Today on our way home from Albany, New York we stopped twice in the Mohawk Valley first at the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs at Auriesville, New York. I’ve been stopping here since I was a young boy. My Mom first introduced me to the shrine in the late 1950’s. As I walked around … Read more
In a few hours I will join other educators from around New York State at a rally at the state Capitol to protest the current destructive policy of subjecting our students to relentless testing. Since the Truman Report in 1947 nearly every president has had something to say about public education. Many of these commissions … Read more
50 years ago today Pope John XXIII died. He was my favorite pope up until now. Pope Francis reminds me of Pope John XXIII. Pope John convened the Second Vatican Council. He started much needed reforms in the Catholic Church. I loved the old Latin that we memorized as altar boys back in the Pre-Vatican … Read more
Today at Mt. Irenaeus our liturgy began in the friar garden next to the House of Peace. Fr. Dan opened up the Eucharist with an invitation to silence. In the silence we listened for the voice of God. Fr. John invited us to remember that the Eucharist comes from the earth and that we are … Read more
Tonight as I read the news on the Internet via @Twitter and Google I was struck by the ferocity of the storms in Oklahoma and elsewhere in the heartland of the United States. It must be terrifying to be in the path of one of these great storms and not be able to do anything … Read more
Altissimu, onnipotente bon Signore, Tue so le laude, la gloria e l’honore et onne benedictione. — St. Francis of Assisi Translated from the original Umbrian dialect this is: Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. That was on my heart tonight as I drove away from … Read more
In the past year I’ve looked more and more what it is to be called to be a Secular Franciscan. I was professed into the order in April of 2002 and since then I’ve grown in fits and starts. What is it that I’m called to be? Am I to be a pious “stick in … Read more
