the alumni Corner Offering a profound presence at the beach By Peter Zemelka ’77 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — You would think that Thomas Merton, the late Kentucky author-monk, lived in Brevard County, Florida. Communities here have been championing volunteering efforts for social justice for some time: to build housing for the homeless (Habitat for Humanity); to feed the hungry (Daily Bread); and to pick up trash (Keep Brevard Beautiful), just to mention a few. Merton wrote: “Contemplative living is living in unified relationships with oneself, god, Others, and nature, free of the illusion of separateness. We have taken for granted that we could be bystanders and that our quality as detached observers could pressure our innocence and relieve us of responsibility.” As the climate is more apocalyptic now, those little efforts like volunteer beach cleanups, although appreciated, seem useless. An oil spill caused by an offshore oil rig explosion, tsunamis that follow an earthquake or radiation fallout from some distant melt- down all link to global warming — ice caps melting, oceans rising and the implication of more rogue hurricanes, tornadoes, drought and powerful storms threaten everybody (not to mention war and terrorism). For the record, I’m not moving from my beachside residence. (When disaster strikes, however, will it matter if you live on the ground floor of a high-rise?) The symbols of my religion abound on the beach and link mem- ories to my old hometown, Louisville: • The pelican is a symbol of self-sacrifice and nurturing and has been used by the Sisters of Charity, Nazareth, Ky., and other church organizations to denote a commitment to the poor. • The oyster shell has been and still is used on official govern- ment, church and family crests. • The Bible stories of prophetic strangers, fishermen and the sea remain impressionable experiences when growing up almost a unison voice “that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead!” and still inspire later in life. And an ecumenical spirit abounds. That spirit prevails throughout the year: “Here is where heaven, The latitudinal and longitudinal trade winds and Gulf Stream nature and man meet, on the beach, Cocoa Beach, Florida.” And have helped Florida’s East Coast communities to avoid having throughout the year, weddings, baptisms and other religious cel- powerful storms like hurricanes stall here. ebrations can be observed on the beach. A recent discovery was made that the Ais Indians were the first Today, the living-by-the-beach inhabitant (who is the real settlers who lived in Florida close to the beach for centuries beach bum) once again offers a suggestion for the survival of pos- before the first conquistadors brought Christianity. When the terity: “Please, when visiting our beach, or any outdoor habitat, European settlers followed, it was always to a beach settlement bring your own trash bag(s) and take your trash back with you. first, where (clean) water provided a source of sustenance, nur- Please, only leave your footprints in the sand.” turing and self-sufficiency. Thomas Merton’s presence at the beach remains profound. It is not unusual to compare the play of light and darkness before a sunrise or sunset on the beach to that of a fireworks display. When the first Sunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox appears on or after March 21, at Easter, the streets leading to the Peter Zemelka (’77) graduated from Bellarmine with a degree in history beach in Cocoa Beach resemble chaos, not unlike fans arriving at and now lives in Cape Canaveral, Fla., with his family. He is a product a sports coliseum or going to a Kentucky Derby. On Easter morn, of Catholic schools, Louisville and the U.S. Coast guard who worked in the beach becomes host to a multitude of Christian denomina- the areas of systems analysis, technical writing and industrial security tions. Congregants converge to their own pre- ordained locations, in the aerospace industry prior to taking an emergency family leave and retiring to be a caregiver. not only to experience sacrament publicly but to proclaim in spring 2013 47
Bellarmine Magazine_Spring2013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above