tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151371812024-03-17T02:52:01.732-04:00From Where I WriteLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.comBlogger326125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-39951032422394692622015-01-25T13:21:00.001-05:002015-01-25T13:45:39.135-05:00WHAT HE SAID, WHAT HE DIDN’T SAY, AND THE MESSAGE WE TAKE FROM IT<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The words from one of Pope Francis’ homilies during
his pontifical visit to the Philippines quickly went viral with a variety of headlines
to the effect of “Pope blames demise of family on same-sex marriage” and a
range of comments to the effect of “The honeymoon is over.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not easy to quell reactions especially
in the light of the fact it was confirmed by the Vatican spokesman that
although the Pope had not referenced “same-sex marriage” he was indeed
referring to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still I couldn’t
believe it, I didn’t want to believe it, I would not believe it until I had
completely reviewed the remarks in their full context.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So I held my own public discussion on and reactions to
the comments at bay until I had the chance the see his actual words, place them
in context, and understand what indeed he was communicating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly usually I look to context to
make meaning of excerpts, but in this case once context was provided then I
looked to the precise language of the excerpt to make meaning of it more fully
and extrapolate the message.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The audience:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Families gathered for the Encounters with Family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The context:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Holy Father is delivering an address focused on the nuclear
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The words:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The family is also threatened by growing
efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by
relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life”
(Catholic News Agency).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the reporters
followed up with the Vatican spokesman:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Was the Holy Father referring to [marriage for same-sex couples]?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spokesman replied”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes.” But there’s a part of the answer that
was not spoken and need to be said:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Holy Father was not singling out marriage equality for same-sex couples nor was
he speaking exclusively to that issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Holy Father clearly and equally was speaking a message that equally
applies to other efforts to redefine marriage and “values” such as relativism,
ephemerism, and a lack of openness to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Certainly and without a doubt he is wise enough to know the depth and
breadth of threats to the family. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pope Francis, the former Jorge Bergoglio, SJ, is a
very learned man who possesses an uncommon balanced blend of deep and complex
theological understanding with authentically Gospel-based pastorality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of this unique blend that is Francis
I, sometimes it will seem that there is a stark contradiction in views and
expressions while, if one is willing to go beyond the apparent significance of
words to grasp their complex meaning by, for example, analyzing context, word
choice, structure, one will come to identify the consistent message within the
words. Bergoglio’s priesthood, his episcopacy, and his Papacy thus far reflect
a very tangible reflection of the answer to the simple question, “What would
Jesus do?” </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So has Francis’ message taken a shift?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, not at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s clearly and consistently been his views
that marriage by tradition and nature because it is the context of procreation
through sexual intimacy between one man and one woman is not to be
redefined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been formed and
informed by his theological training in sacramental theology and the works and
writings of his predecessors, in particular Paul VI’s “Humanae Vitae,” an
encyclical that is all about the unique sacramental dimensions of marriage,
family, and procreation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, Paul
VI’s well-known work provided the conceptual frame for this homily as well as
for answers in a post-trip press briefing on the flight back to the Vatican in
which he addressed contraception and responsible parenting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jorge Bergoglio is formed by his formation
and clearly Paul VI’s works have made a major impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet he is not a stalebeing so it is
reasonable to expect he will continue to reflect John XXIII”s openness to the
breath and movement of the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still, the Catholic Church is not a democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teachings are based on the combination of
tradition, Scripture, teaching, and as Vatican II underscored the affirmation
of the People of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if Pope
Francis were to become an ardent proponent of opening sacramental marriage
through the Church to same-sex couples, it would not happen overnight or even
necessarily in this lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy
Father does not act by Executive Order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still there is no reason for LGBT people or LGBT-affirming people to
give up on the direction in which Francis I is taking the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The work of recognizing and implementing the
breadth of the Church’s teaching as it relates to people who are LGBT must
continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every effort must be made to
ensure that the soundbytes of this homily do not become roadblocks to
Gospel-driven social justice, a truly inclusive Catholic Church, and the full
realization of the dignity of the human person, another fundamental element of
Paul VI’s teachings and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further, Francis equates his references to
“marriage” as synonymous to the “Matrimony,” one of the seven sacraments of the
Church. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he knows well that
“marriage” under civil law, in light of the Church’s teachings on Matrimony,
are only civil unions and from that view lesbian and gay couples having
achieved equality under civil law with more than 35 jurisdictions in the U.S.
formally recognizing marriages involving same-sex couples are on equal par with
their non-LGBT [heterosexual] counterparts. So the matter that remains is
actually one of Church practice, not the practice of civil society.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For people in the United States in particular the
reference to “re-defining the institution of marriage” is for both sides of the
debate over equality under civil law a phrase that acts like a sword in the
sand and people react accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
it’s important to bear in mind that in the global context, the re-definition of
marriage is about much more than whether same-sex couples have equal rights
under civil law:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is about a range of
social initiatives but also about the character and spirit of the debates
themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The threat is about efforts
shaped by relativism, and that relativism is not only on the part of lesbian
and gay people and allies who seek more inclusive Family Law statutes and
constitutional protections: Relativism is also about people who oppose civil
equality on the basis of their own beliefs and mis-positioning of the Church’s
teaching within the broader discourse. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Francis I is the first Pope to have, while serving as
Bishop of Buenos Aires, publicly promoted the adoption of civil unions for
same-sex couples while also adhering to the Church’s social position that
marriage is between one man and one woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is the first Pope to have convened a Synod on the Family that
included express recognition of the LGBT people as members of the Church worthy
of direct consideration in the context of the Synod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the first Pope to have generated a
synod environment in which the participants spoke openly and freely about the
realities of LGBT people, LGBT families, divorced and remarried Catholics. He
is the Pope who has instructed that the preparatory questions for the second
part of the Synod on the Family not be changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is the Pope who re-assigned (some might argue functionally demoted)
cardinals [like Raymond Burke] who cannot reflect the full breadth of the
teaching of the Church when it comes to human sexuality and who propagate
exclusionary limited perspectives on what it means to be Church, what it means
to be a servant leader, and what the role of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>bishop is in the Church and world today.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So he said what he said, he didn’t say what he didn’t
say, and the message that we (should) take from it is this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leader of the Catholic Church is a man
who promotes the full inclusion of lesbian and gay people in the Church and in
society yet makes a distinction when it comes to the Sacrament of Matrimony.
The moment remains pregnant with hope for a Catholic Church in this time that will
become more genuinely inclusive, less deliberately exclusionary, and more
genuine and consistent in promoting and accepting the full participation of all
the God’s children including people who are lesbian or gay.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">He said what he said, he didn’t say what he didn’t
say, and this is the message that I take from it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-49900434050217880342013-04-22T10:50:00.000-04:002013-04-22T11:13:27.493-04:00THE MISSING PARTS OF THE STORY OF THE BOSTON TERROR ATTACKS<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpR6EtAwhafyg8ZgjUAh6ikAFS71gYqPAoTrh7RJM1bkNblQzxDZCnJz5On3Sa7v_G_EtJ5gHk1VTXzaNwmeExB5JRpFWB7yqqoPzsiltOljIxk5iyvkn3iF76KskI24NvIq2Y/s1600/Missing+Pieces+3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpR6EtAwhafyg8ZgjUAh6ikAFS71gYqPAoTrh7RJM1bkNblQzxDZCnJz5On3Sa7v_G_EtJ5gHk1VTXzaNwmeExB5JRpFWB7yqqoPzsiltOljIxk5iyvkn3iF76KskI24NvIq2Y/s320/Missing+Pieces+3.jpg" /></a> </div>
<br />
<u>Photo credit</u>: This image was developed by illustrator Andrew Dyson and accompanied an online article about the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that appeared at <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/the-missing-pieces-that-shadow-a-prime-minister-20121123-29ysb.html">http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/the-missing-pieces-that-shadow-a-prime-minister-20121123-29ysb.html</a>.
