of wonderful free concerts at the library most every Saturday. Here’s Mr. Kolarov:

Nikolai Kolarov at right, Nov. 2, 2013

Here’s the upcoming printable fall schedule: Hosmer Libr Conc Fall 13001
Then came the program my friend had invited me to see.
It was presented by a brand-new twin cities based organization called Green Card Voices whose mission is to highlight the stories of immigrants to this country from everywhere. As their brochure says: “We’re all here. We all play a role. We all have a story.” As its brochure declares “41% of all fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants…the United States is home to 40 million immigrants…They represent 13% of the total population.”
As we all know, immigrants (like the folks who brought their belonging in those trunks pictured above) have always played, and still play, a very significant role in our country. We are a country of immigrants.
As advertised, Ruhel Islam of Gandhi Mahal told his story about being part of America since 1996. Niolai Kolarov told his story. As did two ladies, one from Slovenia; the other from Ethiopia.
No one said anything unexpected. Nonetheless, it was refreshing to hear the stories told by real people, and see the approximately 40 of us in the room be engaged in the conversation.
The folks of Green Card Voices have a great thing going. I hope to learn more about their work.
Ditto, to Roy Woodstrom and the folks at Hosmer Library, whose Saturday programs have become a south Minneapolis tradition.
It was a great day.
It was a good reminder of the need to engage in the conversation about immigration policy reform in Washington as well.

The Panel of Immigrants from Bangladesh, Slovenia, Ethiopia and Bulgaria November 2, 2013

Roy Woodstrom (standing at left) librarian at Hosmer Library Minneapolis, recognizes Nikolai Kolarov following his cello performance.

#795 – Dick Bernard: "Trick or Treats, Money or Eats"

October 31, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, History, Minnesota /by dickbernard

Pumpkins on parade a year ago in Red Wing MN

Today is Halloween.
Down at my coffee place, Caribou Coffee in Woodbury, the trivia question of the day was this:
The tradition of Jack-o-Lantern to ward off spirits is thousands of years old. Which vegetable were they originally made?
a) squash
b) pumpkin
c) turnip
d) melons
I guessed correctly and got my 10 cent discount. The correct answer at the end.
Two of the counter folks were dressed for the occasion:
(click to enlarge)

October 31, 2013 at Caribou Coffee in Woodbury. At left, a Caribou!

Enroute home I stopped by one house decorated for this evenings parade of little “rapscallions”:

October 31, 2013

We live in a neighborhood with limited visitors on Halloween night: Few kids, better pickins’ in other nearby precincts. Nonetheless we’re armed with goodies, just in case.
For most of us, there are memories connected with Halloweens past.
My memories go back to the days of tipping over outhouses. NOT ME, I hasten to say. My parents were school teachers in the little towns in which we lived, and I wouldn’t have dared. But that happened, of course, and at our house from time to time.
The day was a time for more malicious kinds of stunts as well. It was as if the Devil were allowed out for an evening. Mostly, though, the fun was restricted to getting a bit of candy from this neighbor or that – in those days before obese kids, the portion of candy, even on halloween, was relatively small. And you’d hear about the psychopaths as well, which made things like apples a risky treat – a problem rare, but real.
The Day – All Souls Day in Christian terms – is recognized in different ways in different cultures. Many places today Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is recognized in the Mexican community.
Quite by chance, in November 5, 2001, we came across a variation of Halloween in London. Our abode overlooked a small park where people were celebrating what seemed to be Halloween but was, we found later, to be Guy Fawkes Day, recognition of a significant historical event related to religion.
Events like Halloween have their own histories and traditions, pieced together one generation and one culture at a time.
Now, the answer to the question which began this blog: I guessed “c” Turnip, and I was right.
The only reason for the guess: the turnip is a root, from below ground, and thus perhaps relates to spirits of people past.
Without looking before I wrote that last sentence, here’s what I discovered about the history of the Jack-o-Lantern. As you’ll note, my reasoning was off. But who cares? I got a dime off my coffee!
Happy Halloween, whatever your opinions are about the day.
Remember some of your own stories…. You can comment here if you wish.

front, counter-clockwise, Lucy, Addy and Kelly and friends trick or treat Grandma and Grandpa, October 31, 2013

“Ghosts” flutter across the street in our neighborhood October 31, 2013

#794 – Dick Bernard: Thoughts at the end of the 13th month of the Lock Out of the Minnesota Orchestra

October 30, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, History, Labor, Minnesota /by dickbernard

