Mission Statement The Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP, located at Saint Xavier University, was created for those individuals of the community, retired and semi-retired, who have the desire to learn simply for the joy and excitement of learning. Its primary purpose is to provide forums for participatory group study on topics decided on by the membership. The focus is on member participation and peer teaching. Aims include intellectual stimulation, cultural enrichment, and fellowship. Fall 2015 Officers & Board 2015-2016 President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Consultants Mary Lou Lovell Mike Fish Grace Ann Kartheiser Mike Fish Donatta Yates Mark Kinsella Julie Davis SXU Liaison Committees Care Therese Burns* Judy Sandburg Curriculum Dan Byrne* Mary Johnson Farrell Forum Kay Heafey* Historian Pat Collins Membership Mary Anne Gaynor Marilyn Klein Newsletter Peggy Dosch* Peg Paliakas Office Management Patricia Clair Marcia Janas Special Events Virginia Carberry Phyllis Sheahan* Bridget Ford Maureen Connolly Peg Walsh Pete Jonikaitis Pat Kelso Maureen McInerney Barbara Gyarmathy Pat Huizenga Anne Steele* Marilyn O’Brien Mary Wersells *Committee Chairperson President’s Corner Welcome to the Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP 2015-2016 school year. The name is a little different but Renaissance Academy at Chicago NFP is the description of our new relationship with SXU. We are now an independent Not For Profit organization located at St. Xavier University. We are now able to manage our own affairs as well as carry our own liability insurance. We still have a Memorandum of Understanding with the University which allows us to use classrooms, the Butler Room, our office, the services of the Media Center and various other services. We will have classes Fall, Winter and Spring as well as Farrell Forum and off campus events. Once again the Curriculum Committee has scheduled new and interesting classes and the Membership Committee has organized the Fall class registration. Thank you to all for your hard work for another successful start to a new year. All that being said, our new year begins on an upbeat note knowing our programs and activities will continue as successfully as they have in the past. Happy and enjoyable new year. Mary Lou Lovell Four Courses need to be filled for upcoming Winter Term. Please consider facilitating; all sorts of materials available. Please contact dan.byrne@att.net to discuss and/or schedule your class by October 1st. You’ll be a great facilitator! All will help you out, come on board! Farrell Forum Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Butler Reception Room, 11:30 a.m. The Farrell Forum will present "Coming to America--Ellis Island.” Over half of the population presently living in the United States has ancestors who came to America through Ellis Island. The island's facility could process 4,000 people a day, but the procedure was at times more arduous than the trip itself. Accent on History created this informative program featuring the story of one woman who apprehensively left her homeland for a new life in a new country. She traveled in a cramped ship, amid the stench of unwashed bodies and the odor of seasickness. Upon arrival at Ellis Island she found iron-pipe waiting pens, hard wooden benches, rude and dishonest officials. She is one of the nameless women who without a husband to lean on had the courage to change her life. A combination of dramatic narrative and actual description of Ellis Island, the event includes some paper artifacts and a printed timeline for each audience member. This program is presented by Janet Gilleland, who has been working in theater since her teens. Accent on History was born when a museum asked Janet to create several history-related dramas. The Farrell Forum is a speakers’ series established in honor of the late John Farrell, a CIA analyst in the 1970s and Renaissance Academy facilitator in the early 1990s. This program is free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served. Fall 2015 Renaissance Calendar Tuesday, September 29, Fall Terms Begins Tuesday, October 6, Cougar Den 11:30 a.m. - Board Meeting Tuesday, October 13, Butler Room 11:30 a.m. - Farrell Forum Thursday, October 15, Cougar Den 12:30 p.m. – Facilitators’ Meeting Wednesday, October 21 11:00 a.m. - Book Club, Oak Lawn Library Tuesday, October 27 4:30 p.m. - TGITT Tuesday, November 10, Cougar Den 10:30 a.m. – Executive Board Meeting 11:30 p.m. - Board