Nick:
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I
majored in Business Administration with a concentration in
Finance.
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Gordon:
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What were some of your favorite courses?
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Nick:
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My
favorite classes were during freshman year before I took
any business courses. Most of those classes were
humanities oriented. I remember the introduction to
Philosophy class especially where the professor, Dr. Tom
Morris, was able to make philosophy humorous, a real
challenge for college freshman who don’t tend to think
very much about life’s big questions.
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Gordon:
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You were on Notre Dame's water polo team. Do you remember how
many matches your team won?
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Nick:
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I don’t
remember how many matches we won, but Water Polo at Notre
Dame wasn’t a varsity sport but only a club. There was a
budget for it that we were able to use to go on road trips
and participate in weekend tournaments at other schools in
the Midwest. It was just as much a social experience as a
competitive one. My serious days of playing Water Polo were
in high school. But, I had fun playing at ND.
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Gordon:
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When did
you join Holy Name Parish and what features of Holy Name do
your find most rewarding?
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Nick:
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I've been a member of Holy Name Cathedral parish for
over 10 years, ever since I moved to downtown Chicago from the suburbs. I
appreciate the diversity of parishioners at Holy Name who come from all walks of
life and ethnic backgrounds. Also, I appreciate the ministry of the fine
priests and lay ministers who serve at Holy Name.
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Gordon:
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You have also been involved with
Assumption Church through the River North Knights of
Columbus. When did you you join the Mother Cabrini River
North Knights of Columbus and become involved with
Assumption?
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Nick:
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I joined the Knights of Columbus in 2010 which is when I
first got involved and active with Assumption.
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Gordon:
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What are
some of the features of
Assumption
Church that you appreciate the most?
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Nick:
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Assumption is an architectural wonder and very pleasing to
the eye! I love the stained glass windows and the beautiful
relief of the Last Supper behind the altar. You don’t get
lost or feel too small in Assumption because it’s not a
huge, cavernous structure. Also, I appreciate the ministry
and devotion to Christ exemplified by the Pastor, Fr. Joe
Chamblain and the Emeritus Pastor, Fr. Michael Doyle.
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Gordon:
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Could
you give us some background on the
Mother Cabrini River North Knights of Columbus?
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Nick:
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Mother
Cabrini River North Council was founded in December of 2010
by a core group of about 30 men.
.
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Gordon: |
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What parishes does the
Council
serve? |
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Nick:
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Mother Cabrini River
North is a relatively new council and, to date,
has only served Assumption parish. But, we are
chartered to reach out to other parishes in the
area.
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Gordon:
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Some may
not know what a significant chartable organization the
Knights of Columbus are. It has been praised by many of the
popes including
Pope Francis.
Mother Cabrini River North Knights of Columbus
have supported several local charities including the
Archdiocese of Chicago's SPRED Ministry Please tell us
why SPRED is such an important ministry.
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Nick:
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SPRED
stands for Special Religious Education. Our council supports
the Archdiocese of Chicago branch of
SPRED,
which is dedicated to catechesis for those with intellectual
and learning disabilities. The Knights of Columbus are very
dedicated to serving this special group of the least of
Jesus’ brothers and sisters (Mt. 25:40). We raised the
funds for SPRED during our annual “Tootsie Roll” drives,
which take place on the 3rd weekend in
September. After our drives in 2012 and 2013, I invited Sr.
Suzanne Gallagher of SPRED to Assumption Parish where I
presented a check to her after Mass in the amount of funds
received. It was a privilege to do so as Grand Knight.
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Gordon: |
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Could
you tell us why the Knights of Columbus have been so
supporting of the
McGivney Center of Hope
and Healing
|
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Our council has conducted 3 baby bottle collection programs
for the McGivney Center of Hope and Healing, one during each
of the last 3 Lenten seasons. The main beneficiary of the
McGivney Center (a Knights operated charity) is the Well of
Mercy, an independent transitional home on the north side of
Chicago for single mothers who chose to give birth in
challenging circumstances. Our council and Assumption
parishioners have generously contributed to the well being
of these mothers and their children. It is a great ministry
in Christ’s local Church and we are blessed to be a part of
it and help in our own small way. I’ve been to the Well of
Mercy several times, including last Christmas. Our Council
sponsored a “Night with Santa” for the kids. One of our
Knights, Mike Kress, played Santa and the kids had a
blast. It was a memorable event. |
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| Nick: |
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Our council has conducted 3 baby bottle collection programs
for the McGivney Center of Hope and Healing, one during each
of the last 3 Lenten seasons. The main
beneficiary of the McGivney Center (a Knights operated
charity) is the Well of Mercy, an independent transitional
home on the north side of Chicago for single mothers who
chose to give birth in challenging circumstances.
Our council and Assumption parishioners have generously
contributed to the well being of these mothers and their
children. It is a great ministry in Christ’s local
Church and we are blessed to be a part of it and help in our
own small way. I’ve been to the Well of Mercy several
times, including last Christmas. Our Council sponsored
a “Night with Santa” for the kids. One of our Knights,
Mike Kress, played Santa and the kids had a blast.
