OP_090116

20 | September 1, 2016 | The orland park prairie Faith
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Pastor Column
Remembering the meaning of Labor Day
The Rev. Michael Foley
Our Lady of the Woods
This weekend, our nation
celebrates Labor
Day. This is a holiday
developed at the end of the
19th century to honor those
who labor.
It owes its origin to the
push of labor unions and
the desire of the Grover
Cleveland administration to
dissuade workers from the
socialism that was becoming
increasingly popular. In its
earliest days, it celebrated
labor unions (which by the
middle of the 20th century
accounted for nearly 50 percent
of American workers).
Samuel Gompers, the
head of the American
Federation of Labor, wrote
in 1898 that it would be a
“day for which the toilers
in past centuries looked
forward, when their rights
and wrongs would be discussed
... that the workers
of our day may not only lay
down their tools of labor for
a holiday, but upon which
they may touch shoulders in
marching phalanx and feel
stronger for it.”
Labor Day has come
to mean much more and
much less. It is seen as a
well-deserved break, a long
weekend to mark the end of
summer. All who work, not
just union members, benefit
from the recognition.
At the same time, it is a
bit ironic that so many people
who work on Labor Day
in retail establishments lose
the benefit for which this
day was created. And, of
course, union membership,
especially in the private sector,
is a significantly smaller
percentage of employees.
It is good to reflect on
the value of our work. The
church sees work as sharing
in the creative power of
God. If we bring love to
what we do, a task may be
transformed from a burden
to an opportunity.
In the “Pastoral Constitution
on the Church in the
Modern World,” a document
of the Vatican Council in the
1960s, it is written, “When
men and women provide
for themselves and their
families in such a way as to
be of service to their communities,
they can rightly
look upon their work as a
prolongation of the work
of the creator, a service to
their fellow man, and their
personal contribution to
the fulfillment of human
history.”
More recently, the Rev.
Rick Warren wrote of the
“purpose-driven life.” We
are not here only for ourselves.
We must bring this
sense of purpose into what
we do.
Before I entered the
seminary, I worked in the
Loop. Each morning, I took
the CTA downtown and
most mornings had the same
driver. He knew his passengers,
and they knew him. He
greeted everyone. If a regular
was not at the corner, he
would look down the street
to see if that individual was
coming a bit late. He wished
everyone a good day, as we
alighted from the bus.
I thought, at the time, that
he had found his work as
something that made a difference.
He was not driving
a bus. He was transporting
people with a bus. This
changed perspective made
all the difference.
Sadly, there are challenges,
including unemployment,
struggles over wages
and benefits, and the fact
that frequently people are
treated like commodities
by those that employ them.
This is far from the promotion
of human dignity.
I recently came across a
survey that indicated that the
majority of us are not happy
in our jobs. According to The
Conference Board in 2014,
only 42 percent of Americans
liked their jobs, down
from 61 percent in 1987. As
a nation, we work harder,
take less time off, and have
less satisfaction in our labors
than workers in many other
countries.
This Labor Day, perhaps
we can reflect on how to
find meaning and value in
our labors.
The opinions of this column are
that of the writer. They do not
necessarily reflect those of The
Orland Park Prairie.
Faith Briefs
All Saints Lutheran Church (13350 S. LaGrange
Rd., Orland Park)
Your Journey: Retirement,Taxes
and Generosity
2-3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.
Thrivent Financial is hosting a free
educational event to help attendees
start to build strategies for
retirement, including minimizing
tax liability and thinking about
living generously in retirement. To
register or get more information,
contact Rachel Thomas at (708)
326-4750 or rachel.thomas@
thrivent.com.
In Memoriam
Veronica J. Kwiatkowski
Veronica J. Kwiatkowski, 98, of
Orland Park, died Aug. 23. She is
survived by her son, Dennis; and
many nieces and nephews. Visitation
and funeral service were held
at Conboy-Westchester Funeral
Home. Interment Resurrection
Cemetery.
Ashburn Baptist Church (153rd Street and Wolf
Road, Orland Park)
Cry Out! Simulcast: True Women
2016
6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. All
women are invited to a prayer
service. For more information, call
(708) 403-1363.
Calvary Church (16100 S. 104th Ave., Orland
Park)
Men’s Barnabas Bible Study
7-8:30 a.m. Thursdays.
Study various books written by
Christian authors. Coffee and
light refreshments are served. For
more information, email info@
calvaryop.org.
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (14700 S. 94th
Ave., Orland Park)
Zumba Classes
6 p.m. Every Wednesday. The
cost to participate is $5. Attendees
can bring their own towels and
water bottles.
Faith United Methodist Church (151st Street and
80th Avenue, Orland Park)
Food for Faith Families
Volunteer to cook and make
a meal for one of the church’s
families when they are faced with
illness or death of a member.
Services are only needed for a
few weeks. For those interested,
contact Kim Sjo at 708 767-2723.
Veterans Voices
7 p.m. every third Tuesday of
the month. This is a group for
veterans. For information, contact
Darryl Wertheim at (708) 923-
0021 or Darryl.wertheim@gmail.
com.
Presbyterian Church in Orland Park (13401 S. Wolf
Road, Orland Park)
MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers)
9-11 a.m. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
of the month, beginning Sept. 13.
W.O.W. Arts for Kids
4:30-6:30 p.m Wednesdays,
Sept. 21-Nov. 16. This event is for
children in grades one through six.
Parents and younger children are
invited to attend “Little W.O.W.”
for children ages 4-5 years. For
more information, contact Cindy
at (708) 448-8142 or cindypcop@
Comcast.net
Have something for Faith Briefs?
Contact Assistant Editor Tim Carroll
at t.carroll@22ndcenturymedia.
com or call (708) 326-9170 ext.
11. Information is due by noon
on Thursdays one week prior to
publication.
Dale R. Perkins
Dale R. Perkins, 67, of Lockport,
died Aug. 18. He lived in Orland
Park for 32 years, and was an Eagle
Scout and member of Blackhawks
and Singing Men of Note Choruses.
He worked as a computer
software systems analyst for several
companies and a greeter at the
Lockport Wal-Mart. He was a lover
of garage sales. He is survived by
his wife, Christine (Carlson); children,
Kevin, Scott (Kim) and Mark;
grandson, Hayden; siblings, Don
(Sherron) Perkins, Gene Perkins
and Judy Wright; and many nieces
and nephews. Visitation was held
at O’Neil Funeral Home. A funeral
Mass was held at St. Dennis
Church. Interment Good Shepherd
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations
to the Perkins family would be
appreciated.
Lee Sporleder
Lee Sporleder, 87, of Orland
Park, died Aug. 17. He is survived
by his children, Deborah Hopkins,
Lee W. (Cindy) Sporleder and Randy
(Patricia) Sporleder; grandchildren,
Roger (Maryann Michaels)
Hopkins, Tyler Hopkins, Caitlyn
Hopkins, Ryan Hopkins, Nathan
Sporleder, Allison Sporleder, Sean
Sporleder, Sierra Sporleder, Derek
Sporleder and Ashley Sporleder;
great-grandchildren, Collyn Hopkins
and Bentley Hopkins; and
many nieces and nephews. Visitation
and funeral service were held
at Colonial Chapel. Interment Chapel
Hill Gardens South.
Have someone’s life you’d like to honor?
Email Assistant Editor Tim Carroll at
t.carroll@22ndcenturymedia.com with
information about a loved one who was a
part of the Orland Park community.