New American Dream

The New American
Dream Interview

Fr. DARRELL RUPIPER, 72, lives in Chicago.

He is a Catholic priest, a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

He was born in Carroll, Iowa.

He served as a missionary with the poor of Brazil for four years. While there he was arrested, imprisoned, and finally expelled from the country by the military government.

He also served several federal prison terms for civil disobedience at Offutt Air Force Base, home of the Strategic Air Command, near Omaha.

Darrell went to Iran twice to attempt to free the U.S. hostages.

First with a group of 50 U.S. citizens under the leadership of Norm Forer, a professor in Lawrence, Kansas. The second time at the invitation of the students holding the U.S. hostages. Along with two other ministers he went to offer Easter services to the hostages at the request of Ayatollah Khomeini.

For the past six years he has been traveling the country preaching about the perils of global warming.

"My time in Brazil was a life-changer. Nothing could have prepared this Iowa farm boy for the shock of the human misery I encountered."

When he returned to the United States he was passionate about working to overturn injustices in the world.


More about Fr. Darrell Rupiper:

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The New American Dream Trivia Question:

To win a round button that says, "Bush Is Lying About What He Knew," be the first one to correctly answer the following.

Darrell Rupiper would rather be ....

a. Spreading manure across a frozen field somewhere near Carroll, Iowa b. An Episcopalian c. Pope Darrell For A Day d. Anywhere but Omaha e. Flying to Guantanamo, attempting to secure the imprisonment of George W. Bush f. Priesthood, prison, poverty, Iran, global warming ... how about just one effing day in Las Vegas!

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NAD: Darrell, hello, thank you for taking the time for this. Why the priesthood? Did you leave for seminary right out of high school? Why the Oblates?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

Howdy Mike,

First a couple of corrections ... not real important but here they are:

It wasn't with William Sloan Coffin that I went to Tehran. I went twice.

First with a group of 50 U.S. citizens under the leadership of Norm Forer, a professor in Lawrence, Kansas ... the second time at the invitation of the students holding the U.S. hostages, two other ministers and myself went to offer Easter services to the hostages at the request of Ayatollah Komeini.

I am in my sixth year cruising the country urging "wake-up" to the dangers of global warming primarily in Catholic Churches and other venues such as universities.

I am in my sixth year cruising the country urging "wake-up" to the dangers of global warming primarily in Catholic Churches and other venues such as universities.

My bed is in Chicago five blocks from Obama's bed and I just got back last night after being gone for more than a month.

Here goes the interview.

Why the priesthood?

I think my unconscious motivation to go to the seminary went something like this.

My home situation was terrible. My dad was an abusive alcoholic .... I, together with my seven siblings had to work hard on the farm (in retrospect it was good for us) ... and along came this effusive, energetic Oblate missionary priest who broke all liturgical rules and put on a church performance that was never experienced by this Iowa kid.

He spoke about the seminary.

It had three baseball diamonds, a lake to fish and swim in, two tennis courts, basketball courts etc ...

My response? Here I come ... and so I did.

I guess I was something of a heller in the seminary and there was a priest who believed in me and saved by behind ... meaning he saved me from being kicked out of the seminary.

... he saved me from being kicked out of the seminary.

When it came time for ordination I made my decision something like this.

"God, you got me into this. You saved me from getting out of this. If you don't get me out of it I will take it as a "Go Ahead!" to be ordained.

Da da! ... and here I am and a couple of days ago I passed my 45th anniversary of ordination.



NAD: You were in prison in Brazil. Can you describe that experience in six lines or less? Twelve?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

You ask for six lines or less to describe my experience in the Brazilian prison?

I and my associate were arrested after a Sunday evening Mass.

During the Mass while preaching I felt super strange ... so strange that I stopped to ask myself what is going on?

Yep, I heard a voice which said: "This is the last time you will be talking to my people Darrell!"

I knew it was for real, I sobbed for a while ... pulled myself together and managed to finish the homily.

I knew it was for real, I sobbed for a while ... pulled myself together and managed to finish the homily.

... the church was surrounded by fifty soldiers.




Two of my buddies approached after Mass asking what was going on?

I told them ... after a half hour they left the church, came right back in saying the church was surrounded by fifty soldiers.

