STREET-LEVEL DISCIPLE: A MEMOIR

By Frank R. Ardito

One part of my book is about some of the turbulence and unrest in our country in the 60,’s, and 70’s, and my humble attempts to respond to such issues as street gang violence, race discrimination and conflict, poverty, riots and near riots. The issues dominating the news today were also present in that earlier period of unrest in our country. Did black and brown lives matter in the turbulent 60’s and 70’s? How about white lives, did they matter?

A second part of my book is a challenge to those of us who are people of faith. The world is overflowing with problems, needs, violence, poverty, and more. I see all of this as opportunities, profound opportunities for us to bring our faith beliefs to all the situations we encounter in our daily life. No one of us alone can resolve all these problems, but by trying to bring Christ’s love and presence to our brothers and sisters in our communities and world, we can make a difference. We can help build the kingdom of God on Earth.

In the Street-Level Disciple, the author revisits his last book, The Street Sweeper, with new additions that he hopes you will find interesting.

Mr. Ardito brings to his book decades of compassionate involvement among young people with expert knowledge of and experience with community organizing and leadership development. Permeating the profoundly human stories of gang outreach, peacemaking on the streets, and one-on-one encounters is Frank’s abiding faith in God and God’s ability to reconcile the diversity of Americana. The author comes across as an embodiment of the best of Catholic Action; and in The Street-Level Disciple, he continues to challenge us to a renewed Discipleship.

Rev. D. Bruce Nieli, C.S.P.

Former Director for Evangelization

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Once again, Frank challenges us through his heartfelt stories to take up our call as lay people to be disciples in the world wherever we find ourselves. Frank’s stories of living his spirituality in the city of Chicago take the reader down to street-level as if they are actually with him as he confronts racism, hatred and violence. In the end we discover it’s really all about building trusting relationships and imitating Christ which is the focus of lay vocation.

John Donahue-Grossman, National Catholic Speaker

Frank’s book has been an attempt to provide a chronicle of his public life in civil service; his attempt to practice discipleship in the workplace. His apostolate over the years unfolded in a secular setting, and his interactions were conducted in secular terms. That is, his life and this chronicle is a testimony that the Christian vocation is neither relegated to churchy environs nor expressed in lofty language. As Frank mentions in his book, the very notion of a Christion vocation means looking for holiness in the ordinary, it means awareness at some level that grace occurs in pedestrian settings.

Bill Droel, Board Member, National Center for the Laity

A member of a great generation of YCW leaders of the 1950s, Frank moved to work with the Chicago Commission on Youth Welfare, where he became involved in many of the leading social issues (in Chicago). Guns, gangs, housing, molotov cocktails, race problems, riots, the war on poverty - Frank faced and lived through it all.

Stefan Gagacz, Secretary, Austrailian Cardijn Institute

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644686850

Book preview

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STREET-LEVEL DISCIPLE

A MEMOIR

Frank R. Ardito Jr.

ISBN 978-1-64468-684-3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64468-685-0 (Digital)

Copyright © 2021 Frank R. Ardito Jr.

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Englewood: A Community in Transition

Getting to Work

The Mason-Dixon Line

The Near Riot

Other Gangs in Englewood

The Block Clubs

The Schools

Working with the Police

The War on Poverty

Leaving Englewood

A Cool Welcome to West Town

The Division Street Riot

West Town Street Gangs

Agencies and Organizations

The Hydrant Program

Upper North: A Study in Diversity

Street Gangs

The Summer Program

Changes in the Agency

Surviving Change

Discipleship at Work

Discipleship at Work

My book is dedicated to my best friend and wife, Marnee Boerner Ardito, who has to be the nicest, most understanding, most patient, and most loving wife and mother on this planet. If you don’t believe me, ask any of our three adult sons, Matthew, Frankie aka Dr Francis, or Kevin. You must understand however, that by any measurement, they remain Marnee’s boys (and guardians). Even from me!

Seriously, I honestly believe they could not have a better mother, and I could not have a better wife. I am a blessed man.

