Ironic: Life at the Cemetery

Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, MO

So, I am in my third week at my new job as a counselor for The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  Some would suggest that I am still in my "honeymoon phase" of the job, and I would probably agree with them.  But, I really love working at such a great, historical place!  

 

Needless to say, my bosses and co-workers are some of the nicest people and everyone is very welcoming and quick to help me learn the ropes (of which there are many).  My day starts at 8:30 every morning and ends around 4:00 in the afternoon.  These are the hours of the office at the cemetery that services all of the Catholic cemeteries north of I-64/I-40.  I have an half-hour for lunch and have taken it on the beautiful grounds of Calvary.  

With this job, things can be very, very slow or things can be very, very busy!  Many of our calls come from funeral homes desiring information prior to the internment of a deceased individual, and some come from monument companies making sure that foundations have been set and their marker approved for erection on various gravesites.  Occasionally, there are also families that call looking or long-lost relatives they suspect are buried at Calvary.  Many inquiries of various natures makes one quick on his feet, that is certain!  And, I have had to learn that certain projects just have to wait for the next day, despite my tendency to want to have all my "i's dotted and t's crossed" before leaving the office at the end of the day!  I suppose that this is a lesson in patience from our loving Lord!  

 

Thus far, I have learned something new every day while at work!  This is my favorite aspect of the job!  Our vault has records dating from the foundation of the 477-acre cemetery in the mid-19th century, so I have plenty of books to peruse when things get slow.  Also, I have met some very interesting people who have come into the office for various reasons.  One day a woman that takes photographs for Find-A-Grave came in needing assistance.  Today, a documentary film-maker came in wanting information on the infamous Section 10.  (For those in the know, that area is devoted exclusively for the victims of the horrible cholera epidemic area swept through St. Louis between 1849 and 1855.)  Meeting all of these interesting people make my day!

Another great aspect of the job are the spiritual benefits.  Constantly, I am reminded of the Last Things:  death, judgment, heaven and hell.  Death comes to us all eventually, sometimes unexpectedly, and it helps to be prepared emotionally and spiritually for that reality.  With this constant memento mori, I am also joyful in the hope of the Resurrection of the Dead on the Last Day!  This is why we give the vessel that is our body such care, even after the departure of the soul.  And, I can say that every day I do a few corporal works of mercy by ensuring that the faithful departed are given proper and decent repose.

 

How many people can say that they do such things during their work day?

 

Calvary Cemetery Administration Building

(Where I spend the majority of my time.)

  

Returning home...

Well, first I must apologize that it has been over half a year since I last blogged!  I am horrible at this!  But now I have a tremendous amount of new thoughts to share on a many number of things.

Much has occurred.  I almost took a job for an insurance company in St. Louis in January. I accepted the position, and then I turned it down.  Then, I did take a job for a Catholic music publisher near Nashville in March.  That position was very interesting and informative.  I learned a great deal about the state of Catholic music in this country and I also learned a great deal about myself. 

In the midst of my time in Nashville, I met some amazing, talented people and made very good friends!  Nashville is an amazing place and I will really miss the people and places.  The Catholic Church in the area is quite a minority and is in great need of the New Evangelization, but there are some programs assisting in that, such as Renew and Theology on Tap!  I hope and pray that these programs grow and are effective!

There is so much to tell you all about the people there, but I do not wish to bore you with that all now! 

So, here is my own personal update.  I have moved back to St. Louis and have taken a position in the Catholic Cemeteries of Saint Louis.  I am very excited for this work because I believe many of my talents will be utilized, I know I will be challenged, and I know it will be rewarding.  I begin this position on July 9 and am looking forward to meeting and working with some very nice people!  Please keep me in your prayers as this new journey begins for me.  Pray that I will be successful and know that I will pray for you as always. 

Until then, have a very Happy Fourth of July! Pray for our nation, its administration, for the freedom of religion, and for peace throughout the world!  God bless!

Movie Review: War Horse

Tonight, I was able to participate in a special preview of Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg's flick about a thoroughbred during the First World War (1914-1918).  The film is based upon a novel by Michael Murpurgo and an adapted play by Nick Stafford.  It was written to provide a telling of the war through the eyes of a horse.  Needless to say, it was not what I was expecting.  There was very little about the great war, whose armistice we still commemorate on November 11.  Furthermore, the thought that a horse could survive more than a few months in the war, get caught in No Man's Land and not be mercifully put down is ridiculous.  I know this is not based on a true story, and causes the premise to be delusional.

The acting, there was very little of it, seemed contrived.  The horse was a good looking animal, and it reminded me that I failed to witness even one race this season save the Derby on television.

The best aspect of the film is that it attempted to bring several  perspectives to what the Great War was like for the brave soldiers and nurses who fought for God, nation and family as well as the poor farmers and families around whom the battles were fought.  I was also pleasantly surprised by how exacting some elements of trench warfare were portrayed and the amount of death made visible, considering this film was produced by Disney and most likely marketed towards a youthful demographic.

Soldiers' Memorial, Saint Louis, Missouri

Hopefully, for the commemoration of World War I's centennial, a better film or films will be produced and perhaps by Spielberg.  If they need stories, I suggest they look to the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Holy Roman Empire, the Rape of Belgium, the Battle of the Somme, the Christmas party in No Man's Land, the reluctance of America to enter the war, unrestricted submarine warfare, the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the continuation of a secret war by the Allies against the Communists after the war, the treaty of Paris, etc.  There is so much that can be considered and so much that can be done.  In fact, I suggest that Hollywood look to the original Upstairs, Downstairs and Ken Follett's newest novel for how some of this material has been previously treated.  In fact, the aforementioned British television drama, which captivated millions in the mid-1970s, was one of the first programs to treat the psychological effects of the war, shell shock and propaganda.

Liberty Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri

For further exploration of these and other World War I related topics, I suggest you travel to the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City and to the Soldiers' Memorial in downtown Saint Louis.

How do you think we, as a people, should commemorate this centennial?  Has anyone participated in any of the events surrounding the Civil War's sesquicentennial?