Catholic
Communion of Saints
This beautiful reflection is from Sister Margaret Carney, OSF who is one of my favorite people. She’s also the past president of St. Bonaventure University. “These countless COVID-19 victims were not alone. In that final hour, the veil fell away and they moved forward surrounded by ancestors of their family and of their faith. God … Read more
Three years later
Three years ago I joined thousands of others at the Climate March in Washington DC. Our small group of Franciscans joined other groups. We had overnighted at Silver Spring, Maryland and rode the metro to near the Smithsonian Institute. Then we made our way to St. Dominic Church which is near the mall. We gathered … Read more
True Colors
If you’re Roman Catholic in the United States the assumption is that you’re pro-life which in political parlance means your anti-abortion. It’s a great wedge issue exploited by Republicans. In previous years some bishops have gone so far as to insist on denying communion to candidates like John Kerry and Democrats who are pro-choice. The … Read more
A new direction
The word Christian is meaningless. It has become so because of all the charlatans who have taken it as a mantle. We need a new word to describe followers of Jesus. Following Jesus is much different than worshipping him. Following implies living as he did among the outcasts and dregs of society. In the United … Read more
Under His Wings
I found myself walking near my favorite pond again tonight. I’m fortunate to live nearby and it’s very calm and peaceful here. There are nearby woods and trails and generally an area that invites solitude and reflection. Tonight while approaching the pond I spotted a bald eagle sitting atop one of the many tall trees … Read more
I get it now
“What Christianity requires now, especially in view of developments in science, is not “no God,” as scientific naturalists propose, but a “new God,” as Teilhard provocatively announces” — From Teilhard to Omega: Co-creating an Unfinished Universe by Ilia Delio, OSF Up until now I’ve been trying to reconcile what Teilhard and Ilia have written with … Read more
The Spirit of the Lord
“Jesus called his disciples to create a new transformed Earth, a kindom of equality and inclusivity, where all men and women could live together in justice, mercy, and peace. His consciousness of the whole evoked a genuine revolution in cosmic and social relations.” — A Hunger for Wholeness: Soul, Space, and Transcendence by Ilia Delio, … Read more
Blessed by design
“He did not hold to original sin by a single couple and instead opted for the notion of the primacy of Christ formed by the Franciscan theologian Duns Scotus. Scotus held that God’s love could not be undermined by a defect in creation such as original sin. Rather, from all eternity, God willed a creature … Read more
Hope for today
I just finished reading Ilia Delio’s book which I reviewed previously and there are a treasure trove of ideas and quotes in the book but one that stood out for me is the following. “On the whole, I find that younger generations want to help make the world a better place. Many Gen Z-ers express … Read more