RIP - Rock In Peace, Chuck Berry

I was saddened, but not totally surprised, to hear the news that St. Louis legendary music icon Chuck Berry passed away on Saturday. Chuck Berry was 90 when he died in St. Charles County, Missouri, the same county where I live—about fifteen miles from my home.

It’s strange how the death of one person can trigger memories that have been packed away for decades. Although I never met Chuck Berry in person, his music and presence touched my soul and influenced my childhood.

Just about everyone in my North St. Louis neighborhood of the 1950s and 1960s knew about Chuck Berry and his music, including my mom.

Mom loved music, and she loved to dance. Her tastes ranged from the Country music of Johnny Cash, the soulful melodies of Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams, and the rock and roll of Elvis, Chubby Checker—and, of course, St. Louis songwriter and musical icon Chuck Berry.

My dad was a germaphobe, so it wasn’t surprising that Mom was an immaculate housekeeper. Music was Mom’s constant companion every day when she cleaned our house—make that rented flat—because my folks never owned a house back then.  

Once a week, to the sounds of whatever was playing the radio, Mom would wash and wax the floors. After the wax dried, she got out Dad’s old Army blanket and my siblings and I took turns riding the blanket like a sled as Mom pulled us around in her butts-on-the-blanket buffer.

In our cozy 1950s kitchen, Mom kicked up her heels and taught my sisters and me how to dance her version of the Charleston and Jitterbug to Chuck Berry’s songs such as: “Maybellene,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and of course, “Rock and Roll Music.”

So, rock in peace, Chuck Berry.

Thank you for bringing your gift of music to the world and a little bit of soul to my family.

Lastly, thank you for sparking this memory of dancing in the kitchen with my mom.

Friends, Fun, and Frank Lloyd Wright

Last week, the Kindred Spirits group took another day trip. 

This time our destination was Ebsworth Park in Kirkwood, where we toured a home designed by American iconic architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Our group of seven, former co-workers and friends from metro St. Louis and Southern Illinois, was joined by a gentleman who traveled from Holland to view American architecture.

The entrance to Ebsworth Park is marked by a sign from St. Louis County Parks and Recreation, as well as one of the 250 birthday cakes celebrating the 250th birthday of the City of St. Louis.

The mid-twentieth century "middle-class" American home, completed in 1955 for Russell and Ruth Kraus, is tucked away amid ten-plus acres of sloping hills and persimmon, apricot, and evergreen trees. The Usonian home is known for its “architectural integrity and original Wright-designed furnishings.” Usonian is a term coined by Wright to reflect his vision of the landscape of America, free from previous architectural conventions.

After crowding together to watch a brief video in the gift shop, we headed into the house. Photos were not permitted inside, and the women were instructed to place their purses in a closet. I didn't take notes, thus my descriptions are based on my memory of what I heard and saw. 

The house is designed horizontally, rather than vertically. The basic form is the shapes of parallelograms, triangles, and hexagons, which are evident from floor to ceiling -- even the windows and furniture. The bed in the master bedroom consists of two parallelogram mattresses joined together, covered by the original faded yellow-orange bedspread. The guest room mattress is in the shape of a hexagon. The floors are a muted red; the ceilings tidewater red cypress. The vintage rotary phones in the bedrooms are also red. 

The cabinets in the kitchen are maple and birch. Jade-colored pottery dots dark-wood shelves in the living room and hallway. A low table in the shape of connecting hexagons and stools about three-feet tall sit near the lovely patio doors, which were designed by Mr. Kraus. Two low-to-the-floor origami chairs sit in the living room across from the hexagon-shaped fireplace.

The interior of the house is dark and stark, but my favorite room is Russell Kraus’ study. I found the study to be the room with the most personality. Being a writer, I especially enjoyed seeing the pop-art, bright red plastic Olivetti Valentine manual typewriter that sat in the study on a low desk.

Kraus was an artist and nature lover, who designed the home’s lovely doors, with Wright’s approval of course. He also was a “string saver” and kept all the original plans from Wright, some of which we were permitted to view. The gentleman from Holland was especially interested in seeing those drawings.

