TWO CLASS ACTS

I received a phone call from Packer Operations on Wednesday night telling me not to make plans for dinner on Thursday night. Coach McCarthy knew that our dinner plans would be limited given we were staying outside of Denver given the flurry of activity in the city limits due to the Democratic National Convention. As such, the Coach arranged for a dinner for all of his assistant coaches and members of the administration to dine at a ski chalet in the midst of the Rocky Mountains high above the city of Boulder.

We would need to take a couple of shuttle buses because large, normal size buses would never be able to navigate the steep terrain. The dinner would also be rather quick given the coaches would need to be back to the hotel for team meetings with plenty of time to spare.

Coach's generosity was not overlooked. He has a great capacity to know how to bring his "team" together, and the results are always victorious. Perhaps he knows very well that "a way to a man's heart is through the stomach!" We are all grateful for Coach's kind spirit.

It seems as though President Thomas Kunkel has a similar philosophy for winning over hearts. On Monday, he will extend his spirit of hospitality to the college community in a similar, yet different way. I cannot say much at this hour -- because it is his gift to the community, not mine. Suffice to say, the President is making his mark in a very down-to-earth, Wisconsinite sort of way.

Best of luck to Mike and Tom in the year ahead! May they be equally victorious this year, knowing where "God's flock" resides!

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A Week Filled With HAPPY DAYS!

I'm not sure who left me the latest message, but I know Joyce has been ribbing me about my lack of posts since August 7th! I was hoping to encounter a little "quiet before the storm" before the beginning of the school year, but that simply has not happened -- for any number of folks associated with St. Norbert College. In fact, this past week - in particular - has been one of the most active of all times.

It began with the trip to San Francisco last weekend. As if the end result in the game was not bad enough, we then had to make the trek home on our chartered red-eye. I arrived back at the priory at 5:45 AM last Sunday. Normally on Sundays I am already up at this point doing the trail, practicing my homily over and over and over again. I realized that my best option was to stay up and then get a quick nap after the Sunday Mass.

In retrospect, I cannot remember all that much from last weekend's Mass, although I do remember the Baptism during Mass and after as well as an anointing that took place immediately after the Mass. I did have an opportunity to take a quick nap from 12 - 2 PM, and then it was off to the Abbey for our annual Mission & Heritage retreat weekend for the professional and student staff members of the SNC division. The energy of the students seemed to inspire my own as we all reconnected since being away since last May. Father Conrad and Judy Turba were our retreat directors -- they were a great hit, so much that the folks are asking for their return in January!

I had to slip out on Sunday night to return to the college campus to address the Green Knight Football team for the fourth year in a row at the request of Coach Jim Purtil. I am amazed at how disciplined these guys are; Coach certainly seems to have these guys in the palm of his hand -- and he expects the same respect from the guys when guest speakers like yours truly take the stage.

The retreat would resume on Monday and would come to a conclusion at 3 PM. So many wonderful activities in such a short period of time; it felt great to see the new year unfold.

All summer long, I had an engagement in my calendar that would require my presence in Milwaukee and Racine all day on Tuesday. While in Milwaukee I had an opportunity to visit my Uncle Ray who is an 89 year old resident in the Franciscan Villa in South Milwaukee. While Uncle Ray is slowing down physically and cognitively, his same welcoming spirit permeated the visit -- his kindness reminds me of his younger brother's similar disposition; my dad is equally kind to others, a trait I admire very much.

My meetings would take me to Racine for the next several hours. I don't think I ever realized that there was an actual "downtown" in Racine. I usually never make it far from the I 43 exits for gas and food. I have found that Racine is actually quite beautiful! The downtown is booming! There are great restaurants there and some wonderful stores and art galleries -- I'll be sure to return when I have more time to explore the area.

