JULY - AUGUST 2016
VOL. XCIV NO. 4
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY
POSEL
ISSN: 1077-5374
(USPS 439480)
Published Bimonthly by
CZECH CATHOLIC UNION
5349 Dolloff Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44127
President: Robert L. Cermak, 3633 Wynde Tree Drive, Seven
Hills, Ohio 44131
Vice President: Audrey Schmidt, 6556 Hunt Circle, Mayfield
Village, Ohio 44143
Secretary: Jane M. Milczewski, 2148 Thurman, Cleveland, Ohio
44113
DIRECTORS
Dolores Jacklin, 3012 Roberts Dr. Unit #1, Woodridge, IL 60517
Joseph A. Kocab, Past President, 4501 Cullen Drive, Cleve-
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to
Posel, 5349 Dolloff Road,
Cleveland, Ohio 44127
land, OH 44105
Cynthia Kveton, 4029 Holly Hills, St. Louis, MO 63116
Maryann Langevin, 33429 Crestwell, Sterling Heights, MI 48310
Karla Mahoney, 209 Gould Avenue, Bedford, Ohio 44146
The Official Publication of
the Czech Catholic Union
Uredni Casopis Ceske
Katolicke Jednoty
Tel. (Area Code 216) 341-0444
Fax (Area Code 216) 341-0711
email: insurance@czechccu.org
website: http://www.czechccu.org
Anita Schafer, 301 Park Drive, Brooklyn Hts., Ohio 44131
Chaplain: Rev. Joseph Callahan, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish,
3395 East 53rd Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44127
Chaplain Emeritus: Most Rev. Daniel W. Kucera, O.S.B., Archbishop, Stonehill Care Center, 3485 Windsor Ave., Dubuque,
IA 52001
Actuary: Steimla & Associates, Inc., 2867
Gypsum Circle, Naperville, IL 60564
Editor: Jane M. Milczewski, 5349
Dolloff Road, Cleveland, OH 44127
President’s Message
Here we are already starting the second half of 2016. The staff at the Home Office has been busy complying with all the new regulations from the states in which we do business. We also had our annual
meeting on April 30. I want to thank all of our advisors and members who attended and made it a very
informative meeting. At that meeting the directors voted to continue paying 2 1/2% interest to
members on our 6-month CD’s. More and more of our members are taking advantage of the high rate
of return.
The directors also authorized a “Summer Special” on our Single Premium Whole Life policies. You
can read the details of this plan elsewhere in this issue and save some money at the same time. It is
a great time to enroll a family member or add to your own coverage and also be entered in a drawing
for a $50 cash prize.
Have you heard that the Czech government has voted to officially use the name Czechia? Many fellow Czechs are not very happy with this name, but I have been told not to take the new name seriously.
The official name has not been changed but that the name Czechia is merely a short version since there
was not a shorter version in English. Many other countries such as Germany and Slovakia have adopted these “nicknames” also. We should be more concerned that too many people think the country is still
called Czechslovakia!!! I think most of us will still use the official country name of the country that we
love — The Czech Republic.
Fraternally,
Robert L. Cermak
2
Berwyn, Illinois
Cleveland, Ohio
Congratulations are extended to our chaplain, Rev.
Joseph Callahan. On June 7th, he will celebrate 30 years
as a priest. All the members of the Czech Catholic Union
and the parishioners of his church, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, wish him continued success in all his good
works.
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St. Louis, Missouri
It is with much sadness we report the unexpected death
of our member, Barbara Zach. Barb was a long time member of St. Ann Society #18. She held the office of financial secretary for many years and worked alongside her
husband, Stanley, also a member and our treasurer. Barb
served as a convention delegate and enrolled her
entire family in the Czech Catholic Union. Barb is
survived by her husband, Stan, daughter, Amy and three
grandchildren.
Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Snows Parish,
with interment at St. Adalberts Cemetery.
She was an active member of her church and
belonged to many different organizations.
We extend our sympathy to her family. We will
miss her.
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Cleveland, Ohio
The Annual Meeting of the Czech Catholic Union was
held on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at the Home Office.
All officers and directors were present, except director,
Cindy Kveton. Reports were given by our actuary,
our auditor and one of our financial advisors. Also
present was our legal counsel. Discussion was held and
decisions were made concerning the present and future
of the CCU. Everything looks good, but we really do need
more members.
The group attended Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes
Parish, followed by dinner at Creekside Restaurant in
Brecksville.