We were taken away and the first night I was questioned by the chief of police for about five hours.

Inspite of the screams of people being tortured I felt strong cuz I knew I was not alone because of what I had heard during my homily.

Inspite of the screams of people being tortured
I felt strong cuz I knew I was not alone because of what
I had heard during my homily.

Crazy? Yep! So it is ... so it was!

One of the guys doing the torturing bragged to us that he got his training in torture methods at the International Police Academy in D.C.

That was not news to me nor to the Brazilian people!

Our people in the U.S. found it impossible to believe .... perhaps finally ... with Guantanamo!

Mike, I could go on and on about the Brazilian experience.

I am going to suggest that if people are interested they can purchase or lend a book that you co-authored which is entitled: "Prophets Without Honor: A Requiem for Moral Patriotism."

Why the Oblates?

Mike, it has been one hell'uva ride .... the priesthood I mean.

Nothing short of exciting!

I remember being assigned to help establish a parish on what was the garbage dump of the city of Recife, Pernambuco Brazil, [pop. 1,200,000].

I remember being assigned to help establish a parish on what was the garbage dump of the city of Recife.

This Iowa farm boy, newly ordained, was totally unprepared for what I saw and experienced.

It wasn't the poverty but the misery of the people.

I remember stopping a woman who came running past me with a baby in her arms ... both were crying.

I asked what's wrong ...

Her curt answer: "The rats got to my baby!" Lots of blood.

I remember going into the our house, I took a glass and threw it, smashing it against the wall at a crucifix.

I screamed: "Don't you see what is going on here? Don't you care?"

I took a glass and threw it,
smashing it against
the wall at a crucifix.

I screamed: "Don't you see what is going on here?

Don't you care?"

A light went on! Like a strike of lightning!

He did see ... he did care ... and that's why he was hanging where he was hanging ... meaning the cross.


Mike, that's when I decided I had to get my hands dirty ... clean actually ... by giving my life for those 'little ones'.




Forget the traditional role of priest as I understood it.




Forget the traditional role of priest as I understood it ... the sacramental priest only.

I am being terribly presumptuous in saying from that time on Jesus and I have partnered ... but I do know that Jesus is the answer ... I hesitate to say that because there are so many people on the far-right who say it so glibly and mean something totally different.

You can ask me more questions on that later if you wish.




NAD: Would you say that you then traced the path of the poverty back up here to the United States?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

Mike, everyone realizes that this is 'a dog eat dog world!

"No one gets to the top of the heap and stays on the top of the heap acting like a poodle!"

The government and corporations are like the proverbial 'mean, mean junk yard dog.'

The government and corporations
are like the proverbial 'mean, mean junk yard dog.'

That is how we, who have five percent of the world's population manage to get our hands on more than 30 percent of the Earth's resources.




NAD: Why the environment? What made you want to do that? And what have you been doing? Is it a three-year mission? What then, for you?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

Why the environment? Cuz there is nothing more important!

Why the environment?
Cuz there is nothing more important!

We are in a heap of trouble!

I was meeting with a Father Thomas Berry, a leading guru in the new universe story, in the whole environmental movement who apparently knew of my protests, imprisonment etc.

He said: "Darrell, I admire your courage your convictions etc ... but you are missing the boat.

Yes, we must rid the world of nuclear bombs ... but the whole thing is going ... meaning of course that we are destroying the very Earth from which we came and which sustains us!"

Again a light went on ... lightning!




Again a light went on ... lightning!



I got permission from my bosses to take some time off to study, took a few classes in an effort to tool myself for the work ahead.

I do believe I was given permission because inspite of my many arrests I had been director of seminarians at three different levels of formation which means they, bosses, maintained some respect and faith in me.

My environmental ministry has gone on now for six years and I just received word that I can continue it for an additional three years.

What is the ministry?

My response would be interesting but too lengthy for this interview. Mike, you or the readers can go to our Oblate website on Justice and Peace and the Integrity of Creation (excellent info). www.omiusajpic.org ... Go to the link on Ecology ... then to What is an ECO-MISSION?

The picture of the guy with birds eating out of my hand and on my shoulder ... that's me!



