1998 Dororthy Day Award |
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 Frank has lived his life to date in the spirit of Dorothy Day. His great patience and wisdom has enabled him to mediate over obstacles and always work to the benefit of those less fortunate. Frank worked in the late 60’s living with Fr. Ray McVay. As a matter of fact, Frank put up the first collateral so that Ray could buy the original buildings and property of Unity Acres. In the 1980’s, Frank helped form a housing land trust. The project is called "Time of Jubilee" and has been funded with contributions from various churches and individuals. Over 60 new homes have been built under this project. From 1994-97, Frank was a memberof the Citizen Review Board, which receives complaints relating to police conduct or misconduct and gives a forum or medication to those who may not otherwise be heard. As a professional pastoral counselor, Frank has done spiritual and psychological counseling with those in and out of prison. He established the "Jericho Project" which has helped develop support for those in recovery. The goal of the program is to provide: housing, employment, and counseling. The name "Jericho" is symbolic of the walls of injustice "coming down". (Meme came up with the name). Frank has also been active with "lifers" at the Auburn prison. Both Frank and Meme have lived a life of courage and conviction. Both have been arrested for their actions and beliefs as they relate to the anti nuclear movement at the Seneca Depot and Griffiss Air Force base. As a matter of fact, Meme was arrested as recently as last summer at a Pax Christi gathering in Washington DC. Both Frank and Meme have been active in Pax Christi ( an International Catholic Peace and Justice group) and helped to form our local chapter which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Both Frank and Meme can identify with Dorothy Day’s spirit. As a former parish priest and a former Sister of Mercy, they both lived lives of relative simplicity, including serving others.
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Meme was a Sister of Mercy from 1949-69, teaching at
the Junior and High School levels in the Connecticut area. . Care of the poor, uneducated,
and sick, a fourth vow of the Mercy Sisters was integrated into her educational work. A noted teacher and choral conductor, Meme served inner city parishes and a regional high school in Hartford, Ct for many years. Classical and liturgical music formed the base of a life long ministry, continuing to the present. Most recently,Meme taught music at St. Matthew’s, East Syracuse for 8 years and has sung with the Oratorio Society since 1978, believing that gifts shared with children and the greater community should be a trademark of living. Meme has had a continuous relationship with L’Arche for over twenty three years as Board and Committee member and as a friend to the community. L’Arche is an ecumenical, international community in which persons with disabilities live as equals and peers with committed long-term volunteers. Meme went back to work in 1981 as a case coordinator with the Elder Abuse Project, a federally funded pilot project administered through the Alliance division of Catholic Charities. Continuing her work with the poor and elderly, Meme became the co-director of H.O.M.E (housing options and management for the elderly.).Currently Meme is a job developer with Transitional Living Services, a non-for-profit agency which serves individuals with various disabilities. In addition to all of the above , Frank and Meme serve on the justice and peace committee and have visited and remain active with our sister community in Nicaragua, putting an international face on injustice. Meme has also been a liturgist for weddings, funerals, and various celebrations. Frank and Meme have two daughter. Hiedi,26, works with the Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. and Amy, 24, is a medical student in Buffalo. As a young person interviewing this amazing couple, I am filled with humble awe at the breath of their collective involvement fighting injustice, working for peace, and following the gospel message of caring and giving a voice to the poor and rejected. They live out the social teachings of the church in their activism and deeds. They are truly an inspiration to us all. Congratulations, Frank and Meme Eileen M.Clinton, |
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