Andres Auer, a member of St. Ludmila Society #7,
attended the Pontifical North American College in
Rome, Italy. Andrew was lucky enough to serve mass
for the Pope on December 27, 2015, where this picture
was taken.
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EARLY REMINDER
Annual St. Wenceslaus Day Celebration - The St.
Wenceslaus Day Celebration will be held on Saturday
October 1, 2016, with a 4PM Mass at St. John Nepomucene
Parish, 3785 Independence Road, Cleveland, OH
44105. Bishop Roger Gries, OSB will be presiding.
Dinner will be served afterwards at the Bohemian
National Hall, 4939 Broadway Avenue, Cleveland,
OH 44127.
For more information, please contact Amy Bican at
216-641-9128.
3
TRYING AGAIN TO LOCATE
OUR MEMBERS
NAME
SOCIETY
Lucille Palley
Pearl Parker
Lawrence Pentis,
Elsie Petera
Joan Pluchak
Janet Puig
Michael Putz
Andrew Robinson
Jennifer Totusek
Margaret Tuma
Joseph Vazach
Mary Wagner
Michael Webb
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18
18
10
143
143
117
145
46
143
10
143
46
LAST KNOWN
CITY, STATE
Mentor, OH
Crestwood, IL
Lombard, IL
Chagrin Falls, OH
Carmel, IN
Mokena, IL
Simi Valley, CA
Cleveland, OH
Omaha, NE
Brookfield, IL
Mentor, OH
Naperville, IL
Omaha, NE
The National Park System
Every American is “a co-owner of some of the
most spectacular places on earth”
Our National Park System protects more than 84
million acres in all 50 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. “For the first time in
human history, land was set aside, not for the rich, but
for everyone and for all time,” says filmmaker Ken Burns.
The Grand Canyon, the peaks of Alaska, the hills of
the Shenandoah—it’s ours, all of it. The system even
protects places of historical significance like Sand
Creek in Colorado, where U.S. troops massacred a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho. “We have been
unafraid of not only sharing with the world the glories
of our natural wonders and our inspiring past, but also
culpability for some things which have not gone particularly well,” Burns says. “That’s how a great nation
goes forward.”
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NOTE: MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE DIFFERENT LAST NAMES NOW, SO THE NAMES
LISTED MAY HAVE CHANGED. THANK YOU.
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VOCATION VACATION SPOTS
Fortune tellers: Palm Springs, California
Artists: Painted Desert, Arizona
Firefighters: Smoky Mountains
Podiatrists: Arches National Park, Utah
Politicians: Dodge City, Kansas
Geologists: Stone Mountain, Georgia
Manicurists: Finger Lakes, New York
Pianists: Florida Keys
—Ray Rowland
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HAVE YOU CHANGED
YOUR ADDRESS?
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How Lewis Almost Left Clark
The famous Lewis & Clark expedition that opened
the American West celebrates an anniversary today:
Lewis set off on August 31, 1803, from Pittsburgh, PA.
That city is hosting a gala, including a flotilla with a
keelboat like the one on which the explorer began
his trip. And it might have been Lewis & Hooke.
Afraid that William Clark would say “no” to the venture, Meriweather Lewis had recruited Lt. Moses
Hooke. He and Hooke were to leave on July 20, 1803,
but their boat wasn’t finished because its builder
was often drunk. While waiting, Lewis got word that
Clark would indeed be joining him in Indiana Territory.
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Potato Chips
At Moon’s Lake House resort in Saratoga Springs,
N.Y., “Saratoga chips” first sizzled to life in the summer of 1853. Now 86 percent of Americans eat them
every year, a percentage matched only by France..
__________________________________________
Name
__________________________________________
Old Address
State
Zip
__________________________________________
New Address
State
Zip
__________________________________________
Society No.
Mail to CZECH CATHOLIC UNION
5349 Dolloff Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44127
4
NOTICE TO MEMBERS
We ask the membership to kindly check their
certificates to note whether they have the proper beneficiary designated.
BEAN AND BARLEY
CASSEROLE (SUMAJZL)
FRIED MEAT PATTIES
(KARBANATKY)
3/4 lb. ground pork
3/4 lb. ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. bacon, chopped
1 egg
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. parsley, minced
1 bread roll (2 slices bread)
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. water
3/4 c. bread crumbs
Shortening or oil for frying
Add salt and pepper to meat. Saute onion with
bacon. Add to meat, onion, bacon, egg, and parsley. Soak
bread or roll in milk. Squeeze well until almost dry. Mince
and add to meat mixture. Mix all ingredients well. Form
into patties 3 1/2 inches in diameter, about 3/4 inch thick.