The tour took about an hour and fifteen minutes. The house is open to the public (Wed-Sat) by appointment only. Call 314-822-8359 for a reservation. Tour costs $10 for adults. Children under 12 and student groups are charged $5 per child. Visit the Ebsworth Park website for more information.

After leaving the Frank Lloyd Wright house, we drove through pouring rain and met up for lunch at Billy G’s, across town in Kirkwood. There, our group of seven broke bread and caught up on what was going on with family and friends before heading back to our own, less famous, homes. 

I can’t wait to see what Jan, our thoughtful and kind-hearted Kindred Spirits leader, has planned for our next outing!

Submission Opportunity from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels in our Midst

Do you believe in angels? I do.

I love hearing stories about angels and seeing them depicted in artwork, like the statues on the left.

Last month I visited the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis, the site of an official Vatican-sanctioned miracle. This photo is of the front altar--the altar of answered prayers.

I thought it would be fitting to use this photo to accompany this post about a submission call out from the editors of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels in our Midst.

The editors are looking for "101 miraculous stories of faith, divine intervention, and answered prayers."

Have you been visited by an angel?

Had prayers answered by an angel?

Received divine protection from an angel or guardian angel?

Witnessed a miraculous recovery?

Received news or a warning from an angel?

If so, you could have your true story or poem published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels in our Midst.

The editors want stories of "true wonder and awe from people who have directly encountered or received help from angels."

They do not want stories about "people who are angels because they do nice things or eulogies about loved ones who have died and are now angels."

Submission deadline is May 15, 2014. 

Expected publication date is October 2014.

Authors whose stories are selected will receive $200 and 10 free copies of the anthology.

For complete submission guidelines, including word counts and other details, visit the Chicken Soup for the Soul website.

Good luck!

Call for Submissions: Got Ghost?

Rocking Horse Publishing is seeking ghost stories set in Missouri for an anthology that will be published this coming October. The deadline is August 30, so what are you waiting for? Scare up a ghost story.

Here is the call for submissions from their website.

Rocking Horse Publishing Call for Submissions

"Spirits of St. Louis: Missouri Ghost Stories"

RHP will be releasing a volume of original ghost stories set in Missouri, based on legend or purely fiction, in October 2013! Potential authors must submit, by August 30,  works of 1000-5000 words plus a short, 30-word bio, and must be age 18 older.

Selected authors will receive two copies of the anthology and a one-time royalty of $25.00. Additional copies may be purchased at a 50% discount plus shipping. Books will be available in both print and E-format.

We want good ghost stories, things that go bump in the night, haunted houses - no werewolves, vampires, or fantasy. No erotica, devil worship, or otherwise sexual or offensive themes.

Please follow regular submission guidelines below, but submit manuscripts to rhpanthology@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Thanks to Brad Cook of St. Louis Writers Guild for sharing the link to the submission call-out.

The Transformed Saint Louis Art Museum and Yoko Ono's Wish Tree

Last week some friends and I visited the recently renovated Saint Louis Art Museum. I hadn't been to the museum in a few years, so I was looking forward to the trip.

For me, the apotheosis of St. Louis (Charles Niehaus, 1903) standing in front of the museum symbolizes St. Louis, even more than the Gateway Arch.

As a child I recall taking field trips to the museum and being amazed at the statue of St. Louis mounted on his horse and holding a huge sword.

The day of my recent visit was unseasonably mild for mid-August. Our group from St. Charles arrived early and got a primo parking place before meeting up with the North County, South County, and Illinois ladies. We were in the first tour group, which began at 10:30 a.m. Barbara, our docent, did an excellent job pointing out noteworthy pieces in the renovated section of the museum, along with some of her favorites.

One of the highlights of the tour was our walk-around outside the museum, with a visit to Goldsworthy's Stone Sea and Yoko Ono's Wish Tree for St. Louis.

The St. Louis Wish Tree is actually three Japanese maples. The photo on the left explains the significance of the wish tree to Yoko Ono.

After hearing about the project, we were invited to write our wishes on a tag and tie them to one of the trees.  


As I searched for just the right spot to tie my tag to a branch, I couldn't help reading a few wishes nearby.

