Today on Promontory Point

Today on my walk around Promontory Point I spied, in no particular order ...

Walkers, runners, joggers, cyclists
A double stroller
A wheelchair
Oodles of picnics
Karaoke at one
A dj spinning tunes at another
(Yes, both involved complex sounds systems they carted out here)
Caterers setting up chairs for an outdoor wedding
Wedding guests
The bride
A Frisbee game on the grass
Swimmers
Sun bathers
Another Frisbee game ... this one being played in the Lake
Folks enjoying the view of the City
Trees, grass, bugs, water, birds
And lots and lots of people

Friends, Comps Questions, and Father Daughter Time

I've been back in Chicago since Tuesday. While I'm not taking summer classes, I have been busy. For one thing, my main task this June is to compile a draft set of 10 questions and bibliography for the comprehensive oral exams I will take in the Fall. My faculty board chair will then review them and we will revise them before I head to my Congregation Chapter at the end of the summer. So far, I have a good handle on 4 out of 10 (I think). This is looking more doable!

I've also had a chance to spend a little bit of time with friends this week. A group of Giving Voice Sisters are in Chicago taking summer classes at CTU, so we went out on the town on Wednesday, visiting the "bean" at Millenial Park, having dinner, walking around downtown, and eating dessert on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building! Last night I visited with some school friends, including one who is moving out of town this weekend. I am so grateful for the community I've built here at CTU and know we will be friends for many years to come, even if at a distance.

I spent my first full day back in Chicago on Tuesday with my Dad at his assisted living, and I plan to spend most of the weekend with him as well for some quality father-daughter bonding time. This time last year he was still living in DC and I went to spend Father's Day with him there. We ended up spending the whole time in the emergency room/hospital as he had some health issues. He's doing a lot better these days and so hopefully our weekend is filled with movies, games, conversation, and fun. Maybe a few naps as well!

Things are busy, to be sure, but it also nice to have a bit of a shift into summer time where there is a bit more time and space for the work that needs to be done as well as the relationships and fun time.

I hope you are finding some of that time and space in the midst of busy-ness too!

Snowy Gaudete Sunday

Well as it turns out I spent Gaudete Sunday--3rd Sunday of Advent for those not in the know, when we REJOICE that Jesus is coming very very soon (liturgically)-- in a snowy Chicago instead of driving between Seattle and Portland as planned. My Dad has been having a few health challenges and needed some company to get through them, so I came back a bit early from my west coast sojourn. I spent Friday night & Saturday with him, and happily he is doing better. Hence I'm back on my own in Hyde Park and sorting out the disorganized mess I left in my room when I skipped town after my last assignments were turned in for the semester.

When I left Seattle, it was warmish and raining so all I needed was my lightweight rain gear over fleece. Here in Chicago, where it is 11 degrees!, I needed much more than that for my walk to mass and the grocery store this morning.

This morning during mass, I was reflecting on how sometimes life is messy and complicated. Sometimes people might disappoint us, other times we might feel like we can't give someone everything they need.  We are busy, our time is limited. Etc...  Yet, it is into this very real human world, for surely even Joseph and Mary were stressed and torn in multiple directions, that Jesus came. It is into this very real human world, where we are torn in multiple directions, weary and worn, that Jesus comes. Think about that for a minute.  Truly, there is so much to be joyful about as we await the coming of the Prince of Peace.

A New School Year

Classes start tomorrow at Catholic Theological Union.  It's my second year of graduate studies here.  I am half way through my course work for my research MA in Theology, with a major in Social Ethics and a minor in Spirituality.  I'm also earning a Certificate in Spirituality.

My classes this Semester are evenly split between ethics and spirituality.  Tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM the adventure begins with a seminar called Holocaust & Genocide: Ethical Reflections. Given everything going on in the world today and our sordid shared history of the past 50 years, this is sure to be a challenging class.  My professor is an expert on the Holocaust and has been deeply involved in Catholic-Jewish dialogue for many years.

Tomorrow night I'm starting Medical Ethics.  While I am studying social ethics, I also realize the importance of having a good grounding in reflection and practical application of our Catholic ethical and religious directives. My religious community also sponsors hospitals so this way I can be a resource. This is the same professor I had for sexual ethics last semester so I know it will be a great (if challenging) class.

Wednesday afternoon my class begins on Religious Life in the 21st Century: Creating Communities of Hope on a Global Scale.  Obviously the topic is one close to my heart.  We'll be reading the latest volume of the trilogy by Sandra Schneider, IHM as well as a variety of other thought provoking resources.  I know the professor and several of the students (all young nuns from Giving Voice) so this promises to be an excellent opportunity.

