November's Letter

November 1, 2000

Dear ones,

The Marcus roller coaster ride continues. Last week he was in the hospital getting platelets and red blood cells. Tomorrow he will be back in school. Your prayers and his resilience are Remarkable THANK-YOU

I always struggle with these monthly letters. This morning I want to tell you that you are with me in these places I visit. You are my companions on this Long Journey. You could even insert your names in appropriate sentences for each of you is remembered with Love. But you are also curious about the new places I visit, the old and new beloveds along the way, so here come some details.

On my return to Grand Junction on October 1 after the six weeks in Minnesota and North Dakota, I shared many a story with Colorado friends over breakfasts, lunches, dinners and at Sara and Greg's wedding reception. I met Sara Cameron 25 years ago as a little girl in Denver. She and her family traveled to Arlington in 1985 to help tie fabric pieces around the symbols of power and now she was a radiant bride.

The first stop in Southern California was to visit Teresa Abbott in West Covina. Teresa was the first person on Earth to hear the story of my resignation from Bloom Township high school because of racism. Now she welcomed me into the heart of her home and family for a week. During those seven days I had two glimpses of Heaven. As her guest at a party honoring InfoLine employees, the full moon rose over the deck where African-Americans, Asians, Caucasians, Latinos ate together and DANCED together. That Sunday, another glimpse of Heaven at St. Agatha's Catholic Church in LA where the same mix of God's people moved in rhythm with the Gospel Choir. A Glory!

From West Covina to Pasadena where I was a cherished guest of four sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. France, Joel, Sheila and Susan fed me and bedded me. There were flowers in my room and a swing on the wide front porch from which I could watch the sky as the sun set over the Pacific. I was able to attend a Mass honoring the 120 Chinese Martyrs, the first time I was part of a bilingual mass in Chinese and English.

I am writing today from Manhattan Beach, California where I am the guest of Madonna Newburgh and Marian Anderson. Madonna and Kevin Queally,TOR were the organizers of the actual tying of The Ribbon around the Pentagon itself 15 years ago. And yesterday we went to the Leo Carillo State Park for a reunion of the California Great Peace March for Madonna, Marian. my sister and Bill, my brother-in-law were part of that long walk. The rain poured down on the tarps as people remembered that tremendous undertaking 14 years ago. Coming home along Highway 1, with the windshield wipers singing their song, we passed 3000 women walking along the road. Cold, wet, tired after three days and 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer research, they continued THEIR march.

So there are a number of threads woven together in this California journey. The suburban wife and mother quitting her job over racism in 1969, the former atheist who became a Roman Catholic in the 10:30 Catholic Community in Denver 25 years ago, the woman who responded to the poem "Gift" with a plan to tie a Ribbon around the Pentagon and all along the way, this woman who I am has been surrounded by friends. New friends, Aaron, Bev, SHCJ sisters and old friends like Francine whom I met originally in Austin, Texas and who now came to sit on that swing and share stories in Pasadena.

Help me sow these seeds. The best way would be to tell your friends about this website. Another way would be to send a check to support the splendid work Jeff Patten does to get it on line with Hurricane Electric's help. This month I THANK Ann Louise Eble, SCL for her contribution.

May God continue to guide and to protect you.

with Love,

Justine

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