Several included good health and world peace. One person wanted a Samsung Galaxy.

My sister Kathleen spotted a request for a pink bunny. Hmmm. Wonder if that one will come true.

After our guided tour, we separated and did a self-tour before lunch. With limited time I didn't get to take in all of the amazing artwork, but I did get to view several major pieces.

Although I didn't add this to the Japanese maple trees, one of my wishes is to return to the Saint Louis Art Museum soon.

To learn more about the Saint Louis Art Museum and Yoko Ono's Wish Tree, visit their website.

A Week of Contrasts: Out in the Country and a Trip Downtown

This week there's been a lot of activity going on in my little world, with my grandson's eighth-grade graduation on Tuesday and my granddaughter's scheduled for Saturday.

My busy schedule hasn't stopped me from taking time to enjoy the moment. In fact, the last few days have been filled with sources of happiness and inspiration. You could say this has been a week of contrasts.

Monday's trip to our country place was both relaxing and invigorating. I always bring my camera to capture some of the natural beauty of the place.

Turkey vultures circled overhead to make sure Harley, our black Lab, didn't venture too near the barn where the vultures have taken up residence and made a home for their young ones.

Not too far away, Harley visited the mangled model T (or Model A, I can't tell which) that sits in the woods, entangled in some trees.

The rusty relic has been parked there for more than 20 years, when we bought the property.  The drawback of being out in the woods are the ticks; I removed three before I left and found two more when I got home.

Wednesday brought about a contrast and a change of scene with a pilgrimage trip to downtown St. Louis sponsored by my parish.

The original date for the pilgrimage earlier this month was cancelled due to high water, so I'm glad I was still able to make the trip.

Although the Mississippi River was still high and running fast, it wasn't as wild as earlier in the month.

Our first stop was the St. Louis Basilica, one of the oldest churches west of the Mississippi. The basilica, located at the foot of the Gateway Arch, is what we locals call the "Old Cathedral."

The exterior of the Old Cathedral is undergoing renovation, but the simple beauty of the historical church still shines through.

Our next stop was the Shrine of St. Joseph, site of a Vatican authenticated miracle.

St. Joseph's is a welcoming church and once the home parish for thousands of German families in St. Louis.

The church was slated for demolition in the 1970s, but it was saved from the wrecking ball and restored to its natural beauty.

Howard, our docent at the church, provided fascinating details about the church's history and special features.

The Shrine of St. Joseph is such a lovely church, my photos don't do it justice.

The main altar is especially colorful and breathtaking.

After leaving the church we headed for the Old Spaghetti Factory on Laclede's Landing.

After a delicious buffet lunch, we headed back to the riverfront for a Mississippi River tour on the Tom Sawyer.

The riverboat tour was exciting.  My sister and I climbed the steps of the boat to the top deck, which offered a spectacular view of the river and the City of St. Louis.

We sat next to a couple of college students from Saudi Arabia, who were impressed with their first visit to St. Louis.

On the Tom Sawyer Riverboat, as the captain steered the boat up and down river, he pointed out landmarks and sites of significance.

We rode under the Eads Bridge and were able to see the Old Courthouse, location of the Dred-Scott decision.

While I was tired by the time our bus made its way through rush hour traffic and returned to St. Peters, it was a happy weariness as a feeling of peace settled over me.

My trips this week to the country and to the city have reinforced my knowledge of how fortunate I am to live in the "Show Me" State of Missouri, a land of natural and man-made beauty and lots of contrasts. 

What a wonderful week for memories and inspiration.

A Day of Symbolism (Part II) - The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

Earlier this month I drove for my grandson's class field trip. In preparation for their receiving the sacrament of Confirmation, which took place this past weekend, we visited was the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

According to the visitor's guide, the Cathedral's "unique design combines architecture of Romanesque style on the exterior with Byzantine style interior."

The cathedral contains one of the largest collections of mosaics in the world, containing 41.5 million pieces of glass in more than 7,000 colors. The cathedral was designated a basilica in 1997 by the late Pope John Paul II.

The photo above is of the main altar. There is not enough space to describe the beauty and symbolism of the basilica, but I'll give a snapshot of facts included in their visitor's guide.

