Bishop James Alan Wilkowski

My Letter to Governor Quinn regarding the Cook County Morgue scandal.

2012-01-30T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest
Post Office Box 178388
Chicago Illinois 60617-8388

Office of the Bishop

January 30, 2012

The Honorable Pat Quinn
Governor for the State of Illinois
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield Illinois 62706

Dear Governor Quinn:

I hope that this letter finds you well.

I am writing to you in my capacity as the Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest regarding the latest scandal that has hit the Cook County Morgue.

It is my belief that the current policies of the Cook County Morgue regarding the final disposition of the remains of indigents are outdated for the Twenty-First century. I believe that the practice of burial by mass grave is disrespectful to the basic dignity of human life. We do better with the carcasses of animal road kill than we do with the remains of the indigents.

I am reaching out to you to ask your assistance to the creation of legislation that would standardized within the State of Illinois a common policy for the final disposition of the remains of indigents.

Permit me the opportunity to share with you recommendations which I have made to Cook County Board President Preckwinkle on this matter:

• Upon taking custody of remains, the County Medical Examiner will obtain the DNA of the deceased and created an ID record with this information.

• After remains have been in the custody of the County for more than 60 days, they will be cremated and place in a simple container with a file identification number attached and returned to the custody of the County for storage in a non-refrigerated location with the hope of possible reuniting with family.

• If the cremains of indigents are not claimed within one year, the County can purchase one or two traditional size grave lots and install an ossuary as a final dignified resting place for the cremains of the indigents. And if at some future date in time, a family member becomes identified, they may be directed to where there family member has been placed at rest.

I realize that these suggestions represents a “broad stroke” remedy to this scandal, but I believe that the current scandal that has again happened in Cook County calls our state community to consider thinking outside of the current box to policies for new and caring policies which will allow the State of Illinois to become the template for others to follow.

I invite you to consider my plea to you and to help create the appropriate legislation to redress this issue.

Please know that I have committed myself to this issue and to walk whatever lengths to prevent such scandals from happening again. It is my prayer that you would join me in this journey.

I thank you for taking the time to consider this letter and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Until then, I remain

Most Respectfully Yours,

James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest

bishopjames@evangelicalcatholicchurch.org

Your bullying boss may be slowly killing you!

2012-01-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you a recent article by Stephanie Pappas from LiveScience:

41 percent of American workers having been psychologically harassed at work

If you spend your workday avoiding an abusive boss, tiptoeing around co-workers who talk behind your back, or eating lunch alone because you've been ostracized from your cubicle mates, you may be the victim of workplace bullying. New research suggests that you're not alone, especially if you're struggling to cope.
Employees with abusive bosses often deal with the situation in ways that inadvertently make them feel worse, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Stress Management. That's bad news, as research suggests that workplace abuse is linked to stress — and stress is linked to a laundry list of mental and physical ailments, including higher body weight and heart disease.
In at least one extreme case, workplace bullying has even been linked to suicide, much as schoolyard bullying has been linked to a rash of suicides among young people.

Bullying is "a form of abuse which carries tremendous health harm," said Gary Namie, a social psychologist who directs the Workplace Bullying Institute. "That's how you distinguish it from tough management or any of the other cutesy ways people use to diminish it."

Struggle to cope

Namie was not involved in the new study, which surveyed nearly 500 employees about how they dealt with abusive supervision. Abusive supervisors are bosses who humiliate and insult their employees, never let them forget their mistakes, break promises and isolate employees from other co-workers, study author Dana Yagil of the University of Haifa in Israel told LiveScience.

About 13 to 14 percent of Americans work under an abusive supervisor, Yagil said. Her study on Israeli workers found that abused employees tend to cope by avoiding their bosses, seeking support from co-workers and trying to reassure themselves. As useful as those strategies might sound, however, they actually made employees feel worse.

"It is understandable that employees wish to reduce the amount of their contact with an abusive boss to the minimum, but the strategies they use actually further increase their stress instead of reducing it," Yagil said. "This may happen because these strategies are associated with a sense of weakness and perpetuate the employee's fear of the supervisor."

Tragic consequences

Avoiding a workplace bully might seem easier than avoiding a school bully, given that employees can quit their jobs. But workers get caught in a cycle of stress, Namie said. An online survey of targeted workers by the WBI found that they put up with the abuse for an average of 22 months.

The stress of the bullying may itself lead to bad decision-making, Namie said. A 2009 study in the journal Science found that stressed-out rats fail to adapt to changes in their environment. A portion of the stressed rats' brains, the dorsomedial striatum, actually shrunk compared with that region in relaxed rats. The findings suggest that stress may actually re-wire the brain, creating a decision-making rut. The same may occur in bullied workers, Namie said.

"This is why a person can't make quality decisions," he said. "They can't even consider alternatives. Just like a battered spouse, they don't even perceive alternatives to their situations when they're stressed and depressed and under attack."

Sometimes this cycle ends with tragedy. Namie works as an expert legal witness on bullying. In one upcoming case, he said, a woman put up with daily barrages of screaming abuse from her boss for a year. By the end, she was working 18-hour days, trying to shield the employees under her from her boss' tyranny, Namie said. Finally, she and several of her co-workers put together a 25-page complaint to human resources. Nothing happened, until she was called in for a meeting with senior management. The woman knew she would be fired for making the complaint, Namie said.

"Rather than allowing herself to be terminated, she bought a pistol, went to work, left three suicide notes, and she took her own life at work," he said.

"She was like that rat stuck in a rut," he added. "She didn't see any alternative at that point."

Why bullying happens

While all workplace-bullying cases are not so extreme, it does seem to be a common problem, said Sandy Herschcovis, a professor of business administration at the University of Manitoba who studies workplace aggression. Between 70 and 80 percent of Americans report rudeness and incivility at work, Herschcovis told LiveScience. Fewer are systematically bullied, she said, but the best estimate puts the number at about 41 percent of American workers having been psychologically harassed at work at some point.

Hierarchical organizations such as the military tend to have higher rates of bullying, Herschcovis said, as do places where the environment is highly competitive.

"Definitely the organizational context contributes," Herschcovis said.
The personality of the bully is often key, with some research suggesting that childhood bullies become bullies as adults, she said. Targets of bullying are often socially anxious, have low self-esteem, or have personality traits such as narcissism, Herschcovis said. "We don't want to blame the victim, but we recognize this more and more as a relationship" between the bully and the target, she said.
Little research has been done on how to deal with abusive bosses or bullying co-workers. In mild cases, where a boss may not realize how their behavior is coming across, direct confrontation might work, Yagil said. One research-based program that seems to have potential is called the Civility, Respect and Engagement at Work project, Herschcovis said. That program has been shown to improve workplace civility, reduce cynicism and improve job satisfaction and trust among employees, she said. The program has employees discuss rudeness and incivility in their workplace and make plans to improve.

For workers experiencing bullying, Herschcovis recommended reporting specific behavior to higher-ups, as well as examining one's own behavior. Sometimes victims inadvertently contribute to the bullying relationship, she said. Namie cautioned that victims should proceed with care, however, as there are no anti-bullying workplace laws on the books in the U.S.

"HR [human resources] has no power or clout to make senior management stop," Namie said. "Without the laws, they're not mandated to make policies, and without the mandate, they don’t know what to do."

Since 2003, 21 states have introduced some version of anti-bullying bills, but none have yet passed. Twelve states have legislation pending in 2012, according to healthyworkplacebill.org.

In the meantime, Herschcovis and her colleagues have found that bystanders in the workplace are usually sympathetic to the victim rather than the bully.
"Outside parties are most likely to want to intervene, and to be in a position to intervene," Herschcovis said. The trick, she added, will be to find ways to encourage co-workers to stand up for one another.

Hopes and Wishes for 2012

2012-01-03T02:25:00.000-08:00

I hope that 2012 will enable us to celebrate:

*Freedom from our economic depression.
*The return of all our troops home.
*Workplaces that ensures the dignity and respect of all workers.
*Social and Religious Leadership that natures and not divides.
*An end to reality television shows.
*Universal Health Care for all persons.
*Food, Clothing and Housing for those in need.
*The grace of living in community.
*Peace at home and abroad.
*Equal rights and dignity for all persons.
*The success of my students and all students.

