Monday Mystery Tour, December 2010

Getting ready for the sunrise along Lake Pepin

This latest road trip wasn’t for the purpose of getting away and having a relaxing time sightseeing, or looking for unique eateries and coffee shops. I did a little of that because it’s habit when I’m on the road, but that’s not why I took off and headed to Washington DC.

I sold one of my motorcycles on Ebay and arranged delivery to the buyer. I didn’t make any extra money on the delivery, but I got gas money, and although the purpose of the trip wasn’t for leisure, I enjoyed traveling.

My Triumph still sits in the garage awaiting the next ride, but that won’t be very soon as we are knee deep in snow and the high temperature for today might only reach zero degrees Fahrenheit. There are plans to haul the bike to New Mexico later in January and do some riding down there.

The bike I sold was the BMW, the little 650 GS. I liked riding it, especially off-road, but I didn’t find it comfortable for longer distances, distances I usually had to ride to get to good off-road riding. So, I sold it. A young man bought it as his first motorcycle. For some reason, I feel I might see this guy again someday as he’s traveling across the country on his bike.

The trip itself was four days of driving. I took the Mississippi River out of here and really enjoyed seeing the eagles that gather this time of year along Lake Pepin. I saw an amazing sunrise that first morning out from home. What a great feeling I find it to be to be sipping great tasting coffee and smoking a good cigar while driving in the early morning.

The pre sunrise plume of light followed me for miles

I angled through Illinois and didn’t get on the Interstate until the LaSalle/Peru exit where I-39 meets I-80. I had a great lunch at Grubsteakers in Rochelle. I’d stopped there before, so this was a repeat performance. Dang, I didn’t take any pictures of the food! I had a very nicely prepared Monte Cristo sandwich that was so big I had half of it to take with me and I ended up eating it for dinner!

And finally, Ole Sol

I drove through Illinois and Indiana to the Ohio border on Interstate 70 and spent the night there. The next day, I traveled to Frederick, Maryland so I could get up Saturday morning, get into DC, deliver the bike and start the long drive back. I arrived in Frederick early, so I took in a matinee before dinner. 

I saw “Unstoppable”. Denzel Washington is always good. The movie was non stop action without guns. That’s an accomplishment. It was about a train that was on the main line, unmanned, high balling out of control, carrying volatile chemicals. The hero, Denzel Washington, gets it stopped. I liked it a lot.

Dinner, and breakfast the day before and the day after, was at Waffle House. For those of you without the Waffle House chain of restaurants around where you live, well, they are simple diners. The menu is printed on the heavy duty plastic laminated place mats that sit on the tables and counter.

Typical Waffle House along the highway

I had a rib eye steak for dinner. Breakfast was grits, eggs and toast. I’ve had their waffles before, but not on these visits. Service is quick, the coffee is better than most restaurants and the food is good. We don’t have these where I live, but I frequent them once in a while when I’m on the road in places where they do.

In this one I stopped at near Wheeling, West Virginia, I had a funny exchange with the waitress. They were all wearing blue or gray shirts except this one gal, she had on a red short sleeve polo shirt. When she walked up to where I was sitting at the counter, here’s what happened:

“You know whut cher gonna have, Hun?” she asked in her sweetest voice.

I ordered my eggs and grits and started sipping my coffee. She walked by after placing my order by yelling from one side of the room towards the cook who stands at the grill.

She turned to me and asked, “You the one whut honked at me in the parkin’ lot afore?”

“Nope, wasn’t me.” I answered.

“Yeah, some trucker honked at me. I wuz out back eatin’ a waffle. I didn’t get a good look at ‘im, thought it might be you.” she said.

“Well if I’d a seen ya out there, I woulda honked you know?” I told her.

“I wuz ready to give that trucker a great big hug and a kiss for honkin’ at me. I ain’t been honked at in a long time!” She exclaimed.

“Well, I told you I would have had I seen ya. Don’t that count fer nuthin?” I mentioned.

“She said, “Oh yes Hun, I’m gonna have a real good day t’day.”

