JANUARY CLASS — We attended online classes this month due to COVID. This class focused on the lengthy history of the American Catholic Church from Christopher Columbus’s arrival to modern times. We learned about early Spanish efforts to colonize the American Southwest. Also, we discussed the back-and-forth struggle for control of North America between the French, British and Spanish. We examined the different ways in which European nations treated and viewed the Native Americans. In addition, we looked at how the diverse immigration surges of the 19th and 20th century shaped the Church.
LOCAL HISTORY — I really enjoy exploring the rich history that is packed into Catholic Churches. A great example is this stain glass window from Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Belleville, Illinois. This window depicts the story of early French exploration in Illinois. Specifically, the images show many positive encounters with Native Americans. But, near the bottom of the window, A story is depicted of a Franciscan Priest who lost his life. (A special thanks to Doug Lugge for providing historical details of the window.)
MY THOUGHTS — Learning about the historical journeys of the many people that lived before us can really help continuously improve our Communities, Church and Country. For my personal discovery, I believe history serves as a gentle reminder of just how fast time moves and how short my own little increment of time is here on earth.
NEXT POST — For February, our class instruction will explore foundational teaching principles. For a complete list of classes and check of my progress toward completion click Here. I look forward to sharing more about this journey and discoveries along the way. Thanks for checking out my post!