"In the sanctuary dome, mosaics picture the twelve apostles bearing symbols of their lives. The large structure over the main altar is the 'baldachino' whose top dome imitates the main exterior dome of the Cathedral. The white marble figure of Christ crucified dominates the sanctuary.

"The central dome includes mosaic panels dedicated to the Holy Trinity. At the base of the dome is a rippling wave symbolizing water. Sixteen angels represent eight archangels and eight commemorative angels. The lower wall in the narthex is buff marble, symbolizing the earth. The mosaic panels above are paves with scenes about the life of Saint Louis IX, King of France, and patron saint of the City of St. Louis. The vaulted ceiling is covered by a swirling green vine symbolic of Christ."

Here's a description of one of the four side chapels. "The Blessed Virgin's Chapel was created by Tiffany Company of New York in the Italian style. Panels in the chapel depict Mary's presentation, annunciation, visitation to Elizabeth, and the assumption."


Last Saturday we were at the cathedral basilica again for my grandson's confirmation. His sister was his confirmation sponsor. it was a lovely day and an uplifting ceremony. Both grandchildren are shown on the left in front of the sign for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

If you get to St. Louis and want to be inspired, not just by beauty and artistry, but also from a sense of peace, visit the cathedral basilica at 4431 Lindell Blvd. (at Newstead Ave.).

Tours are available Sundays at 1:00 pm and Monday-Friday at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Masses and Confessions are available at varying times throughout the day.

If you can't make the trip to St. Louis, you can learn about the cathedral's history and see some of its beauty on the cathedral website.

A Day Filled with Symbolism (Part I)

Last week I was a chaperone for my grandson’s eighth-grade class field trip across the Missouri River into to St. Louis -- or OTB (over the bridge) as one mom called it -- to the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica.

             Over the years I’ve driven for dozens of field trips, but this one was exceptional for many reasons. As a writer I was impressed by the contrasts and symbolism. As a believer, I was moved by the spiritual nature of both places.

             Our group of twenty-three students and six adults started off the morning at the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center in St. Louis County. Our docent for the tour was outstanding – articulate, passionate, knowledgeable, steadfast, and warm. She told us she had been a middle-grade teacher, so she welcomed our group of eighth-grade students as “her people.”

             She shared some history about World War II, focusing on the Holocaust. One fact that made an impression on the faces of the teens was the horrible truth that 1.5 million children were among the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

             The symbolism in the museum was stark, yet moving. Stars of David graced the walls of the reception area. One exhibit room was filled with photos of concentration camp victims. The room also held a Nazi flag, prisoner photos, and identification cards. Incased in a corner was a pair of striped pajamas worn in a concentration camp. One photo in a cracked frame showed the broken glass and damage during Krystallnacht; another photo showed books being piled up and burned.

 

             One wall displayed colored badges prisoners were forced to wear: Yellow for Jews, red for political prisoners, pink for homosexuals, purple for Jehovah’s Witnesses, brown for gypsies, black, green, blue, and other color designations for groups targeted by the Nazis for extinction. Many of the photos and displays are replicas of those from the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

             After weaving our way through the exhibit rooms, we were ushered into an auditorium where we listened to an elderly Jewish woman talk about her experiences as a young girl living in Romania during the Nazi occupation. The room was silent and somber as she spoke in a soft voice about how she made her way from Europe to the United States, which she described as “the best country in the world” because of its freedom. The message of both our docent and the woman were: be kind to others, no matter who they are or how different they look, and speak out if you see someone being bullied or abused.

 

            Our time at the Holocaust Museum was too short; I plan to return so I can explore more of the exhibits.  After I got home that night I visited the center's website and discovered that each spring the center holds an annual art and writing contest for middle grade and high school students. The 2013 deadline has just passed, but it’s not too early for students to think about next year.

            In my next post I’ll write about our visit to the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica and the rich symbolism there. 

Calls for Submissions: Be Quick on the Draw for These Contests

Recently I've learned about two writing contests with short deadlines and no entry fees.