She smiled and went about her business. She welcomed every customer that walked in that door and said good bye and “Thanks fer comin’” to everyone that left. 

When she was in front of me, I noticed she had the largest band aids they make on her forearms. I looked as I could without staring and saw that they covered large tattoos. I figured that Waffle House had a company policy against tattoos on employees. I didn’t ask, but I would have loved to see the tats.

Other than that exchange, the trip was uneventful. I made the motorcycle delivery and headed for home. I took a newer Freeway on the Interstate system, I-68, and traveled West to Morgantown, West Virginia instead of the usual Breezewood, PA route that I’ve taken so many times in my life as I drove to DC over the years often when I was employed as an over the road truck driver for 33 years, on and off, of my life.

I kept ahead of snow information that I heard was falling and causing road conditions to deteriorate back home. I stayed South and didn’t see anything on my windshield until I hit Columbus, OH. It was spitting a little when I stopped in Peoria, IL. I traveled home from there, back along the river, saw more eagles and stopped at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine near LaCrosse, WI for a look see and a little picture taking.

This beautiful stained glass was found at the shrine

All in all, another road trip under my belt. Wish I’d have written down all the miles over the years. I did keep track on this trip. I went 2453 miles in all and got over 16 miles per gallon. That’s pretty good for a full size van hauling a motorcycle in the back and bucking a stiff Northwest headwind.

Until next time, keep the rubber side down and be peaceful

Peace

Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Virgin a Day
December 12, 2010
Day 12 of 12

Our Lady of Guadalupe stands in the snow at LaCrosse, WI

Today is the last day of this fabulous Meme Project entitled A Virgin a Day. It is a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It started on December first and will end in commemoration of today's Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Of course I continue to dedicate all of these posts to my Mother, Carmelina Rosa Caruso Spado. A memorial to her love and devotion to her family, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I hope you liked it, Mom. I love you.

To participate, see Rebecca’s recuerdo mi corazon blog. There, you will get more definition and instructions as well as see other’s submissions, which, If I may add, are quite fascinating, artistic, poetic and bold.

From December 9 through 12, the Church in America commemorates the appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe in present-day Mexico City. It was during these days in December of 1531 that Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Native American, Saint Juan Diego. He was made a Saint after he received this image of Our Lady. Back then, he was just Juan Diego. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared five times as a sign of the infinite mercy and love of God the Father for all His children. On December 12, she appeared to the local Bishop, Juan de Zumarrága, by leaving her image miraculously depicted on the mantle (tilma) of Saint Juan Diego. The tilma of Saint Juan Diego continues to be venerated today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Many spiritual favors have been received by those who have come to honor the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Saint Juan Diego with the Guadalupe image on his  tilma

We are fortunate to have a beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe close by to where I live. At first, that seems strange. The Patron Saint of Latin America here in the Northland, but then again, she is considered Our Lady of the Americas as well. So using that moniker, it makes perfect sense to honor Her everywhere and anywhere on the continenet.

The shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe was a thought back in 1999. Groundbreaking took place in June of 2001. The grounds are continuously being upgraded and added to. Scroll around the website and see all this magnificent facility has to offer. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, is faithful to the message of the Blessed Virgin Mary through her appearances to Juan Diego in 1531. She serves the spiritual needs of those who suffer poverty in body and soul. It is a place of unending prayer for the spiritual welfare of those in most need.

Sunrise over the Mississippi River, close to the Shrine.
I feel this special sunrise with its towering light plume was to be a beacon to guide me there that day

I happened upon this place just last Summer. Mrs. Spadoman and I were on a weekend motorcycle outing that had us staying in Prairie du Chien, WI overnight. As we traveled North towards home on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River, I saw the sign announcing the shrine of Our Lady. I gestured to Barb and she nodded in the affirmative. I swept through the Easterly turn and made our way to the parking lot.

That first visit was short. We didn’t know a shrine like this was close to home. People from all over the world make pilgrimages to places like this all the time. My mother used to go down to the Saint Louis area from her home near Chicago to a shrine called Our Lady of the Snows.

