13 Lives

by Michael Pawlowski

  Caren’s sister, called the author out of the blue just before Thanksgiving in 1998. Surprise hastily became an ear for a worried soul. The woman had too many suspicions. These were instigated by Caren’s talk of Kevin’s late nights, and affirmed when a mutual friend observed Kevin at the slots when he should have been at work. Every aspect of the family’s life was divulged. The woman’s tone conveyed she was firm in her beliefs. “I don’t want my sister hurt,” she concluded. The author pledged to do what he could to address the situation, particularly speaking once again with Kevin.

  It was in the last week of October, that the depths of Kevin’s depravity consumed any hope for resolution. While at the casino, he enviously eyed a young man who had his arms around two blonde girls. He acted like a pimp. He was known to be a pimp. The young man bet $100 chips on numbers 4, 7 and 29 on each of ten roulette tables. Kevin quickly did the math. That was $3,000.

  There were immediate shouts of surprise and joys when the ten roulette wheels stopped. The young man had won on seven of the tables. The total win was $24,500; actually $21,500 considering he had bet $3,000.

  Kevin and others, whom he did not know, celebrated with the young man. Before the pimp returned to Detroit, the hospitality suite was offered to those who joined the festivities. There, Kevin was serviced by one of the ladies. When the author had heard this story and Kevin’s willing voyage into decadence, he was absolutely shocked. Although he had never met Caren, he immediately felt sorry for any woman or any family who was so ­disgraced by the husband’s illicit activities.

  At the same time, Kevin had only three insurance companies still supporting his business. All others had abandoned him because he just didn’t keep appointments. The quality of his assignments was constantly being questioned. He only kept the three clients because the managers there were also enticed by slot machines or frequented drinking establishments till almost ­midnight.

  In the second week of November in 1998, the author was released from his position with the insurance firm for whom he had worked for twenty-three years. Any contact directly with Kevin died after that.

  Kevin’s choices were three: a weapon, a rope or pills. His sister-in-law described the events after the final incident. He had gone as far as to cross the American border to purchase a gun. Kevin attended his family doctor for medication for depression and reproduced the prescription to acquire more depressants than he could have ever logically used. He already had the rope in the garage. However, any prospect of any such foul deed quickly dissipated.

  He won two jackpots, enough to cover the mortgage payment and credit card demands. That assured him money for Christmas gifts.

  Then, in the second week of December, he was offered a job with a lucrative salary. The position would require the family to move. Caren absolutely refused and told him he’d have to go by himself.

  He couldn’t afford his debts on his present income. The bank had never said ‘no’ to increasing his line of credit such that now his gambling debt was more than seventy percent of the value of their house.

  Kevin’s sister-in-law met with the author in the third week of December. She shed tears of anger and frustration. The cause of her gloom was readily discernible. She advised that she had spoken with Kevin and was shocked at the degree of preparedness to end his life. That he had even mentioned these aspects shocked her no end. Kevin dismissed her sympathy and offer of financial support with the pathetic opinion that all of his problems were due to his parent’s heritage. She had also offered to call the family doctor regarding his unstable situation. Kevin swore refusing her assistance. In spite of that, she pledged to call the doctor the next morning.

  There was no need for a call to the family doctor. There were no presents under the Christmas tree. The coroner attended as required. Kevin had determined his fate. The empty pill bottles affirmed the cause.

  Meanwhile, the provincial income from its casino operations that year exceeded one billion dollars.

  1999

  BISHOP LAWRENCE SABATINI

  Among the squalor of impoverished immigrants, the Sabatini family welcomed their fourth child. Born on May 15, 1930, Lawrence entered the world of people scrounging for daily sustenance. This was the Italian community of northwest Chicago. Its only saving grace was the fact that it wasn’t buried downtown amidst racial turmoil and the criminal element. Yet, their enclave was not substantially different from any other urban centre in America. The rich got wealthier while the residents of tenement buildings languished without fundamental expectations. The division between the poor and the opulent had become an outrageous chasm that was never to be transgressed. If born poor, you stayed poor. All of the rhetoric about American opportunities and equality: all those promises had bypassed more than ­ninety percent of the population. Jobs were scarce, and wages pathetic. Landlords gouged, and families starved.

  Their parish church, Our Lady of Sorrows, was unfortunately most aptly named. Three years after his birth, his family, the entire neighbourhood, all of North America and the entire world were thrown into society’s cesspool—the Great Depression. Lawrence’s father struggled as did everyone else: losing employment and then begging for jobs. If employment could be arranged, no one with any sense was brazen enough to expect a reasonable salary.

  Lawrence’s father was lucky. Chicago had been the hub for so many rail lines that were still engaged in rapid expansion into the west. It was the railroads that kept produce moving, as well as becoming the home for so many who had lost everything. Pullman, Illinois, a suburb in south Chicago, provided that opportunity for work. He knew when he grabbed the job that it might be months or perhaps even years before he would see his family again. Any salary he earned could be dispatched by the same railway company back to his family. So many Italian journeymen joined the ranks laying track as far west as Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. Our Lady of Sorrows was smiling.

