Giving Thanks and Doing Thanks
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. Why? First of all because it is a holiday celebrated in most countries and by virtually all faiths. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc., all have the tradition of giving thanks. So, wishing someone a “Happy Thanksgiving,” is always politically correct. (more…)
I Love Letters!
My Dear Friends,
I love letters! I fell in love with them at an early age. I was in seventh grade when I got my first foreign pen-pal. Her name was Carla and she lived in Milan, Italy. I remember the excitement of walking out to our mailbox and finding a letter from Carla. I loved her graceful handwriting and the pretty Italian stamps plastered all over the envelope. My second pen-pal was Visnja from Zagreb, Yugoslavia, followed by others in Japan, Singapore, Denmark, and South Africa. I wrote faithfully to these girls (and others closer to home) until I entered the convent in July 1962. (more…)
Mud Isn't "Just Mud"
When I was writing my book, When the Moon Speaks: Rejoicing in Everyday Miracles, I was searching for new topics to write about. I said to a few friends, “I’ve already written about the moon, dogs, whales, tulips, deserts, corn, and fire. What other topics do you suggest?” My friend Sister Lenette Marcello said, “What about mud?” I was taken aback by her suggestion and said, “Mud? Isn’t mud just mud?” (more…)
Mud Isn’t “Just Mud”
When I was writing my book, When the Moon Speaks: Rejoicing in Everyday Miracles, I was searching for new topics to write about. I said to a few friends, “I’ve already written about the moon, dogs, whales, tulips, deserts, corn, and fire. What other topics do you suggest?” My friend Sister Lenette Marcello said, “What about mud?” I was taken aback by her suggestion and said, “Mud? Isn’t mud just mud?” (more…)
The Suffering of the Saints
This week on November 1 we celebrate the feast of All Saints. This seems a fitting occasion to say a few words about the saints. In this posting, I’d like to reflect on one aspect of the saints: their suffering. No, I’m not going to describe the gruesome things some of them endured—like being eaten by lions or being burned at the stake. Rather, I’d like to list some of the saints who endured sufferings that are perhaps more akin to our own. (more…)
