And colder still

1/24

A cold walk from the Occupy Faith meeting back to West-Park. Current agenda focused on debt, collecting stories and holding hearings; Occupy Sandy, new opportunities opened up by the creative response to the hurricane; the fight for a higher minimum wage in New York and exploring what kind of direct action campaigns/events could create energy around this agenda.

Deacon James stops i for the first time in along time. He’s felt considerably weakened. Got word that he needs to go see  his brother in the hospital. Wondering how serious it is. He asks for the broom and dustpan, I can’t do much but I can do the steps...I show him where they are. His dedication amazes me. 

Leila is excited that the Latino artists from her last show want to create one of their own. 

Stephen and I are talking about the door. How keeping the big outside doors open considerably lowers the church’s temperature. Makes it colder and increases the heating bill. What can we do to keep the sense of openness and keep warm?

As I'm walking out to get coffee with Jane, I notice out of the corner of my eye, the Prophet in a far back corner of the church. All these years on the steps and he has never set foot inside the church. The cold has drawn him in. 

Jane walks me aback after coffee at Starbucks discussing the upcoming film Building Babel  about the conflict around so-called Ground Zero Mosque. We also talk about how sometimes you have to be able to let go insider for what is  supposed to happen to happen. Waiting for Stephen to get the film posters up.

Matt and Isis of Dzieci stop by on the way to rehearsal. They’ve had a lot of good response to their Maraton. We’re exploring what creating a Passion Play, kind of based on their Fools’ Mass, might look like.  How we might do that with the congregation. And those who are part of the building on a day to day basis. We talk about this current crisis. About the theories of letting go, etc. And Matt says, but if you stop focusing on what you want, you may bring on what you don’t want by default.  There are always these thin lines between spiritual truth, pop psychology and magical thinking.  Where am I in all that except for trying to stay faithful?

RL looks in twice. Says thanks for the conversation with a dry humor.  Cara looks in too om her way to help out cleaning and playing some piano.

The Center Board meets. At times the feeling is one of frustration, even defeat. Almost resignation at times. We tried our best.... Options are shrinking. Jamies’s going to do her best at the negotiating table. Everything’s a negotiation, she says. (We’ll  have to talk about that.) There’s a sense of hope. Guarded. But hope none the less as we close.  

It’s gotten colder. OK, to the B for pea soup and strategy. Yes, colder still. 

This is what democracy looks like

12/6

Time to get the banners back up we took down before the hurricane. Our West Park banner and the the center banner: Dream. Real. Hard. Can Stephen and Jay handle it on their own? Do they need the St. Agnes guys?

Stop Teddy to tell him about the Occupy Faith meeting I went to this morning..my general frustration. But my satisfaction with my conversation with Amin. In a conversation where the macro is so elusive, I’ll stick with the micro.  We can put together a work team to go to Staten Island to do real work and show solidarity. And I ask if I could bring an Irish and over and he smiles. Amin is my Sandy hook up. 

Martin and I talk about my upcoming conversation. I want him to know exactly what the situation is before  any conversations move forward. He’s done what he can. I need to bring it home. The best I can.

RL is coping with life and what it brings. As we’re talking, Isis walks through on her way to rehearsal. The two shamans nod to each other. 

I will shortly meet RL at the Gate to talk to Mandola Joe. When I get there, Pat the guitar player is there, too.I tel them the story of the battle of Midland Beach. The mayor sent the cops to shut down the cafe on Olympia Avenue in Midland Beach. (Don’t ask why...strategically dumb.) Occupiers and retired cops in Emerald Society sweatshirts faced off against active duty cops. The old cops asked the active duty guys, Do you know what you’re doing? You can’t do this...Finally the active duty cops went back to their commander. Said we aren’t going to do this... The cafe and free store remain. It’s a micro story. Didn’t even make New York 1 news. Why am I so drawn to Staten Island? The real revolution begins with the working class...retired cops and Occupy turn back Bloomberg? Watch out..

I referred to them as the ragged Buskers. They liked that. or maybe ragamuffins... Mandola and Pat are ready to play. Just find a date.

Occupy Sandy, Part 2: Midland Beach

11/28

Midland Beach, Staten Island. This section of the city has had the highest concentrated death toll. Up and down every block we see the houses with yellow tags-- and the words enter at own risk without spelling out specifically the  mold problem. So people are moving back, even without light, heat or safety. 

