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Portrait of Jim Harney by Rob Shetterly My friend, Jim Harney, a member of the Milwaukee 14 is dying. Today I got this message:
Dear compañeros and friends of Jim Harney.
Jim’s journey on this planet is nearly ended and he wanted you to know this:
“I want to tell you that I love you. I want to tell you goodbye and wish you well in the struggle and challenge ahead. There is no other time but now.”
Jim and Nancy wanted you to know that if you want or need a quiet moment in prayer bedside with Jim, the door is open. Also, know that he is sleeping now most of the time and his hearing is hyper-sensitive, even with ear plugs. Please, no phone calls.
You are also most welcome to share this message with friends and to post your own messages to Jim in a public forum at CelebratingJim.net.
Thank you very much for all of your love, support, prayers and well wishes for our dear and beloved friend.
Jim was known to many for his work with possibilidad documenting in pictures and stories the lives of the poor, marginalized and undocumented particularly in Latin America. However, I knew Jim from the Milwaukee 14 of the sixties and from his recent journeys to Milwaukee with his stories and slides. Here is something I wrote a few months ago, expressing my experience of Jim, for a party celebrating Jim’s life.
Dear Jim,
Getting to know you the second time, the last few years, was much more inspiring for me than the first time in 1968 as we were part of the Milwaukee 14 action. The first time you were an angry young priest disappointed, as many of us, with the war in Vietnam and injustice in USA. When I was blessed to meet with you the last few years you were just as passionate as ever about peace and justice but this time with the wisdom of a young elder as you have become.
The most enjoyable story of the second coming of Jim Harney to Milwaukee is when you gave the slide show and talk on the plight of immigrants to America at the Call To Action conference. People sat in silence, I understand, as you spoke about the journey of immigrant workers to USA, their hopes, dreams and suffering. After you talk someone pointed out that the slide projector was not working during your presentation. You were upset and offered to show the pictures that you thought were displaying during your talk. According to my source, our friend Father Lorenzo who was present, people said there was no need for that. They had gotten the picture from your passionate words.
May your days walking on this earth be blessed and long. You will be always present with us who knew you in 1968 or 2008, before and beyond.
Your friend,
Bob Graf
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