Posts Tagged ‘Social Justice’

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Goodness among the distastefulness

March 22, 2010

Over this past weekend we watched “Longford” starring Jim Broadbent as Frank Pakenham, the 7th Earl of Longford. Lord Longford spent several decades trying to secure the release of Myra Hindley, one of the two notorious serial killers convicted of  the Moors Murders in the mid 60s.

I haven’t seen Broadbent in any movie where he wasn’t superb. This portrayal was particularly riveting. The movie’s content, based on true events, was completely unknown to us.

On the surface, Lord Longford appears to have been obsessed, driven, and easily taken for a fool in his quest for the parole of Ms Hindley. Upon further reflection, however, it would seem he was merely acting on his moral convictions as we are all called to do.

His unconditional willingness to engage, embrace, and forgive those on the fringe of society, even those who have done great evil, and to find some goodness in everyone, was a strong expression of his Christian faith. The fact that this appears to be foolish behavior is, perhaps, a commentary on our secular culture’s frequent indifference toward and avoidance of those who are down-trodden, society’s throwaways.

He goes back to the cause for Hindley’s release again and again following instances of personal abuse, derision, and deception. Hopes rise, are dashed, and rise again. I don’t know what he was feeling in those moments, but I have a pretty good idea.

When I began my prison ministry, I was told my role was to be a non-judgmental, non-critical, loving presence. That presents a never-ending challenge. I’m not always that successful in any given moment, some of the men I see are quite distasteful and unlikeable, but I do keep going back to the same people. And I have found over the weeks, months, and years, that any distaste and dislike can – with persistence and repetition – gradually transform into the beginnings of affection, affection in brotherhood and solidarity with a child of God.

It is liking them in their unlikableness, finding a fragment of goodness among the distastefulness. Of course, it’s also realizing/remembering that my finding someone to be unlikable doesn’t mean they aren’t likable. My perceptions are usually what need the work rather than anything to be done by an offender or by anyone else. Trying to recast someone as I would like them to be is always a hopeless adventure no matter how great the temptation.

I do recommend the movie, especially for those involved in prison ministry.

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Posted in Criminal Justice, Ministry, Social Justice | 1 Comment »

An honest discussion would be good to see

February 8, 2010

This commentary and the associated articles help to inform a persistent issue among the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. An honest discussion on the topic of homosexuality would be good to see.

Perpetuating injustices doesn’t strike me as discipleship. Suppression in the absence of prayerful understanding has gone on too long.

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Let her keep talking

February 7, 2010

Just in case you missed seeing Sarah Palin’s address to the gathering of Tea Party Nation, it is worth watching.

Listening to her used to make me angry, more so when there was that foolishly created chance of her being anywhere near The White House. Now I say, let her keep talking. But I do still wonder if she has any idea what she is talking about, any idea of what has transpired over the past decade, a clue to the implications of her flip “advice.” The uninformed sure do love her.

I do agree with her, wholeheartedly, that we should “put our government back on the side of the people.” Perhaps she is unaware of why the last election turned out as it did, or what “on the side of the people” really means. She does give some indication, however, when she continues to refer to “real Americans,”  code for an endless list of reasons for denying access to opportunity for a lot of folks.

Lower taxes, war that was off-budget and unnecessary,  and the myth of less government to allow  unconstrained market forces during the Bush administration got us into this mess. The Tea Party movement and the party of “no” continue to forget those facts.

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Which is more laughable?

February 6, 2010

Talk about a pendulum swing during this snowy Saturday!

The morning began with an opportunity for me to speak to a church group about the death penalty. This particular group meets once per month for an 8:00 pro-life Mass followed by a meeting. They had not covered the topic of capital punishment, at least not recently.

A few parents, who have sons on death row, were there on behalf of the Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADP). The general discussion went very well with thoughtful questions and a sincere interest to learn more. Literature with information and website URLs was made available. One site they were encouraged to visit is the Death Penalty Information Center.

So, later in the day I received an email notice of a posting in NCRonline referring to former President George W. Bush’s receiving a pro-life award from a group of Catholic business men. I don’t know which is more laughable, Bush being seen as pro-life, or Catholic business men believing Bush’s behavior to be pro-life.

The Catholic Church sure has gotten into a rut. Seldom is there a public face put on anything other than abortion or stem cell research. There is, or course,  an occasional article on Catholic social teachings and social justice issues in archdiocesan papers, but that is not what I would call public dissemination. I don’t even know many Catholics who read them.

More needs to be done. Voices need to be raised. Besides pedophilia and abortion, I wonder what the public image is for the Catholic Church of the 21st century. Thank goodness for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). They can single-handedly give the Church a good name.

I can’t help but believe that if a symphony orchestra played one note all evening, people would be walking out throughout the entire performance … and some rather early too. It is of little surprise, then, that people are drifting away from the Catholic Church.

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Back into the darkness

December 22, 2009

The following is a rant short on logic, but long on annoyance and concern.