Brush patties with beaten egg white and water. Roll patties in bread crumbs. Fry slowly in hot shortening or
oil until golden brown.
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STRAWBERRY
PRETZEL SALAD
2 C coarsely chopped pretzels
2 T sugar
8 oz whipped topping
6 oz strawberry flavored gelatin
2-10 oz cartons frozen strawberries
3/4 C melted margarine
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C sugar
2 C boiling water
1/4 C chopped pecans (optional)
Mix pretzels, melted margarine, and sugar. Press into
a 9x13" glass baking dish. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes,
then cool.
Combine cream cheese, whipped topping, and sugar.
Mix well and spread over the cooled crust.
Next, add gelatin to boiling water, stir to dissolve, cool
slightly. Add frozen strawberries and blend well. Pour
over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until stiff and
set.
Serves 15-18
2 cups navy beans
1/2 lb. bacon, fried until semi-crisp
1 cup pearled barley
Soak beans overnight. Simmer beans in salted
water until just tender. Drain beans and reserve liquid.
Place barley in about 3 cups of water and less than a
teaspoon of salt. Cover pan and place in moderate
oven until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender.
Add more liquid if necessary. Combine beans, barley and
bacon. Cover with liquid from beans. Sprinkle top
with pepper. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour or
until the liquid has been absorbed.
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PLUM FILLED DUMPLINGS
WITH POPPYSEEDS
4 medium boiled potatoes, mashed
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for work surface
8 ripe dark plums, halved and pitted, could be
canned or another fruit like apricots
Browned butter, fried bread crumbs, ground sweetened poppy seed and/or cinnamon sugar for topping.
Combine potatoes, yolks, salt and flour. Knead
dough on a floured surface until workable and not sticky.
Form into a log and cut into 16 pieces. Roll each
piece flat. Place a plum half cut, side down in the center of each. Work the dough to cover around the
fruit.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slip dumplings
into boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
Serve topped with butter and poppy seeds or browned
bread crumbs, or sugar and/or cinnamon, Makes 16
yummy dumplings.
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ONE FROM ABROAD
My husband and I rented a cottage, and our son agreed
to join us in a few days. I texted him to bring fuel for
the fires, as the evenings were chilly. A few days
later, we heard that a relative had died, and I texted
our son with the funeral arrangements. Somehow, the
messages got scrambled, resulting in his receiving the
texts almost simultaneously—but in reverse order. They
read, “Uncle’s funeral at crematorium 11:30 on Saturday” ... “Bring logs for the fire.”
5
Power of Attorney,
Trustee, Executor —
how to choose???
Likely the most important decision you will make in
preparing your estate plan is choosing your “agent.” These
are the people that you designate to handle your
affairs - whether they be health related or financial and
whether these decisions need to be made before and/or
after your death.
The most important factor above all else in making
these decisions is trust. Do you trust that the individual
you name will work in your best interest, be diligent and
follow your wishes? If not, then you need to consider different options. The power given to an agent is significant and can easily be abused. Although an agent can
be sued in court to properly perform his or her duties,
often times it is too late to recover from the mistakes
that were made.
If you are lucky and have several people you can trust
to take on this job, then how do you choose? You have
to take into consideration many factors that if you
choose to select my firm to prepare your estate planning,
can be discussed in further detail. It is not as simple as
choosing your oldest child or your closest living family member. Although that may make the decision
very easy, it may very well not be the best one.
When you’ve decided to implement your estate
plan, call my office to set an appointment so that we can
discuss the details of agent selection.
Be sociable, Share!
Submitted by Christina M. Hronek, Member
Hronek Law, LLC
8191 Broadview Road, Suite 201
Broadview Heights, OH 44147
(440) 546-5290
christina@hronek-law.com
Note; Christina is the legal counsel for the Czech Catholic
Union and has graciously offered to extend a 10%
discount to any of our members who mention this
article.
• • • • •
The Declaration of
Independence
Its words are a permanent reminder of the values underlying the American republic
“It’s the seminal statement of the American promise,”
Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian Joseph Ellis says of
the 1,340-word document that dissolved America’s ties to Britain.
