Horizons - In society some people willingly lose their identities to give dignity to those in their care. They wear the face of God. Among many such good Samaritans, the role of a priest or nun is highly distinguishable.
Sr. Carmen Notario compares the desecration that some individuals have done today of the body, mind and spirit of so many women, men, girls and boys, and the desecration of the temple of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus.
In San Antonio we held our city's first "Festival of Faiths." It was a time of hearing each other's stories, taking comfort in each other's music, and experiencing the joy of each other's dance. We learned and we laughed.
I have been thinking, reading, listening to YouTube talks and searching for connections and understandings: intergenerational, intercultural, interracial — the range of diversity in our nation and world.
Scripture for Life: If we believe that God works through us, instead of asking "Why does God let it happen?," the prophetic question is, "How can people who believe in God and the power of love let it happen?"
Equality will not be given to us on a platter. We will have to demand it with prudence. Collective action is the only way forward. International Women's Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves that the future is ours.
My congregation sent me to Maryland Vocational High School in Lesotho, South Africa, to assist as the bursar, and I love my work because it has opened my eyes to many things.
Women have not been recognized nearly enough for our role in serving and saving civilization. We are every age, every color, every ethnicity, every religion. Our praises will only be sung if we do it ourselves. Together.
The creative movement of dance has allowed Daylenis Lara Rodriguez to rediscover how to connect with her deepest self during her novitiate, and in that process she has experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit.
"I, the writer, am a mirror," writes Sr. Joan Sauro. "My words on the page are a mirror — when you read them, I hope you see, not the author, but yourself. You are not reading a page; you are looking into a mirror."
When I confront the privilege and oppression within me and experience the pain they cause, I am more able to see the destruction and pain these systems and mindsets cause to others.
In the desert Jesus awakened to who he was and his new way of seeing the people around him and the time he was in. Lent invites us to take the time needed to become more aware of who we are and to see others in a new way.
The Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton has challenged me to be my true self, encouraging me to go deep inside to find a deeper wisdom waiting to welcome and guide me.
What I need now from God is the grace to come to terms with the inevitability of pain and suffering, and the challenges of aging. I need infinite patience with myself and my current physical ineptness.
Sr. Claudine Dumbi teaches women in the Congo to grow and sell produce. The farming and marketing skills help their families and keeps the soil healthy and productive.
Scripture for Life: In an interesting combination of Scripture passages, the story of Abraham's test prepares us for contemplating Jesus' transfiguration.
What if this Lent, instead of holding tight to a roadmap of tasks or rules, the invitation was to a more free-range traveler's point of view, to explore the art of accompaniment as it plays out in our everyday lives?