Freshly ordained in May, 1965, I was privileged to attend one of the final sessions of the Second Vatican Council. In this Mindwalk I share my journey into the church of Vatican II and Pope Francis.
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Be Honest! Do We Prefer To Serve the “Good Poor”
Who do I prefer? When
I am honest with myself, I realize I prefer to serve. those whose poverty I understand.
Are there conditions on who we serve? – Do we feel good serving the “good: the “good poor”?
Lyrics That Lead to Prayer
“Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you’re standing outside the fire.”
When country singer Garth Brooks wrote those lyrics in 1993 I doubt he thought it might lead to prayer.
Claiming the Gift of Vincent’s Charism
“St. Vincent left a wonderful gift within the Church. He has placed it, to a large extent, in your hands and in mine. Pass it on to the young.” The Spirit is challenging Vincentians in the various branches of the Vincentian Family to identify and support people in naming and recognizing the gift and the tradition they stand in.
Vincent As a Seeker
The Magi were “men with a restless heart seekers after God. In Jerusalem the Magi ask questions: they inquire where the Child is to be found.
St. Vincent de Paul looked beyond his horizons to find Christ.
St. Vincent Modeled Openness to New Ways
Centuries ago, a Japanese poet, Basho, wrote “I do not wish to imitate what the great ones of the past did. I would rather seek what they sought.” The insight fits Vincent, and the early Daughters of Charity, in so many ways. It also challenges us today to be as open as they were.
Pope Francis – The Poor Are True Evangelizers
Sometimes we wish we were among those who walked with Jesus 2000 years ago. Pope Francis boldly says even today we walk with them.
Believers, when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him.”
What I Dreaded Became a Source of Life
I have heard from a number of people how much these Mindwalks mean to them. I am, of course, delighted that this ministry touches people.
But I have a confession. I write these reflections for myself to make sense of issues I wrestle with. It’s about making connections that give life.
The Courage to See Ourselves As God Sees Us?
As I think about contemplation, I realize that the phrase “the courage to be” might be adapted to understanding of contemplation. It takes courage to become aware of God’s long, loving look at me.
The Gift and Challenge of Vincentian Imagination
We talk, perhaps too glibly, of the Vincentian charism. For a moment, I would like to reframe the conversation. Let’s talk about the Vincentian imagination!… and how it led to the “Vincentian Question.”
Vincentian Embodiment of the Jesus Movement
The Jesus Movement is rooted in Jesus’ experience of the love of God urging the neglected to become aware of their dignity! The Vincentian Embodiment of that movement is rooted in doing what Jesus did.
Can Stories Change the World?
Parents learn quickly the power of story as a pacifier. But these stories also shape values. Stories and the lived stories of their example are how we learn our values. – Jesus knew the power of stories! Do you really want to change things? Tell a story!
Vincent’s Ever-expanding Zip Codes
Vincent may have started in the rural zip codes in France but he soon began to realize that the spiritual and material poverty he woke up to in Chatillon and Folleville existed also in the zip code of cities like Paris… and beyond.