August Sun

Friends,

Fifty-one years ago this August, on a beach in Martha’s Vineyard in the summer of the filming of Jaws, a young Father Jack Wall, (now executive director of Catholic Extension) talked me into interviewing for a youth ministry position in a suburb of Chicago. Jack used this great line: “John, Dorothy Day had her Chicago experience. You need yours!” As they say, “The rest is history.”

So I write from another lovely Chicago suburb and recommend that, before coming to your next meeting, you read the three-page Book of Jonah in the Old Testament—a good story to accompany our reading, “What Jaws can teach us about employee engagement 50 years on.”

In the spirit of summer reading, I want to introduce you to the writing of a former WSJ and Washington Post reporter, poet, contemplative (Benedictine tradition), and retreat director, Judith Valente (St. Peter’s College/University grad and honor’s degree recipient). Her new book is The Italian Soul: How to Savor the Full Joys of Life. Judy is a friend from my days at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, but she went to St. Aloysius Girls Academy in Jersey City, and I played basketball against St. Al’s High School as a member of the team at St. Luke’s High School in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. Judy received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, St. Peter’s University in Jersey City.One does not need to be Italian or from New Jersey to appreciate this book, but if you are ever to visit Italy, it’s worth a read!

Enjoy the summer!

Pray for our new Pope Leo, for the Church, for peace and the end of violence, and for our democracy!

Pax,
John Fontana