It was a memorable event. |
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Gordon: |
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When
did you first learn about the important services of the
Well of Mercy? |
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| Nick: |
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I
believe it was 3 years ago when representatives for the
McGivney Center told us about the Well of Mercy. Then, one
of our council members, Michael Kress, went and visited the
Well and was very impressed with the mission of the
director, Mary Zeien, who put most of her life savings into
this ministry for vulnerable new mothers and their
children. Michael has been the leader in all our council’s
efforts on behalf of Well of Mercy. Mary Zeien is a true
inspiration and is doing the Lord’s work at the Well of
Mercy. |
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Gordon: |
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Your personal mission to help the orphans and widows in
Nigeria and Cameroon though your organization
Home To Enhance African Life
(HEAL) is
very inspiring. Can you explain why you formed this
organization? |
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| Nick: |
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I
formed HEAL with my counterpart, Rev. Leo Okonkwo, a
Nigerian friend of mine since 1998, when we were seminary
classmates together for a year. In the fall of
2013, Rev. Leo visited me in Chicago because the Nigerian
government was threatening his mission of educating orphans
and legally advocating for widows. He conducted
classes for the children in livestock pens in a flimsy
thatched roof structure supported by bamboo poles.
Rather than offering him help, the government threatened
that his mission would be over unless he built a new school.
During his visit with me, I introduced him to many people in
my circles and we decided to found a not for profit
organization to support the work of his mission abroad.
HEAL was born in 2013. We built the new school in February
of 2014 and have completed several successful projects since
then to advance our mission. |
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Gordon: |
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What are the principal causes of these children losing their
parents? |
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Nick:
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Some of
the children have lost their parents to fatal diseases like
AIDS, Malaria, and Cholera, which are easily contracted in
rural areas due to poor sanitation and contaminated water.
Also, some have lost parents in terrorist attacks by the
Islamic group,
Boko
Haram,
which
has been wreaking havoc in Northern Nigeria since 2009.
Our home has taken in these children as refugees from
northern villages that were attacked. Finally,
some children have only lost their father and are not true
orphans. However, these children, along with their
mothers, have been abandoned and pushed out by their
fathers’ families and left with nothing. The
Compassionate Home has taken in these children with their
widowed mothers. |
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Gordon:
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African orphans are faced with the challenges of
homelessness, sexual abuse, slavery, lack of access to
education, increased risks of diseases, etc. How has
Home To Enhance African Life
(HEAL)
addressed these
challenges?
|
Nick:
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HEAL
addresses these challenges by giving orphans and widows both a home and a
family, comprised of our religious missionaries, who have dedicated their lives
to following Christ. They experience God’s love through daily Mass, prayer,
and song in the context of their heritage and culture. We educate the orphans
both in the classroom and with practical agricultural skills, including raising
livestock and planting crops. For the widows, we advocate for their rights to
the property stolen from them by their in-laws. HEAL is a mission of
empowerment and hope for the weakest and most marginalized of society in our
part of West Africa. |
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Gordon: |
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How many children and widows does
Home To Enhance African Life
(HEAL)
assist? |
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| Nick: |
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We
assist over 150 children and widows in Nigeria and about 100
children in Cameroon. |
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Gordon: |
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When you visited
the Mission in Nigeria in 2014, your parents were very
concerned about the dangers of the trip. Could you explain
why? |
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Nick:
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Yes. Nigeria has been in the news over the last 5 years due
to the terrorist atrocities of Boko Haram in the northern
areas. When I drove to my parent’s house on March 1st,
2014 to drop off my car before they took me to the airport,
they tried to convince me not to go. I remember how my dad,
in an effort to scare me, read out loud an article from the
Chicago Tribune about an attack that had taken place in
Abuja, Nigeria. My mom looked at me and said, “That’s why I
don’t want you to go”! I had to reassure them that I was
traveling to the south of Nigeria, which was far removed
from the terrorist action and that there were no current
travel warnings by the State Department to deter visitors to
Nigeria. Still, I understood their concerns, which I also
shared. That said, I had to go and see the mission for
myself in order to be a credible spokesman for it back
here! |
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Gordon: |
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More and
more people are urging everyone supporting the pro-life
movement to also support assistance for orphans and other
vulnerable children since we need to protect all life from
the moment of conception until death.
In your opinion, why hasn't the multiple challenges of
orphanhood received more attention by the pro-life movement? |
| |
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Nick:
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That’s
hard to say. I think the need always outpaces the “supply”
in any dimension of pro-life ministry. Whatever the cause
of inattention, it is my responsibility to draw more
attention to the plight of widows and orphans, particularly
the ones in our care in Nigeria and Cameroon. I’ve gotten
to know many of them personally during my trip to Nigeria
last spring. Once you get to know the widows and orphans as
persons instead of abstractions, then the motivation to
assist comes naturally and, even, supernaturally because
this is truly God’s mission. The care of widows and orphans
is stressed in Scripture which says, “Religion that is pure
and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself
unstained from the world (Jas.1:27). |
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Gordon: |
|
What
Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago have agreed
to invite you to promote support for
Home To
Enhance African Life? |
| |
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| Nick: |
|
This past August, we completed mission appeals at four
Archdiocese of Chicago parishes:
St. Peter Damien
in Bartlett, St.
Norbert and Our Lady
of the Brook in Northbrook, and
St. Paul Chong
Ha Sang in Des Plaines. We are very grateful to
the Archdiocese of Chicago Mission Office for giving HEAL
the opportunity to appeal in these parishes. Rev. Leo
Okonkwo preached the homily at every Mass at each parish
over the four weekends. Many people sensed the Holy
Spirit in Rev. Leo’s preaching, in which he told his life
story as it relates to his current mission work |
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Gordon:
|
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When Christ commanded us to "Suffer
little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for
of such is the kingdom of heaven", you may have followed his
request through establishing
Home To Enhance African Life. I hope that every church in
every diocese throughout the world may help promote your
work to their parishioners and encourage them to make a
donation to your important work, I also encourage everyone to
subscribe to the
Home To Enhance African Life newsletter. |
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