St. Gertrude Catholic Parish

Dear St. Gertrude,

Here is a list of ten things I have seen lately which bounce around in my mind and imagination giving me an interior life as fascinating as a Disneyworld in the Vatican:10. A movie called “”Osama”" playing at the Evanston Century (a delight in itself) about the Taliban’s treatment of women in Afghanistan. It is terrifying and enlightening. The Administration says every American should see it.

9. Recent articles in the New York Review of Books (especially the latest issue with Thomas Powers writing about Richard Pearle) which describes the bungling efforts of the present Administration in understanding the Mid-East and spreading democracy to foreign lands.

8. The new concert hall in Los Angeles, which looks and sounds heavenly, was designed by the same man who is building our band shell in Grant Park. I know everyone is holding his or her breath as the band shell goes up. I am sure it will turn out magnificently. The self-guided tour with taped commentary for the Walt Disney Concert Hall of Los Angeles is the best taped tour I’ve ever taken.

7. The Los Angeles Cathedral which is about four blocks from the concert hall and which opened up six months ago also is controversial and a delight. The space within is holy space with alabaster windows, most beautiful tapestries hung on the walls, perfect sound, and majestic presence. The tapestries display a communion of saints processing forward and mingling with all of us. It brings tears.

6. The funeral of Steve Neal, a noted columnist for the Sun-Times who was buried last Monday. It was Chicago to the nth. Fr. Andrew Greeley presided, the Governor, the County Commissioner, congressmen, fellow journalists (including our own Annie Sweeney), all the Chicago dignitaries in Old St. Pat’s. It was an Irish dream.

5. Our own Symphony Center where Daniel Barenboim conducted a very difficult Schoenberg Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Third Symphony, a popular favorite. The lecture before the concert described how Beethoven’s Third was ill-treated at the time it was written but has become such a familiar piece now, comparing its acceptance to the difficulty we have in listening to Schoenberg. After the concert there was a standing ovation for Barenboim with shouts of “”Don’t go!”".

4. Last month’s book Souls of Black Folk still reverberates. D.E.B. DuBois wrote the book in 1903 but it could have been written yesterday. This month’s book is Annie Dunne by Sebastian Barry. It is a sweet account of a childhood’s summer with an aunt. All are welcome to our book club.

3. The 10:30 gym Mass last Sunday incorporated our youngest and brightest, making beautiful music and providing a different energy to the Mass. Thanks to Mary Horan, Chris Inserra, and all who spent the time and energy.

2. The 9:30 Sheridan Road Mass returns to the lobby of Sacred Heart School today. Again, thanks to Carol Beatty for a great job during our exile while Sacred Heart was doing some construction and to all who helped bring the necessities across the street.

1. And the number one observation, which lifted my heart and spirit, is the return of two cardinals (the feathered kind) who have been missing all winter. They came on Monday to sing and play outside my window. All sweet thoughts of spring came with them.

I am anxiously awaiting the Parish Play on March 4th and 5th. It is always an Academy Award nominee. This year the awards came early but our play will always be a winner.

WK

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