Shrines like these are meant to provide a place for people of any denomination to get a closer contact with God and grow in their own spirituality. The message is produced by the Catholic Church, but anyone that wants to listen to it is welcome. People who seek learning and spiritual guidance are called Pilgrims.

The Votive Chapel at the Shrine

When I stopped back at Guadalupe's Shrine just last week as I drove home from Washington DC, I walked up the long path to the Votive Candle Chapel. It was a bright sunny day and the glow from the stunning stained glass just grabbed a hold of me. I stood there in awe. Many depictions of Our Lady were there, each with their own stain glass image. 

Stained Glass image of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Our Blessed Mother under her titles of Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Knock, Our Mother of Good Counsel, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Loretto, Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal each had a glass panel. The photo I am posting is Our Mother of Good Counsel. The tower of candles in the center of the chapel had its own glow. People, or pilgrims, can pay a fee and have a candle lit for a period of time. The candle represents their personal prayer to Our Lady for whatever reason.

A close-up of this beautiful art

My fascination with Our Lady of Guadalupe stems from my exposure to her image in statues and paintings, hammered tin and colorful trinkets from a small charm to a larger than life likeness that stands on a hillside near Silver City, NM. I am drawn to this image. I don’t have all the reasons as to why I am so drawn, but this week, in writing, researching and reading about The Blessed Virgin Mary, I have more of an idea for my interest.

I love the way the light cascades over Our Lady

I've also feature two photos of prints that I have from Francesca I Garcia C, the women I met in Mesilla, NM. I have written about her and shown some of her art previously in this series. I purchased one of these small portaraits. When Francesca and I started to talk and she found out I loved Guadalupe, she sent me the other one along with some Macaw feathers from her pet. I use the colorful feathers on the borders of her paintings as they hang in my home.

Portarit by Francesca I. Garcia C. of El Paso

For arts sake, I’ll take that tack. I love the way she is depicted. I’m not so thrilled to see the old renaissance era paintings, although I do find beauty in some of them. Guadalupe seems more contemporary, even though the image was sent to Juan Diego in 1531 and the words spoken by Our Lady herself:

Am I not here. I, who am your Mother?

The second print sent to me by Francesca

I also love the stories of the miracles that the people are said to have witnessed. Tears from a statue, an image of of The Blessed Virgin Mary that is seen in a rock, bleeding. A piece of chicken or on some other every day object. I cannot and will not say they are true or untrue. I have had what would appear to be miracles and visions happen to me. None with Mary, but more than one with Eagles and Bears.

As I have tried to do throughout this Virgin Business is tell a story, give an example from my own life’s experiences, of what I have seen or what I have thought. I’ll leave you with this reflection.

My Brother-In-Law’s Mother had passed away some years ago and I attended the funeral mass at a Catholic Church in suburban Chicago. I hadn’t been to mass in years and really didn’t consider myself a Catholic any longer. I always thought that organized religion with all their man-made rules and regulations turned me off and that a direct connection with a Higher Power served me better for growth in body mind and spirit.

Since I left regular church attendance and stopped saying the pat worded prayers many years before, I followed other paths. I was mostly involved with the Native American spirituality that had me talking directly to God and skipping the middle man.

As I walked through the doors of the church, God spoke to me. I heard his voice clear as a bright sunny day. He told me that I had a lot of nerve coming there and thinking that this house of God was any different from any other. He was talking about my attendance at the Sweat Lodge ceremonies that I went to on the Indian Reservation. He was okay with how I chose to pray, but didn’t want me to come to a church, this church, any church, and not give the same respect as I did anywhere else, namely that Sweat Lodge.

I understood immediately and for the first time in my life I realized that the Great Spirit, not a man, guides the real idea of religion and church attendance. The rules and regulations, the labels and interpretations used by man muddle the picture. It is the spirit of God that is there if we seek it.

This is where I am today. It’s one Supreme Being, Higher Power, Great Spirit, Creator, God, and I know him. I am satisfied with that and I believe God has told me he is too. That’s my story, and that’s all I need right now.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole Virgin a Day project. I have learned some and have thought about quite a lot of things, including the art. I want to thank each and every one of you that participated, whether it was for a day or the entire series. And I especially want to thank Rebecca for her idea. It was well worth every bit of effort. I am comforted by the idea that people have been drawn together, new friendships were made and somehow, some sense of Peace has erupted among us.