The Declaration is 240 years old, yet
most Americans know its most
famous sentence: “We hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration lives in the
National Archives, visited by over one million people
a year.
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Patriotism
The Home Office Wishes
Everyone a Happy and
Safe 4th of July!
6
Patriotism is the sum of the three cardinal virtues:
Faith, Hope, and Charity:
Faith in the principles of our government;
Hope in the future of our Country;
Charity toward all, and malice toward none.
Patriotism is that spirit that makes us help our neighbors when they are in distress, and extend sympathy
when they are stricken.
Patriotism is loving one’s Country, respecting its
traditions, and honoring its people, high and low, rich
or poor.
“America the Beautiful”
Katharine Lee Bates
(1859-1929)
Katharine Lee Bates, a poet, writer and educator, lived
in Wellesley, Massachusetts, for most
of her life. She spent the summer of
1893 in Colorado.
One day she went to the top of Pikes
Peak. When she saw the view, she jotted
down some notes.
She later wrote a poem from the words.
It was first published in 1895. It was
eventually put to a melody written by
Samuel A. Ward. Many people wanted it to be our official national anthem.
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In the minds of people everywhere, no idea is more powerful than freedom. And in the hearts and souls of
everyone, no symbol of freedom is more compelling or more
treasured than the Statue of Liberty.
An Anthem as American as
Apple Pie
As we approach the anniversary of the birth of our nation,
let us take time out to remember those American patriots without whom the celebration of our independence would
not be the same.
Paul Revere. Benjamin Franklin. George Washington.
Anf, of course, who can forget Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Yeah, you know, that Russian guy who composed
the soundtrack to Fourth of
July celebrations around
the U.S.A. The composer’s
“1812” Overture has become
a staple in Independence
Day festivities.
The symphony has been
co-opted as an American
anthem, but that was the
last thing on the Russian’s
mind when he penned it.
In 1880, Tchaikovsky
was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the Cathedral
of Christ the Savior, a
Moscow Orthodox cathedral build in honor of the 70th
anniversary of Russia’s defeat of Napoleon.
Roll out the “1812” Overture, a composition in which
the French anthem, Russian Czarist hymns and Orthodox liturgical music do battle.
Tchaikovsky did it as a work-for-hire, not a labor of love.
He even dismissed it as “very noisy and loud.” But
that’s what made it a Fourth of July hit.
The work — which was introduced to pop culture in
the 1960’s, thanks to a cereal commercial — exploded in
popularity in 1974, when Arthur Fiedler led the Boston
Pops through a nationally televised Independence Day
performance.
Penning an American anthem and Independence
Day standard was obviously the last thing on Russian composer Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s mind when he created
the “1812” Overture.
• • • • •
Stamp Korner
Czech Republic
1 Crown = .05
1886-2016
Czech Republic
“Scouting”
11 Crowns = .55
7
On July 25th,
St. Christopher
has his Feast Day.
The Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
August 15th
The Christopher Prayer
Father, grant that I may be a bearer of Christ
Jesus, Your Son. Allow me to warm the often cold, impersonal scene of modern life with Your burning love.
Strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit to carry out
my mission of changing the world or some definite part
of it for the better. Despite my lamentable failures, bring
home to me that my advantages are Your blessings to
be shared with others. Make me more energetic in
setting right what I find wrong with the world instead
of complaining about it. Nourish in me a practical
desire to build up rather than tear down, to reconcile
instead of polarize, to go out on a limb rather than crave
security. Never let me forget that it is far better to light
one candle than to curse the darkness, and to join
my light, one day, with Yours. Amen.
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This golden 25-foot statue of Mary sits atop the
95-foot bell tower and stands high above the Mount St.
Mary’s University campus at the National Shrine of Our
Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Maryland. The crown measures 12 feet in diameter.
St. Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary and Patroness
of the Czech Catholic Union, Feastday is July 26
8
The Patriotic Rosary
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, Amen.
Today we say the Patriot Rosary for all the men and women
currently in the service of our country and especially those
who have given their lives to protect and defend our freedoms.
We ask our Blessed Mother, under the title The Immaculate
Conception, Patroness of our Country, to strengthen our faith
in God and live it in our everyday lives. For the conversion
of our nation’s Capitol...The Apostles’ Creed
For the Holy Father...Our Father
For Bishops, Priests and Deacons, all religious...Hail Mary,
Hail Mary, Hail Mary
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the Father...
