The pandemic continues to show us that technology can be a lifeline, connecting humans to each other and critical services and care. The connectedness comes with a responsibility: to know the other and be part of their world — virtual and real.
Television depictions of snowy, glittery and cozy Christmas celebrations seem unattainable to those without the means or who live in warmer climates. While these traditions create memories, they're not what the holiday really means.
Horizons - As we reflect on the story of Christmas and prepare ourselves for Christ's coming in that moment, it's a good reminder that, like the shepherds, we are not the main character. We are not the Light. Jesus is.
Look around: Wisdom reveals herself now in new ways. The arts, the sciences, hold wisdom for those who know how to see. That's the meaning of incarnation, isn't it? God's infusion in this world, on this Earth, in this time.
For Filipino Catholics, Simbang Gabi is primarily an expression of filial devotion to the Virgin Mary. They accompany her for nine days as she anticipates the birth of her son. The novena helps Filipinos appreciate their faith more fully, prompts them to meditate on God's love and draws people closer to Jesus Christ.
Our Advent journey toward Christmas is a time when we come face to face with the Divine invitation of Jesus' incarnation. Every year, the celebration of Christ's birth calls us to actively discern how we can respond to the outpouring of God's love.
The future of the Pacific nation of Kiribati is difficult to predict and will require courageous decisions soon: Kiribati will need the assistance of Pacific neighbors. Good Samaritan communities are uniquely placed to accompany their Kiribati families, friends and neighbors into the future.
Horizons – On the first Friday of Advent, I thought of St. Joseph as I listened to a father tell the story of his holy family’s perilous journey from Honduras to Mexico and eventually, for part of his family at least, to the U.S.
It appears that the ones who clean and make our city what it is have no right to live in it, simply because they do not have the means to acquire a piece of land and find shelter. Where do we even begin?
Two sisters share their dialogue, in hopes of raising awareness about suffering in Myanmar. Sr. Sung Hee Moon of Korea speaks with Sr. Ann Nu Tawng, whose photo begging soldiers to not shoot protestors went viral this year.
I traveled 12 hours to attend a workshop organized by Africa Faith and Justice Network, and the Tanzanian Catholic Association of Sisters. The workshop inspired me to raise my voice against trafficking and abuse of the vulnerable.
Christ came in the past and will come again in the future, but Advent reminds me that Christ is coming now. He is coming into the world today through every person who is willing to cooperate with God's saving grace.
Horizons - Are we listening? Are we shining our light into the darkness? Are we bringing attention to that which the powers-that-be would prefer remained hidden?
Let us take this time of Advent to realize the gift God gave us — and gives us — in Jesus. Let us live patiently during this Advent time and celebrate Christmas in the joy of the Word made flesh.
COVID-19 worsened the blanket of insecurity and fear in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but the Daughters of the Resurrection in Bukavu — teaming up with other congregations — persist in their health care mission.
Contemplate This - Advent is about taking time to prepare to celebrate an event and recommit to a process. The Advent calendar is a way to slow down and focus one's reflection every day. How would I create an Advent calendar today?
Liturgical seasons are bottomless wells of possibility, with water that can be calm and consoling or turbulent and disturbing. This year, "turbulent and disturbing" feels about right.
Thanksgiving is a holiday designed to celebrate individual freedom and liberty — at the same time as those same liberties and freedoms are stripped away from others. It is a holiday rooted in domination, exploitation, appropriation and violence.
To make the surprise of gratitude a part of one's eucharistic spirituality, one needs only to become aware of opportunities that appear regularly in one's life. Here are some of my moments of "surprise as Eucharist."
As nature unfolds throughout the year, my imagination and thoughts take flight, with questions arising deep from my heart: If there were no God, then what makes all these seasons possible, over which no human being has power or control?