I’m at St. Mary Parish in Arcade, NY for Eucharistic Adoration and I’m facing a statue of St. Joseph. I’ve come here many times but today I’m struck by the flesh tones of the statue. I grew up in this parish. I served Mass here on this altar many times and I never really appreciated … Read more
I’ve been reading James Cone’s, The Cross and the Lynching Tree.” It’s a powerful book and one that everyone in the United States ought to read. I thought I knew how much black folks had suffered but I really had a very shallow understanding of the depth and the length of their oppression. I’m not … Read more
A year ago when I snapped this picture I felt the presence of a loving force for good in my life. One year later after almost two months of quarantine and thousands of deaths I’ve begun to question that presence and the effectiveness of prayer. Daily the death toll increases and our ability to shield … Read more
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
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
We can no longer exploit the resources of this earth—the trees, the water, and other natural resources—without any care for coming generations. Common sense tells us that unless we change, we won’t survive. This Earth Day let’s resolve to live in harmony with nature. Dalai Lama Maybe this pandemic has a silver lining. Maybe it … Read more
“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
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
Francis contemplated the footprints of God impressed on the things of creation, and he found God wherever he went in the world. As he experienced divine love within himself, so too he saw that same love throughout creation—in birds, trees, clouds, rabbits, even wolves. The world was the self-revealed gift of God, created to lead … Read more
Great article that I read today at NCR Online. I’m glad to see that the author, Jamie L. Manson, identifies as “Only out queer woman in the worldwide Catholic media.” We need more voices like hers to challenge the patriarchy that stifles the growth of the church. Source: UN report blasts religions’ overreach, and the … Read more