The “filing cabinet” for Minnesota Orchestra matters is found at August 30, 2013, here.
This post also appears in the Blog Cabin Roundup of MinnPost for Nov. 1, 2013
A friend in Chicago area wrote today about the Minnesota Orchestra situation: “WHAT A TRAGIC TURN OF EVENTS for all concerned!!” Along with her note came an article about the Chicago Symphony, which is on a distinctly different trajectory than, apparently, our own Orchestra, now in the second year of lock out. She added: “Not to make you feel bad….but perhaps some clues here for symphonic success!?”
So goes the conversation, and yes, it continues, perhaps quietly, under the surface, but not far below the surface, and internationally.
We will probably never know exactly what drove powerful elements of the Orchestral Association Board to attempt to destroy the musicians union, and thus help destroy themselves. They will have a polished narrative, which they will hold to, slavishly, blaming everyone but themselves.
In my opinion, two continuing actions of the Orchestra Board led us to where we are now: 1) to the best of my knowledge, they refused to open to the Orchestra their financial records for independent review; 2) they hired a law firm known for expertise in union-busting lock outs (strikes in reverse, by management against labor).
Absent the two above actions, we may still have been going to the Orchestra while negotiations continued. From the beginning I had no sense whatever that the Orchestra expected to get everything it wanted. It expected more than what it got, however, particularly respect. Best as I can gather, management proposed the destruction of the union contract, and had no interest in bargaining.
There is a third in-action by the Board: excepting its courting of large donors, I’ve found almost zero evidence that the Board really did any marketing to even its audience to raise funds. The emphasis was on large donors. Yet this is a Board full of corporate types of people with access to all manner of marketing expertise.
I did achieve a small success in the past few days. Several documents I had requested from the Board in August, 2013, were finally received October 25, in response to my third request. One publication, the Orchestra’s “Vision for a Sound Future” strategic business plan published Nov. 2, 2011, emphasized data from its own point of view (Chicago Symphony is not mentioned, for instance.) Apparently we in the audience learned of this new Vision through the December, 2011, Annual Report, which was the Showcase publication we all receive when we come for a concert.
A copy of this report was included in the packet I received. After showing the programs for December, 2011, (none of which we had attended), there is a letter to us all on page 39 – near the end of the booklet – from Richard K. Davis and Michael Henson – and a message from the then-Treasurer Jon Campbell on page 49. What seem to be the relevant pages of this report are here: MN Orch Report Dec 2011001 (From long experience, I exercise great caution in accepting at face value any representations of data. Funny things can be done with numbers….)
It can be proven, I suppose, that the Orchestral Association did tell us through this program booklet, but we were told in such a way that almost no one would have reason to notice, especially given that it was distributed during the hubbub of December. I surely don’t remember it. Maybe it was also included in the January program booklet as well. I suppose there are people who read every page of those programs and got the news. Unless my attention is called to something, like the concert I’m attending, I’m certainly not one of those kinds of readers.
I think I’m typical. I remember nothing calling my attention to the letters from management to us.
While very important, the Orchestra was only one part of our busy lives.
Given the history of the past twelve months, it was enlightening to see the Key Targets for FY2014 (2013-14) as articulated in the Vision on p. 18
Achieve 80% paid capacity
Achieve $8.7M concert revenue
Achieve $0.9M in hall rentals & community performance fees
Achieve $0.4M in tour fees
Achieve $1.10 per person in concession spend.
Of course, now there is no orchestra, no music director, no audience, and (I would guess by now) a largely hostile arts community not very inclined to support the current management.
Back to the drawing board to update the Vision.
In this big-league town, we’re now not even little league with the Orchestra, and this is going to be a big loss for the Twin Cities and Minnesota in the short and long term. And this was to be a premier year for the Minnesota Orchestra in all ways.
Orchestra Hall was a busy place. In a front page article in the October 21, 2013, Minneapolis Star Tribune, former Governor Arne Carlson, a man who would likely know his facts and not throw them around carelessly, noted “The [Minnesota] Vikings bring 502,000 people downtown eight times in one season. The orchestra brings 305,000 people downtown over a whole year.” (At least it did.) The Minnesota Orchestra was by no means a small economic entity in Minneapolis.
But it seems to have violated a cardinal rule of Big Business: it didn’t make money, at least not directly. It was a community asset more than a business entity.
A couple of days ago came a most interesting commentary about the Minnesota Vikings, published in Pittsburgh Magazine. It was sent to me by a friend who has no apparent interest in the Orchestra dispute, but it speaks volumes about priorities as envisioned by big business, and, by implication, how something like the Minnesota Orchestra does not fit the downtown big business model as a source of funds.
Until there is an Orchestra League, where Orchestras can be bought and sold and moved at will, they will probably be hard for the big business community to grasp…in more ways than one.
The article is just an article, but worth your time and reflection.
Keep on, keeping on.
COMMENTS from Madeline S, October 31, 2013
1) Been thinking: The right-wing think tank that had a recent fund-raiser at Orchestra Hall got a State Rep. questioning if the Board was in compliance with their obligations under their lease–the Hall is owned by the City of Minneapolis–this was in a Startribune published article. Frankly, I think the Minnesota Orchestra issue may be settled by it becoming a “community asset” of some sort as suggested in a bill being introduced by Phyllis Kahn; and/or the Board’s replacement as indicated by the other legislator.
I have been thinking that perhaps at least at some point the Board may have decided that to get this, pardon the term, big elephant off their backs, they had to endure a lot of public anger and criticism in order to create the crisis that may make that change.
2) Dick, you sent me the link to this article.
Social justice requires work on issues like homelessness, poverty, racism, and lack of adequate funding for our public schools. Shouldn’t we find a way to oppose this kind of racketeering? The city of Minneapolis has a law which forbids the spending of more than a certain amount without voter approval. Apparently, the state gave a pass to the city to not abide by that ordinance/law. Perhaps this should be brought to the state’s Attorney General. Or perhaps there should be some kind of protest.
Minnesota is getting snowed. Millions for Wilf et al; not likely to help the local economy. The Bengals’ stadium has effectively bankrupted Hamilton County, which is now slashing public services and laying off police to make up for a $20 million budget deficit.
“The most comprehensive study done on the economic implications of sports stadiums found that they do little to bolster local economies. In some cases, local economies actually shrank. In a 30-year study of 37 metropolitan areas with pro sports franchises, sports economists found that the real per capita income of city residents decreased on average after the construction of a new stadium.”
Because of the stadium deal, Wilf could sell the franchise for a $375 million profit. This was recognized by Arne Carlson in a Strib article earlier.
Much more in this article:

#792 – Dick Bernard: The Gospel of the Soprano

October 27, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, Family History, Minnesota, North Dakota, Peace & Justice, Quietings /by dickbernard

Friday evening my 88 year old Uncle and I went down the hall to visit his sister and my aunt in the Memory Care unit at the Nursing Home/Assisted Living facility in a small rural North Dakota community. It was a short trip, under a single roof. My Aunt, at 93, is most likely not suffering from severe dimentia, but nonetheless the placement is appropriate. She’s been in the unit for about a year.
My Uncle and I just went to visit. My Aunt was working on a puzzle. (photo at end.)
It was supper time, and two other ladies were at the same table, one familiar to me, the other not, perhaps a recent resident.
“Emma” was attempting to engage, but not succeeding. The second lady was easily understood but not allowing for much visiting.
We may have looked or sounded annoyed: at some point you don’t know what to do. Those knowing someone with any variation of dimentia understand.
The man assigned to evening duty came around. I’d talked with him during an earlier visit. He’s a retired teacher in the town, and as I recall, he willingly took his job more as a service than as a job. He had a relative – perhaps his Mom? – who was or had been a patient in this very facility. Maybe, it has since occurred to me, she was Emma….
For whatever reason, he entered the conversation: “Emma stood in front of me for 20 years in our Church choir”, he said. “She had a wonderful Soprano voice.” He mentioned one particular piece which required a phrase one octave higher than the usual, and it was Emma who would sing it, beautifully.
As I recall, Emma had nodded off.
Off he went to other duties, and our visit continued, helping my Aunt finish a puzzle (she’s good with puzzles) and then we left.
And all the next day, driving 300 miles back home, I kept thinking of that brief but powerful encounter in the Memory Care section of the Nursing Home.
This morning Cathy and I went to 9:30 Mass at Minneapolis’ Basilica of St. Mary as usual.
Fr. Greg Welch was celebrant and homilist, and today’s Gospel was Luke 18:9-14, the well known passage about the righteous Rich Man and the repentant Tax Collector (I knew is as the Pharissee and the Publican story).
Fr. Welch, in his own comments, chose to focus on the Pharisee, and drew us into the Pharisee’s circle, as it were, with a simple parable of his own.
He opened with a simple comment: when he was young, he grew up in a family that assumed the kids would go to college. There was no need to discuss this reality. For many other families, college is not even a dream, he said. It is not part of their reality for financial or other reasons.
Those of us in those pews are mostly pretty privileged, and Fr. Greg wondered aloud about the wisdom of a country criticizing “Obamacare” while 32 million people are without health care, and no alternative being offered; about cutting food stamps while considering military expenses to be essential; about people, including the homeless holding those cardboard signs on street corners, needing a job not being able to find one in which they can earn a living.
The open question, not directly addressed, was to each one of us: “where do YOU fit into this picture?”
It was an applause worthy homily; we in the pews were very, very quiet.
I’ll let the Memory Care attendant know about this blog post, and perhaps he will tell me what motivated him, on Friday night, to tell us about Emma, the lady whose grasp of what we take for granted is very limited.
At any rate, he sang a magnificent Soprano for us on Friday afternoon. It is a message that will stick with me.
(click to enlarge)

My Aunt and Uncle with the completed Puzzle, October 25, 2013

UPDATE Nov. 3, 2013:
Today’s Gospel was the story of “Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man” (Luke 19:1-10). Our Pastor, Father Bauer, gave an excellent homily interpreting the Bible story.
As with the previous Sundays text and interpretation, this Gospel fit into todays news, which included, this past week, the mandatory cut in “snap” funds at the federal level – I think they’re called food stamps.
There is a lot to talk about….
Also, this past week, came a review of what is likely a very forgettable book, by Bill O’Reilly, which essentially attaches the crucifixion of Jesus to taxes, and another “Christian” who labored mightily to prove that “government” is not “people”, when that is all that government ever is or has been….
It takes all manners of tortured interpretation. But the reality is, there are those of us who have, and we have an obligation those who have less.
Some day we may find ourselves in the same position of needing help.