Just wishing.

Comments by Francis Cardinal George inconsistent with Theology of Social Justice and Peace

2011-12-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

The Theology of Social Justice and Peace advocates the responsibility of all branches of the Catholic faith to provide the voice and, if necessary, the physical presence to counter any and all attempts to deny or prevent any person from their God-given rights and dignity.

With all due respect, I believe that Cardinal George’s comments, equating advocates of human rights for gays and lesbians with the KKK, have failed to witness these values and obligations which are held sacred by all catholic jurisdictions.

Sometimes these actions must go beyond writing letters to the Editors or posting personal Blogs. It is the baptismal obligations of all Catholics, regardless of their jurisdiction to sometimes take strong and proactive stances to fight all forms of injustice to others.

The history of the pastoral administration of the Catholic faith is permanently stained by its many past acts of social prejudices and even the murders of others in the ‘name of the faith.’ These past sins of our shared history must be atoned for by this generation of all branches of Catholicism through the embracement of the sacredness rooted in the Theology of Social Justice and Peace.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, we need not compare those who advocate peace and justice within the Kingdom of God on Earth to the KKK. We need to compare the faith of these advocates, these modern workers in the vineyard - to that of our Holy Family.

Revisiting Chicago's "Our Lady of the Expressway."

2011-12-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

In 2005, claims were made that a water stain on the inside street level wall of a overpass on Chicago's Kennedy Expressway resembled an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For weeks, swarms of people came to this site at the intersection of Fullerton Avenue and the Kennedy Expressway to view this site.

As a priest, I was impressed with the desire of these people to find encouragement that brought them to prayer and faith.

Since 2005, the crowds have gone, but a continuing makeshift shrine to our Lady has been tended to and small numbers of visitors continue to come.

Yesterday, I revisited this place of faith and prayer, nicknamed "Our Lady of the Expressway" and/or "Our Lady of the Fullerton Bypass." I found candles burning and fresh flowers support a makeshift shrine to our Lady. The walls had much writing on it - not graffiti, but rather deeply personal prayers to the Blessed Mother.

I cannot tell anyone with absolute certainty that at this site, our Blessed Mother did indeed appear, but I can state with certainty that this site draws people to prayer and to faith and maybe that is the more important miracle.

Interracial Couples Banned from Kentucky Church

2011-12-01T01:44:00.000-08:00

According to press reports out of Kentucky, "In a move to "promote greater unity" among its body and the Pike County community it serves, a small Kentucky church voted to ban interracial couples from membership and from participating in certain worship activities."

Recently, Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church, voted to ban interracial couples from "from becoming members and used in worship activities, except for funerals."

I would love to know where Pastor Melvin Thompson studied for his theological degree.

A New Generation of Police Demostrates Brutality to Passive Protesters

2011-11-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

On this day before Thanksgiving, my faith and confidence in the continuing growth of our national society has been shaken.

This past Saturday protesters sitting on the ground supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement on the campus of the University of California, Davis, collectively took a face full of pepper spray at close range from an officer in riot gear in an incident that was captured on cellphone video and spread virally across the Internet.

This afternoon, I watched this video replayed and as I watched it I began to think about various past attacks on suffragettes, civil rights marchers,

marchers for the Equal Rights Amendment and advocates for LGBT rights. It seems to me that despite our growing sophistication in so many areas of life, we continue to have problems permitting our fellow citizens from exercising their rights to protest social wrongs.

Have we not learned any lessons from the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago? I am fearing we have not.

With regards to this most egregious event in California, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi described the video images as “chilling” and said she was forming a task force to investigate the actions of campus police.

In the California video an officer dispassionately pepper-sprays a line of several sitting protesters who flinch and cover their faces but remain passive with their arms interlocked as onlookers shriek and scream out for the officer to stop.

It is my understanding that each of the officers involved, along with their supervisor have been suspended. I wonder if it is with or without pay? Nevertheless, they should all be dismissed.

I had hoped that acts of brutality by law enforcement officers was part of a sad chapter in a closed book.

I may be wrong.

Many thanks to all who made the 2011 Bishop's Dinner and Awards Ceremony Memorable

2011-11-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

I would like to begin with two simply words - thank you to all who made our 2011 Bishop's Dinner and Awards Ceremony so memorable.

Without the assistance of Bill Morton, Kris Luck, Deacon Peter Mc Gechie and Laurie Westberg-Martin our Dinner could not have made our guests and ten of our honorees welcomed.

And would like to especially thank the Very Reverend John David van Dooren and the staff of the Church of the Atonement for their kindness to us for the evening.

My Pastoral Visit to Occupy Chicago on October 31, 2011

2011-11-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

Video by Bill Morton

Clemency for Illinois Governor George Ryan

2011-10-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

On April 17, 2006, former Illinois Governor George Ryan was convicted on political corruption charges during his term as Illinois Secretary of State. After exhusting his judical appeals, he entered into federal prison on November 7, 2007.

This posting shall not be focused on a revisitation of the Ryan case. Rather, this post is challenge the judical system to acknowledge that George Ryan has accepted responsibility for his actions, paid his debt to society, poses no danger to the public and is ready to return to society.

The basic question for all to ponder, without prejudice, is the cause of justice and common good continues to be served with George Ryan remaining in custody until 2013.

There have been so many convincted of far more serious crimes and later granted parole after serve only a fraction of their time in custody.

How is the common good being served by retaining George Ryan in prison?

As a citizen of the State of Illinois, I believe that the common good is no longer being served with George Ryan in prison and it is time for him to be released. I have expressed this in several letters to President Obama and I realize that our country is back in national election mode, I suspect that the last thing the President wishes to deal with is the matter of George Ryan.

George Ryan has paid his debt to society. It is time for him to return home.

The 2011 Bishop's Dinner and Awards Ceremony

2011-10-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

For additional information visit the Bishop's Dinner and Awards Ceremony 2011 page or call the Diocese at (773) 721-5383.

The Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest is “A Welcoming Community of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition”

Surmounting Clinical Depression

2011-10-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that one in 8 persons is dealing with some from of clinical depression. Clinical depression manifests itself in various forms within individuals, thus there is no common outward signs such as in chicken pox or measles. The most difficult aspect of clinical depression is that many individuals are not aware that they have it.

I do.

Like everyone else, I have that unique gene that triggers depression. One can go through life without having that gene turn on or it can turn on later in life for various reasons. Who knows - maybe my gene kicked in many years ago, but during the 70's who knew the difference between clinical depression and a contact high.

Five years ago, the gene that controls clinical depression was jump started after my heart surgery. I am told that the trauma the human body undergoes during this type of surgery typically alters the chemical balance of the patient and leave them prone to post surgical depression - and nobody knows how long this lasts for.

For those who do not understand the realities of clinical depression - just watch the television ads addressing clinical depression, for as these ads states, DEPRESSION HURTS both physically and mentally. And like millions of others, I found other excuses for many of the periods of my depression.

This past August, I realized that, despite the medication being prescribed, my depression was seriously impeding my daily functioning and I elected to take a leave of absence from my schedule. During this time I had the opportunity to work with a team of counselors and others dealing with depression and "burn-out" issues to regain my footing. This program I participated was no "club med." Many aspects of my 7+ week program made a Marine Corps boot-camp seem like a surfing party in Hawaii.

And now, I am prepared to resume my full schedule this week.

My return to my full schedule is not a statement of victory over clinical depression, but it a proclamation of my being better able to cope with it and to kick it in the ass when necessary.

I have to confess my personal culpability in what contributed to this recent siege.

I am a non-confrontation person. I too often permit myself to be a doormat to dysfunction personalities letting frustrations to build and build in the most unhealthy of ways. I accept the Gospel teaching of the turning of cheek and dusting off of one's sandals, but some days I am not wearing my Birkenstock and some days I forget to pack an extra set of cheeks in my briefcase.