Enjoy this Feast Day. There is nothing that you need to believe in if you don't want to. It can just be a day when we remember a great story like the one about Juan Diego seeing Guadalupe. Who doesn’t appreciate a great story?

Have a wonderful peaceful day, today and every day of your life.

Peace

The Dress

A Virgin a Day
December 11, 2010
Day 11

Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Virgin a Day is the title of this Meme Project. It is a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It started on December first and will culminate on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is December 12th. Of course I continue to dedicate all of these posts to my Mother, Carmelina Rosa Caruso Spado. A memorial to her love and devotion to her family, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

To participate, see Rebecca’s recuerdo mi corazon blog. There, you will get more definition and instructions as well as see other’s submissions, which, If I may add, are quite fascinating, artistic, poetic and bold.

In 2008, I volunteered to help out in an event called The Longest Walk II. A March across the USA from San Francisco to Washington DC to remind Americans to protect Sacred sites and quit harming Mother Earth. I went to help out and support this effort. I brought my van and a trailer and hauled the walker’s backpacks from daily camp to daily camp. We went non stop at first, walking miles and miles every day. After a few weeks on the road, we finally got a few days off to rest and resupply in Bakersfield, California. It was on one of these days off that I took walkers that needed to get to a laundromat, bank, store or post office where they needed to go. I did some personal things I needed to get done as well.

One day, I stopped in downtown Bakersfield for a regular sit-down meal. After lunch, I walked around the downtown area and peeked into the windows of the shops. Passing by this one trendy little women’s wear boutique, I caught a glimpse of a very unique dress in the window. I kept going back and driving by that shop, looking at that dress.

Mrs. Spadoman looks fabulous in this dress

When I saw it, I thought of how I’d like to buy it as a unique gift to send back home to Mrs. Spadoman. The walk had me away from home for months. I was always thinking of all my family members and buying trinkets or post cards to send home. This dress was special. I had to buy it. 

It was awkward for me to walk into that store and talk to the two young black clad pierced goth women about buying a dress for my wife. I mean, I’m an old guy. I know I don’t fit the stereotype of someone that would shop in their little boutique. But I did take a deep breath and go in. I don’t know what I was thinking would happen. What? Would they laugh at me? Think I’m a pervert? I was just a little unsure as dress buying, especially an old gray haired Midwesterner dress buying at a trendy chic boutique in downtown Bakersfield, was a lot out of my character.

When I walked in, there were two women working there and no one else shopping. I had both sets of eyes on me instantly. I wasn’t going to shop around, I was gonna buy, so I walked right up to the front counter where one of the women, the one with the purple hair, was standing. The other, dressed in layers and layers of what looked like rags with sleeves that hung down past her hands that had holes in them for her thumbs,  stepped up quickly. The second one seemed inquisitive, interested in what the purpose of my visit would be. Dominatrix? I mean, just sayin’!

I told them I saw the dress and I wanted to know what size it was and how much. They helped me and gave me their undivided attention. They told me how cute they thought this dress to be. It was February, but it was a sun dress. It wasn’t going to worn that afternoon. I told them I was going to send it home to my wife. I did get some accolades for being so bold as to buy her a dress. I got the idea that it’s not too common a practice.

I’ll let the pictures describe the dress. What brought my eye and interest to it was the bold bright display of Our Lady of Guadalupe prints all over it. “Very colorful,” I thought, and the image of Our Lady on a dress would be very unique. I knew Barb would love its “kitsch” tendencies that bordered on the irreverent. I also knew we both liked the folksy colorful Guadalupe image.

I sent the dress home, but before I did. I had it with me when I returned back to base camp. While talking to some of the people I met on the walk about what we did that day, I was asked and I answered with, “I bought my wife a dress.”

I had to show people. Some thought it was so cool. I did, that’s why I bought it. A lot of the younger women, the ones with eclectic taste, really liked it. I sent it home after showing it off and returned to the walk.