The first was sent to me by Coffee and Critique group writing pal, Marcia Gaye. The Poetry in Motion Contest is sponsored by the Metro Arts in Transit and Poetry Society of America. Entrants for the Poetry in Motion Contest must be residents within 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Multiple winners will receive a $50 award and be invited to read their poems at a ceremony in November. The contest deadline is 5 p.m. September 24, 2012.

Lou Turner, my dear friend and publisher of High Hill Press, e-mailed me about the "The Greatest Western Never Told" four-sentence contest sponsored by HHP and Brett Cogburn. Western stories of no more than four sentences are eligible. Winner (or winners) will receive their pick of one of Cogburn's books and inclusion in a future Cactus Country anthology. Deadline is September 23.

Good luck if you enter, but remember -- be quick on the draw!

School's Out and A Whole Lot of Streaking Going On in St. Louis

Yesterday was the last day of school for my grandson; my granddaughter's last day was a week ago. To celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, I took the two of them and my granddaughter's boyfriend to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Our tickets were way, way up, on the first-base side, but it was a great night to have a hot time in the city. And I'm not only talking about the temperature, which was in the 90s when we rolled into St. Louis. 

We arrived downtown early to watch batting practice and enjoyed a free concert headlined by a very talented band called Griffin and the Gargoyles. After the band played for awhile we were in for a special treat when legendary Cardinal speedster Vince Coleman spoke to the pre-game crowd outside the stadium.

Coleman was known for his lightning speed streaking around the bases when he played for the Cardinals. During his talk he shared words of wisdom he learned from coach Whitey Herzog, "Give one-hundred-and-ten percent and show up on time."

During batting practice lots of baseballs streaked through the air, and a few landed near where we stood. I did a lot of ducking and covering my head with my purse every time I heard the words, "Heads up!" The Phillies players tossed a few baseballs into the stands, but none were caught by us. Maybe next time.

By the time we found our seats, I was tired. It felt great to sit, and it was a lovely evening. Then the game started. By the end of the first inning the home-town team was behind by four runs, then down six by the end of two innings. They rallied and made the game interesting later on but fell one run short.

The Cards have been hot, almost as hot as the weather, but their winning streak ended last night. And the Cards weren't the only ones who had an end put to their streak on the field. 

At the beginning of the seventh inning a naked man darted out of the stands onto the field, pursued by the grounds crew and police -- to the surprise and amusement of fans. At first I thought the guy had on a buff colored morph outfit like the blue men group wear, but my granddaughter convinced me the man was naked because she "saw his butt crack."

By the time I dug out my camera, the streaker was down on the ground. A groundskeeper threw a towel around him.

During the excitement I received a call from my sister, who was watching the game on television. She wanted to know what was going on because the TV stations didn't show the guy's romp on the field. I described the scene and told her I snapped a few photos to record the event for -- posterity. After the man was led from the field and no doubt on his way to being arrested, the Ray Stevens' song "The Streak" blared on the stadium intercom.

Anyway, the guy was led off the field in a pair of shorts someone recovered from his entry point. Today's news reported the guy ran naked onto the field because he lost a bet. I'd venture he lost more than that.

Later a helicopter with a spotlight lit up the sky near the stadium. My grandson noticed it first and pointed it out. He wondered if the police were trying to catch someone.  He was right. On this morning's news there was a report about a group of protestors painting graffiti on banks.

I won't describe the romantic encounteer we witnessed as we waited to exit the parking garage, but it was far worse than what went on with the streaker. Was there a full moon last night--or maybe it's the heat?

After sitting in traffic then driving the 30 miles to St. Charles County, it was almost midnight. The kids were more hungry than tired, so we drove through an all-night eatery and the kids polished up some fast food back in our kitchen. By the time I rolled into bed I was exhausted, but our night at the ballpark was a streak of entertainment I'm certain my grandchildren will long remember. I know I surely will.

More Angels and Demons - St. Louis Style

The second church on our tour was St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, 15 Plaza Square, commonly known as St. John's Downtown. The church, which was built in 1847, was designed by architect Thomas Warring Walsh. At one time, during the 1860s, the church was designated the Cathedral Church of the St. Louis Archdiocese.