  As soon as the recession ended, the talk of war began. Although America had fought the request to join the Allies, there was no option after Pearl Harbour. His father went to war, and fought bravely for our freedoms.

  Lawrence was in Grade Five when America committed its troops to the war effort. He was a devout altar boy appreciating how religious liturgy inspired his timid soul. Timid he was, as naturally he would be. No child at that time could count on anything to ever be consistent in his/her life. In a moment’s whim everything could instantly change.

  His desire to be a priest came early and stayed throughout the rest of grade school and into high school. Sports were also his delight, especially baseball and pitching. Lawrence developed a unique tendency for a child his age, which he further enhanced during his teens, to throw various pitches that constantly baffled batters. He saw sports as a relief from the uncertainty of daily activities even though his Chicago Cubs failed four times that decade to win the World Series. Although he never made it to the professional or semi-pro ranks, one of his friends mastered a pitch Lawrence taught him. It was the ‘screw ball’, wherein the wrist is flipped outwards. The ball approaches the batter about chest high and then suddenly drops to his knees on reaching home plate. Major League baseball was that friend’s ultimate destination.

  Once he completed high school, Lawrence was determined to enter the seminary. He had so impressed his pastor by his devotion and academic ability that he found himself destined for Italy to attend the Scalabrini Seminary in Rome. The Fathers of St. Charles, the Scalabrini Fathers, had administered his parish and guided him in his vocational pursuit. That religious order had been established in 1887 by Bishop Giovanni Scalabrini of Piacenza, Italy. The intent of the order was to administer to the spiritual needs of Italian immigrants with a special focus on those immigrating to America at the start of the century. Bishop Scalabrini had even engaged President Theodore Roosevelt in discussions regarding the implementation of social programs. Their influence then expanded to not only consider the needs of
the Italian community but also other immigrants, to the extent they were established in more than twenty countries.

  Following the completion of courses in philosophy, theology and canon law, Lawrence was ordained on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19 of 1957. A short span of parish work preceded his assignment to teach seminarians at St. Charles Seminary in Staten Island, New York. Canon Law was his specialty. He was also very proficient in church history and the classics. Saints Anselm, Augustine, Thomas More and his namesake Lawrence were the focus of his interest. His mind was incredible being able to remember pertinent details of so many issues. At the same time he kept active with sports, preferring baseball above all else while enjoying the opportunity to swim in the massive block-reinforced outdoor pool. The liturgy still had a special place in his spiritual life. Accordingly, he looked forward to the implementation of the changes proposed by Vatican II Council. Getting the laity more involved was a fundamental goal.

  While stationed at the seminary, Reverend Lawrence expanded his efforts to include the poor, hungry and homeless in the port area of Staten Island and in mid-Manhattan. There were always more than enough people requiring assistance to keep him busy. At the same time, Reverend Lawrence was improving his colloquial skills in additional languages. The work among the poor in New York brought him face to face with members of the Latino communities. Being conversant in both Spanish and Portuguese was essential to adequately listen and attend to their needs. He had already developed proficiency in French, so with his knowledge of Latin, he had the amazing ability to converse in five languages. He pledged that German was to be his next.

  The author met Reverend Lawrence in the summer of 1966 at our parish church in Toronto. Our associate-pastor had been involved in a serious motor vehicle accident three years before and never fully recovered. With our parish expanding so quickly, another priest was definitely required. That summer, Reverend Lawrence was that cleric.

  His love for baseball was easy to see. The parish had a massive field behind the church which was levelled for the use of summer league baseball. The smiles and enthusiasm were incredible as boys and girls who had never participated in organized sports were suddenly hitting the baseball to the perimeters of the park. That was the ‘heyday’ for the youth of our parish. Reverend Lawrence was the key ingredient that made it all ­happen.

  His interest in church history attracted both men and women in their respective parish groups. He’d always start with a puzzling question that engaged many with personal opinions. After that, he would summarize the church’s teaching. Reverend Lawrence, on several occasions, visited St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, most likely to discuss curriculum. Afternoon discussions involved our Auxiliary Bishop in the parish near ours. He took the altar boys to see a Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball game. Reverend Lawrence spent many hours talking with the workmen at various projects. Sunday afternoons found him at the Italian soccer club. Liturgical devotions remained his focus, being available to address the spiritual needs of the parishioners. On the First of September, he left for New York.

  While we were focussed on efforts in Eastern Canada, the Scalabrini Fathers were busy considering the needs of the immigrants in Western Canada. Following the war, there was a massive influx of Europeans into all regions of the Dominion. Principal among these were the Italians. The Provincial Superior for the Order accordingly left Winnipeg to explore possible venues for his first parish in the west. That church he established in New Westminster. Reverend Lawrence became part of the overall plan of expansion and in 1971 was transferred 4,800 kilometers to the west to Vancouver, British Columbia.

  Reverend Lawrence served there as a parish priest for seven years. We learned later that there were four elements that prompted his assignment: leadership ability, work with the impoverished, knowledge of canon law, and his ability to grasp new languages.