My last class is on Wednesday evenings.  It's a part of a public lecture series on the Spiritual Classics of the Early Church.  A group of CTU students will meet with the professor after the weekly lecture evenings for a more academic class.  We'll be looking at classic writings from early church and desert fathers and mothers and applying them to our spiritual lives today.

I'm also continuing my internship with the Bernardin Center, which involves research on themes of peacebuilding, conflict and reconciliation.

As you can see, it promises to be a very rich and challenging Semester! I feel very blessed that my CSJP community has missioned me for this time of studies and learning. I try to shine the light of our Charism and spirituality on everything I do!

I'm sure there will be insights and learnings that I'll want to share with my bloggy friends.  Please keep all students, teachers, and administrators in your prayers as a new school year begins!

Dear Rahm -- or the saga of my attempt to file a City of Chicago Police Report

This is going into the mail in the morning ....

January 3, 2013

Mayor Rahm Emanuel

City of Chicago

121 N LaSalle Street
Chicago City Hall 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602

Dear Mayor Emanuel:

I am a new resident of the great City of Chicago.  I moved here last fall to begin studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park. I have enjoyed the beautiful City parks and welcoming spirit of the City and have generally been pleased with my move.

However, today I had my first direct interaction with City government, and I was not impressed.  While I am now a Catholic Sister of St. Joseph of Peace, before I professed my vows I spent 11 years working in municipal administration for the City of Portland, Oregon.  I share this tidbit because I believe it illustrates that I both understand the reality of overworked employees and understand how the system works.  I believe my family and friends would say that I am the last person to offer an undeserved anti-government “rant.” Yet I also firmly believe that my experience today is troublesome.  Hence, I am sharing it with you and your administration.

This afternoon I was the victim of a pickpocket who stole my wallet and telephone while I was enjoying a cup of coffee and cookie at the Bonjour Bakery Café in Hyde Park.  After cancelling my credit cards (which had already been used by the thieves) and stopping my cellular phone account, I called the police non-emergency number to report the theft.

Thirty five minutes, 5 transfers and 2 lectures later, I was the proud recipient of a police report number.  However, it took great persistence, perseverance, patience and a thick skin to be able to file my report.  I did not feel respected or believed, nor did I feel that the government employees on the other end of the phone had any interest in assisting me.

When I told the first individual who answered the non-emergency number that I wanted to report that my wallet and telephone were stolen, I was put on hold.  A few minutes later, I found myself speaking with another person.  I told this person the same thing, and was transferred to yet another person.  This third person asked me if I knew who stole my wallet and phone.  I told this person that I did not personally know them, but that the staff at the bakery had checked the surveillance tape and while the video did not catch them in the act, it did show the two men who were standing behind me in the café and most likely stole the wallet and telephone.  He said I needed to speak with a detective and transferred me again.  The next person who answered the phone was very angry at me when I told my story about wanting to report a stolen wallet and phone.  “Why are you calling 911!?,” he asked.  I said that I had called 311, about 15 minutes earlier, and that after several transfers I had ended up with him.  We went around and around again about the video, and he decided that I did not need 911.  He lectured me again for calling 911.  I again indicated as politely as possible that I understood this was not an emergency which is why I had called the non-emergency number.  I then asked him asked him to transfer me to someone who would take my police report.  He transferred me back to 311 where I was put on hold for about 10 more minutes.

Finally I received a human being who seemed willing to take my police report.  However, she again asked me if I had seen the person steal the wallet.  I explained that the wallet and phone had been in my coat pocket, and that I had been sitting on my coat in the café and about 20 minutes later realized my wallet was gone.  I told her that I had spoken with the staff at the café and they checked the video surveillance which they said showed two men standing behind me who were acting “strangely.” When I said that I believed they stole my wallet and phone, she asked derisively if I saw them both put their hands in my pocket, or if the video showed the two men put their hands in my pocket.  When I indicated that as far as I knew the camera was aimed at eye level and not my hip, she said that all she could do was report the wallet as lost.

At this point I was frustrated, so I will admit that I got a little bit snippy and said in exacerbation, “Well then it is interesting that my lost debit card made it to Target within the next 45 minutes and tried to charge more than $600 all by itself.” I had already called the bank who had told me that several small charges had cleared but they had put on a fraud alert for this large charge.  This finally got the attention of the clerk, and I was able to file a police report.

