Day 3:

Today things began relatively early. After getting out of bed at 6:00 AM, I got dressed and came down stairs to see that Father Dave and Father Doug were already up and ready. Since I have a reputation for not being a morning person I heard Father Doug quip to Father Dave, "Don't look at him, smiling is a sign of aggression." Fortunately this was not the case.

Since I wanted to enjoy a rather full lunch we did not eat breakfast. Due to delays, traffic jams, and diversions we didn't eat our first meal until 4:00 PM; take note, never vacation with Fr. Aron. After leaving Ada we traveled to Mishawaka, Indiana (near South Bend). There we visited the Best Buy in order to get a new camera charger so I could use my camera. I have always had bad experiences with the staff at Best Buy, and after being told that they didn't carry the charger we needed (my camera was too old they said), I went down the road to a battery store. The two guys who ran this place were friendly and they had the desired charger. From here on out whenever I need a battery I am going to Mishawaka.

The first stop of any significance was "Catholic Harvard" - Notre Dame. This was my third trip to the fabled institution, and as always it doesn't disappoint. After Mass on campus at the Sacred Heart Basilica we went to the sacristy and introduced ourselves to Father Peter Rocca, rector of the historic church. Fr. Rocca, who is a liturgist, asked what dioceses we are from and after informing him he told us, "Well, I write both of your ordos." Father Doug replied, "Well, thanks a lot, now I know who to thank." For the uninitiated the ordo is a small book that comes out each year which lists what prayers are to be said at what time.



Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

Notre Dame maintains a great ecclesiastical museum next to the sacristy. Pictures are not allowed. However in that small room we saw exquisite chalices, Pope Paul VI's cassock, a monstrance donated to the University by Napoleon III, Pius IX's tiara, St. John Neumann's chasuble, John Carroll's crosier and pectoral cross, and many other items from American Catholic history. I told our guide, "Hey listen, if you guys ever have a flea market let me know." Father Doug says he hates to see me with tour guides because I look like I am trying to take over the tour. Perhaps he has a point.


During our Notre Dame time we also spoke with one of the seminarians studying to be a Holy Cross priest. I was pleased to hear that they have around fifty men studying for the priesthood in their congregation. Prayerful best wishes to them!


After praying in the grotto and lighting some , and taking a few pictures (Father Doug remarked when I took his picture in front of the iconic dome, "ah a picture of two famous domes") we departed for Chicago. Traffic seemed to be the main issue in Chi-town. Lights, at least the lights we waited for, seemed to turn green for 3 seconds, and then remain red for an hour or more. Embellishments aside, we sat in a lot of traffic. On one of our waits a man stopped at our car and asked for money; which I kindly gave him. When he walked away I said to Father Doug, "Well, as far as I am concerned there goes Christ himself." We sat in traffic for so long a time in that spot he came back again around ten minutes later. Father Doug looked at me and said, "Well, I guess it looks like this is the second coming."

We at our lunch (4:00 PM) at Giordano's, home of the stuffed pizza (deep dish pizza is a signature Chicago dish). Giordano's puts the toppings and cheese in the middle of the pizza between two crusts with the sauce on top of the pie. The wait is forty-five minutes and parking is difficult.

 

 

 

 

Chicago boasts the largest Polish population in one city second only to Warsaw. As a result the Windy City has many Polish institutions, including Polish parishes. Many of them are true to the "Polish Cathedral" style. We visited a few this afternoon. My two favorites are would be St. Hyacinth and St. John Cantius.  Mass was going on in the historic St. Hyacinth Basilica (in Polish) so we could not take pictures. St. John Cantius is undergoing a very serious renovation, so there was not much to see.

A small historic diversion is in order. St. John Cantius is a truly enormous church (pictued at right) in what was formerly a Polish neighborhood. Over time as the neighborhood changed the parish dwindled. In the 1980s it was down to about fifty parishioners. Through the efforts of a priest who was largely sent to close the parish, it has made a total turnaround. First of all the building was repaired. During the depression one of the parish priests raised pigeons in the attic of the church so people had something to eat. Thousands of pigeons equals tons of pigeon dirt.  As a result of the pigeon dirt in the attic one of the great rose windows began to bulge. It was repaied at great cost.  The parish established a top notch music program and placed their emphases on good, reverent liturgy. The same priest also founded a religious order, which today has thirteen priests and around twenty men in formation for the priesthood. The parish is full every weekend, and is doing great. In the end the priest let the faith speak for itself, and the parish blossomed.

While the Polish parishes were magnificent the winner today was the German parish of St. Michael. Staffed by the Redemptorists, a true gem. The high altar (pictured below) is incredible.

Dinner was at Superdawgs. Superdawgs has been around since the 1940s and has to be one of the last drive-in restaurants in the country. Chicago played a very important role in the formation of the hot dog, and as result Chicago hot dogs form a distinct genre in the frankfurter world. The Chicago dog is all beef, and is  served in a poppyseed bun with mustard, onions, sweet relish, a dill pickle, tomato, peppers, and a dash of celery salt. Father Doug also had a stint put in which the car hops are pleased to do when you ask.

Tonight we are staying at Mundelein Seminary, the Seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Named for Cardinal Mundelein (who interestingly enough was expelled from St. Vincent in the late 1800s), it is a sprawling campus. They have about 175 men studying for the priesthood (it is a major seminary only). There will be no pictures of the campus tonight as we arrived after dark, however the shear magnitude of the place is more than I expected. In comparison, Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, Maryland has around 200 men studying for the priesthood and has a seminary campus a fraction of the size. The room is a throwback to my school days. Much like Back to School, except there is no Rodney Dangerfield (or Triple Lindy for that matter). Father Robert Barron of the Catholicism series is the rector (superior). I hope we can meet him in the morning after Mass.