Let There be PEACE on Earth….Neighbors all are we…
by Sr. Donna Liette and Bonnie Kane

As part of our 100 day vigil for Building Communities of Peace, we at PBMR (Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation) chose to invite our “Back of the Yards” neighbors to a Bonfire     PEACE Cookout.   

At 5:30 men, women and children were welcomed as the fire blazed; all joined hands and gathered in a peace circle around the fire as Father Dave Kelly led us in a prayer for peace in our neighborhood, families and world.   The fire, contained within a pit created from the church rubble left in our backyard, seemed to say, “Warm Welcome”.     It was a perfect November evening.   We felt God’s favor and peace upon us. 

The food line soon formed.    Brother Juan Acuña, Father Denny Kinderman and Diana Rubio were busy making sure all needs were met.   Oh, to see the faces of the little children roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire – a first for many!   “What are s’mores?” they asked our Precious Blood Volunteer and s’mores specialist, Bonnie Kane.  Neighbors mingled and shared stories:  young and old, Latinos, African American, Caucasian.   Connections were being made, fear minimized; instead of gunshots ringing out, sounds of laughter and singing could be heard.

Mothers and children from the “You Can Make It” Neighborhood Shelter joined us as well as our friends from Su Casa Catholic Worker House.  Also present were the principal and staff from Tilden, one of our local high schools, as well as other neighbors and volunteers.    We were continuing our summer theme of “putting neighbor back in the hood”!

Sister Maria Hughes, ASC, Director of the Institute for Religious Formation at Catholic Theological  University  in Chicago and Sister Ivana Paiulunga, ASC, from the Italian region joined us in the this peace endeavor.    Four Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters also joined us and shared in the neighborhood Peace get-to-gether.   So we had neighbors from near and far:   Italy, Germany, Africa, and Chile (Brother Juan) all united in the building of peace and love in our community and in the world. 

Our PBMR youth helped set up, clean up and entertain the little ones with balloons and ‘glow in the dark” bracelets. 

The event concluded with PBMR staff, Mike Donovan, leading us who had gathered again in circle around the fire with “Let there be PEACE on Earth…..NEIGHBORS all are we….!”  

Hello there! My name is Bonnie Kane and I am from Kansas City, Mo. I am a Precious Blood volunteer, working here at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation for the next 9 months! I graduated from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo with my Bachelors degree in Psychology this past May. Ever since I was little my family and I were very involved in the church and volunteering whenever. When it came time for graduation I was unsure of where to go from there. I heard about Precious Blood Volunteers through a friend and from there everything slowly fell into place. Before I knew it I was in my car driving to Chicago! A new adventure lay before me. All that I knew was that I would be working with Youth on the South side and a few other details. Other than that, I was blind to what I was getting myself in to.

I have officially been here for about 2 months and have loved being a part of this ministry. Here at PBMR I am tutoring kids who are working to get their GED, teaching someone how to read, helping create resumes and visiting kids at the Juvenile Detention Center. Some days are quiet and I ask myself what I should be doing? Then I sit down outside the kitchen and end up in a conversation with one of the boys just passing through. That’s when I know I am doing something. I get to sit and learn about people, a different culture and ultimately, be present. That is the biggest lesson I have learned, the power of being present.

I do not know what lies before me, or what obstacles lay ahead in my next 9 months of being here. But what I do know is that there will never be a dull moment and I am up for any challenge that comes my way!  

“Sent by the Blood, stained by the Blood, we are servants of the Blood of Christ!