My tour guide was Sister Stephanie, OP, a Racine Dominican and chaplain for Catholic Athletes for Christ. I ventured out to the Sienna Center to meet her, and my experience at the convent began to remind me of earlier, happy days: I had been there on a couple of "Inter-Community Novitiate experiences" 22 years ago, my first year in the Novitiate. The place looks the same -- I do not! Boy does time fly! I enjoyed having the opportunity to meet the community president and one of the vice-presidents. It was surely a peaceable and prayerful setting.



The day would end with Sister Stephanie and me heading out to Miller Park for the Brewers /Astros game. On XM Fox News, I heard the reports that Milwaukee would be stepping back in time as Henry Winkler and friends were in town for the Bronze Fonz dedication. Fonzie was to be at the park to throw out the first pitch and Potsie was to sing the National Anthem. As Sister and I were walking to the park from the parking lot, we heard all sorts of commotion which resulted in our turning right to see a motorcade of 50's and 60's cars coming to the park carrying "Mr. & Mrs. C.," "Potsie" & "Ralph Malph," "Joanie" and "Laverne and Shirley" as well as "the Fonz" among others. "Richie" was not there but he did offer a pre-taped message at the beginning of the game.

What an unexpected surprise! Like many others my age, I grew up watching Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley each Tuesday night of my adolescent years. To see nearly all of them within arms reach was just unbelievable. Sister and I had seats right at the dugout -- which sparked many phone calls from students asking me to wave to them from row 2! At the 8th inning Sister and I would dart out of there in order for us to avoid traffic considering I'd travel back to Racine to bring Sister home, and then I'd head back to DePere, arriving precisely at 1:00 AM.

Wednesday would be a day filled with many meetings in preparation for the new academic year. One of the day's highlights was hearing new SNC President Thomas Kunkle addressing the college community at the onset of the new year *. Unfortunately, I would miss the President's dinner as I would meet up with a friend from my past who is off to Iraq. I've heard many wonderful reports about the dinner -- I'm sorry to have missed the event, but it was necessary to be elsewhere.

Thursday morning was pretty busy with meetings and then getting packed up for Denver. The flight out of Green Bay was a moment of quiet amidst a very busy week. Once we arrived at the airport, we made our way to the airport Weston Hotel. Given the majority of downtown hotels were already booked due to the Democratic National Convention, we avoided the city all together. Dinner on Friday night was one of the best experiences I've had with the Packers over these past 12 years *. The night would end early -- mountain air does have its effect!



As our Packer motorcade made its way to Invesco Field at Mile High, I looked west and noticed the threatening clouds coming over the Rockies. At this point I became a bit homesick as I recalled my days of CPE in Colorado Springs. Each early evening, ominous storm clouds would come from the mountains and create major rainfalls each day. Within the hour, it would be blue skys once again. Seeing a similar phenomenon on Friday night coupled with the highway signs for Colorado Springs prompted me to think that I should have tried to get to the Springs earlier in the day. But that would be impossible, given other game day responsibilities.

Boy, what a difference a week makes! The game was wonderful and quite exciting as the scores would go back and forth. The locker room scene was great, and the sounds of the men singing in the showers made it feel like last year all over again. I arrived at the Priory one hour early at 3 AM. Today has started a bit late, but there's much to do in anticipation of next week. Father Sal will have the 10 AM Mass at Old Saint Joe's, Father Jay will have the Mass of the Holy Spirit at 4:30, and I will have Packer Mass at 7 AM and a parish Confirmation retreat Mass for our students at the Abbey at 11 AM. So, I'll now direct my attention to cleaning out the trunk of my car while working on the homilies for tomorrow.

Perhaps that's more than Joyce or the other writers wanted to know. "TOO MUCH INFORMATION!" But through it all, I've enjoyed each and every encounter, coming to realize once again, "God's flock is in your midst. Give it a shepherd's care!"



* Tune in for next entry!

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The Search Is Over!

"Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadow-boxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified." —1 Cor 9:25-27

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwbo5I_Sivk&feature=related

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The Waiting is the Hardest Part!