#789 – Dick Bernard: One Catholics thoughts on the continuing sex abuse issue in the Catholic Church

October 20, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, History, Minnesota /by dickbernard

UPDATE Oct. 23, 2013: There are a half dozen comments to this post. They are included at the end. As I noted to one reader, I could have gone on at much greater length about this aspect, or that, of this most complicated topic, but chose to keep my thoughts somewhat brief. As is also obvious, individuals have differing points of view. But that’s as I’ve always seen this Church: a rather unruly rabble of good people which is not the monolith it appears to be.
*
Saturday’s Minneapolis Star-Tribune lead front page article headlined “[University of] St. Thomas trustee who handled cases quits”. The trustee, Fr. Kevin McDonough, when I knew him best, was pastor of my Church in St. Paul and Vicar General of the Archdiocese. He was then in the bulls-eye investigating sex abuse cases involving clergy. I had, and have, huge respect for him. He was a national expert on the Church scandal.
Fr. Kevin’s boss, Archbishop Harry Flynn, from everything I knew, then, got it: church operations had to change, drastically, and these changes were implemented. This mornings paper, the front page lead headline is that Fr. Kevin’s fellow St. Thomas University Board member, Board co-Chair, retired Abp. Harry Flynn, has also resigned. I was surprised. Best I knew, Abp Flynn acted aggressively in every instance of abuse identified.
And two weeks ago, on October 7, a retired teacher I’ve known for years, publicly came out as a victim of sex abuse by a Priest in the 1950s and 1960s.
So, somebody might logically ask, knowing that I was at Mass at Basilica of St. Mary again this morning, ushering as usual, “how can you possibly continue in such a corrupt institution?”
Before answering that, here’s a long article I read about this issue ten years ago: Richard Sipe June 2003001. Richard Sipe talked, back then, on the “Culture of deceit undergirds clergy sex abuse.” I was taken by the article then, and I think it remains very relevant now, and I recommend it to anyone. (Re the editor of the publication in which the article appears, Bread Rising, see note at the end.)
So, why do I, and so many “Catholics” stay Catholic? I can speak only for myself.
We Catholics are part of a diverse, ragged and often imperfect “family”. Like all families, there are problems within. Because of our size, and the hierarchical and management structure – bluntly, some of the leaders just don’t get it – there are, and there will continue to be occasional problems. It would be good to be perfect, but we aren’t. In diverse ways, many of us work in various ways within our Church to change the system.
There are many differences of opinion within this family to which I belong (including amongst many members who have left). But today, as usual, my Church was well attended.
I benefit from the experience of having represented public school teachers.
Public School is also a very human institution, and during my work years the spotlight also focused on occasional inappropriate and unacceptable behavior by adults, teachers, in a position of authority.
Allegations about sex, we learned, back in the 1980s, were different than other allegations. The instant presumption seemed to be that an allegation against an accused perpetrator was true. Often this was the case, but not always. But there was a tendency to overreact; normal due process (“innocent until proven guilty”) was more difficult to achieve: once accused, guilty.
I remember vividly when we taught our teacher members NO TOUCH, PERIOD as a defensive strategy, and particularly one kindergarten teachers lament about not even being able to tie her kindergarteners shoelaces.
It took a long while, but after a time a certain amount of common sense equilibrium reached.
This issue has been more difficult in the Catholic Church than in schools, or so it seems. Perhaps this is because the Church is a massive private and mysterious institution, whose management was long accustomed to being out of the purview of the civil law. Some of those Diocesan heads – Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals – were (and some still are) very slow learners. And these cases become newsworthy, front page news.
Would it be best to have no problem like this? Absolutely.
Will the Church, or people generally, ever be totally perfect? Of course not.
I choose to stay with “the family” as I know it. There are lots and lots of good people within the Catholic Church of my experience, and in general it remains a positive asset to the greater community in many ways.
NOTE ON BREAD RISING: I met Terry Dosh, editor of the newsletter in which Sipe’s article appeared, in 2001, when he and I were standing in line, chatting, waiting to meet Bishop Thomas Gumbleton at Basilica of St. Mary, where Gumbleton had just completed a powerful workshop we had attended. I add the bios of Sipe and Dosh to give some important context to their work. (The link is a long video of Terry Dosh describing his own life path as a Catholic. It is very interesting, for anyone with an interest.)
Here is a second Richard Sipe talk which appeared in the January, 2005, issue of Bread Rising: Richard Sipe Jan 2005002

Peace Pole at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, south Minneapolis October 20, 2013

