On 12/12/12 we have three vigils for five homicide victims in the last week. One was for a 22 year old adult who was protecting his sister from a home invasion by some local youth. The father of the 22 was present at the vigil prayer and he talked about his son and his death. He seemed somewhat removed, like I did when my son died a few years ago. After the prayer vigil I talked with the father and told him I understood what was happening. The death of his son, like mine, was so unexpected that the reality of it had not sunk in yet. He said how his son was ready to join the military as he had done when a youth and had his whole life before him. His son’s suffering and death was not in war but in protecting his sister and house.

Tonight I went to a funeral of an elderly Jesuit, religious order of Society of Jesus. He died suffering severe dementia at the end of his life. Talking with his brother, who is also in the same religious order, I could relate to the suffering of his brother in the last days since my father has also died of dementia, Alzheimer in his case. He and his brother spend most of their time in the Society of Jesus on the Dakota Indian reservations in South Dakota. I remember making a private retreat with his brother on the reservation. At the time I was concerned about being outcast or rejected. His brother had walked me through scriptures to show me how Jesus had come for poor, outcast and marginalized.

I took a friend today to visit his mother suffering Alzheimer. The son who suffers from some mental illnesses keeps looking at his mom for strength and encouragement. She has minimal recognition if any one and can really not communicate. However, when she smiles or shows some recognition I can see my friend’s face light up. She has been in this hospice situation for a long time. She seems to have a strong will to live.

I talked to another friend today who is only in her fifties but has suffered for another years from a number of serious illnesses. Now she is in the hospital and on the phone seems very weak. Another friend, Dawn, was the D, she, Marna was the M and I was the Z the DMZ in . Last year Dawn started DMZ II and now she says DMZ III is coming up. All the gardens are on vacant lots in Dawn’s neighborhood. Both Dawn and Marna are persons I deeply admire for their strength of character and to dedication to serving people in need, although they both are poor and survivors.

After a day of suffering and death what else can happen to me. The day ended with my wife and me talking with our friend Janice, a woman priest, who is staying here for a few days. The hope that the Catholic Church can recognize the equality of women in the priesthood sparks my faith that all this death and dying can lead to the seeds of new life.

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