Don The last couple of years I have been privileged to spend the Triduum at Mt. Irenaeus living in community with the Friars and other guests as we celebrated the liturgy together. This year that will not be possible and that’s weighed on me. I will miss that very much. This morning I got an email … Read more
I have read many books by both Parker Palmer and Henri Nouwen. Thanks to Instagram I found out about a delightful podcast that I wanted to share here if you happen to be a fan of Parker Palmer and the intersection of his work with Henri Nouwen. One of my favorite books is Genesee Diary … Read more
Earlier today I saw a clip where Franklin Graham attributed the coronavirus pandemic to the sinfulness of the world. According to him God is capricious and looks for ways to inflict pain and sadness on us. This reminded me of a chapter in Thomas Merton’s, New Seeds of Contemplation, which was published many years ago. … Read more
Today my alma mater, St. Bonaventure University live streamed Palm Sunday Services. In the midst of this pandemic Fr. Ross Chamberland, OFM and Alice Miller Nation of University Ministries provide us with the liturgy.
There are thousands of courageous people on the front lines of this coronavirus pandemic. The epicenter in the United States is currently New York City. I live a long way from there but I have many friends who live there. I was born in Manhattan many years ago. My Mom was born there too. She … Read more
Anne Lamott is one of my favorite authors. There is so much that I can identify with in her writing. I came across this TED talk today on the Twitter feed of Nadia Bolz-Weber. Her concept of God is close to my own. You might enjoy this talk too.
“I’ve never fully understood how Christianity became quite so tame and respectable, given its origins among drunkards, prostitutes, and tax collectors….Jesus could have hung out in the high-end religious scene of his day, but instead he scoffed at all that, choosing instead to laugh at the powerful, befriend whores, kiss sinners, and eat with all … Read more
Without the dynamic energy of transcendence by which consciousness rises and relationships deepen, religion grows old and weary; it becomes rote, a mechanistic repetition of old ideas. To function out of an old cosmology with old ideas of matter and form, to think that God does not do new things, is to make an idol … Read more
I’ve been reading John Pavlovitz’ book, “A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic and Hopeful Spiritual Community.” It’s a breath of fresh air and reminds me of my own experience at Mt. Irenaeus twenty years ago. In late 1999 and early 2000 I was looking for an authentic community of believers. I’d recently been involved with … Read more
One of my favorite Thomas Merton quotes begins, “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.” That’s certainly true now in this global pandemic. What should I be doing? How much distance do I put between me and the virus. Am I washing … Read more
