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Church Clips by Dolores Madlener

Dolores Madlenera column of benevolent gossip

  • First of its kind —

    Wyoming Catholic College is the first four-year Catholic college in “The Equality State.” Situated in Lander, Wy., with a national forest and state park as neighbors, this new (2007) liberal arts school has an impressive educational goal: “graduates who know there is truth and how to seek it, know how to think clearly and express their thoughts eloquently, know how to learn and expect to find delight in learning throughout their lives, and know how to attain a great measure of happiness by a moral life led in relationship with God.”
  • Labor Day reading —

    It’s a 49-page booklet from the pen of the late, great Ed Marciniak, Chicago Catholic lay leader. “Catholic Administrators and Labor Unions,” has just been published by Ed’s collaborator and friend Bill Droel, a professor at Moraine Valley Community College. You can meditate on sentences like, “Exploitation cannot put on the coat of acceptable arrangement simply because a worker consents to the situation.” And there’s a definition “in Catholic doctrine” of the ideal union where everyone contributes to “a spirituality of work.” It’s a thoughtful piece to mull over especially if labor is your topic, with chapters providing ethical guidelines for both sides to find the high road. Available for $3.25 from National Center for the Laity, P.O. Box 291102, Chicago, IL 60629.
  • Parish potpourri —

    St. Celestine’s (Elmwood Park) is proud of parish school grads Joseph Brandstatter, just turned 19, who made Boy Scouts’ highest rank of Eagle Scout, and Kimberly Wilson, 17, who achieved Girl Scouts’ highest: the Girl Scout Gold Award. . . . St. Barnabas (S. Longwood) received a check for $2,500 a gift from its enthusiastic bridge players. . . . Santa Maria del Popolo Parish (Mundelein) will hold a Texas Hold ‘em party Sept. 12 to benefit restoration of the historic fire truck given to their village by Cardinal George Mundelein in 1925. . . . Nativity BVM Church (S. Washtenaw) closes the 400th jubilee of the apparition of Our Lady of Siluva Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. Mass followed by a luncheon at the Oak Lawn Hilton. . . . Father Chris Doering of Our Lady of Victory (W. Agatite) and Father Ed Cronin of St. Alexander (Palos Heights) will lead the north/south “Walk for Life” Sept. 13 to benefit The Women’s Center, a pro-life outreach.
  • Is it possible? —

    Chicago Gaelic Park has a bus trip to the White Sox vs. Royals game on Sept. 18, for a “Halfway-to-St. Patrick’s Day” celebration.
  • ‘Challenge your heart’ —

    Parishioner Eric Miller of St. Athanasius (Evanston) has created a moving 11-minute documentary featuring the stories of some of Chicago’s homeless men and women. He even met Smitty, a homeless man who attended his college alma mater. Miller also discovered, “Everyone I met valued their independence.” You can view it at www.YouTube.com if you type in “A Day in the Life of Chicago Homeless.”
  • Dance roots —

    Kathleen M. Flanagan launches her book on the history of Irish dance in Chicago Sept. 20 at the Irish American Heritage Center (N. Knox). “Steps in Time” includes contemporary performers like Michael Flatley as well as early greats like John McNamara, Pat Roche and Marge and Dennis Dennehy. (That unique Irish style of keeping hands and upper body stiff in dance has various explanations. One says it pays respect to the oppression of the Irish culture, in language, dance and song, during English occupation in the 18th century.)
  • Visitation men —

    Trappist Father Daniel Lenihan, who grew up in Visitation Parish (W. Garfield), preached a homily in New Melleray Abbey chapel in Dubuque on Aug. 2. Father, who entered the community in 1946, was celebrating his 102nd birthday and thanked “God who gifted all of our parents with the faith that they honored and professed and handed down to us.” . . . Those requesting an audio CD of the May 27 funeral Mass of another Viz graduate, Father P. William Murphy, 93, may contact Brian Stepanek at (708) 738-0196.
  • For Latin lovers —

    St. John Cantius Parish (N. Carpenter) is registering adults in beginner level Latin and Greek, and children (grades 5 through 8) for introductory Latin. Classes run Oct. 4-Jan. 10 and are held at 1025 W. Fry. Call Joseph Phelps at (312) 236-5454, ext. 132, or e-mail [email protected].