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Luke 12: 35-40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLCJEYLIBQY&feature=related

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"And the Child Grew and Became Strong; He was Filled with Wisdom, and the Spirit of God was Upon Him" Luke 2:40

JTB: Teddy must have had a sleepless night! Facebook indicates that Teddy made an entry on his wall entitled, "Ode to DePere" at 3:13 AM. I remember when Teddy first uttered these words just over a year ago. In fact, Teddy presented at two different Common Prayers during his senior year at SNC. When some people may have thought that he only expressed himself on the baseball diamond at Mel Nicks Field, he would remind us at Old Saint Joe's that "still waters certainly run deep. "

Unfortunately, Teddy and I have not connected as much as I'd like -- time, distance and graduate school seems to do that, you know; but I'm happy to read that he must still be thinking of us. Until Teddy and I re-connect, I offer his heartfelt reflection here. Not only does this serve as a great reminder of that sacred hour on Wednesday morning in May, 2007, but I know his wisdom will be valuable for those new, first year students who will be joining us in a couple of weeks.

Teddy Fleming, thanks for the memories!

My final year at St. Norbert College I was asked to speak at the first ever senior-led Common Prayer one Wednesday in early 2007. The theme was "Faces of Change" and we were asked to reflect on how our experience at school had changed us. We were then asked to reflect on how we would use that change, quoting Ghandi, "to be the change we wished to see in the world."

Here is what I had to say:

When I got bored Monday night with looking at a blank screen on my computer I called home, of course, to tell my parents about this little talk, what it was about, and to maybe get some advice on where to go with it. When I asked my dad how he thought I’ve changed in my four years at St Norbert all he replied with was,

“You’re taller.”

Once he got his laugh in he did give me a pretty good piece of advice. He told me that the worst thing in the world to do is to turn a reflection into a speech, because then you’re not telling people how you feel or what you’re thinking. This, of course, posed an obvious problem for me because I’m still waiting for my first original thought.

The more I thought about it the more I realized that I can’t really tell you or anyone how I have changed. Dad was right, I am a bit taller, and the freshman fifteen is nothing compared to the four year forty. But was there anything more than what is just skin deep worth talking about.

Mom said that the little picture I had when I got here has become so much bigger, and so much clearer, "You see things differently, and because of it are now a worldlier and gentler person. You get it,” she said in that mom voice that makes anyone think they actually do have it all figured out.

I came here four years ago with this opinion of what college was supposed to be. I came here thinking college was simply a vehicle to get me to the next step. I figured that I can go to school for four years, get a degree, maybe go to grad school and then dive right into the real world.

St Norbert College proved to be so much more than just means to an end, and it has taken me four years to finally figure that out. I could have gone anywhere, gotten a degree in anything but what this place has done was show me what I truly did not know – not just sociological theory, psychological principles, or statistics that I will never understand. College is supposed to make us think, and not just about answers on a test. This place is what college is supposed to be, an eye opener.

I had the privilege this past winter to lead some of the finest young men St Norbert has ever seen on a service trip to Philadelphia – one in which we assisted at a homeless shelter for men in the city. The experience I had that week and the thoughts and reflections that I came back with are very much like those I have after four years here.

No matter where one goes to school, one can get an education, but here they can get an education of what is out there in which we can be involved in. Any other school may teach you any business, but only at a place like this can we be taught life.

I have been instilled with the knowledge that there is so much more to this life than just me - this is how I have changed. It’s that there is so much more going on everywhere around us and you and I should be involved in it.

I may not have changed specifically, but now I have such a stronger understanding and awareness for all things that are broken and what you and I can do to fix them. I appreciate everything I have, everything that others do not, and how I can work to bridge that gap. So have I changed? I suppose the answer would be yes, because maybe now I can do something.

My dad is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and he was telling me that they have never put the years on the class rings. They do this because it does not matter what year you were there, what matters is that you are now part of that family.

Much like my father did at Notre Dame some thirty years ago, I did not simply come to St Norbert and go to college, I became part of a community. I am not part of the class of 2007, a class distant from the class of 2006 or 2100 – I am part of the St Norbert family.