When Barb received it, she told me she thought it was beautiful. It was fun to pull it out in the dead of cold wintry weather yesterday for the photo shoot, (we’re expecting a foot of new snow and temperatures to plummet down to below zero in the next few days). I think Barb looks fantastic in this dress, and seeing her wearing it made me wish the winter will speed by so we can be somewhere in temperatures where a sun dress would be appropriate attire.

Truthfully, I was so excited about this whole Virgin Business as I knew I’d have a depiction of Our Lady on a dress. The odds would favor the fact that no one else would have something like this. It would trump every Virgin object, painting, statue and what have you. You can see I am proud of it. But the posts I have seen this past eleven days have been nothing short of magnificent. The art, the reverence, the history and knowledge and the personal outpouring to each other and the blog readers about The Blessed Virgin Mary have reached us all.

Gracie Jayne had to have her picture taken for this very special fashion show.
Isn't she beautiful

That’s my story for today, Day 11 of 12. Tomorrow, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the end of this beautiful, thought provoking inspiring Meme project. I am grateful to Rebecca for coming up with this fabulous idea. It brought so many ideas and people together. Coming away from this exercise, I found I have made some new connections and think about some things in different ways.

Thanks Rebecca and all of the participants of A Virgin a Day.

Tomorrow, The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at a shrine in her honor near LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

Peace to all

Corn Mother

A Virgin a Day
December 10, 2010
Day 10

Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Virgin a Day is the title of this Meme Project. It is a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. To participate, see Rebecca’s recuerdo mi corazon blog. There, you will get more definition and instructions as well as see other’s submissions. 


NOTE: For those that have come for Haiku My Heart Friday, please scroll down and you'll find my submission. Thank You

I have always had a fascination with the image and statues I’ve seen of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I never knew why I liked this art form so much, but after my Mother went on her final journey home last February, I realized it was her influence and her faith that has kept me interested, and somewhat knowledgeable, about Our Lady. I can't tell you when I realized how much I appreciate the art side of it.

If you care to, you may look at this as religious, or you may see it as art for the sake of art. I make no assertions about anything to anyone as far as my own faith or religion with these posts. I simply dedicate my involvement with this Virgin Business to my Loving Mother, Carmelina Rosa Caruso Spado. Just to be talking about the Blessed Virgin Mary would make her proud of me.

Cristina Perez' Corn Mother

I’ve mentioned before, mostly on the blog comments of the fabulous artists sites that I am so fortunate to have been introduced to, that I have a hard time understanding the creative process, I don’t do poetry very well and I admire all that can deliver such beauty in photos, paintings, objects and words.

That being said, the fact that I don’t get out much to art shows or openings might be one of the reasons why my grasp of art may be a bit lacking. But I know what I like. I just can’t tell you why I like it, or dislike it, if that’s the case.

This particular subject, Our Lady of Guadalupe, I like. And that assessment is “in general.” I have only learned recently that these types of paintings and color treatments that I find when visiting the Southwestern USA, where Guadalupe is so prominent, is considered Folk Art, or at least a form of Folk Art.

Back pedal to around 2004. I was living in St. Paul in those days and hanging out at the J&S Bean Factory Coffee House. My good friend, Steve, owns the place. I’d show up there just about every morning. Most of the time, the usual characters came in, conversations ensued, and time was spent whiling away many hours each morning.

A positive about this daily event was that I got to meet a lot of people. I’d be talking to someone and someone else would walk in and the person I was talking to knew this other person and I was introduced and low and behold we had something or someone in common. Next thing you know, we’re all talking and making connections and it wasn’t very unusual that I didn’t know someone else, someone that wasn’t seated at the table, that the person I was just introduced to, knew as well. If not a person, then a place, or a job I’ve held, as I am well traveled from years of road trips throughout the USA and have held my share of jobs.

In this one case, I met a guy named Tom. Tom, in his own right, is a very unique character and is an artist. His medium is bronze casting and he is from the very old school of seeking benefactors, or what he calls in the vernacular, patrons of the arts. Patrons that would give him money to research, plan and produce an exquisite art piece that they could have for their own collection.

