On the Feast Day of Saint Francis I imagine Francis would be most pleased with efforts that continue his peacemaking work.
Deeds of Blessed Francis
October 3, 2011 by | Leave a Comment
Francis taught that, at the end of the day, it is not the sophisticated argument, not the polished apologetics, that matters most but rather our ability to remain open to the Holy Spirit that fills us with the love that gives our simple words meaning.
The Spirit of Assisi
August 25, 2011 by | 1 Comment
On October 27th of this year the 25th anniversary of the Spirit of Assisi will be celebrated. The theme this year will be Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace.
A Saint in Auschwitz
August 14, 2011 by | Leave a Comment
This morning Saint Maximilian Kolbe, my local parish’s patron saint, a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar who was arrested and sent to Auschwitz, was honored with a special Mass.
In the Garden
August 9, 2011 by | Leave a Comment
This morning I encountered a marvelous spider web glistening in the early light. It reminded me of John Paul Lederach’s peacemaking treatise, The Moral Imagination.
Transitus of Francis
October 3, 2010 by |
As Francis approached the moment of his departure, when he would pass from this life into God, he asked for two passages of scripture to be read, Psalm 142 and John 12.
Francis as Prayer
August 20, 2010 by |
Yesterday, I came across a beautiful blog post that, for me, captures the essence of Francis, whose very being was a prayer. The sentiment in the post duplicates the sentiment that is needed when one approaches conflict. The views expressed were so powerful that I have reposted the material in its entirety.
Taming the Wolf Inspired by Saint Bonaventure
July 15, 2010 by |
Today is a very special day. July 15 is the feast day that celebrates the life of Saint Bonaventure, the Franciscan theologian and mystic.
I am grateful to Bonaventure for the inspiration his works provided ias I wrote Taming the Wolf.
The Humility and Poverty of St. Francis
June 2, 2010 by |
St. Francis, often called the Universal Brother, addressed challenges that commonly arose in other cultures as well. For example, problems Francis addressed through humility and poverty were addressed in the Buddhist tradition through the practice of “cessation of attachment.”
Ask for Peace, Do Not Feel Insignificant
April 29, 2010 by |
The work of conflict resolution sometimes places us in situations that call upon us to invite and implore and beg those with overwhelming power to engage with us, on behalf of our clients, in the peacemaking process.