I was watching a movie the other night involving coal miners and it made me reflect on the fact that I am the son of an immigrant Italian coal miner. After working for the Canadian Pacific Railroad laying track, my grandfather moved on to Coleman Alberta, Canada where he worked in the coal mines with his oldest son. He was soon joined by my father who began working in the mines at age fifteen years. Dad was injured on the…
The National Catholic Reporter this issue has an interview with Hans Kung. Father Kung is a Swiss Catholic priest and theologian as well as prolific writer. He has been a thorn in the Vatican’s side for some time over his writings about theology and the Vatican has rescinded his authority to teach Catholic theology. He teaches at a Swiss University as an emeritus professor. His priestly faculties have not been revoked in spite of his outspoken views critical of Vatican…
Last Sunday the reading at church was from Matthew 22:23-33 where the Sadducees presented Jesus with the argument of no resurrection through a story of seven brothers, who in turn, all married a dead brother's widow and Jesus's response to them. I was disappointed the priest failed to give any real explaination of the background and importance of this passage in his homily. There is so much meaning behind this passage. Here's my understanding of the background and key point of this passage. At this time in Jewish history there were four…
For many years I've subscribed to a small motivational monthly booklet Bits and Pieces(111 E. Wacker Dr. Ste 500 Chicago, IL 60601). I've found inspiring and wise notes in it as well as amusing stories. Here are a few from the November issue. Francis Cardinal Spellman said that when you say "yes," say it quickly. But, always take half an hour to say "no," so you can understand the other person's side. Joseph Telushkin tells a story in his Uncommon Sense about a 19th century Jewish…
I could rant about the elections and the dismal political future we face with the party of "NO" determined to obstruct everything, but it just makes me get angry and upset. I was planning to talk about the state elections and the initiatives, but I think we are all just sick and tired of politicians and politics. So, instead, since this is the blog that reports all the news, I have this story to report to you. I admit I’m a little…
Today is the anniversary of the death of my father, Paul Nicholas Luvera Sr. Born on March 25, 1898, he died in Anacortes, Washington on November 4, 1990 at the age of 92. I've published several accounts of his memories from his youth over the past couple of weeks. This is a brief outline of dad's accomplishments in living the American dream. A man with less then a seventh grade education who became a community leader and achieved a middle class level…
Dad’s journey from Canada to Anacortes, Washington was serendipity and what he regarded for his entire life as a total blessing. He was very proud of being a naturalized citizen and an American. This is what he typed back in 1990 about how that came to happen. "In mid-1918 I took my father to Dr. Ross because dad was having fainting spells at work and at home. There were three doctors who consulted each other and then Dr. Ross said:…
"About 1915 or so we went on strike for better wages. The John L Lewis miners union started placing pickets in front of the coal mine. The union was distributing some necessities such as tea, coffee, sugar, flour etc. so much per week. I had a friend Rocco, who was three years older than I was. He said "Let’s hop a freight train and go to Calgary." A big city in comparison to Coleman. He said "We don’t have to…
One of Dad's typed reports of his experiences as a boy and young man involved his injury while working in the coal mine. Here's what he said about that: "My father Nicola, my brothers Salvatore, and Consolato and myself worked for the International Coal and Coke Limited company in Coleman, Alberta.Once I was injured while I was working. Small steel cars were used in the operation that carried three tons of coal each, with ten cars to a train. When the…
When the miners went on strike, Dad and his friend Rocco decided to hop a box car to another town to look for work until the strike was over. Here’s his account of what happened when he got home after the strike ended. This was about 1917. "After I got home I realized Salvatore was missing. I said "Where is Salvatore?" Mother said that he wanted a change and that he is now in Edmonton, Alberta. So at home now…
