Thoughts Along the Way

            By Harry E. Berndt

Thoughts along the way

that seem to say

that strife

is with us all

the way and not

the way it ought to be

for if it was

we would be free

Can I be free and

you a slave – a slave

you say – yes

I work for pay

and I am free

at least that is what they say

RAIN

by Harry Berndt

I am sitting here on my porch

while it is raining - a soft steady

rain coming down.

I love a steady rain – soft

without a sound.

My heart cries out for those who suffer

without rain.

I ask why I have rain - and not

others - who without a doubt

have equal claim.

There is no reason why I have rain

and they have none.

The blessings of this world are for all

and not just for some –

If there is a god?

The Deer

By Harry E. Berndt

From the porch it did appear

 to be a dog

 it was not clear

through the fog

and below the pond

 too far for me to see

 it was not a dog

but a deer.

how lucky for me

to see this deer

a world of beauty

opened to me

away from fear

and the home of the free

away from guns

away from death

which always seems to be

the very breath

of the home of the free

Unhyphenated Me

By Harry Berndt

I am unhyphenated ; not counted, and of no account.

 no parades for me, no toasts of beer

or wine; no festivals, no old langsyne.

people take no notice that

I am here.

My being here is unexplained

 if I am pained

 I never make a fuss -- I am a one

 not an us you see

I am unhyphenated and free, yes free --- but

Yet I am here

On summer days I roam the streets

and seek those feasts

 of pies and cakes

and different meats.

 I fear

I am the only one who knows that

 I am here.

The Egret

By Harry E. Berndt

An Egret came my way

Today

He just stopped by to fish

I couldn’t help but wish

That he would stay awhile

But that’s not his style

Another brother Egret came

And stayed to fish and eat

And he lived in the tree

Above the pond for over a week

Room and board for free

           

Brooding

By Harry E. Berndt

I have been sitting on my front porch most of this morning and early afternoon, and I marvel at the beauty that surrounds me; the tall Oak trees, smaller Dogwoods and Redbuds, and the medium height Tulip and River Birch. The weather today is the closest to perfection that it ever gets, and sitting on my porch on such a day is just that – perfect!

            Sitting here on my porch, watching the birds and the squirrels scrambling around for food and whatever, being very well at 88 years of age, I couldn’t but wonder why I am so blessed. It certainly is not due to anything that I have done or not done, although I have participated in my society, as have most people. It obviously has nothing to do with worthiness, since I am not more worthy than other humans.

            If I am not more worthy than those others who suffer from war, poverty, lack of food and potable water, and closer to home the unemployed, and those suffering from the injustices endemic in our society, what about you? Are you more worthy? I suspect Not!

THE NEST

                        By Harry E. Berndt

There’s a mother in the tree

Outside my door

She sits and looks at me

And nothing more

           

It must seem odd to see

Outside my door

A mother who looks at me

And nothing more

The Loyal Opposition

By Harry E. Berndt

Where is the “loyal opposition”? One wonders if there was ever a loyal opposition, but today’s Republicans represent the antitheses to such an idea. Often one hears comments about how Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan worked together to make government work. Chris Mathews beat that idea to death in his book Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, and on his program Hard Ball. This fiction is repeated over and over by both Republican and Democrat politicians, especially by those politicians who fail to support President Obama.

 Present day examples of the loyal opposition are the remarks from Republican Congressmen and Senators that undermine the very office of the President. One Republican Congressman called the president a liar during his State of the Union address; Michele Bachmann, who talks with God, has called the president anti-American; Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, stated that his priority is to roll back successful Obama legislation, such as the Affordable Care Act, if Republicans are able to take over both the Senate and the House.

A Republican Governor, Mitch Daniels, in response to the president’s State of the Union speech stated, “The status of loyal opposition imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities; to show respect for the Presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists.” It seems evident that the Republican controlled House doesn’t agree. Speaker John Boehner and the Republican leadership have consistently turned down invitations to attend White House functions and have generally snubbed the President. They often insult the President by innuendo when interviewed and in public speeches. Their conduct is disrespectful of the President and of the Office he holds, and their statements damage the President’s credibility in the world of diplomacy.