During the Civil War, an Irish priest names Father John Bannon, served as pastor of St. John's. Father Bannon was also a prominent chaplain for the Confederate forces as part of the 1st Missouri Brigade. Tragically, Irish immigrants fought against each other in Gettysburg and on other battlefields during the war. At the end of the conflict, clergy on the Confederate side could no longer serve as ministers, so Bannon returned to Ireland. Two flags, one Confederate and one Union, appear in the rear of the church, above the choir loft. Because of their remote location I was unable to get a photo of the flags.

The significance of the church in the Angels and Demons tour can be found in the east apse--a reproduction of Raphael's 1520 painting of The Transfiguration recounted in the Gospel of St. Matthew. The original painting is displayed in the Vatican Museum in Rome. The painting shows demons being exorcised from a young boy.

Scenes in the stained glass windows of St. John's Church depict events in the life of Christ recounted in the Gospel of St. John.

The final church on our Angels and Demons Tour, St. Francis Xavier (College) Church on the campus of St. Louis University, is notable for many reasons. One is because of its historical significance, beautiful architecture, and lovely interior, but also because of its connection to a famous exorcism.

In 1949-1950, it was in the rectory of St. Louis University and at the Alexian Brothers Hospital a few miles away, where the exorcism made famous by the William Peter Blatty novel THE EXORCIST actually took place. While the records had been ordered to be sealed by the Church for 50 years, the news of the exorcism leaked out in writing the book. However, significant details were changed in the novel, such as the sex of the child and the location of the exorcism.

In the actual exorcism, the possessed was a teenage boy named "Robbie" (not his actual name) whose family lived in the Washington, D.C. area. Robbie's family was non-Catholic but had a family member living in St. Louis, who contacted a priest from St. Louis University asking for help for the teenager.

During our tour, the docent revealed details about Robbie's exorcism. Robbie was brought to St. Louis and examined by medical professionals before the exorcism was performed -- by three Jesuit priests with assistance from two seminarians.

Listening to the true story, goosebumps formed on my arms as I sat in the church, lit only by dim lights and sunlight.  Even with a flash on my camera, the photo I took of the main altar (above) came out dark. I won't go into it here, but suffice it to say that many of the reported details of the possession were chilling, and which I won't repeat them. The church itself was the scene of an other-worldly event at the end of Robbie's exorcism. Walking out of the church into the sunlight that day was a welcome feeling.

Hope you enjoyed my recounting of the Angels and Demons tour. Although parts of the tour were frightening, it was interesting and memorable. I'll save the final, and less unsettling, portion for another time.

Angels and Demons - St. Louis Style

Last month my sister Kathleen and I took a motorcoach tour sponsored by the City of St. Peters, Missouri.

Over the past few years I've gone on several of these around-town tours and have found them educational, entertaining and fun. Tour guide Linda Koenig led the "Angels and Demons" Tour, which took us to several churches, one cemetery, a convent, and a haunted mansion.

After boarding the bus, our tour guide gave us an explanation about the origin of words angel and demon. Angel comes from the Latin word Angelus, meaning messenger of God. Demon comes from the Greek word Daimon, meaning evil spirit.

The first church on our tour was the Shrine of St. Joseph, 1220 North 11th Street in St. Louis (pictured above). Jesuit priests founded the parish in 1843 in an area called Kerry Patch because of the large number of Irish immigrants who settled in St. Louis after the potato famine in Ireland. The land for St. Joseph's was donated by Mrs. Ann Biddle, daughter of one of St. Louis's most generous benefactors, John Mullanphy. Mrs. Biddle, whose husband Thomas was killed in a duel, occupied her time with Catholic charities and other philanthropic endeavors.

An outbreat of cholera plagued the citizens of St. Louis in the 1860s, and parish priests conducted as many as 20 burials a day from St. Joseph's.

Members of the parish prayed their families would be spared more deaths and asked St. Joseph to intercede on their behalf. Several family members signed a vow that if their prayers and petitions were answered they would erect a monument to honor St. Joseph. According to the parish history, not one family member of those who signed the pledge was stricken with cholera after that.

