For some reason this time around, this has been a very difficult article for me to write....in fact, as I sit here typing I've already put David Gawlik behind in his pipeline. There have been so many disconnected bits and pieces of ideas and emotions that have been impacting me that I wanted to share with you. Weaving them together in some type of cogent fashion has been the hard part. I hope this works for you.
Theres the Kate piece.... our daughter is a freshman, (is that still a politically correct term?), at Kent State, OH about six or seven hours away from home. Determined to be born, for the past 18 years, Kate has been our family extrovert. I still remember taking her to the supermarket when she was a toddler and being amazed at the number of people I didn't personally know who would say hello to my daughter by name! Superb in the people-skills category, she instinctively tracked specific conversation pieces to connect her with adults in her life from teachers to neighbors. Beyond being a vocalist and musician, she lived life so much 'on stage' in day-to-day situations, we've called her our Drama Queen. Kate was pretty much able to develop her own comfort zone and shine both personally and educationally. It's been painful watching for the past month or so, though. Like many freshman, so were're hearing, she's dealing with homesickness, or more likely, just grappling with recapturing the sense of self she knew, in an environment she'd been comfortable in, while stretching beyond. Luckily for all of us, there are family and friends living within an hours reach to be of support.
Then, theres the Joe piece... our son is just five plus months into his service in the US Navy. Prior to being " temporary duty " stationed in Mississippi, the longest time Joe spent truly in the South was several days at Disneyworld. We were able to encourage him to complete an associates degree before, having had enough of school for a while, enlisting. The 'dreamer', Joe's expectation was that the military would provide him with an opportunity to get his life more effectively organized! There are so many vignettes to share, but lets just let it slide with the fact that we keep being told by those in the know "the military does not work with business-like efficiency".
Or, theres the Mamas piece...as many of you know from firsthand experience, while dealing with growing / grown children, we of the boomer generation are also working around care issues for aging parents. One or both of us spend time shuffling between one mother, who at 91 is angry because she doesnt feel as young as she did at 60 (but still lives at home, fairly mobile and self-sufficient); and unloading 60 years of accumulation for the other, who is struggling with having had to move into an assisted living center at age 84.
Marian, my better half, has been working as a full-time career counselor for the past ten years. The company she works for has been sold twice in the past two and a half years. At each step, many of you know the drill, there has been a significant culture shift as the new owners style takes hold. Do more with less support, smile and be thankful for the paycheck. She's excellent at helping people communicate their talents, skills and abilities, and setting up networking events. Now with 'empty nest' syndrome taking hold she's ready to spread her wings further and recapture some of her own higher qualities. Part of celebrating her own grassroots spirituality, Marian recently participated in the New York Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, joining 2,700 kindred souls walking for two days, raising funds and consciousness about this disease that strikes a new victim every three minutes.
Me...Last week I was asked to deliver a two-day career transition workshop for a group of folks at a site in Upstate New York. The company is closing this union-shop assembly plant and opening a non-union facility in Mexico. Some of the folks have already lived through a couple of plant closings before. Knowing that $12.38 per hour was premium pay in their area for rotating shifts of 12 hours on / 12 off / in a rolling 4 day schedule, they were expecting to take a 33% pay cut the next step out. One woman was on the verge of tears as she spoke of having already declared bankruptcy once before and was afraid of being humiliated in the same fashion again. Another, who has a husband with serious health problems, knew she'd have to take almost any salary or position available as long as the job came with health benefits.
Sandwiched in between are opportunities I've had to officiate at numerous weddings and collaborate with rabbi friends on Baby Naming/Christening ceremonies, and work with an incredibly talented group of people who make up the CORPUS national team, or join forces internationally with the folks in the North Atlantic Federation. Theres trading emails with priests in canonical ministry as we try to encourage each other in enlivening the vision. And the search for billable consulting hours to support my pro bono habit.
As I read through the last several paragraphs, I realize that I've put together for you one of those Christmas letters we often receive from old friends, sometimes sounding like a "can you top this" list. It was'nt supposed to start out that way.
I guess, though, what strikes me is that I'm living the life I prayed for while in parish ministry: sharing as priest in the every day life experiences of those with whom I've been called to serve. And for that I am eternally grateful. Each day, honestly, some days more than others, I get to realize that the God made known to us by Jesus is the God in whom we live and move and have our being. That the ground we walk on is truly "holy ground".
In clerical ministry I felt disconnected from life. God was 'out there', transcendent, beyond. As a celibate I often had the sense of watching other people live, but not truly living myself. And, my sense is that I am not alone in that experience. The immanence of God, the close presence of God was the person Jesus. But then I was gifted with a very special friendship, and that friendship blossomed into love. I knew beyond faith that God was more real and present and transcendent than I ever could have imagined before. Disconnected from God made real in the eyes of your spouse or partner or child its easy to promulgate for a God who draws lines in the sand and comprehends nothing about our lives.
CORPUS has always been so much more than an organization. In our early days it was a home for many of us after transitioning from priesthood or religious life providing support when families and friends deserted us. People we connected with through CORPUS became much more than friends. We've been family to each other, celebrating each others joys and successes, and offering vital support at life's pain-filled moments. Having come out of comparable experiences of priesthood or religious community or church life weve been able to connect at a deeper spiritual level.
Not long ago, we were had our first formal CORPUS gathering in northern New Jersey in many years, sparked by the activity of Carroll and Judy Mrowicki. More than two-dozen couples came together with members of the Catholic-Protestant inclusive community, where Anthony Padovano serves as pastor, for Eucharist and a continental breakfast. Many of us had known each other for quite some time, and being together again was truly enjoyable. But also blended right in were a few couples who had transitioned a decade or more ago, and in all those years had never had an opportunity to share this type of experience. New bridges were built immediately.
It never ceases to amaze me that in groups like CORPUS we find expressed our vision of Church: people with whom we can truly share our faith, support each other in our hope, and nurture each other in our love. These gatherings are where we come to be church and return home refreshed to continue with our own particularized ministries. Connected personally, we experience the closeness of God.
What do you hope and pray for? Where do you find your hope strengthened?
My prayer for you in this special time from Thanksgiving through the Christmas season is that you will be a gift of hope for those who need it most from you.
Peace and blessings,
Russ Ditzel, CORPUS President
Russ can be reached at crditzel@corpus.org