Comfort Cafe and Free Store

Inside the Comfort Cafe, we meet first with the parish priest,Father Diaz, a native of the Philippines. He tells me that 95% of his  parishioners have lost their homes. There are rumors, repeat rumors, of dozens of undocumented bodies in a makeshift morgue. Headed to Potters' Field.  People afraid to report  missing loved ones do to fear of  of deportation. 

Never thought I’d see signs for a NYPD/FDNY Comfort Cafe side by side on a fence with sign for Occupy Sandy Free Store. Here’s what happened: soon after the dust settled from the hurricane, Occupiers George and Amin-- who it turns out had been part of the #OWS encampment at West-Park, arrived at Midland Beach. Wisely went to the local parish priest, Father Diaz.  Told him they were here to help. Got the use of the empty CCD education building across the street. Set up their free store. Put out the word through the Occupy Sandy Social Media Network.  Within 24 hours, food, clothing, supplies were pouring in.

Amin and George

A week or so later, the police and fire guys said that they’d like to open up a cafe. Said they had issues with Occupy. Wanted them gone. Father Diaz and other local clergy said, They’ve been here from the start. This is not about politics, it’s about helping people. They’re staying. Deal with it. So after agreeing to meet every day at 1 PM to check in, they began to work with each other. Warily, but side by side.

So now here are  Red Cross working with Occupy  and retired police and firefighters cooking and serving people. Cooking on charcoal grills and Coleman stoves. While we were there, there was some tension with the Red Cross. They’re trying to get the site designation changed from  emergency recovery to reconstruction. That would mean they could leave. 

The retired police speak up...Wait a minute..you want to leave?  These Occupy guys got here before you. They work 15-18 hours a day. They’re not going anywhere. You’re telling us that you’re leaving and they’re staying?

There is no heat or power in the rectory. (Took me back to the old days at West-Park....but at least we had lights.) There is a rumor that Cardinal Dolan is coming December 8th, but still  unconfirmed. 

Occupy Sandy is building a tool library. Looking for power tools. Saws, crowbars, sledge hammers, nail guns.....

There are mold related problems everywhere.

The Red Cross says that because this mold is mixed with saltwater, bleach doesn't work.

 Turns out after putting out a call for people to donate bleach, it doesn’t work with mold mixed with salt water. (We didn’t know that from Katrina?) 

 Some of these houses will NEVER be inhabited again.

We are four weeks into this crisis  and information regarding mold is still not out. Why?

At this point, the biggest need is for volunteers to be involved in canvassing--spreading the  word about mold and finding out people’s needs.Occupy Sandy’s long term goal is to develop community ownership of the processes that have begun.

Another related action I am  just beginning to understand is the debt strike campaign, when this many of us are in debt crisis,  change must come.

This is a neighborhood of white  homeowners, Russian immigrant homeowners and Latino tenants. it is mainly a working class, middle class neighborhood with a long  identity as a  community of firefighters, police, first responders-- 

  

There are language and cultural barriers with the Russian and Eastern European immigrants. In the community, many didn't leave, despite the warnings. They are currently experiencing trauma. Some left and came back. Others stayed throughout. Already there is a growing division between those who saw water (as they say) and those who were not there.   

It can’t be said enough...mold is serious public health crisis.....there is a need for educational materials,for one on one engagements in Russian, Spanish and English. No one has figured out how todeal with sewage mixed with saltwater. And once again, there is no temporary housing. 

Jessica is  from the make the road program. She works primarily with Latinos and immigrants, mainly undocumented. People who are ineligible for services....They are organizing clinics to deal with stress and trauma,especially the stress of  mothers who feel they are having to hold everyone together.

Many Latinos have already moved out because they have no homes left and have no place to go. And the local jobs they worked in are gone. 

There is this need for educating,for  signage, for...The reality is,  most people can't afford to leave. They are unable to  move out of emergency status. The conversation goes to the thought that it’s time for churches to go back to old school leadership....our churches and ministers  have to assert local leadership beyond the Red Cross. 

