Photo Credit: Wikipedia One of my favorite characters in the Christian Scriptures is Nicodemus, the Pharisee, rabbi, member of the Sanhedrin who stealthily observes Jesus before going to see him in the darkness of night. His story is told only in the Gospel of John. Scripture scholar Fr. Bruce Vawter explains that in this gospel, what seems... Continue Reading →

Lately the news reports of American life have been getting a bit neurotic as outlets cover the election campaign, now in full throttle. But it strikes me as comforting that one candidate is earning attention as the “joy-filled candidate.” Imagine! A real person being described as a witness to one of the fruits of the Holy... Continue Reading →

This time of year, is always nostalgic for us retired teachers and anyone who worked in a school environment. A woman who ran our high school cafeteria for many years still attends the class reunions embracing the women who attend just as she did when acting as a surrogate mom while dishing out the spaghetti... Continue Reading →

Have you ever thought of listing the over-used words and phrases you encounter daily? Some language experts refer to many over-used words as ‘brain fog,’ or ‘stream of consciousness word pauses,’ or ‘brainless or emotionless’ vocabulary. Not long ago, teenagers fell into the word swamp with ‘like.’ Consider this brief conversation: “He said, you have to come... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Mary Ann Flannery, SC You may have heard about the tornadoes that touched down in Northeast, Ohio last week. The National Weather Report indicated that four E1 Tornadoes swirled through towns, uprooting trees, shaving off roofs and disabling power to over 300,000 residences in their path. We were one of those households. Sister Helen... Continue Reading →

Hold on. More about the gold medal winner later in this post. But let's read a bit of history first. All Americans are breathlessly, joyfully watching the Olympics these past days. I am riveted as much as possible, and my sisters are as well. I think there are a couple reasons why we should honor and support the... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com Every once-in-a-while you and I experience a word or comment or example from someone that stops us short in our tracks, makes us feel like we are frozen in a glacier of unreality. We cannot move. Or we do not move out of respect for the heaviness of the thought or word... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com It is totally oxymoronic to be exhausted, in a negative way, during summer. This is the time for relaxation, even if it’s a staycation and not a luxurious travel adventure. Can’t afford a trip to a National Park? Pitch a tent in your yard, even if it’s just for you. Can’t hike... Continue Reading →

Before I begin, I wanted to tack on something I should have mentioned in my blog on summer reading published a few weeks ago. I am privileged to be friends with two authors whose writing I encourage you to explore. First, my pal, Sr. Melannie Svoboda, is a wonderful writer of spirituality and presents it... Continue Reading →

Related to our recent posts, I have come upon a possible method to handle what can become a real spiritual dilemma. My posts have been based on how the current political and ecclesial divisions strain our faith and our religious spirit. I pointed out that theologian and writer Walter Brueggemann developed a concept of royal... Continue Reading →