Disclaimer: So far, this story has nothing what-so-ever to do with The Blessed Virgin Mary. It’s just how I came about going to the art show that produced the Corn Mother print that will.

In any event, Tom and I became friends quickly and we met many mornings and talked about everything in particular and nothing in general, or is that the other way around, I never could get that right either.

Tom, being an artist, knew many other artists. He told me about an art show coming up in an old Northeast Minneapolis building that had been turned into artists lofts called The California Building.

A photo of Tom's most famous work, Moonbell. It sits in the entry of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Building 

Incidentally, one of the connections Tom and I made in the weeks leading up to the announcement about the upcoming art show was the fact that someone I worked with years before, had a loft there. A fellow named Aldo Moroni. Aldo and I worked in the motion picture industry together, that’s where I met him. He has a studio in the California Building and if I went to this particular art event that Tom was inviting me to, I’d get to see Aldo and his then not yet famous Babylon Project, which, is quite interesting as well as very beautiful.

Back to my story. While attending this art event, I wandered through the floors of lofts and stopped here and there to look at what might be offered. In a small uncluttered room were a few paintings and prints. One of these was the one I am presenting here as my offering for A Virgin a Day.

When I saw it, I immediately said, “Corn Mother”. The artist, a woman named Cristina Perez, heard me and told me, “Yes, the name of this print is The Corn Mother.”

I had to have it. I liked it. The colors, the image. I’d seen that image before. I knew it was Our lady. She resembled Our lady of Guadalupe, but with a corn cob as an aura. Back in those days I had already started my once and twice yearly treks to New Mexico and was falling in love with the Folk Art of this particular image.

I made a purchase of art, while attending an art show in a building where artists plied their trade. That had to be the start of it. Now, many years later, I will go to Cristina’s site and write to her and tell her how I am posting this story about her art piece and that since I looked up her name and found the modern day site for her work, I see she is quite talented and there are other pieces I might be interested in purchasing. I see she has a great portfolio of Los Dios de Los Muertos, or Days of the Dead folk art, with my Corn Mother amongst the offerings! I will be paying her site a few visits.

Incidently, while perusing Cristina’s website, I came across this fabulous painting entitled Mayan Mother from her collection. Just seems fitting as every Mother emulates the Blessed Virgin Mother, and this Mayan Mother is no exception.

Mayan Mother

Brown Mayan Mother

Not different from our own

Reflecting Mary

(I thought I'd add haiku for this print since today is Friday and Rebecca's Haiku My Heart Friday, another great Meme idea, is usually presented today)

So, that’s my story. That’s my submission for Day 10. The Corn Mother print and how it came into being in my life. Our Lady working in mysterious ways? Maybe so. I’m making a new connection with an artist I met only once, and I’m inspired to call Tom Attridge and see how he’s doing. Maybe I’ll pay him a visit and we’ll sit around his kitchen nook and hold the guitar a little.

Peace

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

A Virgin a Day
December 9, 2010
Day 9

Our Lady of Guadalupe


A Virgin a Day is the title of this Meme Project. It is a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It started on December first and will culminate on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is December 12th. Of course I continue to dedicate all of these posts to my Mother, Carmelina Rosa Caruso Spado. A memorial to her love and devotion to her family, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

To participate, see Rebecca’s recuerdo mi corazon blog. There, you will get more definition and instructions as well as see other’s submissions, which, If I may add, are quite fascinating, artistic, poetic and bold. By the way, click any photo here to enlrage it to see more detail.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

As I was growing up in the predominately Italian Catholic suburb of Chicago, Melrose Park, our neighborhood parish church was Our Lady of Mount Carmel. As a young boy, I was always confused about The Blessed Virgin Mary. I knew who she was to represent, but who were these other “Ladies”? Our Lady of this, Our Lady of that, Our Lady of the other thing and Our Lady of those guys. I tell you, it was confusing.

