Paul Luvera Journal

In the mid 1960’s a counter culture blossomed throughout the United States. The movement took place in rebellion of the Vietnam War. The “Flower Power” movement was made up of teenagers and young people who became known as hippies. Peace and love was a message they wanted to get across. While largely rejected by the adult population at the time, in fact the movement did influence our culture, spirituality and even religion. I sometimes think we need another era of "hippies"…

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This morning I watched on a live video stream over the Internet the funeral Mass from St Aloysius church in Spokane. The church was full of people and a crowd of priests plus the Bishop all there to honor a man of God. The funeral was for a dear friend of Lita and I – Frank Costello, a Jesuit priest who died May 23, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center infirmary in Los Gatos California at age 94. It…

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In the May 1st edition of the International New York Times I read an article by Sarah Wildman about Justus Rosenberg, age 95, who still teaches literature at Bard College. He is thought to be the last remaining member of a special World War II team assembled by a journalist, Varian Fry, in 1940. It was organized to provide safe passage out of Vichy France for intellectuals and important cultural figures fleeing the Nazis. Fry had been sent by a…

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On Thursday night we had group dinner at Seattle Center with all the beautiful glass on display created by Seattle’s own: Dale Chihuly. It was a lovely dinner with great service and great food. Fifty some people were seated at a long table with beautiful settings and flower arrangements. A very nice evening and a chance to meet the other people going on the tour. Friday morning we were driven to Boeing field where the airplane was parked. There were…

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On Sunday, February 21, I "endured" my birthday. At age 81 you don't "enjoy" birthdays except perhaps from a feeling of gratitude at being alive. As I have said to others, it's a little like waking up that morning and discovering you have been trapped in the body of an 81-year-old. You don't fully get used to the idea that you are aging in your mind until physical ailments remind you. The next day, on Monday, we flew to Kona on…

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Betty Barnett was my wife Lita's mother who died December 20, 1985. I've written about this remarkable woman many times. See https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/12/my-mother-in-law-elizabeth-barnett-1910-1995.html It was my privilege to have known her. She was extraordinary  in so many ways. She was very intelligent, wise and a great judge of people. I loved her like my own mother for her many qualities and her understanding. This is a woman who attended Holy Names in Spokane where she was taught proper table settings, good maners and social skills. She met…

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My maternal grandmother Marija Mattia Vulic Babarovich died on August 5th, 1953. She died the year I graduated from high school in Anacortes, Washington.Her life story is one of great courage and sacrifice involving immigration to America while not being able to speak English. I've previously talked about that in writing about my mother.https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/07/mary-thelma-luvera-.html.html I've also  written  about her brave travel  from a small island in Croatia to Anacortes, Washington.  https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2014/07/index.html I remember her vividly. A tall erect woman with hair piled…

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Newman Clubs serve as a center for Catholic students attending non-Catholic colleges and Universities. In Washington Bishop O’Dea, in 1908, invited the Dominicans to serve the students at the University of Washington, Seattle, and they established a Newman Club for the students, where they still serve.   I was a freshman at the University of Washington in 1953 and I got involved in the Newman Club where I first met a charismatic priest, Fr. Bill Dooley, who was the chaplain of the Club while serving…

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My maternal grandmother Marija Babarovich died on August 5th, 1953. She died the year I graduated from high school in Anacortes, Washington.Her life story is one of great courage and sacrifice involving immigration to America while not being able to speak English. I've previously talked about that in writing about my mother.https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/07/mary-thelma-luvera-.html.html I remember her vividly. A tall erect woman with hair piled high on her head, she looked regal and carried herself in a way that projected dignity and…

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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. My sister Phyllis is the historian of our family  and has written a book about this extraordinary man which will be published soon. This is a brief outline of dad's accomplishments…

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