Sully talks with us

Sully, a retired cop from the Emerald Society, tells us that the lights only came back last week. There are bungalows here too. But overall,he says,  it feels like the old west. Only the strong survive. And even more, there seems to be dividing line between north and south shore of Staten Island. Just like a typical third world country.

The visiting nurses have set up here now, too.

Susan, from the north shore says that there has been  lots of response but it has been  uncoordinated.

     

Finally Amin says, maybe they don't need money-- maybe they need radical solutions. This disaster is hardest on low lying communities of invisible people.One of the cops says, we're paying the load for this....as taxpayers, and we get nothing back..One of the Occupy Sandy volunteers  says that the issue on the Island is one of the individualizing of crisis, no sense of common good...

Story: Sully and the other police were on the case of the two Occupiers related to 9-11. They weren’t hear, they didn’t know...

Little George speaks up. I was eleven years old when 9-11 happened. I watched  it on TV. I felt I would do anything to help New York City. And now  I have the opportunity to stand side by side with you and work together. I feel its an honor to work with you...And Sully and the cops were silenced. 

And the cops see people they don’t understand willing to work to exhaustion to help the community where the live. Their home. This  is the brilliance of this stage of #OWS. They are getting embedded in communities. Working side by side with real people, seeing police and fire personnel as people,not ideological symbols. And they have proven they can deliver. As they sit together and discuss their shared experiences, questions get raised.   So why are we still in the dark? New opportunities  for reflective dialogue emerge. . Once again proving the main point of organizoing: relationships, everything is relationships.

Bishop George Packard is a good man. He was the first to go over the fence in an effort o get Trinity Wall Street engaged. He was ready to challenge his fellow Episcopal church over their liberal persona and massive 1% ownership in lower Manhattan.  It only unerscoes that moving forward, the liberals are more dangeroue than the conservatives. 

Bishop Packard is referred to as the people’s Bishop.  It’s not because  of any ideological commitment, it's because that’s who he is. A purple heart army veteran, chaplain and then head of all chaplains.  He has been there. As opposed to some of our colleagues who speak and analyze well and may even get arrested, but don’t deal with #OWS at the street level, don’t really know any occupiers, or have not been with the hurricane victims.  George has been there. he is there.  He always wears his chaplain's baseball hat and his magenta bishop's rabat. 

He’s also has a  sixth sense with veterans.  He seems to  know who they are. He went to the beleaguered Red Cross worker,  I see you’re a veteran....your vets for vets badge. where did you serve? A conversation ensues. George ends the conversation with a sincere thank you. 

Portajohns in liturgical colors

As we pass the portajohns in green and purple, I share a liturgical joke with him, so we're moving for ordinary time to advent johns, eh? And he laughs. 

For a m  think of the national guards we saw deployed in Far Rockaway. In their camos, their humvees, cradling M 16’s. Blocking off access to parts of of the town.  Residents are angry...put down your guns and pick up a shovel. 

In the corner, the Christmas tree is glimmering with lights. Darkness is nearing. In the background  the voice of Bing Crosby singing,  I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.  

Table discussion: Father Diaz, second from right

The critical question

9/17

Soledad Barrio of Noche Flamenca

I join Teddy on the steps. He shares stories of his weekend. The OWS gathering in Foley Square.  Well organized. Together. Seeing friends from back in the day. Well, September, that is. Lots of musical groups. All around good vibe. I share stories of my morning. Getting to Zucotti by 7 am. Cut off, surrounded by steel barricades. The lines of police in full riot gear. We gather by the Suvero sculpture. The Red Cube. 

Bishop George Packard

Chris Hedges

My clergy friends from Occupy Faith joined by Veterans for Peace. Retired Episcopal Bishop George Packard, resplendent in purple robes, is himself at home with both groups. A bronze and silver star from Vietnam. Chaplain in Iraq in the Gulf War. Commander of all military chaplains. That was his diocese.  First one arrested in the action at Trinity Wall Street last December. He is, as journalist Chris Hedges calls him the Peoples’ Bishop. Hedges too is here and speaks. Of how the Stamp Act rebellion preceded the American Revolution. And the Russian uprising of 1905 preceded  the Russian Revolution of 1917. So the Occupy movement sets the stage for the end of  the current global economy of domination and control. 