Since the Gospels have taught us about Jesus getting pissed off and causing a bit of a raucous in the Temple, sometimes we have to, in all charity, tell some people to piss off. As the director of our program always said, "If Jesus can get pissed off, God will understand when you do."

Here's to the dawn of a new day.

Community Building and Community Service

2011-09-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce for their successful open house this past weekend.

Was glad to be part of it.

A Page is Turned and a new Chapter Begins

2011-09-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all those who advocated the end of discrimation within the United States Armed Forces.

With the death of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, our national family has taken a positive step forward.

I pray that those who suffered discrimation may find some solace with the significance of this day and accept our apologies for our past actions.

The Psychological Cataract in my life: Clinical Depression

2011-08-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dr. Paul Chemello, DO - Friend and Doctor

2011-08-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the roles our doctors, nurses and medical techs can easily be taken for granted. They are individuals whom we have to encounter when we are either ill or have a loved one who is ill.

I simply wish to take this opportunity to extend a happy 50th birthday to someone who have been a healer and friend to me and my family.

I first met Dr. Paul Chemello just prior to my ordination as priest in 1997. During those years, Paul Chemello has not only been our family physican but he has also become a friend. His skills as a doctor provided my mother an additional year of quality of life before we lost her to cancer.

In 2007, it was Paul Chemello who knew me well enough and could read me well enough to make me sit still and undergo and electrocardiogram which discovered that I was in need of quintuple heart bypass surgery. Had it not been for his keen eye and ears, this blog would be written today.

And finally, Paul Chemello is a someone who suffers with grace my particular dry and wry form of humor - and is willing to one-up me from time to time.

So to my friend and doctor, Paul Chemello - I extend, in friendship and gratitude, a very best 50th birthday.

And may all his days be spared from Purple.

How healthy are Children "Beauty" pageants?

2011-07-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey, I have had to question the psychological impact on children being dressed up by their parents to participate in Children Beauty Pageants. I find it rather scary to see 6 years old dressed and made up to look like adult women.

For the past three weeks, I have been home recovering from a recent cardio-blip and have been getting my moneys worth from cable television. While browsing the channels, I came across a program called Toddlers and Tiaras on TLC.

Watching what these children are being put through by their parents has convinced me that these activites border on child abuse.

If parents want to paint up their children in adult clothes and makeup, then they should by a Barbie Doll. Their children are NOT dolls to play with.

Thank You, Mrs. Ford

2011-07-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

This past week our national family celebrated the life of Betty Ford, First Lady of President Gerald Ford.

It is somewhat difficult to believe that so many years have passed since she and President Ford retired to California.

During her brief time in the White House, Mrs. Ford's impact on social issues was nearly as profound of that of Eleanor Roosevelt and her post White House contributions to the welfare of our national family was as equally significant.

All of the eulogies have been spoken, tributes given and now Mrs. Ford rests beside her husband in Michigan.

I guess all that can be said now is thank you for making our national family better with the gift of your life.

A Suggestion to Nancy Grace, Aphrodite Jones and to all of the TV Legal Pundits

2011-07-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

The Anthony Case of over. Move on.

The First Step to Unconditional Equal Rights

2011-06-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

On June 1st, 2011, gender common couples in Illinois obtained the legal right to enter into civil unions. As of today it seems that the numbers of civil union licences have far exceed the expected amount.

I wish each of these couples well.

I wish to focus my comments on the fact that civil unions are not equal to civil marriage and those gender common couples who sincerely wish to obtain the same, full and equal rights which comes with marriage cannot and must not settle for civil unions as "the best we can get."

It is my hope and prayer that unconditional civil rights are provided for all members of our local and national families.

Let this work continue.

The Tainted Homeland Security Hearings or the 2011 Version of the McCarthyism

2011-03-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

Today has not been a day for America to rest easy.

Earlier today, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) gaveled to order the start of his Homeland Security Committee to begin his/their investigation of the "the radicalization of the Muslim American community." Not since the days of Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) have we seen a congressional committee target a specific group of citizens for partisan politcal means.

While there remains a need to remain vigilant to our national security needs, Rep. King's agenda and circus may very well place our country at risk at home and abroad.

I hope that our national family has not lost the lessons of McCarthyism.

Burials for the Indigent

2011-02-24T14:45:00.001-08:00

Every County in the United States has the responsibility to bury their unknown and indigent dead. It is a social obligation that demands to be fulfilled. For a variety of obvious reasons human remains must be tended to by some form of burial or cremation. While every County does their best to identify anonymous remain, it is impossible to also do so. When individuals die indigent and without family, the responsibility for the disposition of their remain falls upon the local counties. In doing research for this essay, I was surprised to learn that an increasingly numbers of families are declining to claim their deceased because they have no financial means for private dispositions, thus leaving the responsibility to the local County.

Unless I either read about it in the newspapers or see some story on the television news, I am have not been very aware about indigent burials until February 17th, 2011.

On that date I learned that the County of Cook in Illinois had recently dug a mass grave at Homewood Memorial Garden Cemetery located in Homewood, Illinois. This cemetery has been contracted by Cook County to provide burial space for indigent burials. From this mass burial, we learned the following facts:

Cheap wooden boxes costing $239.00 were stacked three high per "grave."

This box contains 26 infants mixed with assorted body parts and bones.

In light of these revelations, I wish to pose the obvious question: Is this the ethical and social manner to bury the indigent? From my pastoral view the answer is a resounding NO.

On February 20th, 2011, I, along with others, paid a visit to this mass grave at Homewood Memorial Garden Cemetery to see first hand what had taken place. What we found and discovered was beyond any of our imaginations. Had we not known that we were gathered inside of a cemetery

we could have thought that we were at some landfill site. The concept of "burial with dignity and respect" seems not to apply when it comes to the burials of the indigent. Are burials with dignity and respect afforded only to those families and friends who can purchase them? It is an indictment of our social ethics and morality to permit those who ended their lives indigent to have their remains suffer further indignities. The carcasses of highway road kill are disposed of better that those of the indigent.

Throughout the years, many local community come together to provide unknown children and adults with dignified burials. This is done because

the majority of people within our national family respects the gift of life, not just at the moment of conception but also at its end. At times like this I find the silence of those who campaign for "respecting life" extremely deafening. The gift of life entails a complete circle - marked by its beginning and its end. Why should the end of a life be less respected and less valued than that of a life at its beginning?

Alternatives to Mass Burials of the Indigent

I believe that there are viable alternatives to the practice of mass burials of the indigent, alternatives which would insure that all who indigent a burial which would provide dignity and respect to the gift of live.

My first recommendation would be for cremation of the remains of those indigent or unclaimed. But prior to cremation there must be DNA record made of the individual. Coded urns could be stored in a fitting place until such time as the possibility of claims being made become impossible.

Because of the options provided with cremation, my second recommendation would be for unclaimed cremains to be interred in a simple common collumbarium or reserved in a underground ossuaries.

Given the reality of available land space, the option for cremation and fitting places for permanent internment, would be more cost efficient to the Counties in their obligation to dispose of the remains of the indigent.

The appalling manner in which the indigents from the County of Cook in Illinois were recently buried at Homewood Memorial Garden Cemetery cannot be permitted to occur again in the future.

I propose that we, as a national family, have the obligation to ensure the dignity of life to all persons and I would go one step further to say that we also have the additional obligation of ensuring dignity and respect to the dead. I further propose that we look for inspiration from the example of Saint Joseph of Arimathea, who provide Jesus with a dignified place of burial. Joseph of Arimathea is the patron saint for those in the funeral industry and his Feast is celebrated on March 17th of each year.

I wish to conclude by encouraging all, especially those who devote much time and energy to the causes associated to the Right to Life and for the Dignity of Life to address the issues related to the burial of the indigents and to work to ensure that no person should ever be denied a dignified place to rest in peace. Work to ensure that your county and state has ordinances and laws which will prevent such disrespectful mass graves from being created again in the future.

