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Showing posts from April 1, 2012

What the Catholic Church needs

For many years I had a fascination with the Catholic Church. I liked its beautiful liturgy, the formality of its worship. I was often taken with the elaborate, ornate atmosphere of their sanctuaries and cathedrals--the burning candles, the Holy Water, the Stations of the Cross, the ever present and large crucifix, the famous scenes of Jesus captured in brilliant stained glass windows, the Eucharist at the center of the altar, the burning incense, the cloistered confessionals, the priests colorful robes. I loved that they had such high regard for Mary. I was moved that they didn’t take Jesus off the Cross but left him there as a reminder of the agony and passion of his love. I liked that their priests often smoked openly and would have a drink outside the church. I related to their humanness. And I felt a kinship with their concept of the homily, the brief sermon, the message of Christ’s care for us and interest in us told in quiet words spoken in a matter of minutes. Then we

Find your way

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) often shows between programs a photo of Earth from space with its swirling clouds and blue oceans. Then there appears this tagline: The World Find your way I love that sentiment. It speaks of belonging. It affirms all humanity. It challenges us to discover where we fit in. It asks us to make our individual contribution to the world. Finding our way is a colossal human quest. The question, “Why am I here?” has universal implications. What does my life mean in the whole scope of things? That’s what we all want to know. How do we find our way in the world? We find it through education. I want to say that education should never be something we fear. Some people are simply afraid to know more. It feels safe knowing what we know. But life expands into astonishment and wonder when we allow ourselves to learn new things and to accept new ideas. It takes us to new places of self discovery. It helps us understand others. It deepens o