Don Relentless: Changing Lives by Disrupting the Educational Norm by Hamish Brewer My rating: 5 of 5 stars Hamish Brewer is anything but typical. A tattooed skateboard riding principal whose zest for life and education transcends tradition, culture, place and every other impediment you could imagine. He grew up in New Zealand in poverty. He found … Read more
I love Assisi and the Military Veterans Pilgrimage. It’s helped to make me whole. In the spring of 1972 my life was interrupted by a draft notice. I was opposed to war then and now. I think there are better solutions to conflict and quite frankly it frightened me. The thought of a bullet or … Read more
As we parted company this morning my friend John said, ‘Donald, this has been the good journey.’ Indeed it has and in the space of nine days we traveled over ten thousand miles via jet aircraft, taxi, bus and on foot. In the process we became united with a group of American veterans whose ages … Read more
As the sun sets on our pilgrimage and on the horizon I’m filled with gratitude for a week of healing and peace. A week ago most of us had never met and now seven days later we are united by the common experience of a journey that took us from Rome to Poggio Bustone, Greccio, … Read more
Our morning began with colazione at Casa Papa Giovanni then a short meeting on the rooftop. We walked together along a beautiful trail single file with breathtaking views of Assisi below and to our right. It was a mindful walk of veterans accompanied by Candace Clemens who is a Gold Star mother. We stopped briefly … Read more
The day began at 5:30 am as I rose to pack my bags and get ready for the bus. Then Eucharist in the chapel at Casa Tra Nois with Fr. Conrad celebrating. Then a quick colazione (breakfast) and boarding the bus. We left Rome and headed north stopping first at Poggio Bostone. Fr. Conrad shared … Read more
It’s been only three days since our pilgrimage began and yet so much has happened. Thirty-five people who were only names on a roster have become formed together in a beautiful group with a shared memory. Our common bond as sisters and brothers of a shared experience of soldiers, sailors and marines has been the … Read more
Next week I’ll be in Rome for the second time in my life. Last year I was able to attend a wonderful pilgrimage for veterans that took us to Rome and Assisi. I’d never visited either before and it was incredibly fulfilling to see Pope Francis, tour Rome, get lost in the Roman hills, see … Read more
I just heard on cable news and Twitter that the president of the United States is going to declare a national emergency to get the necessary funding for his vanity project which is a wall on our southern border. Nearly every intelligent source I’ve read or listened to knows that there is no emergency on … Read more
I finally ventured out of the house today to clean our driveway. Yesterday I drove twenty miles for a medical appointment. After my return home I stayed inside for over twenty-four hours which is very atypical for me. I like walking and being out in the neighborhood. Overnight our temperature went down to -10 degrees … Read more
