Every single person is Gift, and the fullness of being so is in living all of our life without annulling any part of what has made us who we are. This means acknowledging all the facets of our life and all that will continue the unfolding of our true selves. It is our ongoing story, which is our history, culture, background, personality, and experiences. The sense of self is never without a context. While recognizing that there is much more on this topic, I wish to highlight just two keys of awareness that I have found essential for my continuing journey as a person and minister in a globalized world, as well as a religious in an intercultural and international community.

Congregation of Notre Dame Sr. Susan Kidd doesn’t believe in debate. As the sole campus minister at the secular University of Prince Edward Island, Kidd interacts daily with young adults with a wide variety of beliefs and values, and while she may not always agree with them, the key, she says, is to never start a debate.

Oct. 5, some 250 people (mostly bishops, and only one woman religious) met to begin the third-ever extraordinary synod of bishops. Convened by Pope Francis, the group is spending two weeks exploring the way Catholics around the world view sexuality, marriage and family and what, to borrow the bishops’ language, is causing the “breakdown” of the family. What does it mean that church teachings don't always match up with practice in the 21st century?
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"Promoting the dignity of the worker is not often mentioned, yet is a critical way to care for one another. As voters, we the people must consider all of our Christian values when voting!"

Nuns on the Bus Blog - The sisters of Kentucky spend the day in Lexington, talking to workers, rallying voters and drawing media attention. The deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 4 midterm Congressional election is fast approaching in most states. Nuns on the Bus online has a handy "TurboVote" tool that can get you connected to your local election board.

Nuns on the Bus Blog - Three site visits showed the sisters riding through Kentucky various ministries in Louisville on Wednesday that put them in touch with immigrants, homeless and other populations who might feel like their voices, their votes, are lost in the political din.

Nuns on the Bus Blog - As they head into their second week on the road, Sr. Simone Cambell and crew headed out of Michican and down into Kentucky, the home state of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

GSR Today - Oct. 1 is the feast day of "The Little Flower," St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a Discalced Carmelite nun of France. Celebration Editor Pat Marrin wrote a reflection on her life, countering what he calls the "saccharine portrait" that is painted of her in early and innacurate accounts.

Grace on the Margins - The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family has cast a new spotlight on the Roman Catholic church's teachings on divorce and remarriage. According to doctrine, Catholics who divorce and remarry outside of the church are prohibited from receiving the Eucharist. For decades, theologian and ethicist Mercy Sr. Margaret Farley has written about the church's teaching on divorce and remarriage, asking new questions about the nature of commitment and the conditions for release from obligations. She does this work most notably in her books. NCR sat with Farley to discuss these themes and her own take on the possibilities for change in the church's teaching.