What a Good Friday It Is!

I attended the 29th Good Friday Walk for Peace and Justice sponsored by the 8th Day Center for Justice located here in Chicago. I "retired" a day early to be able to attend. Last year they walked in a literal blizzard, today sunny but with very cold winds. The walk does actually take the 3 hours from noon to 3 PM. The theme today was "Who will carry the Word? To Remember, to Speak, to Act, to Imagine"

I will list the Stations:
1. First A blessing in the Native American tradition with a prayer to the four directions.
2. Condemned: The Military in Schools (Chicago has the most Jr ROTC in its high schools and has a high school dedicated to each of the branches of service!)
3. Burdened: Workers Rights
4. Helped in the Struggle: Immigration
5. Women Weeping: Gender Based Violence and War
6. Falling: Environment, prayers for the Earth, Water, Fire, Air, all of humanity.
7. Grieving Mothers: War, Justice for Columbia
8. Stripped: Torture (powerful stories of torture from the prisoners of the Iraq war)
9. Executed: Justice in the Roman Catholic Church
10. Resurrection: Who will carry the word?

They were all wonderful with the mimes who carried the cross and posed at each station.

But the "Oh my gosh what will the RCC do now?" was station 9: Justice in the RCC. This station was sponsored and written by members of the national Call to Action, and the Chicagoland chapter members.

The readings for this station included:
a. I am a Catholic I am gay...
b. I am a Catholic woman and I am called to be a priest... (statement by Rev. Barbara Zeman, 1st RCWP for Chicago, ordained November 1, 2008
c. I am a Catholic deacon... (challenged Card G on the pedophile scandal, asking that he step down)
d. I am a worker at a Catholic hospital trying to support my family... (the RCC is notoriously anti union at its institutions)
e. I am reading from the letter written by Fr. Roy Bourgeois after his excommunication by Rome for attending an ordination of a Roman Catholic Women Priest (Janice from Lexington KY who will be my mentor)

We all were standing with our mouths open when they were done! I could not believe what I had just heard. An actual indictment of the behavior of the RCC as an institution both here in Chicago and nationally. There were no media present that I am aware of. But...I heard that one of the Cardinal's staff was present, probably a member of CTA? So soon...watch your local Chicago paper for the Cardinal's response, I mean this man called for the heads of Notre Dame to roll because they had the audacity to invite Pres. Obama to speak at graduation.

A GATHERING OF ANGELS
After that exhilarating ending to the 29th walk I headed into the State of IL building the Thompson Center for a cup of hot chocolate with friends. One was Betty Benson our wonderful model of minister for peace at the tender age of 92. We all admire her so much and know our retirement years will just be like hers! I sat down with Barbara and another friend. Pam sat with Betty a few tables away. I headed to the counter to order my dinner when I noticed Betty almost collapsing holding a cup and seemingly vomiting into it.

This is one independent lady, I have known her for the 8 years of the Peace Vigil and she has come out with us Tuesday after Tuesday. She does take the worst weather days off during the winter (I think I will to when I hit 90, God willing). Betty has no family as she told us, "My church is my family."

I look at Betty as she collapses against the wall vomiting into the coffee cup. I am a chaplain, but I am NOT medically trained. Now the friend that I was sitting with "happens" to be a MD. I run to Maureen, "Maureen, I hate to ask you and interrupt your meal but..." Maureen, runs to Betty and becomes MD not funny friend. I go back and eat and Maureen checks her out. "She has something wrong, probably gastro intestinal." We discuss whether in Maureen's opinion we should call 911 or get her to the ER. Maureen says, "Let's wait for a little bit and we will see what develops."

A little while later Pam comes to our table, "Betty wants to go home, how should we get her there?" Betty came by train and none of us thinks that is a good way for her to go home alone. We discuss putting her into a taxi, or our joining her on the train, she lives a couple of stops N of me on the red line. Dr. Maureen is definitely against Betty traveling anywhere alone.

Pam returns to Betty's table. A few minutes later she comes back to us, "See that young woman she is a member of Betty's church and is calling to get her a ride home."
A Gathering of Angels; good women taking care of one of our elders (we are all in our 60's). I thought God provides for Betty: a MD, a chaplain, a member of her church all there to see she gets home safely.

By this time Betty is feeling better and says, "I need to go to the bathroom." Both Maureen and I declare, "We will accompany you!" Betty looks perturbed but she knows neither of us will back down. We accompany her although now Betty is walking with more strength and balance. Both of us were worried about her falling down. Maureen walked to her right and I stayed back a step in case she decided to go over backwards, Maureen could catch either to the side or front.

Betty spends sometime vomiting in the bathroom and then declares, "I am alright" We accompany her back to the table. Pam informs us that "Betty's pastor is on the way and should be here very shortly." Betty puts on her coat and takes off up the escalator to meet him declaring, "I am feeling fine." Pam runs after her and Maureen says, "Go girl your weak patient is running away from you." Maureen had to head to the train another way. We laugh and I head up the escalator.

Pam and I wait with Betty while she talks about ending the death penalty "Should be a station next year!" with emphasis. Pam gets the call from the pastor who is pulling up outside to pick Betty up. We escort Betty to the car, he gives us a smile, we say, "Happy Easter Betty" and she is whisked away!

God is good, a faith community in action caring for a friend. My celebration of Easter now over, Pam and I head to the Red line N toward Edgewater for me and Evanston for her. It was good to be together, a powerful group of women.

Of course, I didn't pack anything today at all,
But oh what a first day of retirement for me!

The walk, the prayers, the sharing, the caring.
All Good all of God, we are one.
Blessings this week.