In thanksgiving, the families erected the St. Joseph's Altar of Answered Prayers (above), which serves as the main altar of the church. The Shrine of St. Joseph is also the site of a miracle healing of Julius Strecker, which involved a blessing with a relic of Peter Claver. The miraculous healing was confirmed by the Vatican.

Other features of the church are the slots where doors once stood on the side of the pews. The doors were shut to help keep the faithful warm in the winter. The pews were also divided lengthwise, which meant double pew rental fees.

Among the notable features of the church are the symbols of life and death depicted on the ceiling. The skull and crossed bones (in the dark) represent death, while the butterfly above it (in the light) represents rebirth and resurrection.

In the 1980s the church was abandoned and in a deplorable state. A dedicated group of faithful people donated money to save it from ruin. Before they could begin repairing the insides, more than five tons of bird droppings had to be removed from the floors. Now the church is the site of Sunday Masses, special events, and a popular location for wedding ceremonies. The church also has a thrift shop, which serves residents who live nearby. The day we visited we were given bread and fruit left over from their St. Joseph's Day celebration, which was celebrated the day before (on March 19).

In my next post I'll share some of what I learned about another famous St. Louis church, which played a part in the Civil War.

Cinema St. Louis - Call for Entries from St. Louis-area Filmmakers

Lights, Camera, Action!

For all you local filmmakers, here's an e-mail I recently received announcing a juried filmmaking competition:

Dear donna,

The second edition of Cinema at Citygarden - a co-presentation of Cinema St. Louis (CSL) and Gateway Foundation - invites St. Louis-area filmmakers to let their imaginations blossom by creating short works that incorporate Nature as a key element.

Cinema at Citygarden (on left)

This juried competition will award cash prizes - $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place - to the top three entries. The winning shorts will then be featured as part of a looped program that will screen on Citygarden's video wall starting May 25, 2012. In addition to the three cash-prize winners, up to seven other works will be chosen to be part of the video-wall program this summer. For programming listings, please visit www.citygardenstl.org.

A three-person jury comprising a filmmaker, film scholar, and film critic will select the video-wall program, including both the three cash-prize winners and the additional films. Jury members will be announced on CSL's Web site.

Cinema St. Louis will also screen the video-wall program - as well as additional Cinema at Citygarden competition entries chosen by CSL - as part of the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, held in August 2012. Those films will then be eligible for consideration by the St. Louis International Film Festival, held Nov. 8-18, 2012.

The cash-prize winners and additional works in the video-wall program will be announced on Friday, May 25, 2012. No entry fee is required. Submission deadline is April 2, 2012. For full competition details and a downloadable call-for-entries form, visit the CSL Web site: www.cinemastlouis.org.

For more information about Cinema at Citygarden, contact Cinema St. Louis at 314-289-4150 or visit http://www.cinemastlouis.org/.

Sincerely,

Brian Spath
Cinema St. Louis

Wednesday Club of St. Louis 86th Original Poetry Contest for Local Poets

Founded in 1890, the Wednesday Club of St. Louis has a long history of supporting the arts and intellectual pursuits in the St. Louis area. The club's goal is "to provide a center of thought and action for the advancement of education, science, philanthrophy, literature, and the arts."

If you are a poet who lives within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis, the Wednesday Club of St. Louis has a contest you might want to consider. The club has invited poets to enter its Eighty-Sixth Original Poetry Contest. The submission deadline is Feb 1, 2012, and the awards reception is April 11, 2012. Acclaimed poet Mark Halliday is this year's judge.

Entrants must be over 18 and live within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. Prizes range from $400-$100. The submission guidelines are quite specific. If you want to find out more about the contest, here is a link to the contest guidelines.

The Wednesday Club of St. Louis also is sponsoring a Junior Poetry Contest for local high school students in grades 10-12, who must submit through their school's English Department. That contest will be judged by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Here is a link for the contest guidelines for the Junior Poetry Contest.

The Wednesday Club's 86th Original Poetry Contest is a great opportunity to showcase the talent of local poets. If I were a decent poet I would enter, but with my limited poetry skills I wouldn't have a chance. But I hope that some of my visitors who are poets will check out the contest. If you do enter, good luck!