There’s the mic checks. The personal testimonies. I think of speaking. Don’t. Standing by Pastor Donna from Judson. A practice sit down. And then we begin. The goal is to disrupt, if not shut down, business as usual at Wall Street. The police, with a clearly thought out strategy,  initiate and create  the confrontation too early. The Bishop is arrested.Too soon.  Along with our communications person. Not good. As the press literally presses in, pushing protestors  behind them, Pastor Donna and I feel the crush of the crowd and need to step out. 

Pastor Michael Ellick speaking to Pastor Donna Schaper of Judson Memoiral

What follows is an ongoing cat and mouse game between a shifting, swirling Peoples’ Wall and the police.  Assemble. Sit. Resist. Arrests.Scatter. Regather. Can’t even tell how many are there. I last awhile. Decide to go. Not my day to be arrested. I have been there. Have been a body. Enough for today. I tell Teddy it was good to see people in the streets again.But it was not the same. Slogans felt a little forced. Not quite that galvanizing sense of urgency from before.  And some people just live to get abused and arrested. That’s what I share with Teddy. 

Martin comes out frantic. Last day of rehearsal before opening night at the Joyce. Needs hours more time. Offers to pay. I tease him, only a little, and agree. Mariola talks with me about the arrangements and when do I want my comps? Disappointed tomorrow and Wednesday not possible.

A young man comes in, looking around. I find him at the piano. He’s from out of town. Here for a visit. I listen to him play.

Hugo arrives with food. Tonight, rice and beans and a beef stew. Our Bible study group will enjoy the food. As will occupiers. And dancers too.

Tonight we pass the halfway point of Mark. At the gentile city of Caesarea Phillipi, we find the critical question. First, Jesus asks, who do people say that I am? And Peter answers, John the Baptist...Elijah...one of the prophets... IE, the one who picked up the mantle of John’s movement, or the forerunner to the Messiah, or....

Then here it is, But who do you say that I am? And Peter says, You are the Messiah...

Jesus reponds by telling them to keep silent. And then speaks of the Son of Man who must suffer, be rejected, be killed...but also rise again... And Peter gets upset and rebukes him and Jesus responds with Get behind me Satan. Well alright, then. What’s going on here?

First, what does Peter mean? By the Messiah, he’s looking for a national liberation project. One where Jesus will lead his people, his nation to overthrow the Roman occupiers. Will restore the Davidic kingdom.

Jesus rejects that. Calls himself the Human One, coming from Daniel’s apocalyptic vision  in the midst of horrendous persecution and oppression under  the Syrian Antiochus Epiphanus.The Human One comes from the midst of people, humanity. Jesus is saying that this is not a national project. Some of our own people are the enemy. Some of our own people oppress us. And some who are not our people are our alies, our people. It’s a new way to cut it. Not Romans vs. Jews, but the Romans and the ruling class collaborators against the marginalized and poor regardless of nationality or ethnicity. In other words, it’s a rejection of identity politics in favor of a class based coalition. Satan is the tempter. Of course it is tempting to Jesus, the man, the human one, to imagine himself the new Davidic king. But that was not his call. 

He references the culture of shame vs. honor. The cross, used by Rome for political subversives, to make a public spectacle of resistors, hung naked in public. To follow Jesus is to risk that fate. But there will be a judgment. And Jesus' going to the cross will break the power of dominion. There is nothing more that can be done to him. That is what some will see, the kingdom of God, come with power. 

So that is the question that stands at  the center. The fulcrum, as Ched Meyer puts it. Who do you say that I am?  On the answer to that question hangs everything.

We finish our conversation. The sounds of gritos and pounding, flashing feet continue to rise through the floor. 

9/18

The house is eerily quiet without our flamenceros. Tonight is opening night. 

Jane and I meet at our Starbucks annex to discuss yesterday’s Occupy anniversary and my participation in one of her salons and possible work with a consultant friend of hers to discern our best ways of working together.  And the ways in which we have been mentors to each other. A joint holiday project. I walk back to the church to close out the day.

A Jehovah’s Witness Watchtower has been left on the steps. 

We'll accept it as a gift

8/21

The day begins with my longtime attorney Harris reviewing the details of the deal we're ready to make. When he hears about our prospective partner, he's very excited.  He says This is the right time, the right city and the right neighborhood.  And he immediately begins helping to develop a  strategy to build community, religious and political support. 

