As we move towards the end of August, we say goodbye to Summer. I love summer. I love the extended daylight. I love having our doors and windows open.
I love seeing kids ride their bikes and hang out at the playgrounds. I live in the city so there are lots of kids out walking in groups. Every summer I see this: clusters of girls or guys who have just graduated from eighth grade walking in step to Target or Ted Drewes or Bread Company. As if now that they are incoming high schoolers, they are free to explore the neighborhood sine their parents! (I have been around kids all my life, so I tend to be able to recognize various ages/stages.) And I see this pod appear every summer. Makes me smile. Remember how cool we thought we were at that age?
Let’s start off with a couple of hopes and joys.
We have a 12-year-old grandchild who is into theatre at the moment. He had a small role in a community theater production of Cinderella. Dutiful grandparents that we are, we saw three performances. This community, who put on a play every summer managed to tweak the original Cinderella and worked in an integrated message of caring for the poor and being kind. Talk about being cool. One of the stepsisters, instead of being cruel, was kind. She liked Cinderella and was not threatened by her when the glass slipper fit Cinderella’s foot and not hers. The kind stepsister was smitten with the social justice influencer who needed to get to the Prince and inform him of the plight of the poor who lived in his kingdom. Because this is a fairy tale, the Prince listens to the social justice advocate and begins to provide food and shelter for those in need. I was encouraged that this message of caring for those in need and being kind was promoted and celebrated to an adult audience. You left the theatre with the idea that maybe we can re-figure how real life can be changed and how transformative kindness truly is.
Gabriel, Simone, Jerry, and I attended another play which was produced by Project Success. Project Success is a program dedicated to serving at-risk students, grades 6-12, using experiential learning. Participating in a play is one of the experiential learning opportunities. They performed Annie, Jr. It was so good. What struck me most was how much fun the students – middle-schoolers – were having. You could see the pride they had in being able to be on stage and perform, and perform well. They themselves know hope and joy. I don’t know the team that worked with the students, but they are touching lives. There’s hope – small increments – but hope, nevertheless.
(FYI: in case you didn’t know [I did not], when the play has “Jr”. behind it, it means it is a kids’ performance and truncated to some degree. E.g., Annie, Jr; Shrek Jr.; SpongeBob, Jr.) So much to learn!
Okay, I know Jerry and I choose to spend our time doing different things. Neither of us know anything about golf. We do not like Las Vegas or Casinos or Florida or the Lake. Or, if we lived in Minnesota, we would not have a cabin.
Thus, we found hope and joy in Lexington, KY attending the US Catholic Priests Assembly, average age of participants, 70+. This is a collection of men – about 200 or so – who are dedicated to keeping the Spirit of Vatican II alive. The dress code is mostly Bermuda shorts and polos. Some better matched than others. These are men who have generously dedicated their lives to serving the people of God (to use a popular Vatican II term) and to support one another in their ministry. And collectively to keep the Church moving forward and expanding the welcome mat to all, regardless of gender, race, wealth, etc. I find them to be authentic in that while they are concerned about the apparently more conservative ordained coming behind them, rather than a negative approach, they strive to be open and listening. They reach out where they can. They also provide some of the best speakers at any conference I attend. You know they are doing something right because every year of the Assembly there is a protest across from the hotel where the Assembly is being held with signs degrading the Assembly. I was in a small reflection group following a presentation and there was a woman “planted” there from the protesters, ranting. We all just listened quietly. There was no point in endeavoring to reply. Even at age 70+, this group continues to move forward with joy, hope, and a love and respect for one another that is palpable. They are also very generous. Each year they take up a collection to support a specific ministry. This year, since Lexington, KY is adjacent to Appalachia, the donation went to a Franciscan Sister who works directly with the poor in Appalachia. I should mention that obviously women are very welcome. Among the three featured speakers per Assembly, one is always a woman. And the person who facilitates the Assembly has always been a woman. AUSCP is on record for supporting ordained women as Deacons and as Priests.
And now to close with a chuckle. On one of my morning walks/reflections at our nearby Park, I was sitting there enjoying the quiet and along came this troupe of toddlers, 3s, 4s, 5s, following their day camp leaders. It had rained the night before so there were puddles. And what do toddlers do? They stomp through the puddles, naturally. It was a joy to watch them. I was most grateful that in this ever-evolving, technologically vast universe, youngsters will still be drawn to stomp through puddles.
There’s hope yet!
Bridget
The Annunciation Blog 
I always enjoy your blog, Bridget! Thanks for your positive reflections on happenings in your life!
Martha
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