Some may remember Kate Smith singing the lyrics to a song written by Irving berlin in the early 1940s entitled, “God Bless America.” Birthed in the days of World War II, those lyrics and their resulting impact energize millions of Americans for years to come. God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her […]
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Look to modern manufacturing for high-paying, high-impact careers
Did you know that manufacturing plays a significant role in our local, central Illinois economy? From small- and medium-sized local businesses to national brands employing almost 1,000 people, the effect of these businesses is critical for our area. However, after spending much time talking with these employers, I know they struggle to maintain a full […]
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Stumbling toward unity
More than 150 years ago, Baha’u’llah proclaimed the oneness of humanity. Addressing mankind, he said, “The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch.” In another place he says, “O children of men! Know ye not why […]
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Healing of body and of spirit
Mortality, illness and suffering are an inescapable part of the human condition. When we are afflicted by disease, pain, injury or loss of bodily function, we seek healing and restoration to health. We enlist the skill of the physician to lessen our pain, to arrest or reverse the course of our disease, to repair injuries […]
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The first face of hope: How United Way brings comfort after crisis
When flames consume a home, what families remember most is not always the fire. Sometimes, it’s the face of the person who showed up when everything else was gone. That face is often Mary’s. A longtime volunteer supported through United Way of Central Illinois, Mary responds after housefires to provide emergency supplies and emotional support. […]
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An antidote for cynicism? Catholic Social Teaching
If you’ve driven past the Sacred Heart Convent and Sacred Heart-Griffin High School campus on West Monroe Street recently, you’ve probably noticed the many “golf signs” – what the printer calls them – around the perimeter. They proclaim, “Hear the cry of Earth,” “One Global Human Family” and “Immigrant Rights & Dignity.” Our hope is […]
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The many connections between immigrants and the U.S. health care system
These days, mention of the word “immigration” often conjures up issues related to politics, the law, culture, economics and even whether getting a speeding ticket makes a person a criminal. As a retired primary care physician with no special expertise in immigrant health care who was invited by a friend to join the Springfield Immigrant […]
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Harnessing the Spirit
The Netflix movie The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, based on the memoir of William Kamkwamba, is an inspiring story about a young boy’s ingenuity and determination to overcome adversity. William Kamkwamba was born in 1987 into a Christian family in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was a mystery. It was […]
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A crisis of conscience
How can he say that? Why can they say that? Why do they do that? What happened to their consciences? Conscience! Conscience? What is conscience? What is so important about conscience? What role does it really play in everyday life? What happens when conscience is applied? What happens when conscience is abandoned? What happens when […]
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Ageism: The last acceptable prejudice?
Quick! Finish this sentence with the first words that come to you: Elderly people _______________________. Did you make a positive statement? Then good for you; you haven’t bought into the stereotypes of this youth-obsessed society! Or perhaps it’s just that you’re a “senior citizen” like me who chafes at the persistently negative images of older […]
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Torah provides a framework for freedom
Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which falls this year on Monday, June 2, originated in biblical times as an agricultural festival, the culmination of the spring grain harvest, which began around the time of Passover with the reaping of barley and concluded with the gathering of wheat. It was also the commencement of the season […]
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Explore your creative side with LLCC this summer
Last summer, I had the chance to visit Lincoln Land Community College’s first Media Makers Camp. As I arrived at our Medical District location in downtown Springfield, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that participation was good, with all the seats having filled. I knew that the professor who was leading the camp […]