COMMENTS in order of receipt:
from Andrea G: Great post. Today after 10 am mass during our coffee/donuts session, several parishioners were discussing the news of late. A few were openly discussing [Abp] Nienstedt’s actions and basically shaming him for not addressing the issues in public/in person during a mass. My jaw hit the floor as [our church pastor] was in ear shot of the discussion.
from John C (his most interesting website is here):
Dick
One can be a true follower of Jesus, even Catholic,
without being Roman.
Jesus never set up an Institution
and even if he did, t’would not be Roman.
Catholic (in the True Sense) evermore, Roman, ne’er again
*
My Church
ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, APOSTOLIC
ONE
Not in structure, organization, culture, or practice,
But as Jesus, in Love and Forgiveness.
HOLY
Not in common external signs of piety,
But in the pursuit of Spiritual Growth.
CATHOLIC
Not as members of one universal organization,
But reaching out to serve ALL peoples of the world,
especially the marginalized.
APOSTOLIC
Not in physical lineage to the Apostles,
But living in the Holy Spirit as bestowed on them
and us.
ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, APOSTOLIC
Not in a limiting or exclusive sense,
But in an Expanding and Inclusive sense.
*
The hierarchy labels Catholics,
who have moved beyond the boundaries
of institutional religion in search of Spiritual growth
Fallen-away Catholics,
as if not following the man-made rules and regulations
signifies a loss of faith.
Outrageous!
I asked people for a more appropriate name for us;
Here are some of the responses:
Homeless Catholics, Nomad Catholics,
Catholic Alumni, Exodus Catholics, Liberated Catholics,
Adult Catholics, Non-Attending Catholics,
Un-fearful Catholics, Alienated Catholics,
Non-bureaucratic Catholics, Inclusive Catholics,
Catholics in Love, Catholics in Exile,
Recovering Catholics, Kinda Catholics,
Liberal Catholics, Raised Catholics, USTA B Catholics,
Wandering Catholics, Roamin’ Catholics,
Disgruntled Catholics, Wayward Catholics,
Activist Catholics, Gypsy Catholics,
Agitator Catholics, Jesus Catholics,
Non-bureaucratic Catholics, Un-hierarchied Catholics,
Protesting Catholics, Re-Formed Catholics,
Metanoiaed Catholics, Pray, Play, DisObey Catholics,
Non-Babel Catholics, Catholics Living in the Real World
Post-medieval Catholics, Un-clericalized Catholics,
Freed Catholics, New World Catholics, Rebel Catholics,
Disenfranchised Catholics, Home-Liturgy Catholics,
True-Tradition Catholics, Non-Lay Catholics,
De-Catechized Catholics, Open-Table Catholics,
De-institutionalized Catholics,
De-programmed Catholics, De-culted Catholics,
Ecumenical Catholics, catholic Catholics,
Christian Catholics, Home-Church Catholics,
Fundamental Catholics,
(as opposed to Catholic fundamentalists)
Un-intimidated Catholics, Illuminated Catholics,
Former Catholics, Universe Catholics,
Refreshed Catholics, Progressive Catholics,
Small-Faith-Group Catholics, Happy liberal Catholics,
Discerning Catholics, Thinking Catholics,
Emmaus Catholics, John XXIII Catholics,
Global Catholics, Welcoming Catholics,
Beatitude Catholics,
Episcopalians,
Call-To-Action Catholics, Pot Luck Catholics,
People of God,
Catholics-with-a-brain-not-afraid-to-use-it,
Thinking Catholics, Catholics Conflicted
The Newly Marginalized Catholics,
First-Century Catholics, Run-Away Catholics,
Body of Christ
Fallen Away?
Rohr would say Fallen Forward!
from Connie P: Although I respect your somewhat defense of the Church in your piece, I think its because you are a loving long time member
of the Basilica, which for the most part as memory serves me is the most open and inviting of all the Catholic churches of the Diocese..It’s easy to believe, isn’t it? It keeps you in the belief mode of trust and loyalty thru all the scandal…But,.when you are using such words in your piece like: mysterious, private, slow learners, leaders don’t get it..Then maybe you and most definitely the Church has failed again and again…However, your loyalty remains… Good luck with that.. the abuse cover ups and mysteries/privacy will continue too..
It’s been very hard for me to get back to the church.. and it doesn’t help to hear more stories that continue since 2002, etc. 10 years have gone.
The church my not be perfect..no one or thing is..but there are and should be no excuses for this unaccepted shameful behavior of those in power in the church, from the church and from those who abuse,and those who don’t take action or account for it!!!
It’s a bit of a lost cause.. and will take many decades if ever, to change for the better..
Side note: Pope Francis..
the Pope may have a great personality..( he’s from Piemonte,after all, where we all have bigger than life personalities)..but that doesn’t mean the
Church will change in any really big way, in my opinion. Only time will tell..
from Jeff P: The problem is that the Church leadership really hasn’t learned, and now frankly they don’t have the luxury of getting away with it. Laws are in place with no statute of limitations.
I suspect there may be criminal charges possibly filed against some of the primary people in this matter, including Archbishops and former Archbishops or at least their main assistants.
That and stopping the flow of money from parishioners to the top is the only way to stop it.
from Florence S: Thanks, Dick. Excellent. I re-read Bread Rising.
from Dale L: Thanks, Dick. Good thoughts indeed. Let’s pray for the church and all of us in it as we make our messy ways along the merciful path of reconciliation again and again…to the arms of the Father of Mercies.

#786 – Dick Bernard: Now the really hard work begins: To the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra, Maestro Osmo Vanska and the Audience.