The Hollow Networking Void of Chicago's Gay Liberation Network

2011-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 13, 2011, Chicago's Gay Liberation Network, under the leadership of Andy Thayer, held a rally and protest in front of Holy Name Cathedral, seat for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. The agenda for this rally was to condemn the "behind the scenes effort" of Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Cardinal Archbishop for the Roman Catholic Community of Chicago, for his efforts to prevent secular to provide gender common couples the rights of civil unions and/or marriages. Andy and his group usually hold a protest in front of Holy Name once or twice a year, earn some quick air time on television and in the print media and then go home. In most cases, I usually don't too much attention to Andy's visits to the Cathedral, but this year I watched the media's coverage of this event and have become motivated to offer comment on it.

I must confess that I am at a loss to understand the true agenda behind this protest, for it came across to me as unseemly and akin to something the Fred Phelps group would engage in.

I have problems with protest in front of houses of worship and I have a problem with GLN's preoccupation with the Roman Catholic Church, for the Roman Catholic Church is NOT the only religious body unfriendly - both within their internal forums and within the secular forum - to the gay and lesbian community. I believe that I am on safe ground when I say that leaders from the various religious bodies have either directly or indirectly lobbied in Springfield and Washington against all of the various legislative attempts to provide civil rights to to the gay and lesbian community. So why single out the Roman Catholics? Could it be that protesting in front of a Roman Catholic Church would increase the odds of media attendance?

Andy and his posse negate themselves when they or anyone else choose to attach theology and doctines. First of all, we do not live in a theocratic society. We live in a society in which membership within any religious body is a voluntary act. Those who protest the teachings or theology of a religious body in which they do not belong to have no business to do so.

If Andy and his organization wishes to make a legitmate contribution to the cause of civil rights, he and they should direct their energies away from the steps of houses of worship. This is a discussion best left within the halls of our houses of government and the courts.

We already have one Fred Phelps group to deal with. We don't need another counterproductive one.

The Sad State of Affairs in Arizona

2011-01-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

As a student of politics and political science, I am amazed as to what human rights issues become bogged down in political partianship.

In recent months, the fate of Arizonians awaiting organ transplants have been held hostage in the hands of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R).

It is the position of Governor Brewer that the current status of the Arizona state budget has "forced" Governor Brewer to no longer fund Arizona Transplant Coverage.

I do not believe that one American citizen can deny the fact that our country continues to be in serious financial distress and our state and federal governments are struggling to find ways to deal wth these problems.

In recent times, the political establishment of Arizona have offered proposals and ideas which, in all Christian charity, have given the rest of the county moments of pause and confusion. But Governor Brewer's decision to condemn the fates of transplant patients to death crosses all lines of social morality and political decency. As of the date of this posting two patients awaiting life saving transplants have died at the hands of Governor Brewer. I wonder how many more will have to die because of Governor Brewer's politics?

Governor Brewer's official bio states that she is a member of the Christ Lutheran Church. To the best of my recollection, the Lutheran Church accepts the commandment that "Thou Shall Not Kill." I wonder how Governor Brewer reconciles this fact. One of the chief talking points of the Republican Party has been their dedication for the "Right to Life." I wonder how Governor Brewer and the Arizona Republican Party reconciles this fact.

For those families who have lost their loved ones due to the politics of Governor Jan Brewer, I offer this suggestion to them: Send the bill for the funerals of your loved ones to her.

Thank God NO Sacred Books Will Be Burned Today

2010-09-11T10:02:00.001-07:00

I am so very grateful that as we remember 9/11 today, no Sacred Books have been burned.

I believe that it goes without saying that such an act would have been deplorable on so many levels.

While it is good that no Sacred Texts will be burned today, I am still deeply pained by the many hate filled blogs that desecrate the Moslem faith and those who follow it. For we all breathe the same air, drink the same water, relax under the same sun, view the same stars and share the same planet.

We call God by different names, but are called by Him as one name - His Children.

It is my hope that this day of reflection will be peaceful and sacred.

+James Wilkowski

Thanks to Bill Morton for picture.

Just Having Some Fun Tonight

2010-09-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Just for the heck of it, having some popcorn and watching movies with Bill Morton and Kris Luck at Quest Network Services in Rogers Park. Nice to do something different for a weekend!

Plans for a new Pastoral Letter

2010-09-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

I have finally outlined my next pastoral letter. The working title for this is "Santification of Life."

Its thesis shall be the pastoral concerns and/or fears of a tide of social and political backlash that will undermine the progress of our national family in the area of social justice and peace and civil and economic rights.

I will keep you all up to date with my process.

Please enjoy the Labor Day weekend.

+Bishop James

A Deam Begins to Become Reality

2010-08-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest frustrations about the Independent Catholic Movement has been the absence of any serious academic formation program for the training of deacons and priests.

One of the greatest criticisms made about our movement has been the fact that we have so many priests, deacons and bishops who don't know the difference between a corporal and a doorknob. The overwhelming number of illiterate clergy within the movement is one of the reasons why the People of God so often take a pass on us.

During this past year and prior to our National Conference and Retreat this past June, our community learned of the existence of two academic formation programs: St. John the Evangelist and St. John the Beloved. Both of these formation programs have been created by and staffed by individuals who have themselves completed contemporary academic formation programs and have brought their experiences to bring fourth their seminary programs.

It is so long overdue.

At our National Conference the Evangelical Catholic Church approved both of these programs for our candidates for Orders to consider. Our community can now trust in the fact that our seminarians will be properly trained and prepared to serve the Sacramental and Pastoral needs of the People of God.

Thanks be to God!

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

Preparing for Retreat and Conference

2010-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the things I am most pleased about the Evangelical Catholic Church is our committment to hold a yearly Conference and Retreat. We choose one weekend for the clergy and laity to gather and reflect upon the past year and to focus on the current and future needs of this community.

The 2010 Conference and Retreat for this community marks a moment of signficant new opportunities for us. This year we shall be join by Bishop Joseph Ryan from Ireland. Bishop Ryan has just begun the process of Episcopal Incardination with the Evangelical Catholic Church and it is our hope that shortly after Easter 2011, I will have the opportunity to visit Ireland to complete Bishop Ryan's process of Incardination and to install him as Bishop for the our new Diocese of Ireland.

I am looking forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit guides us through some of the issues and questions that will be in front of us at table: better vetting of potential candidates, newer standards to prevent clerical sexual abuse and returning to some of the historical and traditional expressions of faith. And most importantly - personal and spiritual renewal.

Our community experienced many challenges in the past year and I believe that we all have come out the better because of them.

Please pray that we shall experience the presence of the Holy Spirit this coming weekend.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest

Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

Remembering the Responsibilities of Political and Religious Independence

2010-07-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is unique to see how dates on the calandar compliment one another.

This weekend our national family celebrates the anniversary of our July 4th Independence. For the family of the Evangelical Catholic Church, we celebrate the Memorial of the Vocation of Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa on July 2nd.

In both celebrations we remember the meaning of embracing the responsibility that comes with independence - independence that his sought and also independence that comes for rejection and ejection.

American history books have detailed all of the dynamics which culminated with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on Juy 4th, 1776. The ongoing responsibilities which comes from our political independence continues to challenge us on a daily basis. Every generation since 1776 has had to contribute to the cause of making this country a "more perfect union." In order to accomplish this, it remains necessary for us to reflect and to question issues pertaining to the collective welfare of our national family.

What has remained unknown to the general public has been the vocational journey of Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa (1888 - 1961). Bishop Costa was the Bishop Ordinary for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Botucatu and later as titular Bishop of Maura. Bishop Costa was the social and religious reformer of Brazil in his day.

Bishop Costa was one of the first catholic bishops to espouse that which was later to be called "Liberation Theology." Bishop Costa was devoted to the social and pastoral needs of those neglected by both Church and State. Bishop Costa's compassion for their needs won him no friends from the secular government nor from within the Vatican.