In the words of George Washington, June 29, 1788:
“No one can rejoice more than I do at every step the people of this great country take to preserve the Union, establish good order and government, and to render the nation
happy at home and respectable abroad.”
The FIRST SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE AGONY
IN THE GARDEN
We pray for the Presidency of the United States of
America...Our Father
And we ask the blessing of Jesus over Alabama...Hail
Mary; And over Alaska...Hail Mary; and over Arizona...Hail Mary; And over Arkansas...Hail Mary; And
over California...Hail Mary; And over Colorado...Hail
Mary; And over Connecticut...Hail Mary; And over
Delaware...Hail Mary; And over Florida...Hail Mary;
And over Georgia...Hail Mary.
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the Father...
In the words of John Adams, July 3, 1776, our country’s
first Vice President:
“It may be the will of Heaven that America shall suffer
calamities still more wasting and distresses yet more
dreadful. If this is to be the case, it will have this good effect,
at least; it will inspire us with many virtues, which we have
not, and correct many errors, follies, and vices, which
threaten to disturb, dishonor, and destroy us.”
The SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY: The
SCOURING AT THE PILLAR
We pray for the Supreme Court of the United States of
America...Our Father
And we ask the blessing of Jesus over Hawaii...Hail Mary;
And over Idaho...Hail Mary; And over Illinois...Hail
Mary; And over Indiana...Hail Mary; And over Iowa...Hail
Mary; And over Kansas...Hail Mary; And over Kentucky...Hail Mary; And over Louisiana...Hail Mary; And
over Maine...Hail Mary; And over Maryland...Hail Mary.
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the Father...
In the words of James Iredell, a member of our first Supreme
Court, May 1, 1778:
“Review the great scene of history: you will find mankind
have always been obliged to pay dear for the blessings they
enjoyed...The struggles of a great people have almost
always ended in the establishment of liberty.”
The THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE
CROWNING OF THORNS
We pray for the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America...Our Father
And we ask the blessing of Jesus over Massachusetts...Hail Mary; And over Michigan...Hail Mary; And
over Minnesota...Hail Mary; And over Mississippi...Hail
Mary; And over Missouri...Hail Mary; And over Montana...Hail Mary; And over Nebraska...Hail Mary; And
over Nevada...Hail Mary; And over New Hampshire...Hail
Mary; And over New Jersey...Hail Mary.
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the
Father...
In the words of Jedediah Morse, 1799 noted clergyman
and teacher, known as the Father of American Geography:
“To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree
of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which
mankind now enjoys.”
The FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY: JESUS
CARRIES THE CROSS
We pray for the Office of Governors of the United
States of America...Our Father
And we ask the blessing of Jesus over New Mexico...Hail Mary; And over New York...Hail Mary; And over
North Carolina...Hail Mary; And over North Dakota...Hail Mary; And over Ohio...Hail Mary; And over Oklahoma...Hail Mary; And over Oregon...Hail Mary; And over
Pennsylvania...Hail Mary; And over Rhode Island...Hail
Mary; And over South Carolina...Hail Mary.
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the
Father...
In the words of Robert E. Lee, 1863 Commander of the
Confederate Army:
“Soldiers! Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, our
God, asking through Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, beseeching the aid of the God of our forefathers in the defense of
our homes and our liberties, thanking Him for His past blessings, and imploring their continuance upon our cause
and our people.”
The FIFTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY: THE CRUCIFIXION
We pray for all County and Municipal Offices of the United States of America...Our Father
And we ask the blessing of Jesus over South Dakota...Hail
Mary; And over Tennessee...Hail Mary; And over
Texas...Hail Mary; And over Utah...Hail Mary; And
over Vermont...Hail Mary; And over Virginia...Hail
Mary; And over Washington...Hail Mary; And over West
Virginia...Hail Mary; And over Wisconsin...Hail Mary;
And over Wyoming...Hail Mary.
For the conversion of our country...Glory be to the
Father...
Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the
fires of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those
in most need of thy mercy.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Submitted by Cindy Kveton
9
Czech Republic
will be just Czechia
The Czech Republic’s government has decided to
rebrand the country Czechia. Citizens haven’t been
asked their opinion, but the move makes some sense; It’ll
be easier to put the new name on hockey jerseys, for example. It’s nice to be able to skip the unwieldy “republic,”
and Czech language and history experts gave Czechia
their approval. The world probably will get used to it and
won’t get it confused with the turbulent Russian region
of Chechnya.