Meeting Tuesday, November 19 – Fall Term Ends Fall Book Club Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Oak Lawn Library, 11:00 a.m. 9427 S. Raymond, Oak Lawn Judy Sandberg - Facilitator The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Author Elisabeth Tova Bailey In this book the author describes her observations of an individual land snail of the species Neohelix albolabris which lived in a terrarium next to her while she was confined to bed through illness. N.B. Judy has arranged for the Oak Lawn Library to have twenty copies of the book available for check out about two weeks prior to the discussion. Tuesday, December 8, Orland Chateau 14500 S. La Grange Rd., Orland Park 11:00 a.m. - Board Meeting 12:00 p.m. – Christmas Luncheon Dear Renaissance Friends, January 5, 2016 Winter Term Begins If you are a “snow bird” and plan to be away four weeks or more during the winter term, please do not register for classes as you may be taking a spot that someone in town could utilize. Thank you! If you return early, check with Facilitator to see if there is room for you. I just want to acknowledge all the Renaissance members who so kindly sent cards, wishes and prayers for my recovery from my recent back problem. Your thoughtfulness certainly seemed to speed up the process. I am doing well and looking forward to the new Renaissance year. Thanks again for all your kindness. See you in September. Maura Smith Renaissance Person To Know By Barbara Gyarmathy We are fortunate to have Phyllis Sheahan as the new Chairperson of the Special Events Committee that provides opportunities to broaden our knowledge and to connect with fellow members in educational and social settings. Charter RA member Gerri Barrett, who recently passed away, had macular degeneration and Phyllis began driving her to classes and thus began their close friendship and Phyllis’ association with RA. Phyllis admits she considers herself to be a “political junkie” and the Ken Burns series on the Roosevelts was “just her thing.” She will facilitate a class this Fall based on the series. Phyllis was raised an only child by a single working mother. This is no easy task and she always had highest regard, respect and love for her mother. She attended St. Sabina and The Academy of Our Lady. She continued at Mt. Mary College near Milwaukee and finished in 3 1/2 years so she could marry her fiancé, John Coghlan, while he was home on leave. From 1953 to 1972 she was busy bearing and caring for four boys and four girls. By the time her youngest was in kindergarten Phyllis had obtained her real estate license and began to sell homes in Palos Park. In 1976 she entered Northern Law School and passed the bar exam three years later. She worked in her exhusband's law firm and then went to the Cook County Assessor’s Legal Department to work for Tom Hynes whom she proclaims the best boss in the world. In 1982, Phyllis married Tom Sheahan, a widower with five sons. Five of Phyllis's children were already married, so the combined family then had eight sons in high school and college. When Tom retired from the CFD, they built a log cabin in Morris and moved to the country. Phyllis commuted for 5 years and then retired. In Morris she worked part- time for Grundy County Board of Appeals until 2007. Tom died in 2006 and two years later she moved back to Palos Park to be closer to her children. Phyllis is a “doer” and is highly engaged in her volunteer activities. She represented Grundy County for 16 years on the Northern Illinois Area Agency on Aging which works in conjunction with state and federal agencies to provide Meals on Wheels. Even after moving back to Palos she returned to Morris once a week to work on the hospital bus which provides free transportation for seniors to medical facilities. Sewing, especially computer embroidery, is a passion for her and many creations are donated to charity silent auctions. Phyllis has traveled to Ireland, France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Korea and Spain. Her bucket list still includes Scotland and the Nordic countries, but she accepts the fact that her travels are over. Phyllis is a great example of a life well lived. She has set a marvelous example and kept things simple by following the Golden Rule and adhering to her mother’s adages “Sugar is better than vinegar”, “Treasure your friends”, “Have an open door and an open heart” and “Don’t give up.” Phyllis says her greatest source of pride has been “to raise 12 wonderful children with huge hearts who have given me 36 grands and 7 greats so far. They are good people and great parents which makes me proud. Unfortunately, I lost one son at 20, but there are still people who remember him with love 31 years later.” Turkey--2015 A brief report after visit by Renaissance Academy member this past summer.