Love you Marn…always will.

Christ’s Faithful People

The eyes of faith behold a wonderful scene: that of a countless number of lay people, both men and women, busy at work in their daily activity, oftentimes far from view and unacclaimed by the world’s great personages but nonetheless looked upon with love by the Father, untiring laborers who work in the Lord’s vineyard. Confident and steadfast through the power of God’s grace, these are the humble yet great builders of the kingdom of God in history.

—Christifidelis Laici: "Apostolic

Exhortation on the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World," John Paul II, 1989

Prologue

Why does a man lead the life he does?

Why would he reach out to the music he passionately loves with one hand and young men—gang members who are seemingly lost to society—with the other?

Why would he try to address such complex problems as poverty, street-gang violence, and race discrimination?

You be the judge.

Acknowledgments

My profound thanks to Bill Droel for his awesome support and assistance with this book. Clearly, he is one of the most important Christian laymen in Chicagoland and beyond. If you have not read his books, you should. Especially if you are interested in the lay vocation. Thank you, Bill.

I suspect this may very well be my last book on the subject of the lay apostolate, so I would like to acknowledge some of the religious and laity who I had the good fortune to rub shoulders with both directly and indirectly, during the years described in this book and beyond. All were a source of inspiration to me.

Among the religious were: Bishop Edwin Conway, Msgr. Dan Cantwell, Msgr. Reynold Hillenbrand, Msgr. Robert Clark, Msgr. John Hayes, Msgr. Jack Egan, Fr. John Rochford, Fr. John McEnroe, Sr. Mary Pat Cummings S.P., Fr. Vince Giesi, Fr. Lawrence Kelly, Fr. John Hill, Fr. John White, Fr. Eugene Faucher, Fr. Yonel Emile and, Fr. Franz Jordan, to mention a few. How could I not mention Pope Francis, Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Joseph Cardinal Cardijn, and Bishop Robert Barron, all incredibly special in my eyes.

Among the laity: Sal and Mary Lou Alaia, Jack and Connie McCartney, Russ and Ellie Tershy, Chuck and Marilyn Feit, Parick and Patty Crowley, Barbara O’Conner, Jerry Slomka, Charles Livermoore, Barney and Janice Offerman, Joe and Mary Kay Kelly, Bart and Carol Behrendt, Bill and Mary Figliuolo, Ray and Dianne Neuschaefer, John and Addie Kolbiaz, Ed Marciniak, Deacon Don and Betty Servatius, Bill and Mary Goode, Nancy Conrad, Teresa Mourad, Arlene Koehn, Sam and Clare Deane, Peter and Jane Foote, Kenan and Carol Heise, Mary Irene Zotti, Ron and Veronica Anderson, Bob and Charlotte Sweeney, Rita and John Daly, Barbara Miller, Caroline Pezzullo, Romeo Maione, Joe Holland, Jack Dunne, Ted and Mary Ann Zewlewski, Wally and Joan Bradford, Millard and Mary Hughes, Joan and Bud Sorenson, Bill and Mary Ann Droel, Marilyn Lukas, the Ruane’s, Tom Lofton, Dr. Juan Hinohosa, Jim Fahey, Robert Serr, Gino and Joey Tenuta, Arlene Koehn, Ted Greene (later Deacon Greene), the Cosby’s, the Rose’s, the King’s, Jean Pew, Barbara Witaker, Joe and Maureen Ruane, Maggie Huston, Mike Coleman, Tom Trost, the O’Connell’s, Fred Shoberth, Murphy Dowy, Rae Barsotti, Steve Herbert, Lloyd St. James and all those who served or volunteered there around the time that I served there, you were the best. We were the best. We were there even before Vatican II living out the Gospels’ as well as we knew how. Isn’t that something to celebrate.

