by diane leutgeb-munson
We in Winona are grateful for many reasons that Mike has decided to use his many talents for the benefit of this community. His training as an electrician has been indispensible already. Before moving here, Mike worked in the trade that his father, brother and many uncles share in Detroit. It is the nature of that work and his upbringing in a working class family that he says makes it “often easier to relate to guests than to the other live-ins volunteers.” His family ties are strong but his life has not always been easy and he readily admits that he and his family have had struggles that help him to relate to the guests that he now lives with.
Mike has long assumed that his life would lead him toward community living of some kind, though the timing was not quite what he had expected. He had lived in an intentional community in Detroit, through which he encountered a Catholic Worker house in the city. Intrigued, he began to explore other Catholic Workers. In his discernment with the Winona community it became overwhelmingly clear that he was ready for both the move and the commitment. He would join us in the winter, only after embarking on a cross-country road trip. Weeks before moving in to the community Mike and a friend drove from Detroit to California and back, seeing the country and generating fodder for endless stories.
Though at first glance he does not seem an extrovert, one striking observation is that it took no time at all for Mike to commence his exploration of Winona, which involved not only biking around town at length, but, perhaps more importantly, meeting people and developing friendships. It had not been two weeks since his arrival that we happened to be downtown together and people greeted him by name. His investment in coming to live in Winona is bigger than committing himself to the work of the houses, though that alone is an astounding job. As he explains it, he does not see the point in living in a place if you are not going to build relationships, try new things and really get to know the area.
The wider community will likely soon get a chance to witness another side of Mike when he beings sharing his poetry with us. Having published a book of poetry, he is no longer a novice and says he is working towards a collaborative open mic poetry night with some friends in town. The depth of his life experience and the refreshingly radical view of the world that he holds undoubtedly season his words.
Each time a new member joins this community it is a time of joy, like a rebirth for these houses. As we welcome the new energy and learn to make decisions with another voice in the circle, it is important to step back and remember how incredible it is to find a person like Mike in the world. He is here because he shares the core beliefs of this community, which is a simple way to say that he is ready to devote his life, in this moment in time, to live in poverty, alongside those who do not choose but instead are cast to such a place. Mike believes, as we do, that by living in community we can better care for one another. He also sees that violence will never bring peace in our homes, in our community or in our world. He knows that there is a grounding force in the faith life that is shared by this community and is ready and willing to enter that space with humility and respect. Mike is a lot like us, but it is good to remember that he is unique in our world. We are thrilled to have his spirit here alongside ours to help us find the way toward our better selves.