Back to the church after an Occupy Faith meeting. Lots of good ideas...we really do need to develop a statement of principle that recognizes that this is a different moment. A moment of both global crisis and hope. And about transformation, a new way of living. I continue to be concerned about the grayness of our group. Somewhere out there young people of faith are creating their own realities and responses. I need to know what's going on.  The scattered atom particles of Occupy are being attracted like  metal filings to a magnet to the weekend of September 14th leading up to the 17th, the one year anniversary of the Zucotti occupation. As many events as there are atoms are being planned.

A friend of Chris the boiler guy has come to have me resign documents from last winter regarding the boiler. Apparently an error or two.  Many, many copies to sign. And one document needs a notary so we need to head down the street  to Chase to find one. Turns out she does some kind of healing work and would be interested in renting space. 

Earlier I had noticed Edward and Charlotte on the steps and can't avoid dealing with them any longer. She is stretched out. He beside her, sitting. Edward, you guys have to go, I say.  She's resting, he says. I start to say, Doesn't matter....but she opens her eyes and says I'm having a fucking asthma attack...you go fuck yourself... Edward pats her leg, says, Don't...calm down now...and looks up at me.  And she starts to hack and cough and gasp. A half empty 40 behind her.

Look, I say, she's got an apartment. She'll be better off there. You need to take her there. If she's really bad, I'll call an ambulance.
 Nah, nah, he says, I'll take her. And slowly,still coughing, she begins to rise, steadying herself on the scaffolding rails. Only after I see them  head to the corner do I wonder if he may be banned from Capitol Hall due to the earlier incident with Mike the Boxer. 

Inside, Karen is playing the piano. Jonah is listening. He's anxious for me to hear him play. Tells me he's back and forth between the Upper West and Lower East Sides.  Tells me he's got a job as an associate music director at a church. Can't remember the name.  So I listen. His fingers move easily. Light, semi-classical. Maybe....I ask Does he read musoic?.He says yes. I open the hymnal. As he struggles his way through, I know this won't work. I'm better on guitar he says. So I go get Amanda's New York guitar and bring it out. Uh, I'm better on classical he says. And he plays some decent classical on the tough metal strings.  I've had all kinds of experience he says. The playing is decent, but...And I sing...I look at him. But I'm shy. Always wanted to sing in a church choir, you know, like Bach? I love that. 

Me too, I say. I ask him how he's doing. 

Great! he says with that too broad smile. I want to say, Dude, go home. It's not going to work here...I'm tired of wandering lost souls. But so it is. I tell him I'll be gone for a few days. Will call him next week.I go to put the guitar back. He's  outside the Session room, listening to Martin's flamenco music. 

Marc stops by. Says with amazement that we got through the weekend rains with a dry basement. The drains worked. He doesn't know why. We'll accept it as a gift, I say. 

We bought it from Aaron Burr

7/19

We finally find the keys to the safe deposit box. Danielle and I walk down to the bank to check it out. Random old papers. Deeds. Membership lists. If the Good Shepherd - Faith church property on 66th is ever to be sold for non-church use it reverts to West-Park. And we also helped start Ft. Washington. Most interesting  random fact: West Church’s first property on Carmine Street was bought from Aaron Burr.

Early in the morning Don comes in with his designer. As we walk through the church house, I listen as he describes his vision of the church house as a possible venue for his developing off Broadway show, Disenchanted.  He’s finishing a successful run at the Don’t Tell Mama cabaret. He’s got this creative plan for an immersive experience. 

Later in the day Mim comes in to meet with Sekou. To get better acquainted. To see how his vision and the Center’s might fit together. 

Rose and Requiem

The brothers from the Berkshires

And then to my surprise, Rose and Requiem walk in, back from the Berkshires to pick up things they had left. They both look good. Especially Rose. Things are working out with her family. Req has gotten a job with a family run IT business and is learning the trade. They’re impressed by how the church  has been cleaned up since they left. The two brothers from the IT business keep saying, it feels real good here. And Rose and Req say, see we told you.  We go outside and we take pictures. 