The Loyal Opposition

By Harry E. Berndt

Where is the “loyal opposition”? One wonders if there was ever a loyal opposition, but today’s Republicans represent the antitheses to such an idea. Often one hears comments about how Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan worked together to make government work. Chris Mathews beat that idea to death in his book Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, and on his program Hard Ball. This fiction is repeated over and over by both Republican and Democrat politicians, especially by those politicians who fail to support President Obama.

 Present day examples of the loyal opposition are the remarks from Republican Congressmen and Senators that undermine the very office of the President. One Republican Congressman called the president a liar during his State of the Union address; Michele Bachmann, who talks with God, has called the president anti-American; Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, stated that his priority is to roll back successful Obama legislation, such as the Affordable Care Act, if Republicans are able to take over both the Senate and the House.

A Republican Governor, Mitch Daniels, in response to the president’s State of the Union speech stated, “The status of loyal opposition imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities; to show respect for the Presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists.” It seems evident that the Republican controlled House doesn’t agree. Speaker John Boehner and the Republican leadership have consistently turned down invitations to attend White House functions and have generally snubbed the President. They often insult the President by innuendo when interviewed and in public speeches. Their conduct is disrespectful of the President and of the Office he holds, and their statements damage the President’s credibility in the world of diplomacy.

The Loyal Opposition

By Harry E. Berndt

Where is the “loyal opposition”? One wonders if there was ever a loyal opposition, but today’s Republicans represent the antitheses to such an idea. Often one hears comments about how Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan worked together to make government work. Chris Mathews beat that idea to death in his book Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, and on his program Hard Ball. This fiction is repeated over and over by both Republican and Democrat politicians, especially by those politicians who fail to support President Obama.

 Present day examples of the loyal opposition are the remarks from Republican Congressmen and Senators that undermine the very office of the President. One Republican Congressman called the president a liar during his State of the Union address; Michele Bachmann, who talks with God, has called the president anti-American; Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, stated that his priority is to roll back successful Obama legislation, such as the Affordable Care Act, if Republicans are able to take over both the Senate and the House.

A Republican Governor, Mitch Daniels, in response to the president’s State of the Union speech stated, “The status of loyal opposition imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities; to show respect for the Presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists.” It seems evident that the Republican controlled House doesn’t agree. Speaker John Boehner and the Republican leadership have consistently turned down invitations to attend White House functions and have generally snubbed the President. They often insult the President by innuendo when interviewed and in public speeches. Their conduct is disrespectful of the President and of the Office he holds, and their statements damage the President’s credibility in the world of diplomacy.

LABOR DAY 2014 and Catholics

By Harry E. Berndt

In this year of high unemployment and sacrifice by workers in almost all levels of employment, it is fitting that Catholics celebrate this Labor Day by reviewing Catholic social teaching. As citizens, Catholics should try to understand how Labor Day came about and how Catholic social teaching relates to workers

On May 1, 1886, when Chicago workers went on strike demanding an eight hour day, May 1 was set aside to honor and support workers. May Day originated in the United States as the International Day of Labor and is celebrated in every country but the United States, Canada, and until 1994 South Africa, when post Apartheid laws became effective. Workers’ Day in Canada and Labor Day in the United States are officially celebrated on the first Monday of September. Although not an official holiday, the International Day of Labor, May Day, is still celebrated by many workers in both Canada and the United States. There are those who think that the creation of Labor Day was an attempt to keep American workers separated from workers in those countries that celebrate May Day as the day to honor workers. In 1955, Pope Pius XII established May 1 to be the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker to provide a model and protector for all workers.

It is the Bible that provides the direction and the roots of Catholic social teaching, and it is the Papal Encyclicals that have continued to emphasize the need for justice for workers. The Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, RERUM NOVERUM, set the stage for the encyclicals that followed. In the United States, and indeed in other western democracies, there has always been a debate about whether and how much support the government should provide for its citizens. The encyclicals of the Popes all express the position that the government has a special responsibility to provide a satisfactory quality of life for all. Pope Leo said, “When there is question of defending the rights of individuals, the poor and badly off have a claim to special consideration. The richer classes have many ways of shielding themselves, and stand less in need of help from the State; whereas the mass of the poor have no resources of their own to fall back upon, and must chiefly depend upon the assistance of the State. And it is for this reason that the wage-earners, since they mostly belong in the mass of the needy should be especially cared for and protected by the government.“