In the 1930's Bishop Costa became deeply involved in the social ad political changes taking place in Brazil. Brazil's ecomony had collapsed in 1929 as a result of the Great Depression and a military regime had taken over the government in 1930. In 1932 Bishop Costa became a leading spokesperson for the Catholic Electoral League, which as organizaed by the Roman Catholic Church to lobby for Christian principles in the laws and acts of the Government. In 1932 Bishop Costa played an active role in the Constitutional Revolution, a failed attempt to restore constitutional government to Brazil. He formed a "Battalion of the Bishop" to fight on the side of the Constitutionalist troops, and helped finance the rebellion by selling off most of the diocese's assets, along with his own possessions. Bishop Costa's support for the Constitutionalist Revolution earned him the animosity of President Vargas.

In 1936 Bishop Costa made his second ad limina visit to Rome, meeting with PiusXI. He presented to Pius XI with a list a requests for the clergy and people of his diocese, including:

1. Celebration of the Mass and administration of the sacraments in the vernacular.

2. Permission for the Clergy to marry.

3. Replacing auricular confession with general or communal absolution.

4. Distribution of the Communion under both kinds.

5. A permanent diaconate for married persons.

6. Celebration of the Mass facing the people.

7. Creation of a Council of Advice.

8. Lay in the administration of the Word, Eucharist and Evangelization.

These suggestions were denied, although many were implemented by the Second Vatican Council twenty-five years later.

In 1937 President Vargas, fed up with Bishop Costa's denunciation of the government, petitioned the Holy See for Costa's removal from Botucatu. The Vatican was unwilling to do so directly, so the Apostolic Nuncio in Brazil entered into an agreement with the Secretary of the Diocese of Botucatu to obtain the resignation of Bishop Costa. In a act of deception, a resignation letter was placed into a stack of documents which Bishop Costa had to sign in short order. He signed the letter, but upon realizing what had happened, he informed the Holy See that he had signed the document without reading it, but the resignation was accepted by Piux XI on October 6, 1937. After acceptace of his resignation, Bishop Costa was appointed titular bishop of Maura, an extinct diocese in Africa.

After is "forced resignation," Bishop Costa resumed his vocal criticism of the government and the national church administration, which he saw as an accessory to the mistreatment of the poor in Brazil. He openly criticized certain papal periodicals and encyclicals, including Rerum Novarum, Quadragesimo and Divini Redemptoris.

In 1944 Bishop Costa was accused by the Brazilian government of being a communist sympathizer. He was arrested on June 6th, 1944 and imprisoned in Belo Horizone. The following month the Ecclesiastical Chamber forbade him from preaching or hearing confessions. He remained imprisioned until September 6th, 1944, when we was released in response to pressure from Mexico and the United States.

After continuing years of tensions, the Vatican finally laid against him the penalty of excommunication on July 2nd, 1945. Upon being informed of this act, Bishop Costa responded by saying, "I consider today one of the happiest days of my life." Despite having "independence" forced upon him, Bishop Costa remained true to his committment to his vocation to the priesthood and continued to celebrate the sacraments and to remain with the people. In time, others came to him and Bishop Costa began to ordain priests and created the Independent Catholic Church of Brazil.

The roots of the Evangelical Catholic Church are anchored to Bishop Costa by what is known as Apostolic Succession, thus providing the sacramental validity for our Orders and to celebrate the sacraments for the People of God. Rather than being crushed by independence, Bishop Costa recognized this gift and embraced it. This was his example and it is now our chosen obligation to continue forward with it.

This weekend, we pause as a national family and give thanks to the Founding Fathers of our country for what have today. As a family united within the Evangelical Catholic Church, we give thanks to Bishop Costa for his example of faith and dedication.

Makes for a great weekend.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest

Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

Three Years and A Day

2010-06-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

Three years ago yesterday, I experienced the unexpected: Quintuple Heart By-Pass Surgery. Not one, not two but five by-passes or as we in the club refer to as "full re-wiring."

Up until five weeks before the surgery, I had no idea how close to the cardio edge I was walking. I knew that I wasn't feeling good, but I had dismissed it to everything that had been on the front burners in my life.

When a angioplasty procedure failed, I was told by my doctors that I needed "just one" by-pass. Thus I was whisked off to Christ Hospital in Chicago for surgery the next morning. I was not told how serious my condition was, but the hospital contacted my cousin Rocky, who was in Texas hearing a arbitration case and got him on the first flight back to Chicago - about 15 minutes before I was taken into surgery.

After waiting for four hours, my doctors came out to inform Rocky that I had to have five by-passes. I am told that his response was, "Well, Jim never does anything in moderation." How well he knows me.

Surgeries such as mine does not cure a person of cardiac disease. It gifts us with time - time for life and the opportunity to re embrace it. But the important thing is that we have to find every opportunity to embrace it and in doing so we have to make some radical changes in our lives.

The physical part of the recovery process takes between 10 to 12 months. This is only for the physical part of the healing such massive surgery. The emotional, psychological and spiritual part of the healing processes takes longer. A lot longer.

There are four things that are guaranteed to undermine the well-being of cardiac patients: stress, bad-diet/no exercise, depression and stress. (you noticed that I said the word stress twice.)

If cardiac patients are not able to avoid unnecessary stress in their lives, we simply will kill ourselves before our cardiac disease will do it for us.

I must now willingly admit and take responsibility for permitting so much unnecessary stress to drown so much of these first three years of my post-opt journey.

Ironically, most of the dysfunctional stress of these past three years was came from the least expected avenue within my life - my faith community.

Having my life saved has changed my perspective of life on so many levels. I now welcome the gift of each new day and the opportunity to make the most of each day.

I am a cleric within the Evangelical Catholic Church. My priesthood and my episcopal ministry is the totality of my life. I did not become a priest for the title, social standing or for any of the other perks that so often become attached to clerics, religious and bishops. I became a priest because I accepted God's invitation to serve and to be part of something that is greater than myself.

The purpose of this particular blog is not to go into the sad dynamics I permitted myself to struggle with during these past three years. Rather, the purpose is to encourage everyone to do whatever it takes to spare themselves from the unnecessary and avoidable stress that does such harm to our physical, emotional and spiritual health.

It took three years of various forms of hell to finally start dealing with the various forms of stress undermining my life. For non-confrontation wimps like myself, confronting those who were wearing me down did not come easy. But I finally found the courage to stop being a coward and to start protecting my health and well-being.

And if I can do it, anyone else can.

So on this third anniversary of receiving the gift of life, I find my physical, emotional and spiritual life happy and peaceful.

I still find myself wondering how and why this all happened. Considering how critical I was, I often wonder why I survived my operation and returned to my life when so many others did not.

But I do know one thing. I have today to make the best of and God-willing, I will have tomorrow also.

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest

Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

The Hate Mongers Take Aim at Elena Kagan

2010-05-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Though I have been a student and teacher of American History for some years, I have to confess that I am not a political junkie. nor do I following the daily reports about the workings of our Supreme Court. Like all citizens, I am interested in those men and women who are nominated by the President to a lifetime position on the Court.

Prior to her nomination, I had no idea who Elena Kagan is or of her history of work within the academic field of law.

We all knew that the retirement of Justice Stevens would be taking place relatively soon. I believe that Justice Stevens has served the Court with honor and dignity. His retirement is well-earned and it has been my sincere hope that his seat would be filled by another honorable person.

When President Obama announced Dr. Kagan's nomination to the Court, I knew that the political pundits would start to their pro and con posturing regarding Dr. Kagan's qualification.

What has surprised me the most about the various responses about Dr. Kagan's nomination has been the campaign to label her as a lesbian. Some of our homophobic bloggers have incorporated in their own blogging rants, cartoons of Dr. Kagan with "lesbian overtones" as vile as how the Nazi's once did cartoons and drawings of the Jewish people.

These behaviors are simple examples of the ever growing social and moral illness that encourages hate and rage against someone when there is nothing of worth to critique and review.