  By the time Reverend Lawrence had arrived in British Columbia, residential schools were already the means of providing destitute native children with public education. Tragically, the children were abused to such an extent that they were permanently affected. The schools were established by the Anglican Church, the United Church, and the Oblate Missionaries for the Catholic religion. Father Lawrence questioned the need for such schools and the conditions within. Unfortunately, the recommendations of Trudeau’s government that were announced in its ‘White Paper’ two years before were not fully implemented. The federal government did not take immediate steps to stop the abuse and charge the criminals. Meanwhile, the provincial government, that was just given the task, was not able to respond as quickly as common sense demanded it should.

  Father Lawrence’s interest was additionally focussed on the Italian-speaking adults. From St. Stephen’s Church in North Vancouver he ministered to their needs, established the Catholic Women’s League, arranged meetings for the Holy Name Society, and attended to the interests of the youth with CYO meetings, parish sports, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. There were two parish choirs, and more than forty altar boys. Regretfully, the number of new vocations to the priesthood was declining, leaving all priests in the province hard-pressed to fulfil their daily spiritual agenda. That there were more than 150,000 immigrants in the metropolitan Vancouver area certainly meant that there was never going to be any quiet time.

  Vancouver at the time of the cleric’s arrival was home to the Coast Salish Nations, as well as being a refuge for some Métis and Inuit. Those belonging to the Salish Nations totalled approximately ten thousand. Among that number there were some who had adopted the Catholic faith to augment their way of life and support their love of God’s grandeur. His linguistic abilities aided Reverend Lawrence in communicating with these residents. It is indeed most appalling that society concocted generalizations that prevented adequate housing, proper sustenance, basic health care and quality education. It wasn’t just the residential schools that were abusing indigenous peoples. It was also the haphazard manner in which the needs of the native communities were being brushed aside.

  Reverend Lawrence’s efforts were noticed, and in 1978, specifically on July 15TH of that year, he was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Vancouver. This position provided the opportunity to have another priest appointed to St. Stephen’s Church. Meanwhile, Bishop Sabatini’s calendar became ever more congested with spiritual and social events throughout the diocese.

  At the same time, respecting his influence and commitment, Lawrence was appointed by the Holy See as the Titular Bishop of Nasai in Algeria. He was never able to visit the territory, choosing instead to send Episcopal Letters through the parishes to the Catholics in the Arab state.

  As soon as he was designated a bishop, Lawrence Sabatini became a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. In that assembly, Bishop Sabatini served on the Episcopal Commission for Canon Law, and on the Commission for Migration. Both of these appointments reflected his strengths.

  As always, Bishop Sabatini was committed to the ideals and benefits of Catholic Education. British Columbia chose not to entrench the obligation to entirely fund separate schools when the province joined Confederation. That became a major obstruction to Catholic education. In spite of limited resources, the Sisters of St. Ann in the 1880s established the first Catholic schools in Victoria and Kamloops. Tuition had to be paid exclusively by the parents or the Church. Ultimately, the province amended the funding formula by enacting the Catholic Independent Schools program in which classes for the primary grades were funded, but there was no financial support for the purchase of land, the construction of buildings or high school classes.

  After the passage of that legislation, some academic funding beyond grade eight was provided. However, the majority of the tuition still had to be paid by the parents or the Catholic parish. The Catholic Church still had to buy the land and build its own schools.

  Then, in 1957, the Vancouver Archdiocese established a non-profit society. As a result of that decision, the Ca
tholic Public Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese could save funds by achieving tax reductions. The consequence was beneficial. Catholic schools within the Archdiocese increased in number and size such that there were more than thirty Catholic primary schools and eight Catholic secondary schools. This was the ­situation Bishop Sabatini inherited: Catholic schools filled to capacity with waiting lists. Parents partially funding education caused a significant strain on most family incomes. However, the Archdiocese within its schools had an academic population committed to improving spiritual wellbeing and the community in general with a strong foundation for the future. Maintaining those expectations was Bishop Sabatini’s mandate.

  Throughout his years as Auxiliary Bishop, he remained very mindful of the condition and plight of the Salish Nations and all indigenous persons within the Archdiocese. He genuinely ­supported all programs that improved their conditions. Essential services, in his view, were absolutely mandatory. However, there were the chiefs, the provincial government and the federal government who all professed to know better espousing plans that very much repeated the follies of the past.

  In September, 1978 Auxiliary Bishop Sabatini was consecrated Bishop of Kamloops. In that capacity he automatically assumed an undefined role in urban social affairs. It was almost impossible to separate the church and state in certain functions as both were keenly involved in the planning and direction of community events in a city of approximately sixty thousand people. That figure included the population within many suburbs.

  Kamloops was first discovered by explorers in 1811. Native settlement had predated their arrival by at least four hundred years. In the 1860s the region was inundated during the gold rush.

  The city is situated at the junction of two branches of the Thompson River near Kamloops Lake. It also forms the junction of the CNR and CP Railways. Kamloops is the interchange of highways heading east, west and north. The entire city could best be described as a hub of activity. Current industries include: Domtar Pulp Mill, Lafarge Cement, Highland Valley Copper Mine, Thompson Rivers University, Royal Inland Hospital, agriculture, the city itself and many businesses deriving their income from tourism.