The Czech Republic needs a rebranding because
it’s a survivor — of two world wars that redrew its borders, the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, then the 1993
divorce with Slovakia. Events such as these erode a country’s identity and symbols.
• • • • •
n May 1, 1966, Czech Cardinal Josef Beran
(1888-1969) visited Cleveland and Our Lady
of Lourdes parish as part of a several week trip
to the USA and Canada. Then Father Beran was
arrested by the Gestapo in June 1940, and imprisoned
without trial; eventually sent to Dachau concentration
camp in Germany, remaining there until 1945 when the
camp was liberated by the US forces. He nearly died of
typhoid while at Dachau. Upon returning to his home
country, the president awarded him with the Iron
Cross and medal of Hero of the Resistance — the two
highest honors the nation had. In 1946 he was appointed Archbishop of Prague by Pope Pius XII.
Following the rise of the Communist regime (1948)
in his country, Beran prohibited the clergy from taking
an oath of loyalty to the new regime (viewing such
an action as a “treason to the Christian faith”), and he
protested the seizure of property that exclusively
belonged to the Archdiocese as well as the infringement
of religious freedom. In 1949 he was placed under
house arrest and complained of being “deprived of all personal freedom and all rights as the archbishop.” He was
convicted in a show trial and imprisoned again from 19491963. Upon release, he was impeded from exercising his
episcopal ministry. In 1965, he went to live in Rome in
exchange for governmental concessions to the Church.
He was made a Cardinal shortly after moving to Rome
and participated in some sessions of the Second Vatical
Council. He died in Rome from lung cancer in 1969.
Given this very brief history, it is understandable that
this national and religious hero was given a huge
and ceremonious welcome when he visited the United
States in 1966. Many remember the huge parade and
honors shown him here in Cleveland and at Our Lady
of Lourdes. His cause for canonization commenced in
1997 and this bestowed upon him the title Servant of
God.
Father Joseph Callahan
Editor’s Note: Cardina Beran is the only Czech person to be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.
O
10
I’m an obstetrics nurse at a large city hospital,
where our patients are from many countries and cultures.
One day while waiting for a new mother to be transferred to our division, I checked the chart and assumed
that, because of her last name, she was of European descent.
So when she was finally wheeled in, I was surprised to
see that she was Asian.
As I was performing the exam, we chatted and she
told me she was Chinese and her husband’s ethnic
heritgage was Czech. After a short pause she quipped,
“I guess that makes my children Chinese Czechers!”
• • • • •
CZECH TO ENGLISH
USEFUL WORDS
velky
maly
horky
studeny
dobry
spatny
dobre
otevreno
zavreno
do leva
do prava
rovne
blizko
daleko
nahoru
dolu
brzy
pozde
vchod
vychod
toalety
volny
zdarma
vel-kee
mal-ee
hor-kee
stu-den-ee
dob-ree
shpat-nee
dob-rzhe
ot-ev-rzhe-no
zav-rzhe-no
do le-va
do pra-va
rov-nye
blee-sko
da-le-ko
na-ho-ru
do-loo
br-zi
poz-dye
vkbod
vee-khod
toa-leti
vol-nee
zdar-ma
big
small
hot
cold
good
bad
well
open
closed
left
right
straight on
near
far
up
down
early
late
entrance
exit
toilets
free, unoccupied
free, no charge
Invasion by
Thomas Raeber
Czech Immigration to the
United States
August in Czech is srpen, which can be derived from
the word srp which can be translated to sickle; which
brings to mind a certain large country whose flag included it: The USSR. There was a man, Alexander
Dubcek from Uhrovec (in what is now Slovakia),
who was elected in January of 1968 to the post of First
Secretary of the Communist Party. While he was a
staunch communist, he also sought to liberalize the
country to build what he called ‘socialism with a
human face.’ This led to what is known as the ‘Prague
Spring.’ People were hungry for freedoms and Dubcek
wanted to give them some; however, there were
members in the party that were getting nervous
within Czechoslovakia...and also leaders of other
Warsaw Pact countries. In Cierna nad Tisou, near the
border of present Ukraine, the nervous Warsaw Pact
leaders met with Dubcek in July of that year to
voice their concerns. He tried to reassure the other leaders that he was not wanting to break away from
the Warsaw Pact bloc, and that he was still a friend
to Moscow.
As you might imagine, Dubcek’s platitudes of
friendship were not received as he might have hoped.