October 8, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, History, International Relations, Labor, Minnesota, Nature /by dickbernard

NOTE: Permanent “file cabinet” on the Orchestra issue is here.
Twenty-four hours before I found my seat at the Ted Mann Concert Hall Saturday evening October 5, I was at the closing reception at the Will Steger Exhibit at the Minnesota College of Art and Design.
I was fascinated by the artifacts, and at 7:20 p.m. (so says my camera clock), I lingered at Will Stegers map of his Transarctic Expedition route in 1989-90.
(click to enlarge)

Will Stegers map of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition crossing 1989-90.

What an accomplishment that was.
I had never met Steger in person, and this evening, October 4, I briefly met him, and gave him two dozen snapshots I had taken at his welcome home at the Minnesota State Capitol March 25, 1990. He seemed genuinely interested in the photos, and lingered especially at my photos of two of the sled dogs from the expedition, which he remembered by name. To Steger, they were not dogs, they were team members with great value. Here they are:

Steger expedition sled dog, March 25, 1990

Second Steger Sled Dog, March 25, 1990

One of the multi-national support team for the Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Christine Loys of Paris, was at the reception. She’s here making a movie about the French in Minnesota and has known Will Steger for many years.
After the reception I gave her a ride to her temporary home in south Minneapolis. She was reminiscing about events now 23 years in the past.
The 1989-90 expedition was a very big international accomplishment involving the cooperation of many countries and people…and dogs.
Christine remembered a particular event: the homecoming of the Expedition to Paris. Everyone including the dogs had flown from New Zealand to England, and their next stop enroute home was Paris. The human members were cleared, but the dogs were held in quarantine.
But those dogs were members of the team, and late at night it was Christine’s assignment to call French President Francois Mitterand at home and deal with the matter. Here she was an ordinary French citizen, rousting the President out of bed and, of course, the dogs were cleared instantly.
Without the dogs, there would not been a successful expedition. Nor would there have been a successful expedition without all of the team members, most of whom were not trudging across Antarctica. Nor would there have been an expedition at all, were it not for Will Steger and, likely, Jean-Louis Etienne, a French physician and adventurer who had, quite by coincidence, met up with Will Steger at the North Pole during Stegers Polar Expedition in 1986.
But what does this have to do with the Minnesota Orchestra, Maestro Vanska, and we the audience?
Everything, I maintain.
Saturday night, I would contend, the Minnesota Orchestra made it to the South Pole, sacrificing everything to get there. It was important to Maestro Vanska to be there in support, and he was there, and it was a glorious evening to be celebrated with we audience members, and tens of thousands more listening on Minnesota Public Radio.
But as with the Will Steger team, the Orchestra’s South Pole is only half way home.
When Steger and his teammates reached the South Pole, they still had a long way to go.
Everybody celebrated reaching the goal of reaching the South Pole.
But then the hard work continued, all doing their parts.
So it has to be for everyone of us who are confused, angry and concerned about what has happened to our Orchestra.
There are no greater or lesser team members.
We’re all in this together.
En Avant! (the motto of Minneapolis MN, “Forward”).
NOTES:
Friday 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Ritz Theater in northeast Minneapolis, Christine Loys will have a program about En Evant!, her upcoming film about the French presence in Minnesota. The public is welcome. Will Steger will be one of the speakers. Here is the flier for the event: En Avant_Invite at the Ritz6. You can read/see more about Ms Loys project here, scroll to #4.
Will Steger’s website is here.

#785 – Dick Bernard: Three fellow travellers; three examples of Amazing Grace

October 7, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, Family History, Health, Minnesota, North Dakota, Quietings /by dickbernard

September 21 I stopped for a few minutes in New London, MN, enroute to visit a retired colleague and friend in home hospice a few miles away.
I hadn’t seen Mary in a long while – I’m long retired, and she lives a two hour drive away, off my normal “beaten path”.
But there are times for such visits, and enroute back from a short trip to North Dakota, I decided to drop in. Earlier, I had called Mary to schedule the visit, and was about an hour early.
Sitting in the small park in New London I looked for some photo object to remember my visit with Mary. I fixed on a nearby tree, well into preparation for Fall, and simply took this snapshot:
(click to enlarge)

New London MN Sep 21, 2013. “Mary’s Tree”

In my mind I’ve dubbed it “Mary’s Tree”.
Thence on to visit Mary and her sister. We had a most delightful 45 minutes. Earlier I’d sent her a copy of Tuesdays with Morrie, and forever I’ll remember my “Saturday with Mary”!.
Then off again for the cities.
Last week, mid-week, came an unexpected knock at our door.
There was Cliff, a retired barber – one of those one-man shop old-time barbers I prefer – and his wife Val. Cliff and Cathy were part of the high school ‘gang’ years ago. Cliff and Val had stopped by to drop off several of his CDs*.
And brought along some muffins for us.
Cliff is a very spritual guy – always has been – and the two CDS, “How Can I Fail” and “Cry Out”, vocal and guitar by Cliff, and piano by his friend, Mark, reflect his Lutheran Faith, and his personal witness. He and Mark did a fine job.
Did I mention Cliff has inoperable cancer?
He, too, is walking his last miles on earth.
He’s decided to live his life while he can.
It’s not easy: chemo is no walk in the park.
But we had a great visit. Later the same afternoon he called Cathy to say that the medical visit showed cancer in the lead, once again.
Then came yesterday, and a long scheduled brunch at Bernie’s home in northeast Minneapolis.
Bernie is a colleague usher at Basilica of St. Mary, and some weeks ago invited a bunch of us to a brunch for fellow usher Tom who’s retired from his duties, also “walking the walk” with cancer.
The time was delightful.
Those who know me, know me as always with a camera, and at some point, yesterday, Greg asked if I’d get my camera and take some pictures. I like this one, and you can find Tom, and Greg, and me, in there, and the other guests, just friends enjoying a fall afternoon.
(click to enlarge)

Brunch at Bernie’s, with Tom, October 6, 2013.

