Stranded on the Mainland: Inner Pilgrimage and Living Alone as a Spiritual Path:

"The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission - to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. It fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ (Luke 24:46-49) that the Apostles would be "clothed with power" before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel."  (www.catholicnewsagency.com).   What does it mean to be clothed with power? I notice Christ did not promise the Apostles they would be armed with power. Were the Apostles sent out to spread the Gospel to all nations with baseball bats and frying pans? Were there stockpiles of weapons and ammunition in the Upper Room to keep the Apostles safe? Not that I recall reading.  Do we imagine that heaven is pierced and ascension is accomplished with rifles or surface to air missiles?  No of course not.   Are we brave, sane, humble, and free enough to imagine Love alone can pierce heaven? I hope so. There is time enough to continue debating, ...

Yesterday at least 18 elementary school children were gunned down in their Texas classroom. The shooter was 18 years old. I was 18 years old when I had an almost fatal car accident; tomorrow is the anniversary of that accident. For me, these things feel connected in ways I don't understand.  Maybe it has something to do with accepting the past and the present as they are?  With accepting the world and people as they are too? When stumped like this, I turn to the Sisters of Life podcast archives and often find something that helps. I found a link for a pdf file called, Litany of Let Love.  It was perfect.  And-- it was written by one of the podcast cohosts.   Circling back to the shooting in Uvalde Texas.  After the deaths of all those children, I also want to share what is thought to be the poet Emily Dickinson's last letter before she died.  It was short and simple, “ Little Cousins, Called Back. Emily “.  (Source: briefpoems.wordpress).   W...

I listened very very carefully to the party leaders in the Ontario Election Leaders Debate last night:  Doug Ford (PC), Andrea Horwath (NDP), Steven Del Duca (Lib), and Mike Schreiner (Greens). I thought they each did well and stayed true to their political DNA. I confess not listening to too much media commentary post debate. This morning one line from the debate keeps coming back to me. It's my own, inspired by the gospel of John, " Would you lay down your vote for a friend?" I'm going to do it for Fr. Doug McCarthy S.J. this election. Amen crosscards.com Vote Thursday June 2 or at advance polls: See link below for more information. https://www.elections.on.ca/ en/voting-in-ontario/how-to- vote.html

Today on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, it was announced the pope is coming to Canada.  Pope Francis is coming on July 24 - 29, to be with Indigenous peoples as part of the Truth and Reconciliation effort. This reminds me of when another pope came to Canada.  Now St. Pope John Paul II came to Toronto for the 17th World Youth Day — July 23 to 28, 2002.  I cannot help noticing the similar date ranges between the two pope's visits to Canada; they're off by only one day. When Pope John Paul II came to Toronto in 2002 for World Youth Day, I was on retreat at a convent in Toronto. I was going through a divorce after a horrible marriage. I was feeling lost, abandoned, and without hope. Then I started hearing on the news how the pope might not make it for WYD because of failing health from Parkinson's. I remember being overwhelmed by the desire to pray with all my heart that he would make to Toronto. I didn't want the kids to be disappointed. Shortly into the retreat everythi...

"God makes poetry out of all our pasts.... don't be afraid to have fun leaning into what you're called to do."  (paraphrased from Sisters of Life, Let Love Podcast, Season 7, Final Episode). Yesterday was a tough tough day.  It was Mother's Day.  Today is better.  I should know better by now than to try and blog on tough days. I'm learning to wait until I get back to the joy. Because that's what I really want to be sharing with others. I want to be a witness, an example not of despair but of hope and gratitude after trauma. As I said, today is better. I listened to two of my favourite podcasts that air on Mondays; then I called for an appointment with a wise woman, and made myself a cup of strong tea.  As I began to relax and feel better, I noticed my cat, Lorelei, on the rug in front of our balcony door.  She likes watching for pigeons. What came to mind was: Lorelei, you're hired!  Your job for this summer is to chase away pigeons landing on our balc...