When I get back form my eye appointment, Sekou’s on the steps. We sit and talk awhile. About the Occupy Faith meeting that morning. How Some still raise liberal questions about does the word faith turn people off. What about our allies who are not believers?  And I said, that’s a different movement. It’s our faith that keeps us in this. That keeps us going. Keeps me going. That’s why I’m here. 

And should we still have Occupy in our name? 

That’s our heritage. That’s who we are.

Rose, Bob and Requiem

We talked about what’s next. I pointed out that with a few (significant) exceptions, we were old, white and liberal. Looking for our movement to come back round again. Not going to happen. This is something new.  LIke I’ve said, Occupy’s not so much a movement as a space within which we can build campaigns and a movement. 

Se all agreed that the best moment for us was the confrontation with Trinity Episcopal. Perhaps our calling is to confront our  own self-satisfied  liberal. Lots of energy around Stop and Frisk, (Okay, need to connect this with Jason and Occupy Open Space.)

And in the end we talk about needing to connect more at the grass roots level. To build from the ground up. Slow.But this is a long journey. Few of is will be living  to see the end. So much more reason ti celebrate that we have already won.  Just need to live  it out. 

Marc comes by. Sekou congratulates him for having won the battle of the floods. The heavy duty water vacs, the sand bags did it. We held the flood waters at bay. For now. Marc looks at Sekou, smiles before he enters the door. 

And we actually had to outlaw lynching

4/12

An empty bottle of Courvoisier Cognac and a New Webster’s Complete Dictionary. 

Teddy tells me he had difficulty getting Antonia and Wesley to move on. He was gentle, given the hospital situation. How Wesley had come in last night during our meeting and said Yo,I know you and I have had our beefs but I got to take my woman to the hospital, can we bring our stuff inside? and Teddy had taken care of him. 

I tell Teddy about my morning with Occupy Faith. Reports of the national meeting in Oakland. Would have liked to have been there. They’re serious in Oakland. Everybody’s planning something for May Day. What will we do? I hear decriptions of one event we’re invited to take part in. How can we control the message? Someone asks. You can’t, I say. Even the Messaging Work Group can’t control the message. Someone else reports promises connected with a certain action. We’re invited to provide collar cover. They come with all good intentions, I say, but you cannot be romantic. You just cannot romanticize this. Green, red, black...at best there’s communication, don’t even think about coordination...we can control our own message, maybe..the best we can do is to be a pastoral presence...I tell this story to Teddy and he agrees with me. The coop is his main commitment right now. 

I talk with the staff at Project Reachout. They had actually been behind Antonia’s hospitalization last night. They fear that she is deteriorating. And they’ve got a back story on Wesley. Longtime street guy. Actually got him housed for awhile. But apparently the man has issues. Especially with women. They became such an issue at our neighbor B’Nai Jeshurun synagogue that BJ closed off its steps. I’m not going there. But we’ve got to do something. An intervention planned for Tuesday morning.

Runi has issues to discuss. Jean has issues to discuss. Lots of internal issues. Anxieties. Runi hanging and waiting for Jane. Jane asks me what I think. I say, they’ve got to get a social worker to do a group process, soon. No one in the group can handle this...Jane nods in agreement. She hugs Runi and takes off. 

Carol, Hope’s friend comes in. Turns out she’s from Wooster, too. Graduated three years ahead of me. Wooster continues to  turn out students with a conscience and heart for a better world. Didn’t realize it when I was there, the older I get, I find Wooster folks in the best places. That is where they believe they can make a difference.

Walter Francis White

Tonight is the Times Square Playwrights’ reading of Rudy Gray’s Conversations with a Kleagle...based on the true story of Walter Francis White who used his light complexion to interview a Klan leader in Lousiana. One of only many. His work ultimately led to national anti-lynching laws. (Yes, we actually had to outlaw lynching.) Rudy Gray himself is there with us to talk about his play. What he’d learned about Walter F. White and the early days of the NAACP. Wish more pople could have been there. This play is exactly what our church, our center, is all about. One of the actors, Doug Stone, goes back to Frog & Peach days in the Balcony Theatre. I say goodnight to Rafael and head home. 

Exorcised: a prayer for Minister Mike

12/20

I’m at the church. No plumbers. No Con Ed. OK, what’s going on?

