Bike Recall

When my brothers and sisters and cousins decided to buy me an e-bike for commuting around Louisville, they chose a brand-name, high-end model for me. I became more aware of that when I received a recall notice from the manufacturer about a defective part, just like what happens for cars. The notice said that a bolt holding the back wheel can fracture because of a faulty casting process for the bolt and that I need to bring in the bike for a replacement bolt. It turns out they have to order the replacement bolt but won’t do it until I bring in the bike and leave it for the three days required for the bolt to arrive. I asked them to order the bolt and let me know when it arrives but they said they had to have the bike first. For legal liability reasons, they don’t want to appear to be supporting my continuing riding of the bike while there is risk of the back wheel falling off.

More from Oregon

One powerful realization for me when I was wandering in the forested area of The Grotto in Portland, Oregon was how much I had missed forests of large hardwood trees while I was in Asia. From my days in the Boy Scouts and from our Dittmeier family camping trips (the only vacations we could afford), I have loved being out in the forests. At The Grotto I was able to be with huge, old trees that brought back good memories and renewed my love of nature.

What about the Beatitudes?

In a recent interview about Christianity in society, Fr. James Martin commented about traditional Christians always wanting to post the Ten Commandments in schools and public places.

I often wonder why we don’t put the Beatitudes in classrooms since it’s always the 10 Commandments. What about “Blessed are the poor?” It’s amazing to me that mostly Christians want the Old Testament in the classrooms and put on signs, but what about “Blessed are the poor, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are the peacemakers?” Why is there never a push for that attitude? It’s a very strange thing to me. It is because [the Beatitudes] are hard and it’s stuff that we want to avoid.

Respect for God’s Children

Whether it is people in Gaza or Ukraine or Nigeria or Iran or Minneapolis, or LGBTQ or migrants or death row inmates, we are all beloved children of God.

And all of us deserve to be treated with dignity. I think the church has been very clear about that, and I’m grateful for that. That’s not a political message; that’s the Gospel.

~ Fr. James Martin, in his book Work in Progress

Another rally–almost

Many of the immigrants currently at risk of being detained and deported have actually been involved in the process of seeking legalization and have been following immigration rules and guidelines. Although trying to do what is right, they currently are uncertain what to do. Yesterday a rally was planned to bring together people who might be able to help bring the present situation to a peaceful and constructive conclusion.

A newspaper article about this gathering described it as a “protest” and the organizers felt that might attract the attention of authorities and increase the possibility of detention so they decided to cancel the gathering. Organizers stayed at the site to explain to those coming what had happened.

Immigration Rally

Yesterday a vigil was held to support immigrants and decry violence targeting them. U.S. Representative Morgan McGarvey spoke to the assembled people at a Louisville park. The vigil was scheduled to take place at a Catholic parish but was moved at the last minute.

The change of venue to the park created traffic jams on the street near the park and parking problems that delayed the arrival of many and may have dissuaded others from attempting to get near the site.
The sun was setting and it was really cold as people gathered in the park for what turned out to be an outdoor vigil.

The increased number of younger people was notable and encouraging.

Representative McGarvey spoke to the gathered crowd in a shortened program. The traffic was so bad and we had to walk so far from a parking place that I arrived at the actual vigil site so late that I caught only the last minute of the program and then we all headed back to the warmth of the cars.

RITI: Room In The Inn

RITI is a program becoming nationwide that utilizes warm church buildings as sleeping places for homeless people on cold nights. RITI Louisville has started this service just this week as temperatures dipped to the single digits. The start of the program was delayed by fire regulations.

The program has three shifts per night. The first shift from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM welcomes the women to the center, gives them supper, and puts them to bed. The second shift today, from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM, consisted of Jean (L) and Bob (R). They really have nothing to do all night except to provide supervision and security. Here they are at the end of their shift at 5:00 AM as Diane (C) and I arrived for the third shift.
Diane (above) and I arrived at 4:45 AM while the women were still sleeping, and started waking them at 5:00 AM, gradually turning on more lights. There were 11 women listed to come last night but only 4 arrived because of the weather conditions (extremely cold).
Diane and I arrived and were on our feet till we left at 7:00 AM. The second, the night shift, stayed in the little entrance way behind us all night to monitor any comings and goings. They can take turns sleeping as long as one of them is awake.
As the women guests woke up and got ready for another day, Diane and I set out morning supplies, started two big pots of coffee, and helped the women put away their bedding and tidy up the room.
At 6:30 AM on a regular day, the women guests must leave the facility but another shelter program in an adjoining building allows them to come in out of the cold and shower and wash clothes, etc. Here our overnight guests pack up their things to move to the other building.

RITI is a really wonderful program.

National Catholic Office of the Deaf

Pastoral Week (Monday)
Flying into Chicago from Portland, with ice on Lake Michigan

Today was strictly a travel day. I had been checking the United app the last couple days and it said my flights were still on schedule so I did not re-schedule them as many others did for their flights because of the snow over much of the US. But although there were no snow or weather problems, the trip was “eventful.”

• Two sisters from Montreal and I left the Portland hotel at 3:30 AM. I arrived quite early for my 9:00 AM flight, but their offer of a ride saved me a $65 Uber fee.
• The flight to Chicago was smooth and I got a little sleep.
• When I went to the gate in Chicago for the flight to Louisville, there was a notice it was delayed 15 minutes. Then a second delay was announced, and then a third because the plane was in the maintenance hanger.
• Finally at 9:45 AM we boarded the plane.
• At 9:46 it was announced there would be a 20-minute delay for refueling.
• Then it was announced the plane would be de-iced. Another 20 minutes.
• After that we moved out to a taxiway. And stopped. After 20 minutes it was announced there was an instrument problem and we had to return to the gate. But we didn’t move.
• 25 minutes later it was reported we were waiting for a gate to be available and we finally moved to F4. The repairs took 20 minutes.
• Then it was announced we needed to refuel again.
• Finally 1.5 hours late we took off for Louisville and arrived at 9:25 PM. The original ETA was 5:37 PM.

It was plenty cold there but the streets had been plowed and it was no problem getting to Nazareth Home.