But that confusion to a young boy makes perfect sense as the Blessed Virgin Mary has been seen, visioned and honored by and for all people, with each group claiming her as their own "Lady". Her mission, to bring people to her son, Jesus Christ. He is said to be the son of God. Mary, being a virgin, but still being the birth Mother, is kind of special then in that sense.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is just one of many ways in which the people chose to show and honor Mary, Mother of God. She is the Patroness of the Carmelite order. The first Carmelites were hermits living on Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land. They built a chapel and honored the Blessed Virgin Mary as The Lady of the House. She became Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Another depiction of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as painted by Pietro Novelli, from the 1600's

There are so many tributes, traditions, ideas and heritage, both cultural and religious, that have lived through the years about all of the Saints and Marys. One for Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the Scapular. A Scapular has a specific definition to the Catholic Church. Information can be found at the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia site.

I had a Scapular. My Mom, whose name is Carmelina and a close resemblence to Carmel, made sure I had one to protect me and assure my rise to heaven in the event of anything bad happening to me, the back of my Father's hand for wrongdoing not withstanding.

It is two small patches of cloth, held together with a string, and worn over your shoulders with one patch on the back and the other on the breast. The Carmelite order originated the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Since we were parishioners of that church, we followed suit. Not much different than wearing a Green Bay Packers jersey on game day if you live in Wisconsin. Of course, being near Chicago, we wore our Scapular under our Bears Jerseys, and we never took them off except to shower or bathe.

The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

I mentioned the place where I grew up as an Italian community. How do I know? Well, I lived on the eighteen hundred block of 22nd Avenue. There were 26 houses if you count both sides of the street. Of those 26, 19 had Italian surnames. Spado, Ciancio, Salerno, Colona, Spinelli, Ravenisi, Baldo, Miorello. Funny, an English guy lived next door to the North, Fishleigh was their name, and they weren’t Catholic.

Another phenomenon where I grew up was the Italian Feast. A big, and I mean big, celebration during the week preceding the 16th of July, which is the Feast Day or Our Lady of Mount Carmel, took place in the blocks surrounding the church. It culminated with a hugely attended, literally thousands of people, outdoor mass on Sunday at high noon, and a procession through the town.

In this procession, a large beautiful statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the one pictured in photos above and below, was carried upon the shoulders of the men of the parish. Leaders in the parish structure would carry this image. Other groups, like the Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus and the Alter Boys would walk the procession in their groups, maybe they carried lit candles or other religious articles like crosses or other statues of Saints. There were visiting bands from other parishes and they would travel tomplay at The Feast celebration.

Many women walked, dressed in solid black, on the hot blacktop streets. They would stop while on this trek, and go to their knees, praying the rosary. The hot asphalt burning them at times in the sweltering Summer heat. People passing out left and right. Sacrifice for Our lady of Mount Carmel.

Of course, since this was an Italian neighborhood, the food of the Feast was Italian and was wonderful. The Feast still goes on, but ethnic makeup of Melrose Park is changing, so there are some differences from the 1950’s and 1960’s when I grew up there. But they do have a Facebook page that seems like they are keeping the old tradition alive. There are some grat photos of Our lady posted there as well.

Back to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The image at the beginning of this post shows the gold crown she wore along with the beautiful gold and white garments. The old church itself, the one that was there when I lived there, was also a very beautiful place inside. A new church was built to hold a growing population. Here is a photo of the inside of the old original Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Melrose Park, IL in the 1960’s.

Our Lady takes center stage at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Melrose Park, IL
This is the interior of the old church

And here is a photo from the archives of my own collection. It’s from 1967, and came out of the pile of pictures we went through from the boxes my mother had in her closet. This is statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel being carried throughout the town during the Feast day celebration, of which we were in attendance every year.

The Madonna being carried through the streets during The Feast

I look at the image of the inside of the church and I can tell you every word of Latin that was painted on the ceiling. I don’t know what it means, but I can tell you what was printed. And I am amazed at the beauty. I don’t remember seeing or knowing this beauty growing up, but I can see it now. What I do remember is that statue. How ornate, the gold crown. She was truly portrayed as The Mother of God, telling us that the way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.


Tomorrow, the Corn Mother

Peace