As I say, I’m always with my camera, people who know me, know that.
But in none of these three scenarios did I bring the camera into the scene. Why?
I’d asked Mary if I could take some photos for her in ND (she’s a daughter of ND), and she said “no”. Afterward I sent her several, anyway, including of “Mary’s Tree”.
For Cliff, the image of last Wednesday in our living room will have to be a memory in the mind’s eye.
And as for Tom, it was Greg who asked me to bring in the camera yesterday.
We deal with illness and death – our own and others – in our own ways. For all of us, it’s coming somewhere sooner or later, usually unexpected and uninvited, but nonetheless certain.
Mary, Cliff, Tom and so many others are teachers, worth a listen….
As for communication…and taking pictures…I’m suggesting that the risk is one worth taking.
* – re Cliff’s CDs, I’m sure I can get them for you, $10 each. If you want information, e-mail dick_bernardATmsnDOTcom.

A single vigil light for Mary at St. John the Evangelist in Wahpeton ND Sep. 19. 2013

Sunrise over Woodbury MN Oct 7, 2013

ON TAKING A RISK
Saturday I had occasion to revisit something I’d seen in the Church Bulletin of Riverside Methodist Church in Park Rapids MN October 17, 1982. It seems to fit this topic:
“To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
To serve God is to risk danger and martyrdom.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing. They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live. Chained by their certitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.”

Moonset, at Sunrise, over Wahpeton ND Sep 2, 2013

#784 – Dick Bernard: Some items relating to a better Earth.

October 5, 2013/0 Comments/in Climate Change, Environment, Minnesota /by dickbernard

Perhaps it is no more than a coincidence, but four events in particular draw my attention to varied initiatives relating to the Earth and its Peoples.
1. Tomorrow is the last day of an exhibition of the Minnesota College Art and design of some of the artifacts of renowned Arctic and Antarctic Explorer Will Steger. I learned of the event through a newspaper article here, and decided to go for the reception last night. It was very worthwhile, and it ends tomorrow (Sunday Oct 6) from noon to 5 p.m. I’ve made a small Facebook album of photos I took last evening, and included are a couple of websites. Will Steger was at the gathering and included are a couple of photos of him.
I’ve always had something of an interest in Steger’s work, and when he and his fellow explorers returned from the Transantarctic Expedition in March, 1990, I made it a point to go the welcome home at the Minnesota State Capitol March 25, 1990. Here are two photos from that homecoming:

Will Steger, March 25, 1990, at Minnesota State Capitol

MN Gov. Rudy Perpich welcomes the explorers home March 25, 1990

2. Tuesday evening October 8, my Church, Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, is participating in a nationwide education project on the topic of Climate Change. The flier with the full details is here: Oct 8 13 Basilica001
The Catholic Church is an immense institution and is once again in the news in a negative way. But it has been, is, and will continue to be a powerful and effective voice in many areas of great interest to people with an interest in justice and peace. This event is one example of this.
Come if you can.
3. Howard Buffett, son of THE Buffett, Warren, speaks on “Finding Hope in a Hungry World” at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis on November 7. Here is a photo of the program description for this free program.

Howard has been the subject of a 60 Minutes segment in the past. He is very knowledgeable and committed to the topic of choice.
4. Kaia Svien will lead what promises to be an interesting on the topic of climate change, next Saturday, October 12. Here is the information as provided by Kaia (who is an excellent group facilitator. I speak from experience.)
“Relating with Wisdom and Heartfulness to Climate Uncertainty and Change
Much of the news from international, local and neighborhood sources these days intensifies our uncertainty about our future wellbeing and the safety of all that we care about. Many of us find ourselves engulfed episodically in fierce emotions like fear, rage, hopelessness and confusion or moving robotlike through denial. Just when the overwhelm of these conditions pushes us to look away from what is happening, all around and to us, the guidance of many wisdom paths beckons us to turn toward this challenge. We find waiting for us here the familiar tools of accepting what is, tapping into interdependence, and cultivating compassion for all beings and our dear planet. We are graced in these tumultuous times by the visions of many sages who apply their fullhearted wisdom to assisting us in awakening our own deep knowing of how to return again and again to our center of love and interbeing. This workshop includes guided meditations, talks, experiential explorations and small groups discussions.
.
Date: Saturday, Oct 12, 1 pm – 5 pm 
Location: Common Ground Meditation Center, 2700 E. 26th St, Minneapolis
Fee: Donation
Registration: 612-722-8260 or info@commongroundmeditation.org”

