Four hundred and fifty years ago, the great reformer, Charles Borromeo, had to face a horrible plague that spread to Milan, where he served as archbishop. Sometimes known as the Plague of Pestilence, it crippled the economy, devastated the food supply, brought sickness to half the citizens, and killed nearly twenty percent of the population, […]
Most of our Mays are marked by national events from the Kentucky Derby to Indy-500, international events from May Day to Cinco de Mayo, school events from proms to graduations, cultural events from May poles to May baskets, societal events from Mother’s Day to Memorial Day, sporting events from winding down the NBA to revving […]
The drive on 210 Highway from my residence in Kansas City’s northland to the places of my youth winds along the north side of the Missouri River. Once I pass by Pig’s Landing and Jackass Bend, I know that home is not far away. The pathway invariably conjures nostalgic thoughts in my brain and spirit. […]
“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste and remember what peace there may be in silence…” These words from Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata would be worthy ones to take with us as we slowly and cautiously emerge from our days of confinement this month. Some will emerge twenty-five pounds lighter and in better health; some […]
Perhaps it is simply human nature to look for otherworldly signs to verify that the Lord travels with us along our earthen pilgrimage. For example, we wonder if the coronavirus isolation ban will be lifted on or near the Feast of Saint Corona (May 14). We wonder how “quarantine,” deriving from Latin and meaning “forty” […]
During this isolation timespan, my communications team urged me to offer brief daily in-home retreat messages. After a couple of weeks of airing short videos and spiritual exercise ideas, some viewers asked me to share a summary of my own daily prayer. Reluctantly, I will. Yet, I caution you to realize that, while we can […]
Sometimes we enter into passions of our own choosing and sometimes passions we don’t choose enter into us. As we approach Passion Sunday, we can look back on Lent with the realization that, on many levels, it will not end next week as our liturgical schedule dictates. COVID-19 has overtaken all calendars of our economy, […]