Half a million troops, 6,300 tanks and 800 planes was
the response of the Bloc who started pouring in on the
evening of August 20th. The invaders came from
the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, E. Germany, Hungary and
Poland. The very next day Dubcek was on board a plane
being taken to Moscow and was interrogated for
days.
The Czechs staged non violent protests. This
included painting over street signs; which worked to
fine effects against some troops from Poland who
got lost and eventually found themselves routed
right back out of the country. They also refused to provide provisions to the invaders. There were protests
of all kinds, and even as far as self immolation.
Even today you can go to the National Museum
where Jan Palach set himself alight and you can
also see the spots in the museum itself where Soviet
tank fire slammed into the building. Jan is commemorated there as well as the far reaches of space,
as there is an asteroid discovered on August 22nd of
1969 by Lubos Kohoutek named after Jan.
Through those non violent actions the Czechs
turned what the Soviets estimated to be a four day action
into an eight month resistance. It shows what can be
achieved through non violent actions; though we all
know the outcome, it should not be discounted their
efforts and how long they held out with strength of character and a love of freedom which can now be felt and
celebrated every day on those very steps that it was
lost; for a time.
Sokol St. Louis
The earliest Czechs in Cleveland settled in the Flats.
They preferred to build their own settlements on
the outskirts of the city rather than move into old, existing neighborhoods because they liked to cultivate small
flower and vegetable gardens. Many of the early
immigrants were tailors, shoemakers, masons, stonecutters, blacksmiths and carpenters. The unskilled Czech
immigrants often worked on farms or made barrels
in John D. Rockefeller’s oil refineries.
Czech immigrants of the 1870s and 1880s settled in two areas of the city. The west side area was
just south of Ohio City, but later moved south to W.
41st St. between Clark Ave. and Denison Ave. The
east side settlement, close to the Cuyahoga River and
Croton St., also moved out from its roots, toward
Quincy Ave. and E. 80th St., Buckeye Rd., lower
Fleet Ave. and Broadway Ave. and E. 55th St.
The Broadway area, from E. 37th to Union Ave., was
known as “Little Bohemia.” The Broadway section of
the city offered easy access to the factories where some
of the men worked. From the late 1870s until the end
of World War I, it was the largest Czech settlement
in Cleveland, and also home to the city’s most prosperous Czechs. It is still home to Bohemian National Hall, Sokol Greater Cleveland and the Czech
Catholic Union.
Still within the city limits, a later Czech settlement
was established around E. 131st St. After World
War I, the Czechs began moving to the suburbs.
Maple Heights was the most important suburban Czech
community, but a dozen other suburbs also saw the
influx of a significant number of Czechs.
• • • • •
St. Ignatius Church in Charles Square
was built in 1678.
St. Ignatius feastday is July 31.
11
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As a loyal and valued member of the CCU Life Family we are pleased to announce
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Beginning now thru November 30, 2016 you can save 10% on your purchase of
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remember to multiply by whatever amount you are purchasing.
In addition, each application will receive an entry for a drawing for a $50.00 cash
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please feel free to make additional copies.
Thank you for doing business with CCU Life.
12
13
14
15
PERIODICALS
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
CLEVELAND, OH
Notice To Members
A Mass for Deceased members of the Czech
Catholic Union is offered periodically at Our
Lady of Lourdes Church in Cleveland, Ohio.
THE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE
CZECH CATHOLIC UNION WISH OUR ENTIRE
MEMBERSHIP A SAFE SUMMER FILLED WITH
MUCH FUN AND EXCITEMENT.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!
PAYMENTS OF MORTUARY DEATH CLAIMS
The Czech Catholic Union extends its sincerest sympathies to the
bereaved families of the following deceased members:
Name
Caroline Ferek
Barbara Zach
Joseph Pavelcik
Lucille Moorman
Charles Suk
Location
Cleveland, OH
Chicago, IL
Chicago, IL
St. Louis, MO
Cleveland, OH
Soc. Name
St. Joseph
St. Ann
St. Ann
St. Ludmila
St. Joseph
No.
156
18
18
7
156
Date of
Issue
10-01-1959
11-01-1972
11-01-1997
05-01-1952
08-01-1951
TOTAL DEATH CLAIMS PAID IN 2016 $89,879.00
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Date of
Death
Age
03-22-2016
87
04-12-2016
82
11-18-2014
90
04-23-2016
80
04-17-2016
64