All of my friends at St. Juliana parish in Chicago where we organized the Adult Faith Formation Ministry as well as the Organizing for Community Life Ministry way back in the 60’s at the request of Monsignor Egan. The program focused on Human Relations and Ecumenism. Our good friends at Immaculate Conception parish on Talcott, especially Sister Mary Pat Cummings, who let me help some with the RCIA program, and encouraged my work in the lay apostolate.

My dedicated friends at Resurrection parish in Wayne, IL. who served on one or more of the many ministries there including the extraordinary food pantry organized by Kathy McKinley, the ongoing social action activities, the Adult Faith Formation Leadership Team on which I had the honor to serve led by Barb Miller. Terrific group I miss. Also miss hosting the Annual Men’s Night where I met the inspirational presenter John Donahue-Grossman.

It was not long after my by-pass surgery in 1996 that I was recruited by Don Skinner to join the Mended Hearts Chapter at Sherman Hospital. I subsequently served as a visitor, vice-president, and president of this dedicated group of former heart patients, who were now serving other heart patients and their families in a variety of ways. May I mention just a few of these very special people: The Skinner’s, Bill Ingram, Vern and Rubye Langlinais, Russ Johnson, Jim Keller (our talented gift-maker), Bill Gronow, Russ Johnson, Paul and Marion Mate, Steve Lewis (who is still serving), and that wonderful couple, George and Lois Venzke, who blessed us with wonderful newsletters more years than I can count. My sincere regrets to many others I regretfully have failed to mention here. You were all very special contributers as well. Especially those of you who made the heart shaped pillows that we gave to each open-heart patient. What a fantastic opportunity and honor it was to support cardiac patients and their families at Sherman Hospital.

Musically, my sincere gratitude to the musicians who have encouraged and supported my playing and more. In my early playing it would be my life long friends guitarist and recording engineer Ron Steele, and my friends in the infamous group The Hi-Fi’s Second Edition, Herman Stutz on keyboards, Ray Smith on the bases, Tommy Hart on drums and yours truly on tenor sax. Then after about a 30 year sabbatical on my sax, I was able to revisit an early passion in my life, music with emphasis on jazz. But only with the kind encouragement of some new, younger talented musicians and friends: guitarist Billy Denk, pianist Dave Childress, and tenor sax man and recording engineer Bryan Kryouac who even arranged for me to be recorded by the local jazz organization in Woodstock IL. God bless them all. And a prayer for the late inspirational American jazz treasure, Ira Sullivan. We will miss this gracious, talented man, and remember him fondly every time we hear the hymn Amazing Grace.

I’d be remiss not to mention the opportunity I had to serve with the dynamic faith-based group CreativEnpowerment led by national Catholic speaker John Donahue-Grossman, who brought me on board to write articles for his newsletter and website. He subsequently made me director of lay vocation development…was I happy about that? Are you kidding?

Finally, I wish to acknowledge the many dedicated and talented people I had the honor to serve with in the Haiti Ministry at St. Mary parish in Huntley, IL, especially in the organization and implementation of an annual Child Sponsorship Program enabling the children at our sister parish the opportunity to attend school, and sometimes get a warm meal. A wonderful cadre of dedicated ministry members made the annual Child Sponsorship program work effectively during my tenure in the ministry including: Scott Kupelka, Judy Engerizer, Jean Vaughn-Krieble, Ginny Wiener, Molly Howison, Ed Slomski, Tim Nash, Carole Chataigne, Margot Sormaine, Mike Hernon, Laura Pitner, Ed and Clarice Ericksen, Peter and Brenda Drottar, Rich Wiltz, Mike Einarsen, Sandra Miceli, Deacon Chris Lincoln and others. All of the Haiti Ministry’s work and its members were initially guided by the gentle hands of its leader, Jeannie O’Leary and Fr. (now Msgr.) Steve Knox, and later, by Fr. Max Striedl., our previous (also gentle) pastor. I am now retired from the Haiti Ministry and the Child Sponsorship Program previously handled by Scott Kubelka and I, which is now handled in the capable hands of Linda Haney. I am sincerely grateful for having had the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in Leger Haiti, whose courage and faith is a source of inspiration to me. But like all of the poor in Haiti and the Carribean region, they deserve much more support so that they may one day live in dignity, respect, and the ability to pursue their dreams and aspirations. Wouldn’t that be something? Can’t we together make it happen? Isn’t that what the Mystical Body is all about? Each of us sharing our God given gifts building the kingdom of God on earth? Just asking.

