Sharing in the Vision of Others

Some months ago, I shared my vision with our people about opening an interfaith Chapel at Chicago Midway Airport. My dream centered in the bringing of the Presence of Christ, through the celebration of Mass, to the Airport, a busy, humming crossroads of America. In His time, the Lord moved about in the crowded marketplaces of His native country, reaching out and touching His people in their needs.

The 10 inches of snow we received this week gave me the inspiration for finding the message posted today. This is my family’s “Our Lady of the Snows”! Uncle George came across these beautiful statues of Our Lady and made them available for family and friends. My wife’s Uncle – Jimmy Hickey, purchased a large number of these and passed them out to his family, we were the lucky recipients of this one!

The response of Our Lady of the Snows’ parishioners amazed me. Like every priest, I have thrown out many ideas for thought in my lifetime, but I have never experienced the consistent outpouring of encouragement, interest and offers of help to this degree. I don’t mean just in the first few months, but rather, up to the present day.

I will mention just a few of the countless expressions of hope given to keep alive this dream. Last week, a woman in poor health, holding on to the arm of her husband, spoke these words, “I’m sorry to hear that Midway has no space for a Chapel!” Another person, facing much discomfort and surgery this week, promised, “I’m offering my sick days ahead for the Midway Chapel!”

Several weeks ago, I went to visit a dear friend, a parishioner, suffering great pain. He was to die within the week. Bill, sitting between his wife and daughter on the sofa, couldn’t talk. Asking for a pencil, he scrawled two words and a question mark: “Midway Chapel?” With his own death impending, he unselfishly thought of my vision and dream. In response, I said, “Bill, you will have to pray for the Chapel”, meaning, “please ask the Lord to help us with this project when you go to Heaven shortly.”

Since Bill died, the possibility of a Chapel at Midway has suddenly developed in an unexpected way. Is it Bill interceding with the Lord at His Throne of Grace?

The Lord too, has a vision for the Community of Our Lady of the Snows. He would like to open a Chapel, a place of prayer and worship, in the heart of each one of our unselfish people. In our Renew program, we can all show enthusiasm for this cause of Christ. Through daily prayer and the offering of our suffering, we can help to make the Lord’s dream come true.

Fr. George McKenna

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Fr. McKenna spent 7 years at Our Lady of the Snows, located at 4810 S. Leamington, about a mile north of Midway Airport. He penned many of his “Something to Think About” messages for the parish Bulletin during his time there, and his vision for Midway Airport Chapel was realized when it was founded on July 24, 1988. Beginning at the young age of 69, he served as Chaplain for 23 years! Finally retiring in 2011. Those years were some of the most satisfying for Uncle George, as he was able to spread the Good News of Jesus to travelers across the country and the world.

It was in 2011 that my daughter came up with the idea of using the internet to continue Uncle George’s dream of reaching out to more people interested in hearing his messages of hope and inspiration. 11 years later, and three years after Fr. McKenna’s death, these messages still hold words of wisdom. His messages have touched me through my life, as they have his faithful friends and readers.

God’s Peace, Joe

Christ The King Of Love

A young servant of God, waiting and listening for His Call

In November, 1943, on the Feast of Christ the King, I was kneeling in the Main Chapel of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed on the High Altar, as was the custom on this great Feast Day.

I was in the process of making a serious decision for the future. For several years I had been reading the Maryknoll Mission magazine, then called “The Field Afar”, about the work of its missionaries in China. All American priests, these men were bringing the Light of the Gospel to the Far East to roll back the darkness of paganism.

With Ordination to the Priesthood just a few months away in May, 1944, I was planning to enter the Maryknoll Society and spread the Kingdom of Christ in China. However, to jump quickly ahead, because of local conditions beyond my control, I had to give up this dream of being a Missionary in China.

The memory of this decision of many years ago still lingers to give me much consolation. I was willing to leave family and Country to bring the Kingdom of Christ to the Chinese people.

A speaker on the radio gave me a deeper understanding of this Kingdom when he described it in this way: “Wherever Jesus is honored, loved and cherished, there is the Kingdom of God.” The Kingdom can be in our hearts, our home and in our Community.

On this Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, as we say, “Thy Kingdom Come” in the Lord’s Prayer, think of the astonishing possibilities of Its holiness, peace, and justice being present in our own very hearts and lives.

When we love, honor and cherish Jesus of Nazareth, then we bring His Kingdom into our everyday living. From this realization will proceed a strong desire to spread His Kingdom in the hearts of other people by our example and our sharing of the ideals of the Kingdom.

Like my dream of being a missionary in China, sometimes God’s Will takes us in a different direction. Had I not listened to His Voice and His Calling, I would not have been a teacher, a parish priest; I would not have heard His Calling for a Chapel in Midway Airport; I may not have been open to continue His Calling through this humble Blog.

Encourage others to accept Jesus as their King – and listen to His Calling.

Fr. George McKenna