|
Friday, June 24, 2011
Colleagues List, June 25th, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Colleagues List, June 18th, 2011
Vol. VI. No. 36
*****
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
*****
Colleagues List Blog:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/
*****
In This Issue -
Special Item This Week:
Book Notice -
"Our One Great Act of Fidelity"
by Colleague Ron Rolheiser
___
Colleague Comment:
June Maffin
___
Colleague Contributions:
Monica Kilburn Smith
Ron Rolheiser
___
Net Notes:
Ben Smillie Dies
French Ban on Veils
Kung Advocates Peaceful Evolution
New Westminster Property Settlement
Detroit Reviews Reformed Roman Mass
"Book of Mormon" Play Wins Tony Award
Lutherwood Recognized as Ideal Employer
Religious Tolerance Improves in Vietnam
Canada's Reserve System Still a Disgrace
Neither the Day nor the Hour: The Rapture
___
Global Faith Potpourri:
Fourteen ENI Geneva stories appear this week.
___
Quotes of the Week:
Henri J.M. Nouwen
Thomas à Kempis
Juanita W. Potter
Meister Eckhart
Mary Oliver
___
On This Day:
June 12, 1987 -
Reagan Says in Berlin "Tear down this wall."
June 17, 1928 - Amelia Earhart embarked on
the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.
___
Closing Thoughts - Teilhard de Chardin
(end)
*****
Dear Friends,
My Special Item this week is a notice
of the immanent publication of a new
book by Ron Rolheiser whose columns
appear regularly on Colleagues List.
"Our One Great Act of Fidelity" - is
a book on a particular subject for a
general reading audience.
___
Colleague Comment:
June Maffin - (Vancouver Island)
writes to thank me for the appearance
of a notice of her recent book in
last week's Colleagues List. If you
missed it, why not take a look?
___
Colleague Contributions:
Monica Kilburn Smith - (Calgary) sends
a notice about developments in the
Womenpriest movement. I include a
column by Richard O'Brien on the
theology of women's ordination.
Ron Rolheiser - (San Antonio, TX)
appears again this week with a column
on life's meaning and personal happiness.
___
Net Notes:
"Ben Smillie Dies" - long known in Canada
for his social activism - a prairie United
Church minister and teacher has passed away
(Globe and Mail)
"French Ban on Veils" - while debate on the
banning of religious covering remains timely,
here is a view in support of veiling
(Sightings)
"Kung Advocates Peaceful Evolution" -
The veteran theologian presents his views
on how Catholics should deal with the pope
(National Catholic Reporter)
"New Westminster Property Settlement" -
The Supreme Court of Canada rules in favour
of the Anglican diocese - not the dissenters
- and hopefully this brings some closure
(Anglican Journal, New Westminster Website)
"Detroit Reviews Reformed Roman Mass" -
a reformist group of Catholics held a
unique mass in Cobo Hall, Detroit a week
ago, and the archdiocese now comments
(Detroit Times)
""Book of Mormon" Play Wins Tony Award"
- Broadway is currently featuring a musical
that some Latter Day Saints may or may not
appreciate (New York Times)
"Lutherwood Recognized as Ideal Employer"
- a Lutheran home near Waterloo, ON which
was established to support young people
with mental illnesses has been rated one of
Canada's best employers (Christianweek.org)
"Religious Tolerance Improves in Vietnam"
- a report on the current religious climate
in Vietnam tells of some improvement there
(Ucan News)
"Canada's Reserve System Still a Disgrace"
- while there are now more Native university
graduates than ever, the situation back on
the 'rez' does not seem to improve much
(Toronto Sun)
"Neither the Day nor the Hour: The Rapture"
- intriguing comment in the popular press on
a strange religious phenomenon to many modern
secular folk (New York Times)
___
Global Faith Potpourri:
Fourteen international religious news stories
appear this week courtesy of Ecumenical News
Service, Geneva.
___
Quotes of the Week:
Henri J.M. Nouwen, Thomas à Kempis,
Juanita W. Potter, Meister Eckhart
and Mary Oliver offer pithy comments
___
On This Day:
As it happened articles from the archives
of the New York Times:
Reagan Says to Gorbachev while visiting Berlin
"Tear down this wall." (1987)
Amelia Earhart embarked on the first
trans-Atlantic flight by a woman. (1928)
___
Closing Thoughts - this week come to us
from the paleontologist/theologian
Teilhard de Chardin
Blessings on your summer weeks!