<br />
<br />
In just a few hours, we will mark the one week “anniversary” of the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon. This event rocked not only the City of Boston but the entire nation as once again we faced the reality that the United States was a target of a planned terror attack. As the days since the bombings unfolded and the manhunt for the perpetrators resulted in the identification of two primary suspects along with the dissemination of details that strongly suggest what many of us intuitively knew -- that the men were not acting alone, we have been subjected (voluntarily or involuntarily) to endless hours of news coverage with a diverse array of information bits relating to the story.
<br />
<br />
It’s been nearly 168 hours of continuous reporting (with some necessary factual blackouts for public safety reasons) and amidst the myriad of expert voices listeners have heard from terror experts, security experts, police experts, immigration commentators, Boston aficionados, 9/11 survivors, elected officials, eyewitnesses, and both the perpetrators’ and victims’ family members. Given what seems like broadly comprehensive reporting, I remain struck by one obvious missing voice: <strong>that of experts on the geopolitical context from which these terrorists emerged</strong>. No, I don’t mean the current U.S. or global political landscape or the seemingly more familiar global terror threat. I am referring to knowledge of the geopolitical context of places like Chechnya in the historic context of the U.S.S.R. and the contemporary context of a post-Soviet world. Yes, there has been some passing historical and chronological references to the history of Chechnya and neighboring countries and an immigration timeline for the brothers that is peppered with movable facts, but there has not been substantial substantive discussion of the arguably relevant critical geopolitical contexts.
<br />
<br />
This story cannot be complete or our understanding of it and the long-term threat without learning and understanding with some degree of depth and fluency the geopolitical context I identify. To begin, I offer several key introductory questions to which answers are needed in order that we as U.S. Americans can better contextualize the inexplicable occurrence and so that we can properly demand an appropriate response from our federal government both procedurally in the courts and in the realm of policy such homeland security, foreign policy (aid and relations), and yes immigration reform, too.
<br />
<blockquote>
<em>1. Where is Chechnya and how does this small country figure into the global picture? <return>
2. What were the economic, social, and political realities of small nations like Chechnya prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union? <return>
3. What are the economic, social, and political realities of sovereignties like Chechnya in this post-Soviet era? <return>
4. What is the history of Islam, socially, politically, culturally, and religiously in these states? <return>
5. What has been the United States government’s stance toward these states? <return>
6. In making references to the growth of Islam in these states, what is the relevance and why is it important to distinguish between authentic Islamists versus fundamentalists versus radicals? <return>
7. What is the immigration </return></return></return></return></return></return>dynamic between these former Soviet states and the United States?</em> <return>
</return></blockquote>
<return>There are more questions for sure, but I will unveil those in a subsequent commentary. For now it remains clear to me that we need to start with these questions. As I arose this morning and set out to write this piece, I caught a segment of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and for the first time since the terror attack I heard a brief segment that tangentially touched upon these issues. The guest Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, was invited to offer some insights on the relevance of “Russia” and the history of Islam’s growth in these regions but with the coded but clear (to me) caveat by co-host Joe Scarborough to respond “…without digging too deeply into the weeds.” </return><return>As Haas began his remarks the co-hosts’ facial expressions showed their uneasiness with the segment and reinforced my point of view that these discussions must take place and this information must be shared mainstream.
</return><br />
<return></return><br />
<return>Perhaps the media is having trouble identifying resources/experts outside of policy sources such as former presidential advisers and state department officials whose input tend to be focused on/limited to policy stances so it would behoove them to look to reputable academic experts. While the experts may be limited and perhaps some already are assisting the government, there are plenty still (for example, try my alma mater Columbia University to start) who would be available to assist the media in educating (themselves and) the general public.
</return><br />
<return></return><br />
<return>The missing elements in the ongoing story need to be voiced and heard. The story cannot continue to be told without answers to these questions.
</return>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-37209895635687994092012-09-25T19:30:00.000-04:002012-10-01T19:34:59.698-04:00To Speak the TruthI have been a Catholic all my life. I was educated in quality orthodox Catholic Schools. I have been well catechized, have a well-formed conscience, and am theologically literate. So that's the context for what I am about to say:
<blockquote>While the Roman Catholic Church is within its right to stand for marriage as one man and one woman, Newark Archbishop Myers has publicly abused his teaching authority with [this week's] statement as far as his remarks about marriage equality and the reception of Communion. There is NOTHING in Catholic teaching that supports his assertion that pro-equality Catholics should refrain from receiving the Eucharist. There is also nothing in true Church teaching that equates sexual "im/morality" with the fundamental life question of elective abortion. Such a point of view is the minority personal opinion of an unfortunately growing number of bishops who as human beings articulate and propogate their own individual (mis)interpretation of Catholicism. Interestingly and sadly many of these same bishops have been blatantly complicit in the crime of pedophilia committed against children by R.C. clergy.
I respect Myers as a human person and his role as archbishop of the See of Newark, but let's be clear about the significance of his statement: it is grounded in personal interpretation, it is not an ex cathedra (infallible statement of the Church), and it is characterized by homophobia and not embedded in the breadth of Church teaching on human sexuality, morality, life, and/or the Eucharist.
As a Catholic, I apologize for those hurt by his statement and will do my part to speak the Truth. To be clear, while his statement may be packaged otherwise, on this issue John Myers speaks for himself, not for Jesus Christ or the Church.
</blockquote>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-62008711080849172432012-08-23T12:17:00.000-04:002012-08-23T12:17:04.244-04:00Writing LaryngitisI have had unplanned hiatuses in my blogging/writing before but none was ever as long as the silence on my blog this time.
Before the extended silence, which was unplanned and unanticipated, I was trying to be a bit more deliberate in writing on a regular basis. Then life got in the way. Circumstances got complicated and for a while I could not find my writing voice. I had lots of thoughts and ideas floating in my head, but I could not find my way to express them in this forum.
Over the past months as I have been trying to restore a sense of balance among the many plates I juggle, I realize that writing needs to be a central part of my daily life. I write a lot at work, but it's not my own. I am a thinker and writing is my language. I need to write. I have many thoughts about many things and want to speak my thoughts.
There are several platforms I can use, and to be honest, my conversations on Facebook are one space I engage. But I realized that the space of my own blog is mine. I thought about starting fresh with a new blog, but I realize that there really is no need to do so. What I write is my point of view, my perspective; it is my voice spoken from where I write.