I windup spending all afternoon at an Occupy Faith meeting at Judson with people from around the country....Oakland, Chicago, DC, Portland...A real mixture. Old school progressives who’ve been waiting a long time for this. Representatives from the Council of Elders, Civil Rights era veterams passing the torch. Serious liberation theologians. Activist priests. Long haired bearded post evangelical emergent counterculturals with their Occupy Christmas plan. (http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/12/occupy_faith_pl.php)  Hardcore radicals from Oakland and seminarians. Day of coordinated action? Launching a campaign? Organization vs. movement? Lots of questions. Proposed strategies. A constant reminder that this movement belongs to everybody, not anybody. 

Occupy Faith

Back at the church, Martin has come in directly from his flight from Madrid, with his mother Luli, his wife, and two children. Needs another tour of the building. It’s time to decide what is possible. 

As I am sendin them off, the door is rattling. I open it, a disraught looking young man comes in. Father...he says...I need you.

OK, what’s up?

I have given my life to Jesus. I work all the time trying  to lead people to him. Up in skyscrapers. Down in the streets. I am called. I am anointed. But I am cursed by witchcraft. Powerful witchcraft.  Will you help  me? Pray for my release....bless me.... 

 I send Martin and family on.  Ask some basic questions. What’s your name? 

Minister Mike. 

Where you  from?

Brooklyn

Do you know the source of the withcraft?

Yes, I do. But no one would believe me if I told them...I will say nothing...

Have you been to see your local parish priest?

Yes I have. But their exorcisms fail. I need prayer warriors. I need you to give me a prayer. I have taken vows. I was moderate, but now I abstain from alcohol. I have become celibate. I have not masturbated...

Minister Mike. Listen to me. Look at me. I can pray for you. I guarantee nothing. I can only add my prayers to those of others who pray for you. To surround you with our prayers. OK?

He nods. I lead him into the sanctuary. Under the glowing light of the Tiffany window Jesus, child in his arms. He bows his head. I bow mine. Put my hands on his shoulders.

God our Creator. Father God. We thank you for Minister Mike. We know that he has turned his life over to you. Fill every place inside if him with your loving spirit. You know he seeks to serve you. To be an example. To lead others to you. You know he struggles with a heavy burden. You know that he struggles with powers and principalities. Fill him with your loving Holy Spirit. Gather all the prayers of those who love him. Surround him with the power of those prayers. Protect him withthe power of those prayers by the sustaining power of your Holy Spirit. Protect him with the full armor of the your love. Help know and understand the power of your grace and forgiveness. I place my hands on his head. Be with him on his journey. Bless him, protect him, keep him safe on his journey. These things  we pray in the holy name of Jesus. 

We open our eyes. He looks up at me. Father, I have a tatoo, bless my tatoo...He pulls up his sleeve. Show me the cross tatooed on his forearm. I place my hand on it.

Bless this cross for Minister Mike, O lord. May it always remind him of  the promises he has made. But let it also remind him that just as it is always with him, you are always with him. Everyday, every moment. Let him never forget your love.  

He seems less agitated. Calmer. Now I need to bless you. There is so much evil in me. It will stay in this place after me. And he opens his prayer book, reads a prayer, makes the sign of the cross to me. And I cross myself. I walk out with him. At the door I reach out my hand, look into his eyes. Peace be with you, i say. And also with you, he says. 

As i am seeing him out, Martin and his family are coming back. Hey, thanks. Can I see you tomorrow? I came straight here from the airport. It’s cold, man. I tell him my wife and son spent Christmas in Madrid two years ago. Beautiful. I’ll be back tomorrow. I shake hands all around, see them out. 

The side door bell rings. I open the door. It’s John, from the first Occupy.... work group. And a woman. He looks worried. Can i talk to you?

Sure.

Rememeber me?

Yes, from Occupy..., the first work group. What’s up?

That woman, that blonde woman, Sandy, she said you maybe weren’t so happy with the way things worked out. Maybe something was wrong...

No man, it’s good. we’re talking everyday. Working every day. Talking about a longer term relationship. 

Really? 

I nod. It’s ok. So he too, for some unknown reason, needs absolution. It’s ok.

Thank you, thank you, that means so much. And he and his woman are gone, heading west on 86th Street.