The Greatest Culinary Invention Ever (New Poem)

The Apex, the Epitome, the Acme, the Climax, the Peak . . .

There, in that glass case at Garman Model Bakery,

Pride of Painesville, the Peak of Pastry,

The climax of American Culinary Art:

A ladyfinger, éclair par excellence,

Stuffed with crème,

Frosted with maple,

and

Crowned with a six-inch long

Strip of bacon.

What can you say but

God Bless America!

Spending Valentine's Day in a Homeless Shelter

I took the photos below last year when I stayed overnight at the Emergency Warming Shelter at St. Mary's in Painesville, Ohio. It looked about the same last night.

Pope Francis's words pretty much sum up what we try to do. We let our hospitality, our actions, proclaim the message of the Gospel.

Last night we had 14 guests, sleeping on cots around the perimeter of the gym.

My cot, sleeping bag, etc. The same for all the guests.

Outside the emergency shelter. Last night was very cold, windy, and snowy.

Spending Valentine's Day in a Homeless Shelter

I, along with lead volunteer and organizer Kathy Philipps, spent Valentine's Day night at an emergency Warming Center/Homeless Shelter, with fourteen guests. Some of our guests could have died if they had to spend the night in the bitter cold and snow of Painesville, Ohio. The emergency shelter was provided by St. Mary's Parish, and I want to thank the parishioners, staff, and the pastor, Fr. Steve Vellenga, for their huge generosity, a generosity right in the spirit of Pope Francis and, indeed, Jesus, who admonished us to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless.

Our shelter has a minimum of basic rules, and these provide for the safety and well-being of our guests. We know the names and much about the lives of our guests, and we try to treat them as friends. We are not bureaucratic; we don't have endless rules and forms to fill out because we don't have governmental funding (in fact, almost no funding--just small donations and volunteer labor). In many ways we operate along the lines of the Catholic Worker, founded by Dorothy Day about 85 years ago. Dorothy's model was based upon the ancient traditions of hospitality, so central to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

For the most part, the night went well. Linda Coughlin and Dan and Kathy Philipps helped set things up, served a light dinner, and set up the cots, sheets, blankets, etc. They brought in a television/VCR unit and showed a movie, and they talked to the guests until after 9 PM.

Around 10 PM all the lights were extinguished and almost everyone fell asleep. Kathy was awakened in the middle of the night by a guest who was pacing and crying--she seemed to be suffering from anxiety. Her anxiety escalated into loud talking and great distress, and she and her partner left of their own free will around 4 AM. Another woman, suffering from mental distress, also left in the middle of the night. But most guests did fine and slept all night. People woke up around 6 AM, had a light breakfast, cleaned up the gym, and all were back on the street (including Kathy Philipps and me) by around 7:15.

I headed home at that time, having had about 6 hours sleep. Kathy, who slept very little, gathered all the linens into plastic bags and took them home for washing.

The night involved a lot of work, and maybe not enough sleep. But nobody died, nobody froze to death, everyone was offered shelter and food, everyone was treated with respect and kindness--Valentine's Day night was a success. You might say it was a night of love.

A Small But Brilliant Experiment to Address Homelessness

Since I work with the Homeless in Painesville, Ohio, I'm always looking around for programs and approaches that address this seemingly intractable problem. Today I saw a great short video on Facebook about an approach taken by a church in Nashville, Tennessee. The Green Street Church of Christ has allowed Homeless to erect tents on their property. And recently someone volunteered to build six micro homes on the property.

Here is this inspiring story:

Just Thoughts: Mary, the Undoer of Knots

Just Thoughts: Mary, the Undoer of Knots

As Pope Francis processed in his Popemobile to the altar in Philadelphia on September 27th, he asked his driver to stop at a beautiful art installation/shrine right next to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. This shrine looked a bit like a ship, festooned with little white strips of cloth--100,000 of them! On each strip of cloth was written a petition, problem, sorrow, or concern. Nearby this beautiful work of art was a portrait of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, untying knots. This image is beloved of Pope Francis, who thinks of Mary as our great intercessor, undoing the knots (problems, sorrows) in our lives, and laying them in front of the Lord.