So, here's to a new day and some new conversations here at "From Where I Write."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wO-ZMsOWc4-VQ4FK-Ah34gZqxrCLJAh10yE4g2Qh6LsE-CAyCoXYFVyd-yut3UZqxLvNLvqruffFcUqZPh1imKYp96tLiXuAAYdATe9GxDM8mBNVnd0a1jxvuLu5alp11ZIT/s1600/feather+%2526+ink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wO-ZMsOWc4-VQ4FK-Ah34gZqxrCLJAh10yE4g2Qh6LsE-CAyCoXYFVyd-yut3UZqxLvNLvqruffFcUqZPh1imKYp96tLiXuAAYdATe9GxDM8mBNVnd0a1jxvuLu5alp11ZIT/s400/feather+%2526+ink.jpg" /></a></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-61927633673213531482011-07-27T21:37:00.000-04:002011-07-30T21:53:36.795-04:00Feast of Saint Ann and Saint Joachim: The First Holy Family of Nazareth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CyZ6iOY15L409D2t8CmG6eD3tYELhFCcKA9Jcwfyp9owhflACet0pEnprS-cRSK7JAN6NU4Miv-TmcFsdIG-tHqlBUnMJZRcQiNxDl3_mMCxXa7Kd50sZphyphenhyphen2hDu_wnxcqzG/s1600/Logo_CSA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CyZ6iOY15L409D2t8CmG6eD3tYELhFCcKA9Jcwfyp9owhflACet0pEnprS-cRSK7JAN6NU4Miv-TmcFsdIG-tHqlBUnMJZRcQiNxDl3_mMCxXa7Kd50sZphyphenhyphen2hDu_wnxcqzG/s400/Logo_CSA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635325406942069026" /></a><br /><br /><br />My reflection on this feast has been published by <a href="http://www.catholic.org/saints/story.php?id=42195">Catholic Online</a href>. Please take a look and feel welcome to share a comment there or here.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-19217389156667446152011-06-16T19:58:00.002-04:002011-06-17T21:22:01.714-04:00Post Election Ponderings<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My latest piece, </span><a href="http://lawrenceville.patch.com/blog_posts/a-potpourri-of-post-election-ponderings-do-elections-still-matter"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"A Potpourri of Post-Election Ponderings: Do Elections Matter?", </span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">is now posted on The Lawrenceville Patch. </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-27823902542958936002011-06-04T18:15:00.003-04:002011-06-04T18:18:44.305-04:00Forward, Backward: Bodies (and Lives) in Motion<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My latest essay, </span><a href="http://lawrenceville.patch.com/blog_posts/forward-backward-bodies-and-lives-in-motion"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Forward, Backward: Bodies (and Lives) in Motion"</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> is now online.</span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-47519289261696550982011-05-21T19:22:00.001-04:002011-05-22T19:25:39.884-04:00In Loving Memory of Sister Helene Foley, SCC<div align="justify">As the world contemplated whether the Great Rapture would occur today, Jesus came in the early hours of the morning, around 1:30 a.m., and called home to eternal life our very dear +Sister Helene Foley, SCC.<br /><br />When my father and his godbrother would greet one another at a family funeral they usually said to one another, "Condolences and Congratulations!" I think in the case of Sister Helene the meaning of their greeting in the context of faith makes perfect sense.<br /><br />While our hearts will miss her physical presence among us, we can rest assured that God carried her directly to her eternal reward, fullness of life in Him. A model for all of us, Sisters and Associates alike, Sister Helene would never consider herself saintly although we easily recognized it in her. She strove daily throughout the entirety of her life to be all she could be for Jesus and those she met in community and ministry. Her faithfulness to her baptismal vows, her religious consecration, and the Gospel of Jesus was evidenced on a daily basis in so many ways recognizable to us, yet in her view she was simply a fellow sojourner on this journey of life, responding as best she could to Jesus' immeasurable love.<br /><br />Attentive to many devotions as part of her daily prayer life, she embraced The Rosary and the Stations of the Cross not as rote formulas to be recited but as true encounters between her, Jesus, and Mary. As many of us witnessed firsthand, she modeled her life as a Sister of Christian Charity after Mary -- from Nazareth to Calvary to Pentecost, and beyond, always bringing to life the charism and spirit of our Mother Pauline. Sister Helene's heart beat with love until she, in the words of St. Catherine of Siena, "closed her eyes to this world and opened to the next." Whether we have known Sister Helene for decades or met her only for a short time, we are better people beacuse of her.<br /><br />As we pray for the repose of Sister Helene’s soul, let us also hold in prayer the many intentions that were important to her daily remembrances, including but not limited to praying for priests who by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders bring us the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Sister Helene prayed daily for all of us, and I have no doubt that she, in the same spirit as St. Therese of Lisieux, will continue to do the same from heaven.<br /><br />Together we pray: “Eternal rest grant unto our dear Sister Helene, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.”</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-44875312611579574442011-05-21T19:18:00.001-04:002011-05-21T19:20:02.830-04:00First Post, Last Day<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's official: I am a contributing writer for "Local Voices" with the Lawrenceville Patch. My inaugural post is headlined this morning, </span><a href="http://lawrenceville.patch.com/blog_posts/first-post-last-day"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"First Post, Last Day."</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Please check it out and feel welcome to post comments there or here. I also welcome ideas for topics about which you'd like me to write. </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-80594581725990605812011-05-17T16:37:00.002-04:002011-05-17T17:06:28.446-04:00"Where There Is Life, There Is Hope"<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm5QOWl7bCMuRhza3u8j6DDY8OyuDNyYVsUmT4cq7oCAsiB5_NXbCPNahR591omOsrup0BXId_tUs0U7mBB5OH8ZOymNiGmOTf84F777-XX8XmXJdtTApBjQhyphenhyphenrFPkG92NIOH/s1600/Abby+Johnson+%2528Her+Website%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 121px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607794249113300754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsm5QOWl7bCMuRhza3u8j6DDY8OyuDNyYVsUmT4cq7oCAsiB5_NXbCPNahR591omOsrup0BXId_tUs0U7mBB5OH8ZOymNiGmOTf84F777-XX8XmXJdtTApBjQhyphenhyphenrFPkG92NIOH/s400/Abby+Johnson+%2528Her+Website%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Reproductive rights is an issue that many people avoid discussing in mixed company. Regardless of one's views on abortion specifically, the right to obtain a legal elective abortion arguably is an emblem of essential freedoms. Yet there are truths that cannot be ignored. The stories of Abby Johnson and Bernard Nathanson, MD testify to this reality. Check out </span><a href="http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=41430"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Deacon Fournier's story about Abby Johnson</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;"> and stop by </span><a href="http://www.abbyjohnson.org/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Abby's website</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;"> too. </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-60616122048164635772011-05-06T19:15:00.000-04:002011-05-08T11:57:09.640-04:00The Death of Osama Bin Laden: A Personal Reflection<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMcPQvN25ACaA8tFXYRCJe-VY3vnDOvoK1l1hSP_wpNhBSBSgHGKWqtP24iLPu-wf5RUUHG4xnJ8DvJUlxj06sSv3G4jcSsrvXyJl5x7JcyuMTd0khcEs6MLClPI4RFmMEXkv/s1600/Healing+Hands+%2526+Light.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603282351911862738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMcPQvN25ACaA8tFXYRCJe-VY3vnDOvoK1l1hSP_wpNhBSBSgHGKWqtP24iLPu-wf5RUUHG4xnJ8DvJUlxj06sSv3G4jcSsrvXyJl5x7JcyuMTd0khcEs6MLClPI4RFmMEXkv/s400/Healing+Hands+%2526+Light.jpg" /></a> The following essay which I wrote on the morning of Monday, May 2nd was published by Catholic Online. Click <a href="http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=41335">here </a>to read it there.