I am interested in learning about Dr. Kagan's professional qualifications to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Anything else is a waste of our collective time - no matter how many thousands of words are spewed with hate and ignorance.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

http://www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

Jesus v. Bloggers

2010-05-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

While I don't wish to become preoccupied with the matter of anonymous trash bloggers soiling the Internet, I was thinking - during my drive from my residence to the 3:00 PM Mass at Holy Family - about the endless grief Jesus would have had to endure had anonymous bloggers been around to trash him on the Internet.

I can imagine the Blog Headlines:

Illegitimate Son of Carpenter's Wife Son of Satan

Road Bums Grift for Food and Lodging

Jesus Gets Hot Oil Rub-down From Whore

You all get the idea? I bet you can picture some loon sitting at their computer to shrieking their hatred onto the net - just for the sake of doing so and knowing that they can hide their true identity and avoid moral responsibility.

I have been saddened to watch a colleague-in-ministry undergo a hideous series of vulgar attacks by an anonymous blogger. He and I have spoken about this exercise in sickness and I have been impressed with his attitude - "the truth will always break through the darkness of evil."

We both agree that if Jesus begun his public ministry in this time in history - the sickness of some bloggers would make the passion of Jesus pale by comparison.

It at time that I believe the best course of action to take is to deeply take into heart the words of Jesus himself: "Father, they do not know what they do."

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

A Reminder to British Petroleum: Clean Up Your Mess

2010-05-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

I realize that I am speaking to the choir when I say that the disaster created by British Petroleum has caused great harm to the safety of our planet.

I am not an expert in the field of oil drilling. I would hope that the experts in their field can come up with a solution to cap off this well and stop the oil for flowing into our ocean.

BP has been very quick to say that they wish to take responsibility for the disaster - but only to a certain limit.

I am sorry to point out that BP cannot hide behind "limits."

They are the cause of this mess and it is their mess to clean up. No matter how much it takes.

Sincerely Yours in Chirst,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

....Some Additional Thoughts: Ending Anonymous Blogs and Bloggers

2010-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

My previous article spoke to the tragic case of Phoebe Prince. I chose to limit my observations only to her particular case and no to meander off with countless side points.

After publishing the last article, I spent some additional time visiting several "blogs," which represents the lowest levels of human and social ignorance I have seen to date. Because I agree with those psychologists who believe that what these anonymous bloggers crave the feedback of outrage they receive from those who are functioning at a higher emotional and psychological level.

It would be interesting to research the question of the number of anonymous trash blogs v. those which strives for serious conversation and education. Just from my casual stroll through blog land, I found the numbers of trash blogs outnumbering the rest.

Since the majority of the anonymous trash blogs seems to have been created solely for the purposes of racism, character assassination and vicious gossip and lies - the question thus being begged is how our laws regarding slander and libel are not being applied to internet bloggers?

As a teacher of American History, I will defend the right of any person to express their political and social beliefs. But I cannot - nor do I believe that most psychologically healthy people - can accept the anonymous trash being posted on blogs.

I realize that my frustrations are mostly in vain because of the emotional illnesses of our anonymous trash bloggers. But I do believe that my frustrations about these anonymous bloggers escaping accountability for their actions are justified.

I wish there was a legal way to end to option of anonymous blogging. If none exists today, maybe we can work towards ending the option.

How much more enjoyable the internet could be without the trash.

Sincerely Yours in Chirst,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
and
Presiding Bishop for the Evangelical Catholic Church

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org

How Many More Phoebe Prince's Must Die Before We Reign in Cyber Bullying?

2010-04-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

I sometimes fear that I am becoming jaded as I seem to read endless stories of cruelty and injustice being done upon people. It seems that hardly a day goes by when one does not come across some story an individual falling victim to some form of outlandish and inhumane treatment. I find myself more and more just shaking my head in resignation before moving on to the next item in the papers.

The story of the suicide of Massachusetts high school student Phoebe Prince - a victim of one of the intense campaigns of Cyber Bullying to date - has stunned me to attention.

When I was in high school there were two ways of bullying another student: gossip and writings on bathroom or locker room walls. And back in the day, the prevailing attitude was such acts were those of "kids being kids." As you know, nine of Ms. Prince's classmates have been charged in the Snow case and two of the parents have dismissed the acts of cyber bullying against Ms. Prince as "kids being kids."

There is something very, very wrong here.

As I prepared to post this blog, I spoke with several friends who are also psychologists to ask them to help me to understand the psychological reasons for a person to engage in cyber bullying. These are the points they all asked me to keep in mind.

Most important is the fact that acts of bullying are acts of emotional and psychological abuse. Abusers are individuals who crave control and dominance in order to fulfill something that is lacking with their lives. Abusers profile others whom they believe they can abuse without fear of their victims attempting to defend themselves. The results of psychological testing to be done of those responsible for bullying Ms. Snow will prove educational.

What makes cyber abuse unique is the fact of anonymity. This option provides cowardly abusers with a blank check for their activities without fear of being held accountable.

Within the last year, the reality of cyber bullying has become a reality in my pastoral life. I have found myself included on at least two anonymous "blogs." Both of these blogs provides indictments of the psychological health of the authors rather than towards their intended prey. Unlike Phoebe Prince, I'm a bit older and have grown thicker skin to better dismiss the blogs attempting to bully me.

But what about all of the other Phoebe Prince's in the world who still continue to be tortured by annonymous predators? Most of these young people do have have the coping skills to deal with such matters. Who and what is truly being done to protect these young people? The time has come for our national family to step up and demand action.

It is sad that the potentials for the Internet have been so soiled by those who have used the net for such unsavory purposes. I sincerely doubt that the owners of Facebook, MySpace others would impliment serious policies and a zero tolerance policy regarding cyber bullying. Hopefully our government can create new policies to regulate and potect people of cyber bullying.

Several years ago a move began to encourage parents to monitor which sites their children could access and also to monitor all that which was being address to their children. Maybe we need to also encourage parents to monitor what their children are publishing on their Facebook, My Space and Blogs.

Most anonymous blogger bullies love the attention from the feedback they generate. It is part of their illness.

Until such time when regulations are enacted to protect us from the sickness of cyber bullies, the best we can do is to ignore the bullies. Once bullies realize that their sites are being ignored - we take back control in our lives.

I pray that we won't have to bury any more of our children until such needed regulations are enacted.

I remain,

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
and
Presiding Bishop for the Evangelical Catholic Church
Chicago, Illinois

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/northwest.htm

Sometimes Charity Needs To Begin At Home

2010-02-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest attributes of the American people is their willingness to help those who are in need. The overwhelming outpouring of financial and material support to the people of Haiti is proof positive that the Graces of God does indeed dwells within us. And once again, the American people have turned their attention to the people of Chile during their struggles to recover from their earthquake.

Not only am I impressed as to how ordinary American citizens have rallied to the needs of the people of Haiti and Chile, I am pleased with the speed and the willingness of the American Government to - despite our ongoing economic depression - to provide additional financial and material support.

There is no question of the unconditional willingness of the American people and our government to come to the aid to our neighbors within our global community.

Yet, I must confess to you that my pride was tempered last night by something taking place within the community of Chicago.

Driving home last night from an unexpected pastoral call, I found myself having to take a detour home through a section of the city know as Lower Wacker Drive. For many years, the section of the city has been the gathering place for men, women and family who are homeless. In recent years, Lower Wacker Drive has seen a great influx of unemployed and homeless refugees seeking some form of sanctuary from the elements.

I can't help but wonder what form of earthquake or natural disaster occurred in their lives to deprive them of their homes. When I look at the cramped cardboard boxes being used as their shelters, I see them being trapped just like those buried alive in the rubble from homes crashing down upon in Haiti or Chile.

The only difference is that those buried alive in Haiti and Chile have international rescue teams searching for them. I wonder who is searching for those trapped in boxes on Lower Wacker Drive?

Let me make it clear that I do not in any way subscribe to the political or pastoral theory of isolationism. The Gospels clearly teaches and calls to us to our responsibilities to care, protect and uphold one another.