Pope Pius XI in the Encyclical QUADRAGESIMO ANNO, On Reconstruction of the social Order, said, “Labor, as our predecessor explained well in his encyclical, is not a mere commodity. On the contrary, the worker’s human dignity in it must be recognized. It cannot be bought and sold like a commodity.” Pius XI affirmed the contention of Leo that the poor and workers are in need of government protection. He also continued Leo’s position on the rights of workers to form associations and unions. Pope John Paul II emphasized, as did his predecessors, the right of workers to organize and to strike but more than past Popes, he discusses the concern of the Church for workers in poor countries being exploited for higher profits. His is a strong statement for the solidarity of workers around the world.

Pope Francis continues the Church’s concern for the poor and for just compensation for workers. In Evangelii Guadium he states, “We are not simply talking about ensuring nourishment or a “dignified sustenance” for all people, but also their “general temporal welfare and prosperity”. This means education, access to health care, and above all employment, for it is through free, creative,
participatory and mutually supportive labor that human beings express and enhance the dignity of their lives. A just wage enables them to have adequate access to all the other goods which are destined for our common use.” Pope Francis in all of his pronouncements shows his concern for the poor, for workers, and the need to address the inequality which pervades our society and those around the world.

Many cities in the United States have priests they call their labor priest. Most are not known outside their own parish or city, but some have attained national and even international recognition. The Papal encyclicals, all taken together, point to the sacredness of work and the worker, the need for justice in the treatment and remuneration of the workers, the right of the worker to form associations and unions, and the use of the strike to gain worker rights and just compensation. The labor priests took these ideas and applied them to their societies.

 Monsignor John A. Shocklee, now deceased, was referred to by many as the St. Louis labor priest. He led the fight against the “Right to Work” legislation and is largely credited with its defeat in Missouri. Monsignor Shocklee’s participation in matters related to labor and labor unions was deep and constant over his entire tenure as a priest. One of his more public stands was with Caesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers and their boycotts of lettuce and grapes.

No one should accept the present unemployment rate, especially not Catholics. The Papal encyclicals since Leo XIII in 1891 all shared the dictum that wage-earners should be especially cared for and protected by the government.

.

992 Words

The Promotion

By Harry E. Berndt

 

Everyone agreed that Joaquim Canato was indeed the right choice to be the supervisor in the tire assembly department; he was the perfect choice. He was admired and liked, even loved, by most people in the village. It seemed that he could do anything better than anyone. In the bull ring he was the brave captain of the Focados, the team that subdued the bull at the end of the bull fight. He thrilled all the ladies of the village as he leaped between the horns of charging bulls, stopping them so they could be to be led from the ring. He was the village Patron’s favorite and he made Joaquim second only to himself in the Bull fighter’s Club. Joaquim was now the proud employee of the new factory, and no one in tire assembly could produce tires faster or of better quality than he.

Jim Lyle arrived in the village about six months earlier to begin training people for the new plant start-up. Most of the equipment for the start-up was in place and there were some people trained for every operation; tread extrusion, fabric cutting, bead building, tire assembly, curing, final inspection and shipping. Production was going on for over a month and although slow and still a little unsure, everyone knew his job; not at an American or British piece-work level, but adequate for a beginning. It was now time to choose supervisors for each department, and Joaquim was chosen for the tire assembly department.

Jim first met Joaquim when he needed someone to paint the factory water tower. It was a big job and he asked the village priest, Father Botaquillo, and the Patron, Jose’ Costa, if they could recommend someone who was competent and trust-worthy to do the job. Almost simultaneously they both said Joaquim Canato, of course. The tower was painted within a week and it looked magnificent. It was the most beautiful site in the village, and higher than anything people ever expected to be built. Up until that time, the church, which was built in the tenth century as a mosque, was the highest and most magnificent structure.