<br /><br />--------<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#330000;">When the alert tone sounded and the message scrolled across the screen on WNBC-TV last night at 10:18 p.m., it literally stopped me in my tracks. I sat down on the couch preparing to hear an announcement from the President, the substance of which turned out to beyond my greatest imagination. Libya, I thought, or a domestic death of historical or political significance, or maybe even a statement about the White House Journalists Dinner, or even more ridiculously but not unlikely, something in response to the recent claims that emerged that Obama’s long form birth certificate had been doctored with Adobe Illustrator. Never did it occur to me that the news would be about Osama Bin Laden. But I couldn’t wait for the President – it was a very long five minutes. So I switched from awaiting the suspenseful ending of “Celebrity Apprentice” – noting the irony of interrupting Trump’s show with an announcement by the President – and switched on Fox News. There I caught the tailend of a comment from Geraldo Rivera hypothesizing that the news had to be bigger than Libya. Without any source, Rivera predicted: Bin Laden has to be subject of the announcement. Within seconds, he receives and reads from a producer’s note citing a senior administration official who advised that “Bin Laden is dead.”<br /><br />Geraldo starts to cheer. The expression on his face changes from sober to smiling. I stand still, unable to speak, in the middle of my living room. I had the tangible experience of not knowing what to think or what to feel. Very soon I was transported back to the unfortunately familiar but very uncomfortable and lonely feelings of the dark night of 9/11/2001. At first, I did not realize that was where I was going, but after several hours of watching the television coverage – much of which preceeded the President’s formal remarks which did not take place until 1 and ½ hours later than announced -- it was when I made the mistake of switching the channel to CNN where the voice of Wolf Blitzer once again kept me company through the dark night.<br /><br />Early on in the night and as the hours wore on and the media coverage of this historic moment filled with contrasting images of Bin Laden and celebratory crowds of young Americans, many of them military, outside the White House and in Times Square (NYC), I found myself weary and wary but not able to celebrate or rejoice.<br /><br />I get it. I get that people feel relieved that an elusive mass murderer was, assuming this news to be true, finally captured and put to death. “He is no longer our problem,” as some would comment. I get the pride for our troops who daily put themselves in harm’s way so that we can live more safely and without thinking minute-to-minute about the dangers that roam the world. I get the pride and gratitude for the amazingly courageous and selfless men (I assume it was an all-male team) who carried out the operation that ended Bin Laden’s reign. I get the sigh of relief, the sense of closure, the feelings of vengeance and vindication. September 11, 2001 changed our lives and for some of us in more direct ways.<br />The criminal has been caught and his life extinguished. But the story doesn’t end there, neither do the thoughts, the feelings, the emotions, and the realities. Global terrorism and especially Al Qaida remain real threats. Experts say that retaliation – perhaps in multiple forms – will be forthcoming. As vulnerable as we are to such a strike, perhaps though even greater is the potential strike to our human spirit. There is understandable celebrating today, but there is great risk in the collective rejoicing over the death of another human being as evil as his actions were. When I awoke this morning, I realized that I had witnessed what it must have been like when the world learned that Adolf Hitler was dead. Then I quickly learned that he, too, was announced dead on May 1st. The ironic coincidence is not lost on me – As egregious and reprehensible as the acts of Hitler and Bin Laden were, they did not act alone. As anti-Semitism remains alive today, the anti-American ideology and hatred that drove one time ally Bin Laden permeates the global politic. Every enemy that the U.S. has at one time was an ally, someone we trusted, sometimes even someone we followed. That is a reality not to be ignored.<br /><br />More tangible than that is the reality that there is a moral dimension to this moment. When the President noted that the military operation to take down Bin Laden had commenced at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, that irony was not lost on me either: In many Catholic Churches, people were, at that exact hour, commemorating the Feast of Divine Mercy with the communal praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Voices raised in chant-song, “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!” Repeated ten times, these faithful implore the relentless Mercy of the Divine. Perhaps it was the Mantle of Divine Mercy that spread out over the military men involved in the operation. Likely it was, with not a single American life lost despite a helicopter mishap. Not to suggest that the mission was a Divine Crusade, the question of Divine Mercy remains.<br /><br />As a Christian, as a Catholic, I am called both to Mercy and to forgive as I wish to be forgiven, to forgive as Jesus Himself forgave. I am also called to love as Jesus loved. Neither call is easy; at times, both seem impossible and sometimes, especially in the face of incomprehensible tragedy, wrong. Still, they are the call we share and rightly so because ultimately the inability to forgive and the act of hating harms the person who holds those feelings equally if not more than the person at whom the feelings are directed.<br /><br />The question of mercy and forgiveness, in relation to Hitler and Bin Laden, can be easily dismissed as abstract lofty ideals, the ponderings of someone disconnected or far removed from the realities of the atrocities both men masterminded. (Imagine if either had put his God-given intelligence to the greater good what could have been achieved, but I digress.) But as an invisible survivor of 9/11/2001, I think the questions of mercy and forgiveness are even greater and (yes) very nuanced for people like me, people who live and carry the hidden scars of surviving a catastrophic terror attack.<br /><br />In May 2008, I (finally) had the blessing of meeting and listening to Sister Helen Prejean, csj, the inspiration for the reknown film, “Dead Man Walking.” After Helen’s talk, I had the privilege to share a sacred moment with her and told her that I thought the transformation of spirit that I already was experiencing through the encounter with her was preparing me for something. At the time, I thought it was outreach to death row inmates through letterwriting prison ministry. However, just three months later, I learned that what I was being changed for was six weeks of jury service on a very complex gang-related murder trial. While the story of that jury experience would rightly be the subject of another piece, the one relevant point is that as Juror #x, I sat looking face to face on a daily basis with admitted murderers who I realized were also very broken grown boys who like me were also made in the image of God. They weren’t born evil; their lives, their choices, and the focus of their intelligence and energies were grossly misplaced; their own sense of self-worth was either non-existent or misconstrued. Sparing a vivid description of the deeds to which some of them admitted, suffice to say that they committed horrendous humanly unforgivable deeds, some probably in the context of their testimonies. But in reflecting back on that experience and the insights I gained I was reminded that God’s Mercy is infiniteless; God does not withhold Mercy and Forgiveness from those who seek it. As the priest underscored at my nephew’s eighth grade graduation, “Graduates, hear me loud and clear: There is nothing, ASBOLUTELY NOTHING, you could ever do that would make God stop loving you. Don’t forget that.”