I guess I am very concerned that our national community and our government too often has less enthusiasm to extend the hand of charity to our own in need we extend within our global community.

Sometimes charity does need to be present as home.

I remain,

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

+James Alan Wilkowski

Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
and
Presiding Bishop for the Evangelical Catholic Church

February 28, 2010 - The Second Sunday of Lent

Chicago, Illinois

Saving the Independent Catholic Movement from Sexual Predators and Substandard Clergy

2010-02-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

There is a form of "acid rain" that is beginning to fall from the sky in the form of a drizzle on the Independent Catholic Movement. The cloud from, which this drizzle emanates, has congealed from a posse of individuals completely illiterate in matters of basic Catholicism and individuals convicted in secular courts of law for sexual abuse.

These individuals - whose primary purpose is to find any valid avenue to claim Orders within historic apostolic succession in order to wear copes, cassocks and mitres - are polluting the Independent Catholic Movement with their corruption and will undermine this sacred movement from effectively serving the People of God.

When Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa continued his vocation to the priesthood after his excommunication from the Church of Rome, he wished to continue the sacramental and liturgical traditions of Catholicism with an infusion of what we today call the Liberation Theology and Social Justice and Peace. Bishop Costa wanted to see the continuation of Catholic grow and thrive within a new independent avenue. He did not wish to see this new hope devalued to the same state as Jesus found the Temple.

When I entered the Independent Catholic Movement in 1996, I did so with the belief that the potentials for service to the People of God were unlimited and that the spirit of the Second Vatican Council was alive and vibrant. While I still feel and believe in the sacred opportunities before us, my hopes have been tempered by witnessing our movement being converted into a toilet by self serving frauds who are trolling our Movement to attain some sort of social standing and to fulfill their sexual needs.

I unconditionally believe that individuals who are documented sexual predators and abusers have no rights to function as a cleric or religious. Vocations to the priesthood and religious life are sacred gifts from God and not personal entitlements. I also believe that candidates for the priesthood and religious life who have been documented as being behaviorally and/or psychologically unfit should not be permitted to enter into Order or Solemn Profession.

One of the most tragic trends I have witnessed in the past decade has been the exodus of sexual predators and abusers, along with the behaviorally and psychologically unfit and academically illiterate invading the Independent Catholic Movement in great numbers. The presence of these individuals degrades our movement.

Every once in awhile, I tend to surf the web to learn about other jurisdictions claiming to be part of the Independent Catholic Movement. While being very encouraged by a few other jurisdiction taking their vocations seriously, I was shocked by what I still find on so many jurisdictional web sites.

1. Priests, Religious and Bishops who have been convicted of sexual abuse.
2. Jurisdictions having no requirements for academic formation/training.
3. Priests, Religious and Bishops "church jumping" from one jurisdiction to another.

These are just a few examples common to so many claiming to be Independent Catholic Jurisdictions.

There are many Catholics in this country and world-wide who find themselves pastorally and sacramental orphaned for many, many reasons. And for those men, women and families - the Independent Catholic Movement may hold for them that which they seek and need. Many of these men, women and families have been hurt by previous pastoral experiences. They do not need to be exposed to the corruption rampant in so many of these jurisdictions.

They have been abused enough.

IF the Independent Catholic Movement wishes to be taken serious by the People of God, it must become serious about itself. Our movement must purge itself of those who demean and defile it. Nobody else can do it but ourselves and we must begin now before the drizzle of acid rain become a toxic tidal wide that washes us all away.

And if that should happen, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.

Sincerely Yours in Chirst,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois
www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org

Novena to Saint Cajetan for the Unemployed

2010-02-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you the Novena to Saint Cajetan for the Unemployed which is being celebrated at the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago. I am posting this Novena for anyone who wishes to make these prayers on behalf of the unemployed.

www.evangelicalcatholicchurch.org/cajetannovena.htm

The State of New Mexico Understands: Thou Shalt Not Kill

2009-03-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

It should not come as any surprise to anyone that as a catholic and as a catholic bishop, I am unconditionally opposed to the death penalty. I would like to think that regardless of the elements of faith and episcopal rank notwithstanding - I would still be opposed to the death penalty.

Of all the social justice and peace issues I am personally and pastorally involved in, I had come to fear that there would never be, in my lifetime, any real political and social momentum that might finally bring a end to the death penalty throughout this country.

And then from the Land of the Enchantment comes some hope for us who still dream.

The good people of the State of New Mexico have abolished the death penalty from their books. I do not doubt for a moment that this decision came easy for the citizens of New Mexico, the members of their legislature or for Governor Bill Richardson - but God bless them all they did it.

It is my hope and prayer that this spark of hope will ignite the flames of humanity, reason and morality to begin sweeping across our country to inspire those States who continue to retain the death penalty on their book to follow the lead of New Mexico and abolish it.

We have been commanded by God not to kill. God did not provide any government any dispensations from this commandment and the good people of New Mexico realized that.

Thank you, New Mexico. I am feeling a bit more hopeful again.

Sincerely Yours,

James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

To All Who Are Victims of Abuse: Run Like Hell As Fast As You Can And Get Away!

2009-03-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

I believe that “teachable moments” present themselves to us when we least expect them.

The recent events surrounding celebrities Chris Brown and Rihanna have provided us with a very teachable moment regarding the issue of abuse in relationships. I do not think we should squander this opportunity to dialogue and learn.

I invite you to realize that as you read this article, someone, somewhere is being physically or emotionally abused at this very moment.

And there might be a very good chance that the person being abused at this very moment could be someone you know.

So often, when discussing the issue of abuse in relationships, much emphasis gets placed upon the issue of determining the reasons why a person engages in abusive behaviors. While it is always important to learn why a person i s abuse and to take all necessary steps to treat this illness – we sometimes fail to adequately help the victims of abuse free themselves from these relationships.

This teachable moment will be squandered if we fail to reinforce the chorus of common sense advice being offered to victims of abuse – if you stay in such a relationship “they will do it again.”

The only addendum I would add to the above mentioned advice would be the tag “run like hell as far away as you can as quickly as you can.”

It is a documented reality that victims have difficulties separating themselves from their abusers. They psychological power abusers have over their victims is astonishing and extremely difficult to break. It is heartbreaking and frustrating for us who know those who are victims of abuse in ongoing relationships to watch from the sidelines those whom we care for continue to live in the hellish nightmare of emotional and physical abuse. We want to protect and save all who are in abusive relationships but we can’t save anyone who won’t let us.

In her autobiography “I, Tina,” and the movie based upon said autobiography, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” singer/actress Tina Turner tells of her many years of suffering physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her husband. Despite the many pleas from those who cared for her, Tina Turner could not bring herself to leave that relationship.

Until……

The day came when after suffering another brutal beating by her husband she made the spontaneous and irreversible decision to leave. As that moment was being recreated for film, Tina Turner didn't just walk out of her hotel room in Las Vegas – she ran out and began the process of healing.

And she never went back.

I believe that each of us are all created in God's image and I also believe that God takes great delight in each and every joy and happiness we experience in life. When we are willing to share ourselves with another person - either as spouse, partner or friend - we are obligated to share the unconditional love which God has graced us with the person who we have entered into a relationship with. Physical and emotional abuse and objectification has not place in sacred relationships.

I believe we can all agree that abusive behaviors and all acts of abuse are part of a mental illness that is very difficult to overcome - for this illness is like all forms of addictions. It can, with tremendous will-power and commitment, be controlled. But there is no cure for this illness and the changes of regression is very high. For anyone to remain in any relationship in which abuse is part of the dynamics is emotionally and spiritually suicidal. It can also be fatal.

Because if a abuser abused someone once, they will most likely do it again and again and again.

And that is not part of God's plans and hopes for us.

Because so many who are victims of abuse loose their self-esteem, they find it so difficult to give themselves permission to leave the relationship.

So today, I wish to join the growing chorus who are shouting out to all those who are suffering in abusive relationships.

If you are the victim of any form of abuse going on in any spousal, partnership or friendship relations - run like hell as fast as you can and get away. You may not be able to cure your abuser, but you surely can save and cure yourself.

