This newsletter is issued by the Slovenian Consular Office in Chicago. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep people in the Slovenian American communities of Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana aware of current events that might be of interest. We welcome news especially of events and new arrivals to the local community. Email notices may be sent to the
Consular Visit: Consul General Andrej Rode regrets that he will have to postpone his visit to Chicago until February. He was awaiting an upgrade for the portable equipment used in the passport process. It has not arrived. He is assured that it will be ready for his visit on February 10, 2018, at the Slovenian Catholic Center.
The Society of Slovene Studies had their annual meetings in Chicago in early February. Information about this organization can be found at www.slovenestudies.com. This year they had a moment of silence for Fr. Blase Chemazar, OFM a long-time member who passed away in early April. This is a not for profit scholarly organization whose membership is open to anyone interested in scholarly research of Slovenian culture, language and history.
Our Sympathies
Condolences are extended to the family of Jane Summers Zefran. Jane was born into the Bogolin family who were a bedrock of the Slovenian community located in the St. Stephen neighborhood. After marrying Ron Zefran, she became active in the Zefran Funeral Home business helping many of us through difficult hours of grief. She was a member of the SCC and her husband Ron was on the founding board of the SCC.
Condolences are also offered to the family of Marija Turk, a longtime member of the Slovenian Catholic Mission as well as the Slovenian Catholic Center. Marija was a reader at Mass less than a month before her death. She will be remembered for her expertise in the kitchen, her ever-present smile, and good nature. She was one of the critical people on Karl Zorjan's Koline Dinner crew.
Condolences are also offered to the family of Marija Grum in Milwaukee. Her funeral is Friday at noon at St. Dominic Church in Brookfield, WI. Marija and her husband were a critical part of the Slovenian community in southeast Wisconsin and we saw them frequently at events in Chicago.
Condolences are offered as well to the family of Bill Prokup of Peru, Illinois. Bill died young. he supported his wife Bonnie's multiple offices with the Slovenian Women’s Union of America including her presidency which started the path to the reorganization of the SWUA from a fraternal insurance company to a fraternal organization. He was also a beloved softball coach at St. Bede Academy. He was a proud husband, father, and grandfather.
May all of these people rest in peace.
Franciscans
The Slovenian Franciscan Provincial, p. Marjan Čuden, OFM and the secretary of the province, p. Tadej Astrehovec, OFM. They visited all three of the sites in the USA which are staffed by Slovenian Franciscans. They were welcomed by a committee of parishioners from the Slovenian Catholic Mission who were able to review with them the current status of the grounds and the fund-raising activity.
Cleveland Consulate
I have received a number of calls about the Cleveland Consulate. It moved last month and has a new address and telephone number. the information is repeated below:
Consulate for the Republic of Slovenia
1100 E. Superior, Suite 720
Cleveland, OH 44114
216-771-7010
New Book on the Displaced Persons Camps which held Slovenians
The Družina Publishing House in October released the book: Rojstvo Novih Domovin (Birth of New Homelands). We have readers in our area who were in camps, were born in camps or had parents and grandparents in camps. In the past few years, a few picture books have been published on this topic. This book has 16 vignettes written by people who lived this experience and is organized in sections dealing with the daily lives of the refugees. It makes the point that the educational system built in the camp was excellent, better than in other DP camps scattered across Europe. The book also notes the quantity and wide scope of the books that were published in the camp. I grew up with these books in my parents’ library. They educated a whole generation of people who made their mark in their new homelands oversees. Rojstvo Novih Domovin is available for purchase from Družina.
Another book was published recently by Mohorjeva Družba in Celje in both English and Slovenian. The book was written by Maria L. Videc whose parents were both born in Slovenia. The title is From Slovenia with Hope. She herself was born in Netherlands in 1947. She was a professor of Public Administration before running and winning a seat in the Dutch Parliament. She took her family's history of migration prior to the war to Germany and then America and turned it into a historical novel. The book is printed with both the Slovenian and English translations in the same book. Many of us have family histories that include multiple generations of our predecessors migrating to the USA starting from the time of the Civil War to the post-WWII era. This book focuses on the early 20th century which witnessed tens of thousands of Slovenian migrants that went to parts of Europe as well as the USA.
KOLEDAR:
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Slomšek Slovenian School Sv. Miklavz Program
Sunday, Dec 31, 2017
New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance at the SCC
To have your event added to the calendar, please email me at [email protected] and we will add it to the next newsletter. Slovenian organizations are welcome and encouraged to share your open events.
Consular hours are by appointment.
Please contact the consulate in Lemont by email or telephone.
Dr. Janez P. Vidmar
Honorary Consul for the Republic of Slovenia for Illinois
You are receiving this email because you are either a member of a Slovenian organization, have requested to be updated with news, or know the Consul personally. We promise to not spam you.
Our mailing address is:
Dr. Janez P. Vidmar, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Slovenia for IllinoisPO Box 63414252 Main StreetLemont, IL 60439