<br /><br />So, unconditional love, forgiveness and mercy for (Hitler and) Bin Laden? Ultimately the answer to this question is God’s to give, which once again makes me thankful that I am not God. But it’s a question that I cannot ignore or dismiss because I believe it is rightly also posed to every person of faith, to each of us, especially to those injured by him. Theologically speaking, God never stops loving anyone, just as God doesn’t stop loving us even when we sin; forgiveness and mercy from God are equally available to all who seek it and will receive it. Some theologians have even hypothesized about Judas Iscariot’s place in heaven – and he turned Jesus over to death for thirty pieces of silver and then ended his own life with a noose. Two thoughts continue to resonate in my mind as I grapple with these questions: “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hurt you.” “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” These are two lofty aspirations, two heavy crosses when I think about putting them into practice. In the days to come, the challenge for me is whether I can express love for those who have hurt me regardless of whether they have repented or made me whole. The challenge is whether I can hope for God’s mercy on those who have hurt me when they face final judgment. The challenge is whether I can forgive those who “trespass against me” in order that I, too, can be so forgiven.<br /><br />On September 11, 2001, as I struggled with the experience of the terror attack, I instinctively went to call my Dad to talk things over, but he had died in December 1998. Today’s another one of those days when I need to call my Dad, but this time I already know what he’d say. My father often reminded us that self-righteous Christians might be very surprised to encounter Hitler or any other former evildoer in Paradise; he was not exonerating such evil acts but so deep was his confidence in the potential of God’s Mercy. My Dad was no pushover, but he also imparted a deep awareness that we are called to model our lives after the heart of God.<br /><br />As the reality of Bin Laden’s death is driven home by countless news stories and images across all forms of social media, I realize that I am struggling with how to feel, what to think, and what to pray about this man whose actions permanently scarred me and interrupted the life I had been living. He took from me something that can never, regardless of my own efforts, be restored to pre-9/11/2001 existence. He took these same things and more from thousands, arguably millions, of others, too.<br /><br />Ultimately, unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness, and justice for a soul are God’s. But I, too, have a part to play. So do you. Will we respond as we are called? Will we work to be able to respond as we are called? These real questions are put to us anew today. How will we respond? </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-40735360206404234632011-04-16T17:06:00.005-04:002011-04-16T17:18:46.885-04:00This Lenten Journey<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSklthIrNXlUDnCuXiRRFNv3Epm_kD7NSJc2zL2w1adunq4U8eqpcOK-vzYCDmmb7KdXEFV1B0TSvEj3nEoYdZSrlRaHYHMn-OYD7cMXxR8LJTzGYjFX6YsMT0flqSlzCb27p-/s1600/Symbols_Holy+Week.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 116px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596293775886734514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSklthIrNXlUDnCuXiRRFNv3Epm_kD7NSJc2zL2w1adunq4U8eqpcOK-vzYCDmmb7KdXEFV1B0TSvEj3nEoYdZSrlRaHYHMn-OYD7cMXxR8LJTzGYjFX6YsMT0flqSlzCb27p-/s400/Symbols_Holy+Week.jpg" /></a> <br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;">Prior to the start of Lent, I was trying to be more deliberate about writing and posting and my own spiritual journey. I had the best plans of my own, but God had others. There's a saying, "Let Advent be Advent so that Christmas can be Christmas." Well, every so often I find that God lets Lent be Lent so that Easter can be Easter, full with yoru own heavy cross and Calvary pilgrimate to journey. Due to a number of factors, this Lent has been one of those, but it's also been replete with its own blessings along the way. I haven't been a faithful writer, and my latest project Totus Tuus -- a virtual pilgrimage to the beatification of JPII, did not happen as planned. But all is not lost! God is good and each moment gives us a new opportunity. I will write and I may even try to reconfigure the Totus Tuus blog. The important thing is that I had good intentions for the right reason and was open to inspiration. Being able to recognize God's blessings and presence along the rocky road to Calvary and Easter is also a grace, and for that I am thankful amidst the thorny bushes. As evening comes today, Christians around the world begin the most sacred week of the year with the arrival of Passion (Palm) Sunday and on Tuesday Jewish people around the world pause for the solemn observance of Passover. I love it -- for both reasons historical and spiritual -- when Holy Week and Passover overlap. It's a perfect reminder to Christians of our Jewish roots and the faith tradition of Jesus. We can only come to celebrate Easter in all its glory because of Passover. Sometimes seven days can seem like a lifetime, but usually seven days go by in the blink of an eye. This week take time to savor each day as you journey to Sunday. Take in the sights, sounds, and ceremonies and let them embrace you and renew your spirit. Have a Blessed Holy Week so that you can celebrate a joy-filled Easter! </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-30162072181119945222011-02-19T15:20:00.004-05:002011-02-19T15:26:21.831-05:00Checking In...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfuK9mcUfQ64w64H_RShyyWDglzm86nnuLYlVe7TSoBAXXIUjBRmvvnptk60CaGohqiIK_AgfCHAqdqBUogc5p-aVm4aixIczGoPDKe6T4oiXlLs50w7vlK3GQkbtKso-3Sk6/s1600/Writing+%2528Story%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 183px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575499197017291794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfuK9mcUfQ64w64H_RShyyWDglzm86nnuLYlVe7TSoBAXXIUjBRmvvnptk60CaGohqiIK_AgfCHAqdqBUogc5p-aVm4aixIczGoPDKe6T4oiXlLs50w7vlK3GQkbtKso-3Sk6/s400/Writing+%2528Story%2529.jpg" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div></div><div>It's been more than a few days since I have posted here. I had a few writing projects in process, one is a guest blog that will be appearing at <a href="http://anunslife.org/blog/">A Nun's Life blog</a href> on Monday, February 21st. Be sure to check it out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I have also been developing the daily posts for my new project, <a href="http://blessedjohnpaulii.blogspot.com">Totus Tuus: A Virtual Pilgrimage to the Beatification of John Paul II</a href>. If you haven't had a chance to stop by, please do, and if you'd be interested in writing one of the entries, you are most welcome. There are still more than 50 entries to go.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I also have a few offline writing projects that are in various stages of readiness/non-readiness. I hope to get those moving with more deliberateness and good results. We shall see.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-44582423757317268132011-02-06T20:20:00.003-05:002011-02-06T20:37:41.634-05:00Celebrating Consecrated Life<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhD3anPjZlQZO3OnVgpl9TPeGD_Qa-uaRa9WXDqKdkFUa6Bnd-GjMbvy4SF1ZlEy8vAeIWWbrCZWu5jQwa8Sx7lCcOdERpI7Csru4JPyIT9kBognILm3ie_Tm6ktSt_LlW8zs/s1600/World+Day+2011.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570751622901423794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhD3anPjZlQZO3OnVgpl9TPeGD_Qa-uaRa9WXDqKdkFUa6Bnd-GjMbvy4SF1ZlEy8vAeIWWbrCZWu5jQwa8Sx7lCcOdERpI7Csru4JPyIT9kBognILm3ie_Tm6ktSt_LlW8zs/s400/World+Day+2011.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#000000;">"In 1997, Pope John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church." From the USCCB Website<br /><br />For the sake of parochial observances, the Church in the United States observes this occasion today. It is a valuable opportunity both as Church and as invidiuals to celebrate the gift that consecrated life is to the Church, to the world, and to us individually.<br /><br />I pause on this day in a special way to give thanks that God deigned in the recipe of me to include the rich flavors of a number of religious communities, namely the daughters of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt, the Sisters of Christian Charity; the daughters of Blessed Fr. James Alberione, the Daughters of Saint Paul; the daughters of St. Dominic, the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell; the daughters of Blessed Mary Angela Truskowska, the Felician Sisters; and the sons of St. Marcellin Champagnat, the Marist Brothers of the Schools. I am also personally thankful for the richness in my life through the daughters of Margaret Anna Cusack, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace; the daughters of Molly (Mary Joseph) Rogers, the Maryknoll Sisters; the daughters of Catharine McAuley, the Sisters of Mercy; and the many religious across communities and congregations who have touched my life and are touching my life now. A special recognition to the Jesuits, OFM Caps, OFM Conventuals, CFRs, the Nuns of St. Basil the Great, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Marianite Sisters, and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.