Sincerely Yours,

James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

Juggernauts to Political Crucifixions

2009-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

The political landscape of the State of Illinois is starting to look like the floors of the slaughters rooms in the old Chicago Stockyards and we seem to have become less squeamish about sending our politicans to their crucifixtions.

The comments I wish to share in these paragraphs are not about the assigning of guilt or the protestations of innocence of Rod Blagojevich or Roland Burris. These words are an expression of my growing fear that we, the family of Illinois, are not doing enough to keep in check a juggernaut mentality that truncates the necessity of a sober and deliberate process of ascertaining acts of political misdeeds or corruption.

The call for the impeachment or resignation of a elected official is a very serious matter and it seems to me more too often that such calls are presented in an irresponsible manner - with the greater emphasis placed upon sensationalism rather than merit. I believe that those who call for impeachments or resignations have the responsibility to do so in a meritorious manner.

Some have proposed that the recent process which lead to the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich ultimately resulted in a political crucifixion of Blagojevich rather than an impeachment. I cannot accept the attitude that regardless if the process was a act of political crucifixion or impeachment - "the important thing is that he's gone."

That is not the Illinois way.

A juggernaut is something that once created and empowered, has a mind and will of its own that cannot be contained or controlled. A juggernaut can be as deadly as any force of in nature.

I fear that the juggernaut that took down Blagojevich did not expire the moment after the impeachment was declared official. I believe that it has continue onward with its sites directed at Roland Burris. I hope that it might be possible for us to will the derailment of this juggernaut in order to permit emotional sobriety, together with facts and law, and ultimately answer all questions being aimed at Senator Burris. We must not permit Senator Burris or any elected official to be hounded out of office solely because of drunken sensationalism fueled by the media.

That is not the Illinois way.

If we fail to put aside our juggernaut addiction, our political "Mount of Olives" will soon run out of room.

Our constitutional process provides up with a sound avenue to deal with matters of political corruption and misdeeds. Our constitutional process is in place to prevent any form of vacuums to occur and provide openings for juggernauts to rear up. Let us trust this process to carry us through our questions about Senator Burris.

I believe in the goodness, honesty and integrity of the people of the State of Illinois.

We are NOT like the mob standing before Pilate demanding a crucifixion. We ARE a people dedicated to the process of justice and truth.

Let that be the avenue we travel as we address the questions surrounding Senator Burris.

That is the Illinois way.

Sincerely Yours,

James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

Illinois HB 45 - Release of Elderly and Rehabilitated Prisoners

2009-02-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

The primary vocation of our Department of Corrections is not just to warehouse those who have been convicted of crimes, but rather to transform and rehabilitate those who have shown errant behavioral patterns and return them to society so they may be able to make positive contributions.

In recent years the attitude of our society has shifted more towards warehousing and away from hopes and goals of transformation and rehabilitation of those incarcerated. I believe that we all have an obligation to open our hearts and minds towards the prospects of transformation and rehabilitation.

Illinois State Representative Arthur Turner (D-Chicago) has offered House Bill 45 which offers society the opportunity to recognize that the transformation and rehabilitation of those imprisoned for their crimes is indeed possible and to welcome those who are prepared to except the responsibilities for productive citizenship to return to society.

HB 45 also provides a sensibly approach towards addressing the issue of rehabilitated prisoners who are elderly.

Under the terms of the bill, the Prisoner Review Board would only be allowed to order the release of a person if the Board finds that the person poses no threat to public safety. The bill provides that if the Prisoner Review Board determines that a committed person should receive a sentence adjustment, the Board will set conditions for the committed person's release. Finally, the bill creates a voluntary Impact of Crime on Victims Class (ICVC), which incorporates principles of restorative justice. The ICVC would be a pilot initially, patterned on a similar program within the Missouri Department of Corrections.

There are economic, social, and moral reasons to support this legislation. To the first, if only 100 prisoners were released under the proposal, it is estimated the state would save $7 million. Obviously, financial gains cannot be the primary force for a change in sentencing. The bill also recognizes that 25 years is a significant amount of time and that age 50 for a prisoner is considered elderly by researchers. The bill would not be a "get out of jail free" card. The requirements are stringent and will not be met by most petitioners.

I sincerely believe that justice, mercy and fiscal accountability dictate that some of the nearly 1,000 men and women meeting the requirements of this bill should have their sentences adjusted. I am convinced that HB 45 meets the constitutional mandate of returning prisoners to “useful citizenship.”

I thank Representative Turner for authoring this bill.

As we prepare for the beginning of Lent, I encourage all to support HB 45.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

Ethics, Common Sense and IVF

2009-02-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, a member of the Supreme Court was asked to define pornography. The answer was, "I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it."

I believe that we would all be in agreement that there is a very fine line that dictates if an act, action or decision crosses the line of ethics and common sense. Like the Supreme Court Justice, it is sometimes hard to define that line, but we certainly know when it has been crossed.

The backstory leading to the ultimate octuplet births in California has become a case in point of when the acceptable lines of ethics and common sense are crossed.

Before I say more, please permit me to make one statement of clarification before moving on:

These eight children born recently cannot and must not be forced to carry any blame or stigma associated with the process that has lead to their births. They babies are innocent victims of the recklessness of others. We are all obligated to avoid inflicting any addition burdens or stress in their lives.

With that said, let me proceed.

I believe that the discovery of IVF - in vitro fertilization has come into our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit. IVF has provided some families the opportunity to overcome certain hurdles prevent conception. I believe that God has worked through the hands of those whom He has called to the vocation of medicine in the same manner in which He has worked through those who discovered so many vaccines which now prevents certain illnesses.

Since the octuplet births, I have had an opportunity to research the common standards and ethics involved in the decision making process for doctors to ultilize the IVF process.

I have come to the conclusion that the doctor of this woman dispensed himself from those necessary common standards and medical ethics and the proper authorities much hold him accountable for his actions.

I would very much like to know how this doctor could justify using IVF for a woman who already has six children. We are not talking about a woman having difficulites in attempting to conceive her first child. We are talking about a woman who already has six children. IVF should not have been considered an option for this case.

Much as been speculated regarding the emotional maturity of this woman and it would be wrong for me to engage in such speculation. I will offer, however, the suggestion that doctors specializing in IVF should complete a full case history of any candidate for IVF prior to undergoing the process.

As a result in the breakdown of common sense in this unique case, the spirit and goals of IVF have been dealth serious injury. The goals of medicine is to improve the quality of life. What we have learned about this California case could be akin to the horrors done to women by doctors in the Nazi concentration camps.

We must never permit the dignity of any woman to be reduced to that of a bitch in a puppy mill.

I do believe that we should permit this doctor and his insurance to begin establishing eight individual trusts funds for these children - with a responsible guardian being name for the minor children.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

Ethics and Common Sense for in vitro fertilization procedures

2009-02-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

When a Supreme Court Justice was once asked what defines pornography, the reply was "I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it."

The recent octuplet births in California is demanding accountability of the doctor involved in this particular case - and rightly so. As the background facts of this particular case comes to light, it has become nearly impossible to overlook the complete absence of medical ethics and basic common sense by those involved in the decision making process.

Let me preface my remarks by stating that I believe the discovery of the IVF has been a blessing and gift from God for those families struggling with the heartache of infertility.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois

Welcome to the Bishop's Blog

2009-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Welcome.

It has taken some time for me to get around to doing so, but I finally sat myself down to put together and to organize my Blog.

As we all know, EVERYBODY, seems to have a Blog. Blogs seem to come in a very wide variety of styles and agendas. I am not restricting myself to any one form of style of blogging. I suspect that this endeavour will cover many, many topics and I hope will surely spur on some thought and discussion.

As the Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest, I hope that this project will lend some dignity to my church community. Knowing the blunt honesty that often reigns on the blogs - I suspect that those who vist and read will be the judge of my success.

Sincerely Yours,

+James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois
February 15th, 2009