The Electric Village

What can Highland Aluminum Works tell us about the factory's age? They laid them to rest where they fell, on a knoll above the water, marking each grave with concrete—the only material the land offered in abundance. Twenty-two graves stand there. Most stones bear only the word "Unknown." Three are named: Darkey Cunningham, John McFadden,... Continue Reading →

Cardijn’s Red Hat

What would Thomas Merton say to a Franciscan's charge of patriarchal clericalism? In March 1925, a Belgian priest boarded a train to Rome, certain he was heading toward his own downfall. At forty-two, the son of a Schaerbeek coal merchant had spent six years building something his own bishops put on trial. His movement, the... Continue Reading →

The Canaries of Lattimer

As the US prepares to celebrate Labor Day, remember the holiday's true meaning. The man at the head of the column carried an American flag. He was Slovak. He worked underground for a company that owned his house, employed his doctor, and ran the store where he bought his flour. On the morning of Friday,... Continue Reading →

The Pews Filled Up Anyway

A priest in Quincy, a monk in Minnesota, and a chaplain in Brussels all asked the same question: what does the distance from the altar to the street reveal? Thomas Merton helps answer it, and the story begins in Quincy, Illinois. In the summer of 1886, a thirty-two-year-old priest stood upon the altar of St.... Continue Reading →

Words For The Wind by Fr Charles Niblick

My friend, a well-known pastoral theologian in the public sphere here in the greater Chicagoland area, used to write a column in the parish bulletin titled “Words for the Wind.” Since retiring, he has decided to revive this column here on Facebook. He will share his thoughts, literature, poetry, insights into church life, and other... Continue Reading →

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