St. Mary parishioners who were there were struck by the thousands of petitions, how each life is confronted with challenges and sorrows. They were also struck by this kindly Pope, who visited the shrine, met with the nun who is the force behind the shrine, and gave his blessing and added his own prayers.

A week after this visit to Philadelphia, where Pope Francis was greeted by up to 800,000 people, we celebrated the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Our Pope took the name of St. Francis, the very first Pope to do so. He tries to live with the simplicity and directness of Francis, and like the great saint, Pope Francis lays his burden at the feet of Mary--our great intercessor, the solver of problems, undoer of knots.

Part of the Art Installation/Shrine--Mary, the Undoer of Knots

Examples of the petitions festooning this art installation

My own petition, for the Karpos Ministry to the Homeless, in Painesville, Ohio

A Poem about the Meal for the Homeless at St. Mary's in Painesville

Sweet September Evening at the Homeless Meal

Under blue skies, temperature around 77,

about a hundred people in the green grove

behind St. Mary’s Church--here in Painesville, Ohio,

gather for the Thursday night meal for the homeless.

This sweet evening, the guests are calm and happy,

chattering as they line up for a fine meal:

meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green and yellow beans,

green salad, pasta salad, dessert,

coffee, iced tea . . . conversation, laughter--

gee we all know what lurks three months down the road,

(the darkness, the bitter, the difficulty)

and we know about thirty of these men, women, children, and

babies sleep in the woods behind the old power plant

or along the banks of the Grand River, or in abandoned homes,

garages, sheds, porches--

but tonight we all laugh and eat and

then just sit a while, in the 6 pm slant light

of a calm and sweet September evening.

Bob Coughlin September 18, 2015

"Just Thoughts"--Bringing Ireland to a Very Sick Woman

Just Thoughts: Bringing Ireland to a Very Sick Woman

[Names and some facts have been changed to protect privacy]

Our lives should be guided by the corporal and spiritual Works of Mercy, which many of us learned in grade school. One of the Works is "Visit the Sick." A great example of this took place last week within shouting distance of our Church. A member of our community had wanted to visit Ireland before she died. But her family and friends realized that wasn't going to happen, she was so sick and weak. One person close to her said, "Sweetie, maybe we can bring Ireland to you!" And so they did!

Through a series of phone calls and emails, some of the fine Irish musicians in Lake, Cuyahoga, and Geauga Counties responded to the call and came to “Bridget’s” house last weekend. There were fiddle players, pennywhistle players, guitarists, a man who played the bodhran (an Irish drum), a flute player, and a button-box accordion player. “Shel” kicked off the music with the tune “Rosin the Bow,” and then all played a series of reels, jigs, and hornpipes. In the middle of the music session, “Tina” sang “Sally Garden,” the sweet sad song written by William Butler Yeats.

Following this song, a big surprise: three Irish dancers came in and danced up a storm, beginning with the slip jig “The Butterfly.” The dancing was lively and joyful.

The session ended when “Martin” sang “Danny Boy,” leaving everyone in tears. Yes, they brought Ireland to Bridget, and it was as real as if she had flown Aer Lingus to Shannon Airport.

At the end, everyone hugged and kissed Bridget as they left, giving her and her family a memory that cannot be forgotten. The same can be said for the musicians and the dancers: no one will ever forget this music session, this act of kindness and humanity.

Sometimes justice demands dramatic action on a big stage. We have seen that in the lives of Jesus, Gandhi, and King. Other times it demands a simple, neighborly gesture--playing a tune, or simply visiting, a lonely, sick, or dying neighbor.

"Just Thoughts"--What Would Jesus Do?

Just Thoughts: What Would Jesus Do?