Whether it be the Holy Cross Fathers of Notre Dame or the Norbertines here in De Pere, they all quietly show us that there is a world out there that I, that we, need to be a part of, that we need to help, and that we need to love.

As I look back on my four years and think how and what I would change – I realize that I have not loved enough. And even when I am convinced that I am ready to move on, that fact alone is what reminds me of how ready I am not to leave. So as I leave you here today with a mere two weeks before I leave you here for good, I ask you to let change in.

Everyone around you, everything here for you - do not hesitate to be a part of it; do not hesitate to leave here a different person than the one that came; and do not hesitate to love more than you ever thought you could – because where there is love, there is life.

So as we have heard today, be the change you wish to see in the world – because as Emerson said, “This time, like all times, is a very good one – if we but know what to do with it. "

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Christ at the Crossroads [In Phlox]

Should your vacation destination take you to Antigo, and I don't know why it wouldn't, you can either get here from the south by traveling via Highway 45 or 47. In the fall, I would certainly recommend 47 -- the colors in the Reservation are breathtaking. Also, you'll come across the small community of Phlox, just outside of the Reservation, where you will encounter Christ!

For the last 10 years, there has been a sculpture of Christ crucified that has consistently caught my attention. Because I'm usually in a bit of a hurry enroute to Antigo or back to DePere, I've never stopped to see the image up close as I've travelled north just outside the town limits. Today was a different story. I told my brother David about my interest in the life-sized crucifix. David informed me that his father-in-law was also interested in the art form many years ago. In fact, the piece was fabricated by David's cousin, by marriage, Greg Koeppel. So off we went today.



The image is quite beautiful in its simplicity. The corpus is simply cut and bent sheet metal, with a Bettina finish that has beautifully and uniformly rusted over the years. Unfortunately, the artist does not want to sell the piece and he's not interested in making another -- it's a one-of-a-kind, in more ways than one!

Honestly, I do not know what I'd do with it if I'd have it. Perhaps it's just too large for my room, but I think it would look wonderful outside my window, gracing the riverfront on the priory's east lawn.

For now, I'll continue to enjoy the image from the car, during trips back and forth from DePere to Antigo and back. But in case you aren't travelling to Antigo anytime soon, Greg allowed me to take these pictures. Perhaps these pictures will suffice until I can coax Greg to reconsider!

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you:

Because by your Holy Cross

you have redeemed the world!

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A New Day Dawns

At 5:45 AM on Sunday I was in the church practicing my homily for the Packer Sunday Mass. At that hour in the morning, the church is COMPLETELY silent, given the air control system isn't running at that hour of the morning. At 6 AM I was headed back to the Priory to get ready to head over to 1265. Upon walking through the church atrium, I heard some gurgles at the font. The empty font was just ready to refill for the new day. The sound and sights intrigued me; as such, I would remain standing there just watching and listening for the scene to run its course.

Strangely, as the font started to fill, I thought of the opening scene that was coupled with the Beverly Hillbillies theme song when Jed was shootin' and "Texas Tea" started to rise from the ground. Even with the high prices of oil these days, for us Catholics, the liquid that emerged from our font at 6 AM is more precious than the "Black Gold" that transformed Jed Clampet's life.

Baptized into the life of Christ! The font which was refilling for a new day of Grace gave me pause for just a moment. It reminded me that a new day has just dawned! I began to wonder about all that would take place on Sunday, and all I'd meet. What would Christ throw at me today, and how would I respond? In retrospect, it was a beautiful day!

I arrived at Lambeau at roughly 6:20 AM. Note to ESPN: even in disguise, #4 does not approach the players' lot dressed in a white medieval habit while driving a Honda Accord! When the recording of Yours Truly fumbling to remember the code reached the studios in New York, I'm sure it was the first footage to be cut!

No cameras rolling inside the building, it was a great morning. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, and the addition to our congregation of Long Snapper JJ Jansen of Notre Dame and Tight End Joey Haynos of Maryland added a sense of newness and welcome to the Mass.