#783 – Dick Bernard: Shut Down: A Continuing National Tragedy (and don't forget the Minnesota Orchestra)

October 2, 2013/0 Comments/in Community, Labor, Media, Minnesota, Politics /by dickbernard

This morning, last I heard, one of our five “outlaws” (one of their children is married to one of our children) gets on a plane in Minneapolis, flying to Washington D.C., for a reunion planned a year ago with several friends from the husbands Army days together in Vietnam times. They are from all over the country, and they have done several such trips together. Last year they decided that this year they’d meet in Washington, D.C. for the first time.
They are astute people, so most certainly they and everyone on the trip know what we do: that when they arrive, they won’t be able to tour any of the sites they came to visit. Congress has shut them down. As I pointed out in an earlier post, this reminds me of the famous Joni Mitchell song from 1970, here“>Big Yellow Taxi: “Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, you [wreck] paradise and put up a parking lot.”
I’ll learn soon enough if/how this reunion trip went, including whether they boarded the plane to nowhere at all….
Meanwhile, the blather will continue unabated about whose fault this shutdown is, etc.
A Republican “Majority Survey” I filled out this morning (more on that at another time), gives a helpful hint about how the marketing of positions takes place. I was asked to rank-order the “most effective vehicle[s]” for Republican messages. I had these choices, and only these choices, in this order: Television Ads, Targeted Mailings, E-mail Messages, Telephone Calls, Newspaper, Radio, Internet Ads…and Other. (I chose “other”, and ranked all the rest equally, as least effective.)
The tragedy at the national level, whether short or long, will continue to unfold.
It seems basically to zero in on about 80 Republican Representatives – about 5% of the U.S. House of Representatives – for whom the Lord’s work seems to be holding the country hostage. Ryan Lizza, in the Sep 26 New Yorker, gives a helpful look at where these folks are from.
Perhaps a similar 5% of the “American people” are cheering on this disaster, for their own reasons. I know some of the people who are probably in this category. They are a bitter, tiny minority.
Meanwhile, back in the Twin Cities, yesterday we were at a rally commemorating the 1st day of the second year of the Lock-Out of the Minnesota Orchestra.
This was less than 24 hours after famed conductor Osmo Vanska had resigned (as he had promised to do) if no settlement was reached by midnight September 30; and, after the Orchestra Management cancelled a long scheduled concert by the Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City next month.
This is very big, and very bad, news in the international music world. Attending and speaking yesterday was the president of the 90,000 member American Federation of Musicians (AFM – their October 1 statement here: MN Orch Board AFM Statement Oct 1, 2013).
You’d think it would be noticed. But across the street from us, perhaps 200 feet away, at WCCO-TV, which bills itself as the most watched station in this market, no attention was paid to this news – at least, we saw not so much as a WCCO camera recording the proceedings. And the local Minneapolis Star Tribune, whose publisher and CEO is on the Orchestral Association Board, while printing a long front page article gave very short shrift to the Union position.
News in our society is managed (see the Republican survey choices above.)
Those of us in the gathering heard the Musicians Union version of what happened at the final negotiations session the previous day. It is highly unlikely that the Union version of the bargaining session will ever see the light of day in the greater community because of who controls the media in this town, and the power people who control the Board of the Minnesota Orchestral Association. (Next on this mornings work, I’ll give my recount of the orchestra situation, and some photos, etc., from yesterdays rally can be found here (scroll down to October 2. This particular post will remain the ‘filing cabinet’ about the Minnesota Orchestra situation.)
While I don’t have any personal investment in my “outlaws” trip to D.C., and they probably don’t have any personal investment in my outrage at the destructive behavior of the Minnesota Orchestral Association management destroying the Orchestra I love and have willingly supported all these years, I see our predicaments as essentially equal.
We ought to be a country that cares about each other.
We’re in a time of power politics now.
We’ll rue the day.
We must become engaged, actively, in solutions for everyone.
Comments:
from Joni H, Oct 2, 2013 (a Middle School Principal in a major metropolitan area, conveying a note from a teacher): Thought you’d find this interesting. If anyone wonders how the government shutdown impacts a single classroom… This is what you get [click on link] when you visit usgs.gov (a website that our school uses with it’s 8th grade earth science classes.)
Ugh.
From Flo H, Oct 2, 2013: Think about this. It’s in doubt as to whether we can legally hold the volunteer driven Hike for Hope on the North Country National Scenic Trail (under National Park Service supervision) on Sunday, October 6 but there’s no way that we can actually let the public know, at this late date, that it has to be cancelled. Now, if Congress decides that National Parks will be an exception and grant continuation funding, as some members of Congress are proposing …
It appears that re-opening National Parks is more important to some in Congress than providing resources for 8th-graders earth science curriculum or providing access to healthcare to all. Hope your classes and teachers will fill the empty class time writing to their Representatives, Senators and the President and Letters to the Editor decrying the lunacy of this shut down! Maybe the kids could also suggest a viable compromise. The adults in charge surely can’t figure it out!
From a long retired eighth grade earth science teacher, good luck!