Santo bautismo
"How is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ...
 In our own languages we hear them speaking about
 God's deeds of power ." Acts 2:8,11b
 
"Yo te bautizo en el Nombre del Padre,
y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo. Amén ."
 
Dear people of Ascension,

Oops! It wasn't until the family arrived for the pre-baptism counseling on Saturday that I ran into the language barrier. Most members of baby Zuleika's family know little or no English. Y mi espa ñol es muy pobre.

One of the proud godparents, parishioner Enrique Vilaseco, saved the day by translating. I soon recognized, though, that I-we-could not properly welcome and minister to the family on Sunday only in English.

Later on Saturday. Jim Lo Bello and Ken Kelling separately found and shared with me versions of El Libro de Oración Común, the Spanish translation of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. I then aimed to incorporate both Spanish and English into the Rite so both family and congregation could more meaningfully take part. It seemed providential that Fr. Daly, with part-Mexican heritage and more than passable Spanish, was serving as Deacon on Sunday.

The Baptism also included una bendición adicional-an added blessing-to me, from my place behind the font. During the course of the baptism, the atmosphere seemed to move from (understandable) surprise and caution to supportive and lively participation. Thank you!

I'm partly drawing attention to Zuleika's baptism due to the novelty of it. The experience also leads me to contemplate matters of language, comprehension and faith. We all know the blessing when we sense that anyone is speaking my language. It partly about English or Spanish or Latin. It's also about layers of meanings and our intentions and timing and the receptivity of the hearer. It matters of faith, the Holy Spirit also comes into play.

How often, I wonder, whatever the language or context, do you and I form and offer our words with the intention of blessing others in their faith, hope and love?

'Father D'
Ye blessed souls at rest, who ran this earthly race
and now, from sin released, behold the Savior's face,
God's praises sound, as in his sight with sweet delight ye do abound.
 – Hymn 625, text by Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

​Dear people of Ascension,

​So many of us continue to absorb the news and reality of Father Jim Dunkerley's death, early last Thursday morning. An email from one Ascension member included only the hymn stanza shown above and: " Praying for ... all who mourn."

In addition to this and other hymn texts and scriptures that have come to my own heart and mind, I've also recalled a line from a Joni Mitchell song: "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone ..." Only, in this case, I do believe that many of us did know the spirit and gifts that Father Dunkerley shared with so many, and often we  did share and show our appreciation. 

When I began my ministry here in January 2016, Bishop Lee and I discussed the continuing role that we both hoped Father D might have here. As an aside, the bishop said, " Jim is a priest's priest. There are so few like him left these days." 

That remark was emblematic of the appreciation that so many of Father D's colleagues shared. Hoping for your edification, I'm taking the liberty of sharing (to the right) impromptu thoughts from three colleagues, all responding to a group text I initiated on Saturday to clergy form St. James' Cathedral, St. Peter's and Atonement, where Father D's ministry endured and blessed so many.

A Requiem will likely take place at the Church of the Atonement, Chicago, at a time and date still to be determined. As we await that news, please keep in prayers Father Dunkerley's longtime partner Salvatore 'Sal' Martinez and Father D's four siblings and their families in England. And please know of my gratitude for the faith you've shown at this time, including by way of the simple shrine, shown below, that was created in the narthex for all who came to mass this past Sunday.