Kevin's Corner 07-25-10

ONE MORE FATHER THEOBALD NOTE: When families get together for anniversaries or other celebrations, the younger members often learn things about their backgrounds that were previously unspoken.  It is not that the history had been hidden; rather, no one thought to mention it before.  I had a moment like that about our parish’s evolution recently.  A brother priest recounted what he had learned when celebrating Mass for the Missionary Sisters of Saint Peter Claver on July 5, the anniversary of the death of Father Theobald.  One of the older Sisters told my friend the following story.  Someone had given Father Theobald a small piece of property in downtown Saint Paul.  Sympathetic to the work of the Missionary Sisters – who promote prayer and financial support for mission work in Africa and elsewhere – and perhaps taken by the shared patronage of Saint Peter Claver, Father Theobald offered to donate the downtown property to the Sisters if they would establish a convent in Saint Paul.  That apparently was all the push the Sisters needed to come to the Twin Cities and set up their quiet, effective work here.  I had always thought that the local presence of the Missionary Sisters of Saint Peter Claver (and now headquartered near Highway 120 in Maplewood) was purely coincidental to the life and work of our parish.  But it turns out that Father Stephen Theobald was the golden cord binding two communities together.  Another star in his crown!

THANKS, FATHER ELYSEE: So many Claver members stopped to talk with Father Elysee – the priest who visited us from Haiti last weekend – that he left buoyed by your support.  Thank you so much, Claver members.  And thank you, Father Elysee, for your good spirits and continued efforts amidst so much suffering in Haiti.  I understand that eight of our own Clavers signed up for regular updates that will come through Father Elysee’s sister parish in the Twin Cities, Saint Joseph the Worker of Maple Grove.  I suspect we have not heard the last word from some new friends in Haiti.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT:  I am so grateful for the double blessing that you gave me last weekend, in conjunction with the Parish Picnic.  Two parallel efforts were made to celebrate my “30/20” – thirty years as a priest and twenty at Claver.  The Cameroonian Choir led a fundraising effort for our school, and exceeded their target of $1000.  And the Parish Council sent $900 to my “other parish” of Sagrado Corazon in Minneapolis.  Those efforts could not have been better chosen.  You know that I already have more than I need for myself, but your gifts to our Saint Paul school and my Minneapolis Latino friends were right on target.  Now, on to another thirty and twenty!

AND THANK YOU, PICNIC CREW: We had our most efficient Parish Picnic ever last weekend.  Bob Bobst and crew had food ready to go almost as soon as the 10:00 Mass was ending.  Many had already started to eat by 11:30 and the peak of picnic activities was reached by 1:00.  We had a very strong crowd of participants – over 300 by my estimation – including Claver members, some Rondo neighbors, and one family from Sagrado Corazon.  With dozens of friends helping to clean up, the street was reopened and we were all able to get to the rest of our Sunday by 3:00.  I enjoyed it very much – including time for a late-afternoon nap.  In our party-spirit enthusiasm in the past, we have sometimes left the last of the work to a few exhausted stalwarts, dragging tables back to the church hall after 5:00 PM.  This year’s was a fun – and humane – celebration.  Thanks to all who made it so.

ANOTHER PICNIC IN OUR PARISH: The Junior Daughters and Junior Knights of Peter Claver held their first annual Midsummer Family Picnic yesterday.   Although sharing a common name with our parish, and consisting almost entirely of parish members, the four branches of Claverism in the Twin Cities (Knights, Ladies, Junior Knights and Junior Daughters) are part of a larger national and even international Black Catholic family.  If you are interested in finding out how to get involved, give us a call in the parish office or stop one of the Clavers after Mass.

REMEMBERING RENEE MCCALL: Renee McCall – she of the angelic voice, strong engineering mind and loving heart – would have been celebrating a mid-40’s birthday this week.  I heard from her oldest sister, Lenora (Nory) Austin, a few days ago.  She asked to be remembered to Renee’s Claver family, and promised to send a check in support of our work at the parish school.  The McCall family profited mightily from Catholic education, and they want to see that blessing continue to another generation of young people.  Happy birthday in heaven, Renee.

AND ANOTHER FRIEND’S DEATH: A few parishioners may recall Dan Coughlan, who worshipped with us and even stayed briefly in the rectory with me just over five years ago.  Dan introduced me to his law school friend and intellectual sparring partner, Sandee Gardebring Ogren – the two of them argued with the sort of intensity that can flare only between members of different wings of the same political “faiths” (in this case, a liberal and a conservative Democrat).  As did Dan several years ago, Sandee died very young this past week.  But she leaves behind an enormous record of public service.  I had the privilege of joining with Sandee in celebrating the wedding of Dan’s daughter, Marisa, a little less than two years ago.  Sandee was gracious, funny, and kind.  God bless her and hers.

SOME TRAVELLING TIME: The economic struggles of the last two years have kept me fairly close to home.  You may have noticed that I have not taken any of the international trips that I so love, and in fact have remained nearby during this time when so many of us are stretched, financially, emotionally, and spiritually.  Over the next five weeks, however, I will be away more than in the last eighteen months.  I will let you know each week where I am running off to and how you can (or cannot) reach me.  This afternoon I will be going to southwestern Wisconsin to join a family reunion already in progress: three days of good conversation, some golf, and lots of niece/nephew time.  If it is important that you contact me, please send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  I will be out of cell phone range a good part of the time, but able to check e-messages at night.  See you in a few days!