<br /><br />Whether I have mentioned your community by name or not, I am grateful for and to you.<br /><br />For you, this day I pray with the same prayer (original source unknown)that I concluded my high school graduation speech:<br /></span></div><div align="center"><br />"Of all the fine and noble things that you have done with your beautiful life,<br />the greatest is you helped me to know God and know myself.<br />I shall spend my eternity thanking you!"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-60908757550917906172011-02-04T21:48:00.007-05:002011-02-04T21:54:17.653-05:00A New Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircmJM5GSRbKufEfh1sY2Iunw0bVmo_QI7jQYDUfjcqntKaITAZLC7ql1XwO5CwL2jCFlqw0cWR1gbj7lB46aokLYTthZfYDutrPLXKOWH1lZIiuBr6H6W6vcSFemKcjMH7AYG/s1600/JP+I.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircmJM5GSRbKufEfh1sY2Iunw0bVmo_QI7jQYDUfjcqntKaITAZLC7ql1XwO5CwL2jCFlqw0cWR1gbj7lB46aokLYTthZfYDutrPLXKOWH1lZIiuBr6H6W6vcSFemKcjMH7AYG/s400/JP+I.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570032642435248898" /></a><br /><br /><br />With the beatification of Pope John Paul II just over 80 days away, I have started a new short-term project, <a href="http://blessedjohnpaulii.blogspot.com/"> Totus Tuus</a href>, a blog that I hope serves as a pilgrimage toward Beatification Day.<br /><br />Check it out, and let me know if you'd like to be a guest blogger for one of the days.<br /><br />And don't forget to visit here, too. I won't be abandoning this blog, just adding to my work in the blogosphere.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-3414644241106424222011-01-23T09:45:00.006-05:002011-01-23T10:48:22.530-05:00The Need for Healing, A Prescription for Wholeness<span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hkguH2ANrK5RQKPIFG3jCLX87ZyqLwmuAVE2efiu24gzLZD_Ly5aaGsOuirBFGPJ8RKKg3Tdutad9pLEYQaECYs0SsVE6GZAnqxsCnxcZKeix3oTSdLqgmTZdCJ5XsVaMGlO/s1600/Healing+Hands+%2526+Light.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565394148096082626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hkguH2ANrK5RQKPIFG3jCLX87ZyqLwmuAVE2efiu24gzLZD_Ly5aaGsOuirBFGPJ8RKKg3Tdutad9pLEYQaECYs0SsVE6GZAnqxsCnxcZKeix3oTSdLqgmTZdCJ5XsVaMGlO/s400/Healing+Hands+%2526+Light.jpg" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw99KJ3RDXrSZzTEqAPIvFZ71jJr7GwEbB5xnZwA1Ye0Z_r8grSwa_qcKQv3KNg4Dvp4b3pRNCoydpLdf_NQWm0atOE27-0VOlUzHiv1c7wLN0PKuXF0E9pOPmIG83X6BjbRh2/s1600/Candle.jpg"></a><div>
<br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There is a broad list of topics on my mind this week, but one of the intertwining themes among them is the concept of healing. We as imperfect humans need healing, society as a community of humans needs healing, the Church needs healing.</span>
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<br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.fatherlasch.com/">Msgr. Ken Lasch's homily</a> for this third Sunday in Ordinary Time offers tangible insights into this fundamental human need and meaningful ways to further our ongoing healing as people, as community, as society, as Church through an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus as Brother and God.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The well-known headlings of the week just begin to touch the surface of the hurts we share in common, of our shared need for both individual and collective healing:</span></div><ul><li><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">the gun violence in Arizona two weeks ago and the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70I0E520110121">miraculous ongoing recovery</a> of Congresswoman Giffords;</span></div></li><li><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">the <a href="http://www.odmp.org/officer/20655-police-officer-christopher-matlosz">vicious murder of Lakewood Police Officer Chris Matlosz</a>;</span></div></li><li><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">the <a href="http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/01/23/news/doc4d3af90f819f9408762546.txt">burial of PFC Benjamin Moore</a> (Bordentown, NJ) and the proposed protest by Westboro Baptist "Church";</span></div></li><li><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41211777/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/">horrible tragedies</a> uncovered at "Dr." Kermit Gosnell's Pennsylvania abortion clinic. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></span></div></li></ul></a><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></a>
<br />With these few selected examples in mind, this image of open hands filled with candlelight represents for me the opportunity to surrender to God what hurts us, the hurts we have committed against others, the worries, struggles, and burdens that weigh us down and hold us back. Placing these cares into God's hands allows God to hold our hands and embrace us in Light and Love. In return our hands become free to hold God and to reach out with the same healing clasp to others.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">May your day and the week to come be energized with light, healing, and wholeness!</span></p>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-74854448405422488552011-01-14T09:45:00.004-05:002011-01-14T11:31:36.797-05:00Leaving Literature as Written? A Twenty-First Century Challenge or Opportunity<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpFJOLa7ohjlu-HdduzMp2yHBSgDQ6-9F09kjB_R1yNFhqiahaaJXudueS127j1_1rxjRd60CxQ8LYW9gXjpVWxwk4wAmVM0lYxuIOFmAxgQAzr7J9deuk6zTPyYAc6B5sHqT/s1600/Huck+Finn+Classic+Cover.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 187px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562053488067779042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpFJOLa7ohjlu-HdduzMp2yHBSgDQ6-9F09kjB_R1yNFhqiahaaJXudueS127j1_1rxjRd60CxQ8LYW9gXjpVWxwk4wAmVM0lYxuIOFmAxgQAzr7J9deuk6zTPyYAc6B5sHqT/s400/Huck+Finn+Classic+Cover.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />A recent article by Tom Leonard in the UK’s Daily Mail has caught a lot of interest and generated a lot of discussion both in Facebook and in other venues. His article <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344192/Huckleberry-Finn-removes-N-word-Political-correctness-takes-Mark-Twains-classic.html“">Huckleberry Finn Removes N-Word: Political Correctness Takes on Mark Twain’s Classic</a>, discusses a forthcoming edition of the Twain classic to be released under the guidance of Dr. Alan Gribben, professor of English at Auburn University in Alabama, in which the “N Word and the term “injun” [referring to U.S. Indians] are replaced or restated to reflect 21st century sensibilities about race, ethnicity, and identity.<br /><br />This is a must read article! Two key issues are raised: 1) Twain’s use of language recognized now as racist and 2) editing out objectionable language to overcome censorship and placement of a work on banned books lists.<br />A friend noted along with his link to the article, “The scholars say the new version is a bid to make the book's treatment of race more in line with 21st century values, but critics say the censorship is taking political correctness too far.” He then went on to ask, “What say you?”<br /><br />Here is a summary of my contributions to the online conversation:<br /><br /><blockquote>How can we learn/teach about history if we can't read a work in its original form and evaluate the context of its time? I think this is a potential tragedy as it really alters the state of literature and the disciplines of literary studies, interdisciplinary studies, and cultural studies, just to name a few (actually this list could go on ... history, American Studies).<br /><br />We cannot re-write the history of race in the U.S. We can only contribute to writing its future. To erase the reality of racism in the U.S. is arguably one of the most racist things a person or group can do because by invisbilizing racism it is empowered and left unchallenged. <strong>We cannot rewrite the history of race in the U.S. We can only contribute to its future.