Jim Lyle walked through the factory and felt proud about what he had accomplished. The formal opening, the inauguration of the factory, was still over a month away and everything seemed to be moving along very well indeed. All the employees were trained and producing tires that, for the most part, met the specifications established by the engineers in the United States. Of course, the level of production was very low and there were quality problems, but that was expected on a start-up operation. Every morning he and the quality control manager held a meeting where they dissected several tires that had been rejected during final inspection. They would find blisters caused by humidity or the builder’s failure to correct for folds or fabric tears. But overall Jim Lyle was satisfied that the plant was making progress and even though there were too many rejected tires for a functioning plant, the figures did not seem too bad for a new start up. Jim felt sure that the quality would improve, as well as the production levels.  

Production and quality did improve in almost all the departments, but in the most important department, tire assembly, things seemed to worsen every day. Plant directives were ignored and building specifications were not followed. In the quality control morning meetings, the problems not only worsened, but they were problems Jim Lyle had never seen before. The most egregious were those involving ply selections that differed from those specified for a particular size tire. There were other problems, too, such as the scheduling tire assembly to match that of the production of plys, treads, or beads. Mass confusion ensued, and it became obvious that Joaquim was unable to cope with the problems.

What to do? To remove Joaquim from his position of tire assembly supervisor would cause him to lose face in the village, but to keep him in that position became impossible once Lyle became aware of the depth of the problem. He could give Joaquim an assistant who might be able to correct errors as they occurred. Or, Jim Lyle could spend more time in the department and assure that errors were discovered and corrected. These were not reasonable solutions though, so maybe Joaquim would have to be demoted to tire builder. In thinking about moving him back to tire builder, Lyle came up with a better solution, but one that was more or less the same. He would promote Joaquim to master tire builder for research and new tire production.

So, Lyle gave Joaquim a small increase in pay and posted the announcement of his promotion. Once again Joaquim was perceived as a man who could tackle any job. He remained the most admired man in the village; a daring captain of the village Focados, and the man in charge of research at the new tire factory. A new supervisor was appointed who always deferred to Joaquim on matters concerning new tire production. It was only right, because after all he was Joaquim.     

 

 

 

Pope Francis, Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter, and Vatican II

By Harry E. Berndt

 

Pope Francis appears almost daily in the news, and it is like a breath of fresh air. The message the Pope is sending to the world is reminiscent of the similar message of the St. Louis Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter, and of Vatican II. The similarities are self-evident; justice and equality for people of whatever persuasion. The struggles I remember most from the 1960’s and 1970’s are the civil rights struggles, of which Martin Luther King was pre-eminent, and those of Catholics resulting from Vatican Two. The people involved were not seeking power for themselves, but rather they sought power for the powerless and the poor. St. Louis Catholics were fortunate in having as their Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter. In fact, some would say that the entire St. Louis community was fortunate in having Archbishop Ritter. A St. Louis Globe Democrat editorial stated, “Even non-Catholics often speak of him as ‘our cardinal’.”

Archbishop Ritter was made a Cardinal by Pope John XXIII in 1962. Shortly thereafter, Pope John the XXIII opened Vatican II, and Archbishop Ritter, as the newest member of the College of Cardinals, attended.  The United States Catholics were well represented by two powerful cardinals, Cardinal Cushing of Boston and Cardinal Spellman of New York. But in the eyes of many European Bishops, it was the new cardinal from St. Louis, Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter, who made the greatest impact on Vatican II. Although the youngest cardinal from the standpoint of tenure, he was uninhibited by the brilliant theological minds gathered in Rome from all over the world. He spoke boldly and plainly for what he believed, and he gave Rome a new image of the American Cardinal. Long before the Council had finished its work, he was widely recognized as one of the men making contemporary Church history. Ritter took leadership roles on issues of ecumenism, freedom of conscience, race, and the use of the vernacular in the Mass. He suggested the extension of the title Church to Protestant denominations, and insisted that the council absolve the Jews from all blame for the death of Christ.

The Catholic Church moved away from Vatican II in recent years, as it became more and more conservative in its public pronouncements. The pronouncements of Pope Francis indicate a return to the ideals of Vatican II and a greater concern for the well - being of the poorest of the world. The world welcomes Pope Francis and his message of peace and love for all people, poor and rich alike, and the people of St. Louis can look back and be proud of their Archbishop, whose ideals preceded those of Pope Francis, and were of the same intention as those of the Pope.