[Here is the "Just Thoughts" column for St. Mary's bulletin--June 14, 2015]

In 1896 Charles Sheldon wrote a book entitled “In His Steps.” The subtitle of the book was “What Would Jesus Do?” This book grew out of a series of sermons Sheldon gave in his Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas. The book, and the concept behind it, had a powerful impact on many people hoping to shape the world according to the words and actions of Jesus. Of course, it isn’t always so simple or straightforward to know what Jesus would do in a 21st Century context. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

It is very useful to try to ask what Jesus would do when justice is at stake. Sometimes the answer becomes stunningly clear:

What would Jesus do when so many people in Painesville go hungry. Well, he’d find a way to feed them! He’d work to change laws and social structures so that no one goes hungry.

What would Jesus do when 100 homeless people are out in the cold and snow on a January night  in Painesville? Why, he would find a way to give them a warm and respectable shelter! He’d find an approach to ending homelessness in the world’s richest country.

What would Jesus do when foreigners and immigrants are despised or discriminated against? Well, that one is easy. He gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). He commanded us to love our neighbors, love the foreigner, as we love ourselves. Both the Old and New Testaments call for generosity, kindness, and hospitality for the foreigner. So we know clearly what Jesus would do.

Thinking about “What Would Jesus Do” can help us build a fairer, more just society--the New Jerusalem. The Beloved Community. Many people at St. Mary’s keep “WWJD” in mind when they make and serve the Karpos meals for the homeless and hungry every Wednesday and Thursday evenings; when they open the St. Mary’s Warming Center on bitter cold winter nights; when they visit the sick, the lonely, the homebound; when they bring comfort and the Eucharist to those in the Lake County jail. These and other actions, not so public, that serve our fellow human beings the way Jesus did.

Snowmageddon in Painesville and Mentor. Impact on the Homeless

Yesterday parts of Mentor and Painesville, Ohio had a tremendous lake-effect snowfall. About 14 inches fell in Northeast Mentor, Painesville, and surrounding areas within a few hours. The result was absolute paralysis in these snowbelt communities that normally shrug off the snow. Painesville was in total gridlock. I know this firsthand because I, and many of my friends, were trying to get to St. Mary's Church in Painesville, where we feed the homeless and hungry every Wednesday and Thursday. We typically serve about 150 meals (and the range can be 100 to 200) each day. There are lots of homeless and hungry people in Painesville, the county seat of prosperous Lake County, Ohio.

I left Lakeland College, on the Kirtland-Mentor border, around 2:30 PM for the 12 mile trip to Painesville. I arrived there at 5:20--almost three hours later. I was almost crazy at that point. My car was running out of gas; my phone battery was drained; and I had to go the bathroom very very bad. All my companions in the Karpos Ministry to the Homeless were in the same situation. Kathy Flora was driving in from Geauga County, and was stopped by a stalled train. Kathy Philipps was stuck in her commute from John Carroll University, where she teaches theology (and this was important, because Kathy is the program director, and has the keys to the pantry). Ken Fitzsimmons and Krista Zivkovich had shorter commutes, but even a short commute took forever. Pam, Cheryl Rice, and Brian Rice made it in from Painesville Township--not many miles away, but a very difficult drive yesterday.

Somehow the crew cobbled together the meal without access to the food pantry. About 50 of the homeless and hungry were able to get to the Fr. Hanzo Center for the meal. They were all very grateful, in good spirits despite the difficult day. The food preparers and servers, my beloved friends, were also in good spirits. Each had a hilarious story to tell about the trip to St. Mary's. There was a wonderful sense of community last evening--we all felt so blessed to be there.

Linda did not come to the Karpos meal last night--she was watching our grandchildren in Mentor. But she did go to the Project Hope shelter for the homeless in Painesville later that evening and worked until around 10:45 PM. Linda told me that many of these homeless were tired and discouraged. It was a very tough day to be homeless, to make your way through over a foot of snow. But thank God the shelter was there for them!

Below are some photos taken in Mentor, at my daughter's house, and in Chardon/Hambden. I tried to take a couple pics in Painesville--but my phone had run out of juice.

Colin, shoveling snow in Mentor

Hambden Township

Chardon, Ohio

Cleveland Pear trees outside our window in Hambden Township

Colin--Mentor, Ohio

Emergency Shelter at St. Mary's Church in Painesville, Ohio

I saw this nice article in our church bulletin yesterday. I had the privilege of staying overnight at the shelter with 16 guests on Monday night, January 27, 2014. The next morning it was way below zero!

