Spotlight

In the last Notebook we introduced our Board Members, but in so doing, we neglected to include Mr. Raymond (Bernie) D. Curran. We apologize for this omission. Mr. Curran is founder and Director of the Safer Foundation, an organization devoted to the rehabilitation of former prisoners. His resume is impressive, but his convictions about his work, suffering, Stauros are even more so. He writes:

"Why did I accept a position on the Stauros Board?" Because Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, a dear friend, asked me to become involved. But more to the point because Stauros deals with a critical issue: the meaning and alleviation of suffering. I have always been overwhelmed with the fact that God sent His Son to live in the human condition. Christ eventually suffered and died on a cross He rose. Can any of us expect less in life?

Joseph Campbell, the student of mythology, (tells us that) suffering, death, new life stories, are present in many cultural traditions. The myths take on different forms but the reality behind them leads to a deeper understanding of life...My life circumstances probe me to look for a deeper meaning to suffering: from the death of my dad at an early age, to separation from my family of origin, to choosing to join and to leave the Passionists, to the work 1 do now...

The 7,000 ex--convicts I work with have inflicted pain on others; in turn, they have suffered and continue to do so "What do we do for these exconvicts?" Safer gets them off drugs; places 2500 ex-offenders on jobs; teaches about 1,000 how to read and write; refers 3,000 for food, housing, clothing, medical and dental aid. We manage a 250 bed Work Release Center, run a wing of the County Jail and are involved in almost every area of the Criminal Justice System....

On Safer's success: The staff of Safer is very accepting, loving and reality focused. That attitude helps ex-offenders do mid-course corrections in their lives: from painful to painless; from hurting to helping others; from tax deficits to tax assets. Less than 11% of Safer's clients return to prison versus 54% to 68% who do not get Safer's services....

"Do I believe suffering is inflicted by God?" "No." I personally believe the Divine Design is wealth, health, love, and perfect self expression. I remember in Scripture class the topic, giving glory to God. It goes something like this: God is, we are created. Creation reflects the creator. By being who we are, by responding to God's love, we reflect the creator. We fulfill our purpose. We "glorify God" I do believe a lot of suffering is self imposed or self maintained by diseases like alcoholism, drug abuse. Some forms of suffering are environmentally learned-like child/wife abuse or prostitution. Judy Hahn, co-founder of Genesis House, told me many prostitutes were victims of incest. This pain repeats itself in the form of prostitution. Apparently, suffering begets suffering unless there is an intervening variable.....

As a Board member I would like Stauros to explore the variables which interrupt learned patterns of pain and self-inflicted suffering. I personally believe love, in various forms, becomes the intervening variable. Love expressed as care, concern and listening are the hallmarks of both Genesis House and Safer's success. As the scriptures say, "Love overcomes fear; perfect love removes it."

(Bernie, his wife Phyllis, and their sheltie dog, Katie, live on 40 acres in Galena, IL.)