Mostly, I wish to acknowledge my family, one that is so loving and supportive. Even when I do something stupid, like try to play organized hockey during my retirement years. They even bought me a pair of new Bauer hockey skates. Had I not done that however, I would never have ended up at Sherman Hospital for emergency by- pass surgery, or be recruited by Don Skinner of Mended Hearts to serve other cardiac patients and their families at Sherman Hospital. Divine Providence? I don’t know. I just know I had a conversation with God as I drove myself to the hospital from an ice-skating rink where I was working out (also stupid to drive myself to the hospital while having a heart attack). Anyway, while I drove to the hospital, I told God I would appreciate more time among the living if possible, to finish some work I had not yet accomplished. One of my sons found my car up on the curb outside of the Emergency Entrance. I know one thing for sure. If you ever want to experience a swift and expert response from hospital staff, walk in and say you are having a heart attack. They didn’t even ask me if I had insurance. See, I’m not that dumb.

Introduction

This book is an account of discipleship. It is not, however, about a missionary in Asia or Africa. It is not about someone who spends Saturday mornings giving Bible tracts door-to-door. It is rather my recollection of how I gradually made sense of my Christian vocation on the streets of Chicago. The book is an embellishment of my last book: The Street Sweeper. It will again ask you to walk with me as I perform my work as a public servant for the City of Chicago, particularly at the community level in the Englewood and West Town Communities and the Upper North region of the city.

In this book, public service is put in the perspective of Christian discipleship. Rarified notions of discipleship and vocation are found in Christian documents, books and magazines, in sermons, in church-related ministries, and in a variety of church groups and organizations. But what do these concepts mean in a full life of neighborliness, family responsibilities, job demands, and response to the issues of the day? For me, it means some sort of street-level discipleship, some sensible spirituality of work. Russell Barta was a champion of workaday Christians. He fought to rescue the idea of vocation from its exclusive clerical connotation.

For most of us it is through our work, the work we do day in and day out that we answer the call of the Creator to maintain, care for, and progressively build up His World, he said.

Fidelity to daily encounters has the potential to change the world.

Social order is the achievement of each person doing his/her work faithfully and competently and taking care of the relationships that surround them… The job then, the work we do, is the link between much of life and religion, Barta concluded.¹

This book is not a theological treatise nor will this book attempt to represent a sociological analysis of Chicago or urban life. It’s simply about some of the people, events, and problems I met along the way, and one man’s humble experience trying his best to bring a little of God’s presence to these people and situations. My vocation came from the street as will much of the language in the book. That’s just to let you know that my book will not include some of the jargon that usually accompanies books that have anything to do with religion or one’s faith.

One of the strongest callings in my early adulthood was to work in Chicago’s inner city, particularly around the problems of poverty, youth street-gang violence, and race discrimination and conflict. Lay people, like the religious, also have vocations and this is the story of mine or, at least, part of it. It didn’t take an extraordinarily sensitive person to be bothered by the awful living conditions that existed in some of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. As far as I could tell, many of these communities suffered from a variety of social ills, including severe poverty, unemployment, substandard housing, the ever-present youth street-gang violence, hopelessness, and in some areas, the very real race problems that literally divided the city into little war zones. Neither God nor government seemed present in these situations.

I had grown enough spiritually since my return from the army to know that God’s work is done through the hearts and hands of those who embrace Him. Further, I strongly believed that lay people, unlike the religious, achieved their sanctity through living their faith in all things secular: their marriage, their parenting, their community, and their work. So as simplistic as it may sound, looking back, I thought it should be my work, my vocation, to respond to these problems as awesome as they were, and as limited as was my ability to resolve them. But there is