</strong> To erase the reality of race in the U.S. is arguably one of the most racist things a person or group, whether or not they intend it, can do because by invisibilizing racism it is empowered and left unchallenged.<br /><br />I don’t diminish or underestimate the pain/sting or racist language especially on people of color. However, I think we greatly fail as a society if we “whitewash” the impact of racism by erasing it, restating it, making it somehow more palatable.<br />The subtle influences of racism (and all other –isms), however, extend beyond use of language. So, if the language of a work were “fixed,” the more subtle nuances of racialized living may not be detected by readers who would experience the language as a red flag of sorts. Obviously, the whole story can’t be “fixed; that would mean remaking Twain’s work in its entirety, and thus it would no longer be Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn.” </blockquote></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-78917800483230928652011-01-12T09:49:00.004-05:002011-01-12T09:57:43.199-05:00Remembering -- One Year Later<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">I think the snowfall came to keep us all reflective on this first anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti. The cataclismic nature of shifting plates is not a mere metaphor: On that day, many lives were forever changed. In a special way, let us remember Christine Gianacaci and her school colleagues and mentors who were there to accompany and unknowingly did so very literally with their lives. Let us continue to remember and advocate for the many Haitian people who continue to suffer the longterm aftershocks.<br /></span><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuO9BVoVVvTQqUOI88NN-QyopTdT2lnYuHMOwiJ_JHBJl1egLxRk-P53DIopMJCfIZLjYfM9eix-bF5KfUw_m7txrKuneGw6o6TPUspS5VBti1ktMMIzK1wj-fO89kacX7mgn/s1600/Christine+%2526+Friends.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561312190136401282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuO9BVoVVvTQqUOI88NN-QyopTdT2lnYuHMOwiJ_JHBJl1egLxRk-P53DIopMJCfIZLjYfM9eix-bF5KfUw_m7txrKuneGw6o6TPUspS5VBti1ktMMIzK1wj-fO89kacX7mgn/s400/Christine+%2526+Friends.jpg" /> </a><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>The four Lynn University students who died in the J</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>anuary 12, 2010 earthquake. Christine Gianacaci is pictured on the bottom row, left.<br /></strong></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">"To continue Christine Gianacaci's mission of helping underprivileged children and to put a smile (like Christine's big smile) on the faces of those less fortunate than us", visit</span> <a href="http://www.christineshope.org/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.christineshope.org</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">.<br /></p></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-21370164096279422582011-01-09T21:47:00.000-05:002011-01-12T09:49:28.927-05:00Turning the Page on Christmas 2010<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKzrvkCNAfjjM-jElHn5lpqEDflvyrHjFto-8LOQdFPs-urqQruJ0JsCSqCaIXjj7eZNvI4EFJdqW3H4a1e3BI8SJBFt9k5q2A0j07Pl1i1cGa3MlKAgogbzHDQzH3YdyHu6h/s1600/Baptism+of+Jesus.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561311338627612274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKzrvkCNAfjjM-jElHn5lpqEDflvyrHjFto-8LOQdFPs-urqQruJ0JsCSqCaIXjj7eZNvI4EFJdqW3H4a1e3BI8SJBFt9k5q2A0j07Pl1i1cGa3MlKAgogbzHDQzH3YdyHu6h/s400/Baptism+of+Jesus.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#000066;">Well, tonight we turn the page and, liturgically speaking from a Catholic perspective, officially close the Christmas season. No one like to see Christmas go, especially not me. I take serious the charge to "keep Christmas with [me] all through the year!" While I believe that notion to be true, Fr. Dan's homily tonight (I went to a neighboring parish today) struck me: To paraphrase, in a homily in which he shared his childhood experience of his parents' rocky marriage and subsequent divorce, he said that the Christmas story is nice, but it's not why Christ came to earth or what we are all about as Christians. We are really Easter people so it's necessary that we encounter and experience Jesus the adult which today, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, is all about. That's why the feast marks the transition from Christmas to Ordinary Time. Fr. Dan underscored that God is there in the messes and the dumps and we need those experiences to encounter God there, too. So, he said, the trappings and external signs of Christmas will be gone (literally, he offered the pointsettias to anyone who wanted to take them home) in the next two days but our journey continues.<br /><br /><br /><br />It was a very thoughtprovoking homily that left people with lots to ponder. It was also one in which Fr. Dan's human honesty about his own journey very well may have saved or will save a life as often times the miracles of every day life are the ones we never hear. </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-71730398092066458252011-01-02T12:34:00.003-05:002011-01-02T12:39:44.937-05:00"Yes, Everyone Is a Shepherd and King!"<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfreUXC5DwhRGs5FBr5Pthu3dY3FTi2MGrVkP1VxcqkY1jrgeTFDBA5SIDiqXQ8FpRHf94gvF452JB5xb6yQjPbQGBME5lELdmgUFCtWdhpsYKzQ0fksHtDTRm8uHeP2IFjxum/s1600/Star+that+Leads.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 194px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 259px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557643362261489234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfreUXC5DwhRGs5FBr5Pthu3dY3FTi2MGrVkP1VxcqkY1jrgeTFDBA5SIDiqXQ8FpRHf94gvF452JB5xb6yQjPbQGBME5lELdmgUFCtWdhpsYKzQ0fksHtDTRm8uHeP2IFjxum/s400/Star+that+Leads.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Today we find ourselves at the liturgical celebration of Epiphany, the day on which we commemorate the Christ Child revealing himself to the non-Jewish nations through the three kings. My mind always returns on this day to the Weston Priory song, "Shepherds and Kings," so I invite you to revisit a blogpost I shared five years ago commemorating this same feast day. </span><a href="http://fromwhereiwrite.blogspot.com/2006/01/shepherds-and-kings.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Click here </span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and consider for yourself the role of shepherds and kings in your life, encountering God and sharing God each day.</span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-74381540407727611522010-12-31T16:15:00.011-05:002011-01-02T15:52:34.720-05:00Turning the Page from 2010 to 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCGFaVnH7Sr2k7NeO5UTxX5O4j8KkyvMkuMkB3Jkrd-z5zzt7N5wdEdonoXW5lzlzXLylLHwNLk2cmLmLC6PNvfm-P3Z9bAtzvV7U2pUzKBvsdyw6Yy_fD_1KzhpRQDpuQX7N/s1600/New+Year.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 196px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556958426090123602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCGFaVnH7Sr2k7NeO5UTxX5O4j8KkyvMkuMkB3Jkrd-z5zzt7N5wdEdonoXW5lzlzXLylLHwNLk2cmLmLC6PNvfm-P3Z9bAtzvV7U2pUzKBvsdyw6Yy_fD_1KzhpRQDpuQX7N/s400/New+Year.