“No man is an island, entire to
itself; Every man is a piece of the
continent” John Donne
Today I had lunch with Pat and Kathleen Jordan, two longtime Catholic Workers from New York City. Pat and Kathleen met each other at the Catholic Worker House of Hospitality around 1968, about the same time Pat, my wife, and I met at the local Catholic Worker House, Casa Maria. I think my Catholic Worker friends Don and Roberta also met here at the Catholic Worker. The local Catholic Worker house, Casa Maria, was started by Mike and Nettie Cullen who after 12 children and 22 grandchildren later are still married. Tom and Monica Cornell met at the Catholic Worker in NYC in the 60’s, married and still live at the Catholic Worker, now at the farm. There are probably stories of Catholic Worker marriages that did not work out but I do not know about them. Marriage is sacred and perhaps having them begin around the Catholic Worker house of hospitality, doing the works of mercy and works of resistance to war makes them special and graceful.
The long time Catholic Worker Franciscan priest, Jerry and I have become friends with over the last year when he was leaving in Milwaukee Catholic Worker. Now he is leaving, at least for awhile. My woman ordained priest friend, Janice, just announced she was not moving back to Milwaukee the place of her birth. Both decisions have made me think of the importance of friends and community during the troubled times we live in. It also makes me much more appreciative of my best friend, Pat, and her long suffering support as we approach our 44th wedding anniversary.
We all need family and friends. When I meet someone with little support from family and friends I actually am drawn to them. I jokily called myself a “reject” and have learned to live with a certain amount of loneliness and have felt the betrayal of a friend. However, deep down I, like everyone, need communion with other persons, nature and creatures. “No man is an island.”
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