Recall the saying, Life isn’t a series of problems to be solved, but a mystery to be lived. With that in mind, read this article in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine. Wasn’t that fun? Anyone doubt the mystery part of life?

One thing I will say, the man who is the subject of the article doesn’t want to think about nor seek solutions to life’s inequities. Black and white? Fine! Gray? Not so good.

For him, reason is the solution to all problems. Whose reason? His. Certitude is a scary thing to hold. Some would call it a loss of faith. Or, we can at least say, being smart does not mean one is wise. And he does, after all,  appeal to a small group of bishops. I could name at least four  more who would also think he’s great.

On another, but related, subject, I was listening to the discussion called “Tensions in Iran” on today’s (12/22) Diane Rehm Show during my morning exercises. As I listened, it seems the goal of most conservative religious extremists is to keep people in their place. Women, in particular, take it on the chin. The laity, in general, come in a close second.

Once the sheep learned to read, things began to unravel, and  those in charge circled the wagons and dragged out and dusted off any and all old dogmas, doctrines, and traditions.”Get back! Get back! Do as you’re told!”

This whole “created in God’s image” thing seems to be hanging on the fig tree which isn’t bearing any fruit. At least not in their orchard. I would love to find somewhere, anywhere, in the Gospels a reference to an insular hierarchy in lavish vestments shuffling about on polished marble floors. I picture Jesus walking into any chancellery office and saying, “Oops! I’m sorry. I was looking for some of my followers.”

Were the Pharisees in Jesus’ encounters that much of an abstraction? Simply a  reference to some folks way back when? If the Gospel lives, Jesus must have been referring to someone, some group, in today’s world too? Perhaps those who still think adherence to a handful of rituals, rules, and medieval thinking will always trump the needs of God’s children. Vatican II fades further and further back into the darkness.

There is an organized suppressing and diminishing of those who are outside of some “natural law norm.” Leaders on the right seem to sense a hierarchy of values in lives to be led and those worthy to lead them.

A clump of cells is worth going to the mat for. Collateral damage in an unjust war? Who cares? And homosexuals? Surely disqualified from being able to express one’s love for another. So, am I supposed to say, “I have my life-long love, but you can’t have yours.”? I wonder what our divine creator thinks of all that? How could She/He have been such a screw up in the divine planning?

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What do those without insurance do?

December 15, 2009

Today’s health care debates have made me very aware of the stability I’ve had in my own health care for a long, very long, time. And for that I’m grateful.

I’ve also noticed that an attitude of  selfish indifference for what others may experience in health care tends to yield few ideas for reform. Although, I can most assuredly state from observation, that it does yield much spirited opposition to any attempts to make things better, for oneself or anyone else.

Anyway, the internist I had since the 70s retired a few years ago. I needed to find another, as did my wife. Her ob/gyn gave her a list for us to consider. A little online research (yes, I have online access as well as health care insurance) gave us a few promising prospects, those who were also “in-network,” so we began making initial appointments.

My choice wasn’t a complete failure, and I stayed with him for a couple of years. In the end, however, he seemed more interested in asserting his office hours than attending to those who might need his professional assistance. An excruciating headache accompanied by red blotches all over my legs elicited a question about  why I was calling after 4:30 since the office was open all day.

Well, I don’t need a doctor to make me feel disrespected when I was already scared with a headache reminiscent of my meningitis of ’92. So, I asked my cardiologist for a couple of names. My favorite on the list spoke my language … also a  meningitis survivor  … and upon hearing about my headache, ordered a scan to dismiss a “sentinel bleed” as a potential cause. He had asked, “Was it the worst headache you’ve ever had?”, rather than “Why are you calling after hours?”

A year later he left the group and established himself beyond a 15-mile non-compete radius. His new location wasn’t what I would call convenient, at least for the long term. I signed up with the new guy in the same group, an internist from Iraq. He left for family or other personal reasons before I could see him more than once.

I again signed up with the new guy in the group. This one is from Pakistan. I have seen him once, and he seems to be a good fit. He also listens.

What am I trying to say? After more than 30 years with the same internist, I am now on my 4th replacement. But I’m not concerned. The hospital system I have aligned myself with has incredible bench strength. My insurer has an online resource for quick and easy assessment of credentials when I’m given a list of names.

What do those without insurance do?

I’ve had my ophthalmologist since ’85, my cardiologist and electro-cardiologist since ’06, my ENT since ’07, a retinologist since ’07, my dermatologist since the early 90s, and a 2009 model internist.

But something may be of interest, I’m actually in very good health, run regularly, am very active in whatever I wish to do. Feel good, not over-weight. Pacemaker gets good battery life, and if they ever make one which is rechargeable based on exercise, they’d really be on to something … something of a hybrid, I suppose.

None of this is by accident. As I’ve said, I’ve had great stability in my heath care for a very long time … the same length of time I’ve had health care insurance.

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