This experience has led me to wonder whether the crime statistics for the City of Chicago are accurate.  If other law abiding citizens have experiences as challenging as mine, I suspect that more than a few give up before they are ever able to navigate the system and that the crime statistics are greatly underreported. I hope that you and your staff are working to improve this crime reporting system and providing customer service training to those who answer the non-emergency line.

Thank you for reading my letter and for all you and your staff do for Chicago residents.  I hope that my next interaction with the City of Chicago is more positive.

Sincerely,

Sister Susan Rose Francois, CSJP

CC: Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of Police

Retreat Day in the City Part 2 - Wandering

After my quiet morning at the Art Institute, I went wandering a bit around the city. I stopped off at the "bean" in Millennium Park.

Where I took the requisite "self-portraits."

Then I found my over at the Christkindlmarkt in Daley Plaza where I looked at the crafts and had some yummy German food before heading home.

I'm planning to finish my quiet day with, well, some quiet time with God, reflecting with gratitude on this day and praying for everyone who crossed my path.

Peace

Week One

Well, tomorrow is Friday.  The early highlight of my weekend will be a play date with my 2 year old nephew Ash.  This is sure to put all the rest of the week in perspective!  Hopefully it will also refresh and renew me as I have LOTS to read after just the first week of classes.

It has been a bit of a whirlwind week with lots of information, new names and faces.  I've never been terribly good with names, and many of the names are ones I am not familiar with as there are students from all across the globe.  With time I am sure everyone will become familiar and part of my CTU life.

I've had all four of my classes this week.  I'm taking Introduction to Moral Theology, Reconciliation & Forgiveness, and Spirituality, Liturgy and the Quest for Justice.  Each of these professors is knowledgeable and approachable, and the topics of course are very interesting to me.  I'm excited to focus on my special areas of interest over the next two years!  While I've got lots of reading and a 20-25 page research paper ahead for each of these classes, I'm also a happy social justice/theology geek at the moment.  I'm also taking a prereq Philosophy class which promises to be interesting in its own way.  That's my smallest class so at the very least I'll get to know the other students.  I also managed to line up a Latin tutor today and will be launching back into the joys of latin later next week.  French doesn't start until October.  There's also the little matter of an internship that will be added to the mix, but that hasn't been sorted out yet.  I think I will have plenty to keep me busy!

But first things first, I head North on the bus & L train tomorrow to hang out with my little guy.  Should be fun!

Historic View

I love history.  It runs in my family.  My mom and dad took us to more historic type places than I can count as a kid.  My sister is a historian by trade. I minored in history in college.  As much as I look at things from a political framework, that framework is also usually grounded in history.  It's fun, what can I say?


So, knowing that the Catholic Theological Union resident building used to be the Hotel Aragon before it became the home of CTU, I did a little bit of internet sleuthing.  Indeed, the Hotel Aragon was built in 1924. Here is a postcard from the 1950s advertising this apartment hotel.  "Hotel Aragon, Cornell Avenue at 54th Street, Chicago, IL - Located in the beautiful Jackson Park residential section overlooking Lake Michigan, 200 rooms, each with private bath.  Moderately priced coffee shop, dining room. Ten minute service ..."


In 1968, the three founding religious communities of CTU-Franciscans, Passionists and Servites, bought the Hotel Aragon to house their new theological experiment. The building housed it all--rooms for students and offices, lounges turned into classrooms, and the "moderately priced coffee shop" became a cafeteria.  I gather that eventually, the Hotel Aragon-turned-CTU was bursting at the seams and the campus spread out to rent and buy other neighboring buildings for student residences and office space.

New CTU academic building ... you can
see the reflection of the
residence building in the glass

Then, in 2006 classrooms, the library and the majority of the offices moved across the street to a new building which is the center of the school. The old hotel building now has students living on the top three floors, rooms for participants in special programs and guests, as well as a number of Catholic organizations that rent office space.  The cafeteria is still here as well, although I've chosen to cook my own food in the kitchen on the floor rather than be on the meal plan.

CTU is now sponsored by 24 men's religious communities.  There are lay students, women religious, and students from all over the world that are part of the CTU community.  As of this semester, that includes me.  It's good to have a little grounding in the history.

For a little more contemporary history, President Obama and his family own a house not too far away from here, but they used to live in the immediate neighborhood.  CTU was apparently his polling place when he voted in 2004 as documented by this last picture.  Since the photo was taken in 2004 and CTU didn't move across the street until 2006, that means I'm living in the building where he voted.  Just saying.

