Unveiling the Light

Happy Thanksgiving!

Perhaps this is the year to return to the true meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday. Yes, we do commemorate the pilgrims and the beginning of a society that is today the United States of America, but the meaning of the source and goal of the holiday is not found with these early settlers. Thanksgiving was begun by one of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, in 1863. In the midst of what was perhaps the bloodiest civil war this world had seen, President Lincoln held out this holiday as a means to have hope and to unite this country when it was most divided.

He acknowledged the terrible costs of the war which pitted Americans against Americans but also pointed out many hopeful developments. Despite our obvious vulnerability, no foreign nation had begun to war against us. Our nation’s economy was moving into the industrial age, our crops were plentiful, oversea commerce was at an all time high and although there had been many setbacks, the scope of the war had been narrowed with the Mississippi again in Union hands. He saw that the end was at last imaginable and sought to begin the healing by giving all states, even those who had rebelled, a reason to celebrate. He especially wanted to provide healing for the millions of families who had suffered loss in the war. To do this he reached back to the beginnings of our civilization and found common ground in the early pilgrims.

This holiday was re-emphasized by President Roosevelt, especially as World War II drew to a close. Again it was unity and peace that was sought and a way to bring some healing to the many families and individuals who had suffered dearly in the war. In both the Civil War and World War II, many Americans would never return home again and many would do so with grievous wounds, physical and emotional. Families lost sons, fathers, brothers, daughters, sisters and mothers. It had to be emphasized that the cost was great but not without merit or reward. That reward would only be realized if we stayed together. Due to the unity we fought to achieve, the result of both wars and their horrible costs was a nation stronger than ever and more willing to face its responsibilities and to build a future.

Today, Thanksgiving remains a time for families to get together. The day prior is the most traveled day of the year as families reunite in their commonality. Unfortunately the idea of national unity has largely been loss. Instead it has been replaced by “Black Friday,� the busiest shopping day of the year that kicks off the start of the Christmas season. Few speak of a nation united, of any common goals or any common beginnings. Instead we have become a “diverse� nation where our differences are emphasized and groups are played against one another for political power. How different from the reasons the holiday was begun.

The source of our unified thanksgiving does not really lay with the pilgrims. Even when President Lincoln reached back to the pilgrims for common ground, most Americans were immigrants and a great many were recent immigrants. What Lincoln reached back to was the ideals on which this country was founded. Here there are no limits on the common man and here we are unbound by ancient feuds and traditions. In this country we are able to look forward to a brighter future and continue to work for a just society where all are equal in the law and in the eyes of the government. What binds us together are not the pilgrims but the ideals for which they came to this land. They are the ideals of freedom, economic success, and a new future. We continue to hold out this hope for all who today call themselves citizens of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln invoked a commonality in God, something we are afraid to speak of in this day and age. He listed our problems but overshadowed them with the gifts this country had received. Of the gifts he spoke,

"They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

Today is the time for us to stop and realize that we are indeed blessed. We are the richest and most powerful society in the world. We enjoy increased life spans, better health and are one of the securest nations in the world, yet we always seem to be focused on the negative. We see conspiracy without evidence, conflict when there is more to be found in common, and we keep chasing greener pastors when the one in which we dwell is, perhaps, the greenest of all. Why not, this year, stand with our President of old, Abraham Lincoln, and join him in counting our blessings and thanking God for all He has done for us.

Then let us enjoy these gifts. We will not find the joy of them in the mall or shopping center and not in strained budgets and maxed out credit cards. We will find this joy when chatting in the kitchen as we prepare a family meal, playing in the yard with the kids, telling our spouse how much they are loved, visiting lonely relatives and reaching out to our neighbors in need. Then we will realize just how blessed we are and perhaps we can slow down enough to enjoy this greenest of all pastors that God has gifted us.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and let that happiness and contentment drag on through the months that follow. God bless you one and all.

Posted by Fr Steven Foppiano at 01:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am amazed at the lack of common sense and humility in our Hollywood performers. It seems that the newest “fad� is to adopt children from Africa. It is the politically correct method of starting a family. Tom Cruise and Madonna have done it, regardless of their marriage status of lack there of. Recently when the father of Madonna’s child complained of being mislead to sign the adoption papers, Madonna’s spokesperson declared that Madonna was offering the child a “chance for a good life.�

Do these people really think they are saving these children from a horrible future by removing them from their homeland? Who is to say that they will be happier in the United States than in Africa? Wealth and happiness do not have a correlation. I have been to Africa and seen the poverty there, but also can give witness to their great spirit of community and family. Unhappy children were not visible. They were growing up in a community pulling itself out of poverty while remaining united as a people. Parents could go to work knowing that neighbors would watch their children and be safe. Young people have a sense of belonging and the spirit of the Church there cannot be imagined here. Poverty … yes, but there is not a correlation between their poverty and despair.

So often others look to the United States, and we to lesser economies, and wonder at our wealth and power. They do not see the long hours at work, the longer commutes, the bills to be paid and the lack of family unity. They gather in the evening as family and community to discuss their world and maybe look with envy towards ours. We do not gather but are scattered in various activities. It is an exception when an entire family sits down to eat together. Our young people and many of their parents are looking for meaning in their lives and wondering what it is all about. We see the poverty of others but do not realize the many blessings they enjoy as well.

