Jun 12Let’s Get Honest About Poor PreachingYou’ve got to love Pope Francis. The man isn’t afraid to speak his mind when he thinks it’s necessary. He doesn’t mince words when he wants something to change. …Spirituality4 min read
Jun 5The Four-Letter Word We Need To Keep SayingI had a lovely conversation this past week with one of my favorite theology professors from my time at St. Peter’s University in New Jersey. Father Bob Kennedy is not only a noted Jesuit theologian but an internationally- recognized Zen teacher who has earned the title of roshi, master. Father…Love5 min read
May 29In These Chaotic Times, I Found Hope At A Graduation CeremonyLike the rest of the country, I mourned the unspeakable carnage this past week that snuffed out the lives of 19 school children and two of their teachers in Uvalde, Texas. With the world in so much chaos, it is difficult not to despair. What shored my hope was attending…Education4 min read
May 22What Advice Would You Give To Your Older Self?There is a scene at the end of Season 3 of the wonderful television adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s mesmerizing quartet of novels, My Brilliant Friend. In it, Elena Greco, one of the two female protagonists, looks at herself in a mirror and sees her image several years into the future. …Aging3 min read
May 15The Best Part Of Growing OlderThe Broadway musical Spring Awakening is the quintessential show about the torments of adolescence. HBO recently aired a concert with the original cast, 20 years after the musical opened. The show begins with a hyper-active, angst-ridden group of teenage boys bemoaning “the bitch of living.” It’s the bitch of living …Nature3 min read
May 8Mother’s Day Is About More Than MothersI attended an online poetry reading this weekend sponsored by Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry. One of the featured readers was poet, novelist and essayist Julia Alvarez whose works explore the identity of Latina women. Alvarez spent her early childhood in the Dominican Republic. …Motherhood4 min read
May 1The Trees That Become Companions In Our LonelinessSeemingly overnight, green buds have burst open on the neighborhood trees, as if they could no longer wait to pop. I try to track their changes from day to day. Ever since the pandemic erupted, trees have become important silent companions. I am increasingly aware of them wherever I go. …Nature3 min read
Apr 24What The World Needs Now Is PoetryMy friend Larry Janowski is a Franciscan priest and fine poet who has published two collections. Larry emails his friends a daily poem during the month of April, National Poetry Month. …Poetry4 min read
Apr 10Looking At Our World Through A Palm Sunday LensA few days ago, I had the chance to meet online with monks of the Pax + Abbey monastic community. They are reading my book “How to Live” for their Lenten reflection. …War4 min read
Apr 3Have You Whispered To Your Heart Today?I consider singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer one of the truly prophetic voices in our world today. If you have ever listened to any of Carrie’s songs, you know that she gazes upon the world through a lens of compassion. …Body Image4 min read