[Photo Caption: In this Nov. 2, 2004 file photo, then Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama leaves with his wife Michelle, daughters Sasha, front left and Malia, after voting at Catholic Theological Union polling place in Chicago.  Nam Y Huh File: Associated Press]

Settling In

Today was a settling in kind of day.  First order of business was a good night's sleep in my new-to-me bed.  I was so tired, I probably would have slept like a log anywhere, but it was nice to accomplish that feat in my own bed.

After making (and eating) a yummy nutritious breakfast, I joined my Sisters from afar in praying the morning office.  I'm using the same book that we use in our three regional centers and in many of our houses, so that's a great way to stay connected in prayer with my CSJP Sisters even though I'm living away from home these days.

Then I went for a long walk, first over to the lake and then exploring a bit of Hyde Park, bought a few more groceries and some bits and bobs to finish up my room.When I got back from my walk my last boxes had arrived!  I was able to unpack them and put the finishing touches on my corner room where I anticipate spending much time these next two years.  I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with the end result.  It feels like the sleep/study/prayer space of a 40 year old woman religious graduate student rather than a dorm room.  I'm happy with that over all effect since that's who I am!

In the end, I didn't ship any of my artwork to adorn my walls.  Today as I was window shopping at the local office supply store, I saw some acrylic plastic sign holders that can be hung with string and had a brain flash.  The end result is that I now have three 8X10 photographs of my own retreat photography adorning my walls.  The added bonus is that since I hung the sign holder/frames with clear fishing line, I was able to use the nails that were already in the wall (left over from the generic hotel-like art that I removed from the walls yesterday).  So now as I sit in my comfy chair, I see photos of beauty and wonder that bring back memories of wonderful God moments.  And if I get tired of looking at these photos, I can have some new 8X10s printed of other photos and switch them out from time to time!

So for those of you who are praying for and supporting me on this new adventure, here are some photos of my new space so you can imagine where  much learning, reading, research and writing will be happening over the next two years (we hope!).  As well as sleeping and other assorted activities.

Added bonus, I have a huge walk in closet with great shelving so hopefully I can keep things organized and relatively clutter free.

Well, that's all I have to report from my physical transition.  Tomorrow I have my first orientation for the Bernadin Scholars program.  Friday is new student orientation.  Classes start Tuesday.  See that top shelf of books on the bookshelf.  I will be reading all of those this semester.  I will certainly be busy!

Hello Chicago

View from my room -
CTU across the street

I am safely settled in my new 9th floor corner room in Chicago.  Originally I was supposed to be in the room next door, but there was some sort of issue with the ceiling.  I must say, I'm happy it worked out this way because I LOVE my corner spot.  Which of course is a good thing as I will be spending the majority of my time in this room for the next 2 years.  Well, I'll also be in class and at the library of course, but since I'm located right across the street from school that will be an easy commute!

While it took me most of the summer to sort through all of my assorted "stuff" and pack, it took me just a few hours to get everything pretty much settled into its new home.  My first Chicago-resident-Aunt-Susan connection has also been made, as I saw my big sister Monica and her adorable little guy Ash yesterday.  We're planning to set up a regular Aunt-nephew bonding date once I sort out my schedule. They took me shopping so that I could get a few things to set up my new room.  I had fun showing Ash my new digs ... he seemed most impressed by the community room and its superabundance of chairs.

Orientations start tomorrow and Friday.  Today I'm going to explore the neighborhood a bit and unpack the last box or two.  All in all a good physical transition ... let's hope the rest goes as smoothly!

Now off to find the park.  Here's a picture of the City skyline I took from the lakeshore when I was here for a visit in March.  I am going to love being able to walk to the Lake each day!  I always feel better with a body of water around to keep me grounded (or watered?).

Transitions

I realized this evening that in less than one month I am moving to Chicago. Now this is something that has been in the horizon for quite a while. I have been engaged in sorting and purging my belongings in preparation for packing and the move. I trained my replacement at my place of ministry. I have been having some see you later lunches.  But it is still crazy to think that in less than one month I will be getting settled in my new city.

Transitions!!! (Read that to the tune of Fiddler on the Roof's Tradition if you please.) They are an opportunity. To give thanks for what has been and what will come. To deepen and shift relationships with people in your old city as you prepare to build new relationships in the new city. A time to take stock, to reflect on your priorities and plan life in your new city around them. To take each day as it comes, to go lightly and to be open to what will come.  What is nice about this transition is that I already know some of the folks who will be part of my life in my new city, including at least one neighbor/classmate, some friends and family! Regular play dates with my pint size nephew are in my immediate future.

I also know that transitions can be stressful so I am trying to go gently into this one. We shall see how it goes!