Karpos Ministry for the Homeless and Hungry—St. Mary’s Church, Painesville, Ohio          

            The unusually cold spell in Northeast Ohio has everyone dreaming of hibernation in a warm place. The bone chilling winds and grey laden sky have zapped our spirits. But there is a spirit of hope that has come in an unexpected way with unexpected grace to St. Mary’s. As the polar vortex roared into Northeast Ohio, it put our many homeless Karpos friends, resilient by any measure, into its dangerous and life-threatening path. As the search went on to find ways to ensure their safety it became evident that a response was needed—and fast. Through the quick action of Father Steve Vellenga and the Social Justice Commission, an emergency shelter was established in our gym. This quickly became a safe haven filled with hospitality for all those who needed a place to shelter from the frigid temperatures. For those of us who were able to spend time together during these days and evenings, it brought transformation of heart and a broader feeling of community. It was good to be together, and hear each other’s stories. As the temperature dropped and the snow fell, we played cards and chess, watched movies, and shared meals and snacks together. As members of this renewed community ventured out into the elements the wind was not quite as bone chilling and the sky not as foreboding.

            A small miracle was experienced at St. Mary’s in an unexpected way, at an unexpected time. This is often the way that God works. We came to deeper understanding of how God has dwelled through the ages with those who have been seeking refuge. Let us continue to keep our hearts open to such possibilities and to recognize God’s presence in our lives!

Thank you to everyone who helped with set up, serving, socializing, sleeping over, and praying, and to Father Steve for his hospitality. Thank you to the Painesville police and city manager for their support and assistance, and to our guests for sharing their time with us.

[from the February 2, 2014 church bulletin, St. Mary’s Church, Painesville, Ohio]

Reading a Poem with Grace Butcher in Painesville

Last night we had our monthly poetry reading at "Your Vine or Mine" micro winery in Painesville, Ohio. Grace Butcher, the extraordinary Chardon-area poet and athlete, was the featured reader. For her last reading of the evening, she asked me to be "the Voice of God" in her poem. Well, it doesn't come off exactly as the voice of God, but it was fun!

Great Night of Poetry in Painesville

Last night we had our second monthly poetry reading in Painesville at the winery/restaurant "Your Vine or Mine." Tobin Terry emceed the evening of poetry reading. The night was kicked off by Linda Tuthill and her husband Tim Tuthill. Linda's poems exhibited very precise word choice and a great eye for the natural world. The poem I liked best was set in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where she grew up. The poem even had a bit of Pennsylvanian German in it (I remember hearing the phrase "was ist los?" which means either "what is going on" or "what is wrong?"). Tim Tuthill followed with very short, exquisitely formulated poems. They were over in a flash and you had to really pay attention for the punch, the twist. You could tell that both Linda and Tim had read a lot of poetry and had written a lot, they were that good.

Margie DeLong then read some poems, as did I. Margie is the person responsible for resurrecting the Painesville poetry night, and is now co-hosting the event with Tobin Terry. Margie's poems were wonderful. I like her eye and how she reached into memory for her poems. My poems were about the coming of winter and waiting for the grace to get through the darkness. I hope the heaviness of these poems didn't put a pall over the evening! I tried for great sounds in this poem (I love sound and rhythm--the music of poetry) combining with the imagery of darkness and storms--and grace.

The featured reader of the night was a poet from the Dayton/Waynesville area of southwest Ohio, Grace Curtis. I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. Grace is a terrific poet and a great reader/performer of her own poems. Her poems play with words and ideas, reach into memory like the poems of Linda Tuthill and Margie DeLong (and actually, the way many of my own poems do). Grace's poems are also a lot of fun, and at times very humorous. And she is not afraid to play with some big, complex ideas. In short, Grace's performance was terrific.

Many of Grace's poems can be found at her website: http://n2poetry.com/poems/

Below are some photos of the readings:

Tobin Terry

Linda Tuthill

Tim Tuthill

Margie DeLong

Grace Curtis