Mike Groden and The Planning Office for Urban Affaires

Thanks for the mention of  "Obama's Rules for Revolution: The Alinsky Model." I am not going to mail 25 scarce bucks to Horowitz, or anyone for that matter, but it sent me back to my roots.

During my “regency” I worked for a priest in Boston, Michael Groden, who was also a student at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in urban planning. Mike started a small office in Haymarket Square called the Planning Office for Urban Affairs. I wrote a proposal for the seed money from HUD for what became the East Boston Community Development Corporation which in turn became the first of many low income housing projects that Mike initiated. The impetus for Mike’s activism was his work with Saul Alinsky. Later I found out that our Morgan had been shaped by Alinsky’s training. I suspect I see evidence that John Baumann also exhibits some of these traits.


So I have to thank the member who got my Irish going, and turned my mind back to my own Alinsky roots. I googled Mike, not easy as he was given the bum's rush after he publicly criticized Law’s handling of the numerous sexual abuse cases in Boston, and phoned him last Saturday morning. He was as pleasant and welcoming as I remembered. Spoke of his continuing work with the AFL-CIO in their not for profit housing arm, and even rose to defend Law. I said that I had heard that Law drew a salary of more than 300,000 US$, but MIke was quick to correct me that that figure included the entire yearly budget of running one of the major churches in Rome. What a class act--and much better than the hearing he received in Boston where he built hundreds of low-income housing units while at the same time rebuilding a Back Bay parish. We also spoke about Francis, and Mike, though encouraged, said he was watching the cardinal who is working to corral US nuns, and also claims to have Francis’s ear. 


Also last week, I meditated with a friend here in the financial district  who is still a practicing catholic, even sends his daughters to Saint Ignatius Prep, He said that from what he had heard, he was encouraged by the new bishop in Oakland who, in sharp contrast to his predecessor, Bishop Salvdore, made a public commitment to working with the poor rather than cozying up to the prophet of the LDS in order to raise millions to ban same sex marriage in California. 


If this is an indication that Francis has a very different “bishop-prospecting profile” than Ratzinger, that will be a very powerful force in shaping the future. Go Alinsky! Even though Saul would not pass the Rosica litmus test for heaven, I say he’s a shoo in. 


Urban Edge 

Mossik Hagobian

http://www.poua.org/about.htm


During my regency I worked for a fine priest in Boston, 

Monsignor Michael F. Groden, Box 511, Scituate, MA  02066

Home (781) 545-2737

11 Sunset Rd

Scituate, MA 02066-4324



http://www.poynter.org/archived/abuse-tracker/11316/audit-noted-monsignors-expense-excesses/


http://www.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/stories4/051503_groden.htm


http://www.aflcio-hit.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=1190

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