Later at mid-day, I would make my way to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral to join Monsignor Roy Klister in hearing confessions and then presiding at Mass for Milwaukee's inner-city youth who are mentored and tutored by the Summit Education Association, an apostolate of Opus Dei. This group was making their annual trek to Family Night at Lambeau Field. 250 people in all, the group was much larger than I had anticipated. The acoustics in the cathedral are so great that you could hear a pin drop in the back narthex of the church. Hearing the reverberation of my own voice while preaching was quite a challenge, but it was a great experience, nevertheless.

I know quite a few local members of Opus Dei and several from the Milwaukee area. It was a pleasure to meet some of the folks associated with Willows Academy and Northridge Prep in Chicago. The brother / sister schools have been great feeders to St. Norbert, so it was my privilege to 'recruit' the younger kids to come our way soon.

After the Mass and saying our goodbyes, I headed to Walnut Street and made my way west -- as far as Wittenberg. I turned north to Antigo where I am spending a few vacation days here as a bit of a "silence before the storm" of the beginning of SNC's 111th year. I had planned on taking vacation two weeks ago, as announced to the parish, but four funerals in one week prohibited my flight out of DePere. A few days away this week will make up for the vacation I had planned earlier.

As I drove west and then north, I noticed the Shawano sky looked pretty threatening. The rains finally fell when I hit the Antigo [suburbs?]! I was hoping and praying that the storms would not hit Green Bay and cancel Jack's performance of the National Anthem. In the end, it was just a game delay, thankfully.

My entire family gathered around the TV on Sunday night to watch Jack's state-wide performance; the only one missing from the family room was Ed Sullivan! Via Fox 55 from Wausau, we watched Jack sing the Anthem with such gusto. He didn't look the least bit nervous (perhaps he should think of preaching and presiding at Old St. Joe's)! Jack's family is made up of beautifully passionate people, so I'm sure he was surrounded by plenty of supporters. His performance was the crowning moment of a very full, yet perfect Sunday.

By the end of Family Night, I'm sure the font was being drained into its nightly reservoir as the People of God would take their rest. ...."Evening came; Morning followed." "Indeed it was very good!"

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Living Large @ L A M B E A U !

Accustomed to performing in front of crowds, 13-year-old Jack Janowicz of Ledgeview will sing on his biggest stage yet before the Packers Family Night scrimmage at sold-out Lambeau Field on Sunday night, Aug. 3. A towering statue of legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi is to the right of Jack outside the Lambeau Field Atrium on Friday, July 25. Todd McMahon/The De Pere Journal

While some fans might be singing the blues about possibly not seeing Brett Favre on Sunday night, Jack Janowicz will be belting out a number that could raise everyone's spirits at Lambeau Field.

Jack, a 13-year-old from Ledgeview, was selected to sing the national anthem for the Green Bay Packers' Family Night intrasquad scrimmage. "It's going to be a big deal," said Jack, who expects to have some nerves before his solo performance. "But, I think I can really do this. I think this is going to be really fun, and it's going to turn out to be more fun than nervous."

Jack is accustomed to performing in front of crowds. He has been involved with performance workshops and music theater since he was 7. He also is part of the choir at De Pere Middle School, where he will be entering eighth grade in the upcoming school year.

He acknowledged, however, that singing the national anthem at a Green Bay Bullfrogs baseball game at Joannes Stadium, where he's appeared a handful of times the last couple summers, won't compare to the experience that awaits him Sunday.

The Packers are expecting a sellout crowd of more than 60,000 — not including the luxury boxes — for the scrimmage. The football team's illustrious stadium has a seating capacity of 72,928.

"One (recent) night when I was singing for the Bullfrogs, I was like, 'This is about a thousand people. Great, times that by 70,'" Jack said. "Then, I actually started getting nervous about singing" (at Family Night).

His mother, Maria, reminded him that all eyes won't be on him long.

"It's a minute and a half, only a minute and a half of your life," Maria said.