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">My feeling about the arrival of a new year has changed and, yes, grown over time. Now that I am in my 40s, I find myself less anxious about it and more reflective about it. </div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><p></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">I used to think of New Year's as a fixed defined moment in which we together pass from one year to another, a moment full of possibility but also full of anxiety. Then I realized that the movement from 11:59 p.m. December 31 to 12:00 midnight January 1 happens on a rolling basis until the 24 time zones find themselves in the new year. With that realization, I have come to recognize the midnight moment as a moment within the many moments of natural transition that exist over the course of a lifetime. It is our construction of time and the time-counting labels we use that mark the moment of New Year. </div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><p></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">With that new found point of view, the end of one year and the arrival of a new one is not a catastrophic moment but rather a moment filled with opportunity. The most obvious opportunity is to reflect, give thanks, praise, bless, and renew. </div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><p></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">The opportunity to renew brings us to the age-old notion of "New Year's resolutions." Yes, I am sure that we all have our experience with resolutions made, resolutions broken, and resolutions repeated every year hoping for success. </div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><p></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">These past few days I have been thinking quite a lot about resolutions, not as a ritual but as opportunity. The new year's moment offers a meaningful invitation to renewal and <a href="http://www.romans8v29.blogspot.com/2010/12/be-it-resolvedthe-catholic-way.html">this blog post by Sister Anne Flanagan, fsp </a>offers a healthy view on the New Year's resolution presented by Blessed Fr. James Alberione, ssp. Supplementing that "resolution framework" is </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-james-martin-sj/12-things-i-wish-i-knew-a_b_802687.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">this article by Fr. Jim Martin, sj</span> </a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">offering 12 guideposts for daily living (lessons he wishes he learned at age 25 now that he turned 50). </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"><li></li></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">For 2011, I am going to strive to integrate Fr. Alberione's model with Fr. Jim's 12 guideposts for living. The outcome? Hopefully together with a renewed and peaceful spirit will yield a Lisa who is more fully Lisa as God intends her to be. </div></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"><p></span></p><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#660000;">We shall see... In the meantime, as the waters of time come to wash away the final hours of 2010 and the dawn rises on 2011, I wish you peace, health, contentment, and all that is good.</span></div><div align="justify"></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-40603011626279383782010-12-25T22:44:00.002-05:002010-12-25T22:46:41.730-05:00Christmas 2010<div align="center">Love Came Down at Christmas...</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554832233375033378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt3x4cn-qGGdWtrYjw8pBkFGwTPwfs5Gipc2Lr89UdgDAIs4f8YOKf080OgtevIHgrYCGCWWu128r12hLmIxZnoBDmo92dP3zPNpPY1OCF3BBWQjDBpzw59I8ewQIBvlFoeNM/s400/Winter+Trees.jpg" /><br /><div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-63728085571075434592010-12-13T00:01:00.000-05:002010-12-13T00:01:03.293-05:00RIP, Cousin Danny<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lUNz2CzOj-RolzhOWMHWEU0E-GItZprtAN6NgfIRk7pZEIYXCRkrnHEjtrE24fNyMEAQqe87BwKfdR0PgLtuiGRgSH-QMTD2Qo-NBC08tFUhduBcEg6OiWfD7sugPTqqZAoc/s1600/Daniel+M.+Corkery.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549982258505062578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lUNz2CzOj-RolzhOWMHWEU0E-GItZprtAN6NgfIRk7pZEIYXCRkrnHEjtrE24fNyMEAQqe87BwKfdR0PgLtuiGRgSH-QMTD2Qo-NBC08tFUhduBcEg6OiWfD7sugPTqqZAoc/s400/Daniel+M.+Corkery.bmp" /></a>Daniel M. Corkery<br />May 9, 1948 – December 11, 2010<br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In memory of my cousin, some of his own words of testimony: “I like to follow in the steps Jesus had laid out in the bible. His main mission was to tell others, about his Father named Jehovah and his plan for mankind here on earth. Jesus' directions on how to pray, I said this prayer many times in my life, but did not fully understand its meaning. Today with a clear understanding of his prayer, I now do the things he wanted us to do.” </span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Danny, daily I prayed that you’d get the miracle my Dad didn’t get. In the end, God deemed it was time to call you home to Himself. I am sorry we did not have more face-to-face, voice-to-voice time to share, but I am so grateful that we reconnected electronically and had the grace of sharing faith, testimony, and our family connection. Now, my cousin, you can experience an eternal fishing trip with the greatest Fisher of All, Jesus Christ, your God and your All, and together with the family members who live eternally you can enjoy the eternal banquet (or BBQ) of God’s unconditional love. </span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rest in peace, and keep an eye on us! And please, give all our loved ones you see on the other side a big hug and lots of love from me. </span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-9460483177211305282010-12-11T16:25:00.003-05:002010-12-11T16:41:04.162-05:00Casual Comfort Cooking<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Busy Saturday! Up early, cleaned the shower, ran a few shopping errands, went to the Post Office, picked up the paper, came back home, put in some laundry, and have been cooking ever since. A busy night tonight, so I figured it would be good to get a head start on cooking. Plus the weather seemed right for cooking creativity! Today's recipes are turning out pretty good so far.<br /><br />I've made three culinary innovations today.<br /><br />First, for lunch, I quickly prepped what I am calling a December Pasta Lunch. Organic whole wheat fusilli with pan sauteed grape tomatoes, spinach, red and green peppers, basil, garlic, olive oil, and smoked mozzarella, very lightly salted and moderately peppered. Serve it up in a ceramic bowl and the tomatoes gently burst on each first bite.<br /><br />Second, I pre-prepared supper: The filling for Asian chicken lettuce wraps. These are inspired by P.F. Chang's (way too high in sodium) lettuce wraps. Sauteed ground chicken in olive oil and garlic with mixed asian vegetables (including water chestnuts). Seasoned with a pinch of salt, several shakes of pepper, a couple of dashes of poultry seasoning, and 4 tablespoons of WF Thai Peanut Sauce/Marinade. When I thought of this recipe, I believed I still had some WF Korean Sesame Marinade, but as it turns out, that was already gone. In any case, yummy! As an alternate to consuming this cooked mixture in a lettuce wrap, you could serve it in a half of baked/roasted green pepper. I took a taste and have to say it turned out quite fine.<br /><br />The third dish, which I plan to serve for lunch tomorrow, is something that for now I am calling Honey Mustard-Paprika Chicken and Scallopped Yams. The aromas wafing through the house while this one dish wonder bakes are soothing in a most wintery way.<br /><br />I am glad that I take the time to cook and expand my culinary creativity from time to time. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and paprika are a few of the seasonal tools I make use of at this time of year. <strong>What aromas and flavors comfort you at this time of year? </strong></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15137181.post-80208046746821486512010-12-08T17:31:00.001-05:002010-12-11T17:34:17.739-05:00 Quiet Love: A Tribute to the Immaculate Conception of Mary<strong>Quiet Love</strong><br />(reprinted from www.fatherlasch.com December 8, 2010 post)<br /><br />Woman wrapped in silence<br />resting in the cold night<br />waiting for the sun to rise <br />and a new day to bring new life.<br />Woman unknown,<br />under stars light years away --<br />under the star destined to shine over all the ages. <br /><br />Waiting woman wrapped in mystery<br />carrying within her womb the child God,<br />child unwanted --<br />by earthly gods<br />of gilt and gold<br />of power and prestige<br />of weapons and war<br /><br />Woman wrapped in wisdom, sophia,<br />transparent soul filled with grace,<br />waiting in the darkness of night<br />to bring forth ‘Sophia’ Son of light<br />in whom there is no darkness -- <br />no east or west,<br />incarnate – neither male nor female -- the Christ<br />the same yesterday, today and forever.<br /><br />Courageous woman called blessed <br />from generation to generation. <br />Gentle woman in whom no sin is found<br />woman priest of God brings forth the lamb of God <br />who takes away the sins of the world—enduring love,<br />healing love. <br /><br />Venite adoremus!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11984922178492683577noreply@blogger.com0