NAD: Would you like to choose one of these to answer, elaborate on?

I don't ask this to make fun. I ask because I really seek the answers.

- Are UFOs real?

- Did we land on the moon in 1968?

- Did Bush knock down the towers?

- Was Paul Wellstone's death an accident?

- The Oklahoma City bombing? Wasn't that just another U.S. government terrorist exercise? Or not.

- Waco. We burned kids, right? You can see flames shooting out of the tanks. Or not.

- Is Bigfoot real?

- Is there a God?

... What makes you think that?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

You say you really want to know:

Yes, I have a hunch that UFOs are for real!

Yes, I do believe we landed on the moon.

I do not KNOW that he did but my experiences (esp. after my Iran expereinces with our government) indicate that our government is entirely capable of having brought down the towers on 9/11.

I would answer the two questions on Paul Wellstone's death and the Oklahoma City bombing in the same way.

Bigfoot? I have no idea brother.

Is there a God? My answer would depend on what day you ask me that question. Most of the time YES YES!



NAD: Please tell us more about yourself, the things you have done, what you would like to do, what you did today. What do you eat, what do you drive, what do you drink.

What color is your toothbrush? [Without going to look.] Automatic or manual?

Pajamas or sweatpants?

Does your favorite coffee cup have words on it? What are they?

What did you absolutely have to get done by noon today?

How about by Christmas 2009?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

About meself!

What do I drink? Most everything ... I do like every kind of liquor!

Can't stand pajamas and I don't have a pair of sweatpants.

I've got three toothbrushes and don't know nor care the color.



Love my coffee.



Love my coffee. I sip on the same cup of it throughout the day.

Are you grossed out by that?

What did I have to do today before noon. This interview, Michael.



NAD: You were in prison in Chicago. Metropolitan Correctional Center. How many times? For how long? What was it like?


DARRELL RUPIPER:

Three times.

Once for six months ... once for three ... once for one month ... in the opposite order.

What was it like?

My seminary training and life as priest prepared me for it.

I didn't have much trouble with it.

It was a rest period ... retreat-like experience for me.

I did make some lasting acquaintances ... some were mafia ... some were not.

Seems like mafia related guys get a bit clingy. I have lots of interesting stories but ... that's enough!

Bye!


Postscript:

Hi Mike ... about the photo ... check the Internet.

About other things: I just learned yesterday that I am a seriously ill fella.

Doc says I may have 2 or 3 months to live ... cancer ... bone marrow ... SHIT!

What a shock!

I am in San Diego ... will preach six Masses tomorrow and then fly to Chicago and then decide where I will get a bone marrow test and subserquent treatment.

My family would like to have me around home ... we'll see.

Darrell
drupiper2000@hotmail.com


"The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man's heart away from nature becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to lack of respect for humans too."
— Chief Luther Standing Bear


Update:

Dear Friends of the Omaha Catholic Worker:

Short Notice: Fr. Darrel Rupiper OMI, who many years ago lived
here in Omaha, is in need of PRAYER.

He presently is in Des Moines, Iowa seeking a second opinion on
bone cancer treatment.
He was given a diagnosis of bone cancer in Chicago, his home town.
He was given a time of surviving for only 6 months.

He drove to Des Moines, Iowa his family home to seek a 2nd opinion.
He will be undergoing Chemotherapy starting today January 29, 2009
for 1 week, and then admitted to Iowa Methodist Hospital for 3 weeks.

For many of you who have known Fr. Darrell Rupiper OMI. please
spread the word. I apologize to some of you that do not know him,
and have not known him.

He has been a peace activist and a hard worker with the Al Gore
Environmental Crusade doing parish education about Global Warming.

He was part of the Oblate School of Theology here in Omaha many
years back.


Please add him to your prayer list.

Please contact me by email if you are interested in updates on his
situation. I will only send out email to those that want to receive
them.

He has been in phone contact with close friends daily and I hear
from them daily.



Thanks so much,

Jerry Ebner


Omaha Catholic Worker
Jerry Ebner, Bro. Jason McGuire OSF
1104 N. 24th St. Omaha, Nebraska USA 68102
www.no-nukes.org/cwomaha
Email: cwomaha@gmail.com
402- 502- 5887