Kandi Goltz, marketing entertainment coordinator for the Packers, told Jack that he is slated to have his 90 seconds of fame at approximately 7:35 Sunday night, following player introductions for the scrimmage.

Jack will sing the national anthem on the Lambeau Field turf, standing in front of the Packers bench area on the southwest side of the field.

He will have to arrive at the stadium at 5 p.m. for a sound check, during which Packers officials will time his singing of the anthem. They want to make sure they synchronize Jack's last note with a military fly-over from the north end of the stadium when he sings live before the scrimmage.

"I just hope to look up at my family and see them and say, 'Here we are,'" said Jack, a Packers fan who has attended several games at Lambeau Field with family. "I'm going to be in shock. I won't be able to believe that I'm actually singing it and what an honor it is to be there."

Jack's parents, Joe and Maria, and brother Paul, 14, will be allowed to stand on the sideline and take pictures when Jack sings. More than 10 family members and friends will be in attendance. "We're very proud of him," Maria said.

The Rev. Jim Baraniak recommended Jack to Goltz to perform the national anthem Sunday. Baraniak is pastor at Old St. Joseph Church on the St. Norbert College campus in De Pere, where the Janowiczes are parishioners, and team chaplain for the Packers.

Maria Janowicz said Baraniak was wowed by Jack's singing ability when he attended a spring performance of "Godspell" put on by the Calvary Players, a community theater Jack joined this year.

Jack also performs with De Pere-based Round Table Theatre.

He began receiving instruction from Michael Rosewall, St. Norbert associate professor of music/voice, this summer.

Jack, whose singing voice is a baritone, aspires to go into music theater when he gets older.
He also would like to audition for "American Idol," a popular TV singing competition, when he reaches the minimum age requirement of 16.

"I like singing more than acting, but I definitely do enjoy acting as well," Jack said.

De Pere Middle School principal Tammy Woulf hopes Jack's local notoriety as a singer will entice other boys at the school to join the choir. Woulf said the group of more than 100 has about only a dozen male participants.

"He definitely shines," Woulf said. "He's just got that charismatic personality. He's got that charm to him. The kids like him."

Jack Janowicz should have a good summer story to share with classmates when school starts after Labor Day.

Flanked by his mother, Maria, left, and brother, Paul, right, Ledgeview resident Jack Janowicz stands on the turf at Lambeau Field on Friday, July 25, near where he will sing the national anthem in front of the Green Bay Packers bench area before the team's intrasquad scrimmage Sunday night, Aug. 3. Jack will be entering eighth grade at De Pere Middle School. Todd McMahon/The De Pere Journal



JTB: Lambeau will get a taste of Old Saint Joe's when Jack takes the field on Sunday night. Our congregation is blessed by the Janowicz's presence at Old St. Joe's week after week. In fact, as ministers of hospitality, this family is often the 'first family' people see when entering our church atrium.

One year ahead of me at SNC, I've known Maria for many years; she is a great friend, indeed! Just as impressive as her is her wonderful husband, Joe. Given yesterday was the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, I will refrain from ripping on Joe's clothing (he is often sporting clothes that include insignia of his beloved Alma mater, Marquette. In fact, even Paul was wearing the blue and gold this past Tuesday!) Maria and Joe have blessed the world with Paul and Jack -- two great guys to be sure.

Maria sent me an email that features Jack singing the National Anthem. If I knew how to link it to this blog, I would do so -- but I have no clue as to how that is achieved. Just as well, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise of hearing him live at Lambeau or on Fox 11 on Sunday night.

I know Jack will do a wonderful job on Sunday. Even Eduardo was asking for Jack's autograph this past Tuesday -- he knows talent when he sees and hears it!

Do as well as you did for your audition, Jack, and all will be well. And remember, "He who sings once, prays twice!" Know of my prayers for this very good family; this Sunday and always!

And above you see a picture of the entire family. No need to photoshop any Marquette-wear out of this pic!

ARTICLE: DePere Journal

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