It is a lack of humility and perspective that makes some think that these African children are better off in the United States than in their home countries. I have been to the Philippines, Mexico, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Korea and Croatia, as well as Western Europe, Canada and across much of our United States. The West may have the economic and military power but they have a great spirit of family, community and spirituality. Who is the better? At the end of our life … what do we want to look back at? I know in my many experiences as a priest attending those near death I have yet to have someone speak of job, career, power or money. It is family, friends and love that are most important to them. Jesus had it right all along!

It does not have to be this way. We can moderate our lives to live by the priorities that mean the most. We can make more time for family, our children and each other but to do so we have to let go of the chase for economic and prestige accomplishments. It is not that economics is unimportant. We have to provide for our loved ones and for our future. But if they do not have us in their lives, we have chosen wrong or put too much emphasis on the wrong area. That new car or bigger house is not worth strained relations with children, divorce and disunity of family.

Coming into the Christmas season we can begin to make this change. We can spend ourselves into debt and spend the rest of the year trying to climb out of it or we can simplify our Christmas and throughout the year spend time with our family and neighbors. By this time next year those that follow this advice will be able to point to the success of a more loving family and improved relationships. Those that spend themselves into debt and follow the old course of seeking material rewards will find themselves in the same insecure situation and are unlikely to even remember what they spent all of that money on.

The choice is ours.

Posted by Fr Steven Foppiano at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kathryn Bogosian was a young, happy and devoted mother who was involved in her community. She was innocent of any wrong doing and yet, today she is dead because of the actions of Shayne Tinnel. Tinnel said he would not be taken alive. Unfortunately he took another life at the same time. The family has my deepest sympathy. This is a great tragedy and a very sad circumstance for the entire community

While I lament the loss of these young women and am sorry for the family and friends of Kathryn, I also believe that we do not need to make this tragedy worse. Here I am referring to the various calls for the resignation of officers, the Chief of Police or the County Sheriff. People are pointing to the police and sheriff departments as being at fault for undertaking a chase, for not adequately blocking the subject vehicle in, for not shooting out its tires or for not finding some other way to stop the vehicle.

While I don’t have the full picture, from what I have read it seems that the officers involved did what they could. It is said that only 25 seconds elapsed from the time that Jennifer Street stopped and got out of the car and Shayne Tinnel drove away. 25 seconds goes by very fast, especially when you fear a known felon who may be armed. Some say he should have been blocked in, but how often have you seen a police vehicle pull in front of a stopped car? That is a dangerous place to be if the felon does have a gun. Maybe the officers could have shot out the tires of the car of even shot the driver himself. That is a matter for policy review and proper training as current policy does not allow such action.

One of the reasons this happened is that we live in a small town and, unfortunately, in an area that, because of the drug trade, has more than its share of lawbreakers. The officers said that in five minutes they would have taken Tinnel at his home, thus avoiding the danger of a traffic stop. In Sacramento a quick call on the radio would have brought an onslaught of police cars and officers to the location. In a small town like ours and especially in an area like Magalia, there are far fewer officers available. We simply don’t have the resources of a big city. That is the price we pay for small town living and it is a burden on the local police and sheriff as well.

Maybe the officers involved could have done something better or more but they are not guilty of neglect. This incident is being reviewed by an outside agency and from this we can expect further policy development. We should learn from this event, not use it to eliminate people who are doing a very good job with the limited resources we have. Whatever happens, we need to remember that we are a small town and that we are not willing to pay what it would cost to have a police force manned to the extent one would find in a large city. I believe that the city of Paradise can be very proud of its police force and its interaction with the community and that we need to support them.

As I said before, the death of Kathryn Bogosian is a tragedy. I can understand the family’s tendency to give in to their anger and to place blame on others. We all like to think that tragedies won’t affect us or those we love if only everyone would do what they should. The fact is though, tragedies do happen. People do die young. They get sick, they have accidents, they are murdered, they over medicate and yes, sometimes they die because of the actions or inactions of others. We do not have the control over life that we like to think. We can be perfect in what we do and still face horrible tragedies. This is a fact of life.

For this reason we need to keep our hearts and minds firmly on the presence of God. Only in God will this family find solace and only in God can any of us find true comfort in this life. We are not in control of all things but all is subject to God. God can make good of the worst circumstances and in God we can always find hope. Because of our free will, God does not control who has tragedy in their lives but he can make all circumstances good with time and can heal all involved, if they remain faithful to the Lord. In God we can know that Kathryn is in good hands and that Shayne now faces the ultimate judgment.

I hope that Jennifer Street is investigated. If she was harboring this man then she needs to be brought to justice. I hope that the family of Kathryn is able to overcome their anger and give honor to her by uniting in their love for one another and finding forgiveness in their hearts. I also hope that our local police and sheriff officers and management can learn from this incident but also know that the community supports their efforts and does not blame them for this tragedy. This event has hurt enough people. Now we need to use it to address future such incidents and remain unified as a community. To do otherwise only allows Shayne Tinnel to further victimize this community. He has caused enough problems as it is and now we can entrust him to the judgment of God. Maybe he will find mercy there or possibly condemnation but he will no longer be able to hurt others.

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In response to comments posted below:

I do not wish to argue with famiy members who are suffering a great loss in their lives but I have posted their comments. All I can say is that I know the Chief and some of the officers of Paradise Police and have a great deal of respect for them. I do not think a coverup is likely either by these officers or, especially, by the outside Sacramento agency that is investigating the accident.

The truth will come out but it may be that we already have it. If not, then I am certainly all for full disclosure. One thing we will not ever gain is something that makes this loss any less tragic. Only God can heal the injury done to the family.

Posted by Fr Steven Foppiano at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)