… part of government revenues costs $9.50 a gallon vs. $3.25 in the U.S. The office of President is mostly ceremonial. Before the June elections, the President's party held 49% of the assembly's seats but failed to secure 50% in order to reform the office and make it more powerful like the American presidency. Instead they won only 40% of the seats and had to form a coalition government with other political parties. Although Turkey remains male-dominated, the recent election of a substantial number of women to the National Assembly signals that things are changing. Turkey has always been a crossroad between Europe and Asia and remains so today. It is a modern, secular state with 80 million people, a remnant of the multi-ethnic Ottoman Empire that ruled Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years until its defeat in World War I. The country is strategically located between the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Istanbul, its major city, has about 15 million people and was the seat of the Roman/Byzantine Empire when Constantine the Great made Christianity the state religion about 300 A.D. The city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Turkey is a secular state rather than a religious state like Iraq, Syria, or Iran. The literacy rate is 97% and it has an informed electorate as opposed to many of its neighboring countries. Voting is mandatory and administered through the school system. Military service is also mandatory and Turkey has the largest standing army in Europe. If one does not discharge his military duty, he may not be able to marry or advance in his career. Most Turks prefer tea to coffee and people walk everywhere. Gas, which is a significant Turkey, Anatolia, and Asia Minor were the places where St. Paul converted many Gentiles to Christianity. The Christians were severely punished before Constantine's rule. Caves that were used for Christian services and as a refuge from persecution are found all over Asia Minor. Turkey is a place of history, current events and future happenings. I hope you learned a little more about Turkey and the Middle East through my travel reflection. Dan Lynch The Blue Mosque in Istanbul Around Town Beverly Arts Center beverlyartcenter.org (773) 445-3838 Dorothy Menker Theater Continued Saturday, October 17, 7:30 p.m. Mariachi Divas Author Afternoons Sunday, October 18, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Broken Grace by E.C. Diskin Sunday, December 13, 7:30 p.m. An Irish Christmas (sold out-call for wait list) Sunday, November 15, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Old Heart by Peter Perry Saturday, December 19, 7:30 p.m. Tidings of Tap--Chicago Tap Theater Main Stage Friday, October 2, 8:00 p.m. The Young Dubliners Saturday, October 3, 8:00 p.m. Head for the Hills--Railway Gamblers Saturday, October 10, 7:30 p.m. I AM IRELAND with Paddy Homan Friday, October 16, 8:00 p.m. the trippin billies--Dave Matthews Tribute Band Saturday, October 25, 8:00 p.m. Halloweensteen--The Duke Street Kings featuring Michael Mc Dermott Saturday, November 14, 8:00 p.m. An Evening with M&R Rush Southwest Symphony southwestsymphony .com (708) 802-0686 Sounds of the Season Sunday, December 6, 4:00 p.m. St. Stephen Church, Tinley Park Dear Friends in Renaissance: Over the course of many days, I received a plethora of birthday cards from our membership. Some were from people I know well, others were challenging because I know many of you by face rather than name and face. Finally some came from the broader group; those who don't know me but sent cards anyway. This was quite an experience. My mail carrier thinks I'm a celebrity, ringing my bell to deliver me ten plus cards per day. I confessed that wasn't so. I'm just fortunate to be involved with a group of intelligent and thoughtful men and women who buy into Renaissance Academy values relating to fellowship. Donatta Yates Friday, December 11, 7:30 p.m. St. Damian Church, Oak Forest Dorothy Menker Theater MoraineValley.edu (708) 974-5500 Saturday, October 3, 7:30 p.m. The Wonder Bread Years starring Pat Hazell Attention Facilitators! New phone number for SXU Media Services is 773-298-4357, Press 1