Wayne
************************
SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS
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St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/
Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services -
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___
ST DAVID'S ACTS WEB PAGE
Created and maintained by Colleague
Jock McTavish
http://stdavidscalgary.net/
NOTE: This page is being reconstructed.
*****
STUDY ARCHIVES
A collection of twenty-five+ studies conducted
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
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This collection of study resources represents
a decade of Monday Night Studies at St. David's,
plus extra courses too!
You are welcome to use our course outlines,
class notes and resource pages in your personal
and group reflections.
******************************************
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice:
OUR ONE GREAT ACT OF FIDELITY
by Ronald Rolheiser omi
Doubleday, 2011. 139 pages.
Cost: $20.00 CAD.
ISBN #978-0-307-88703-0.
Release date: June 21st.
Publisher's Promo:
More so than anything else, the Eucharist
is what anchors many peoples' life, prayer,
and ultimately the way they live their lives.
In this deeply personal book, Father Ronald
Rolheiser delves into the history and meaning
of this sacred tradition, drawing upon the
insights of various scripture scholars,
theologians, and church teachings. With
personal warmth and great insight, he
reflects on his own particular Roman Catholic
upbringing and the centrality the Eucharist
has within that tradition.
At the same time, he looks at other
denominations’ traditions around the
Eucharist. "Our One Great Act of Fidelity"
is an investigation into the ways people
secure their faith and belief and discover
true intimacy with God and each other.
Ultimately, however, it is a spiritual
and a personal statement of how Ronald
Rolheiser understands the Eucharist and
why he celebrates it every day.
---
Author's Words:
I celebrate Eucharist every day. More so
than anything else, the Eucharist is what
anchors my life, my prayer, my discipleship.
... Particularly through my contact with
other churches, my understanding of Eucharist
has widened... as more and more Protestants
and Evangelicals became friends and faith
companions, I was introduced to different
understandings and practices of the Eucharist
and other ways within which to think of the
Word and the Eucharist as interrelating.
One of my godchildren, a niece of whom I am
immensely proud, is a Lutheran. I share
deeply my faith journey as well with various
Protestant clergy, and some of them share
their struggles and journeys with me.
As I age, my sympathies and my loyalties
become more stretched. I'll always be a
Roman Catholic, but my faith journey and my
heaven now include Protestants, Evangelicals,
Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists,
and sincere searchers and struggling persons
of every sort... To deny this is to massively
reduce both the scope of Christ's embrace and
the meaning of Christian baptism.
This book will reflect my own particular
Roman Catholic background, but I hope it will
also reflect an understanding and a respect
for other traditions around the Eucharist and
other ways of anchoring faith and searching
for intimacy with God and each other.
- from the Preface
---
My Thoughts:
This book is a clear reflection of the
spirituality of Ron Rolheiser, a friend
of twenty-five years and one of the people
that helped me to come to better understand
Roman Catholicism in general, and the Oblates
of Mary Immaculate (omi - of which he is a
member) in particular.
While I do not normally partake of the
elements in a Roman Catholic Eucharist
(at least without an invitation from
those who host it) I was - many years
ago - pleased to join an RC Eucharist with
Ron, who assured me I would be welcome.
Since my inclinations are toward 'open'
eucharists rather than 'closed' ones,
I considered it a respectful honour to
have been invited by my friend.
Indeed, I see it as one of the tragedies
of Christianity - and of our religion in
general - that we tend to keep people out
of our most sacred meal as Christians.
But if we are going to err, I opt for
inclusivity, rather than exclusion. I say
that, having been extensively educated in
eucharistic theology and the doctrines that
various Christians hold regarding the Eucharist.
I don't believe that right teaching of the
meaning of Eucharist is as important as the
right experiencing of it.
I would rather participate with a group
of fellow Christians who desire earnestly
to be there and to include me with them -
than to be among those who believe that
their particular understanding of
Eucharist is the correct one.
Saying that, I must affirm that I try to
respect the views of my eucharistic hosts
(no pun) and will refrain from partaking
where I sense inclusivity is not practiced.
The ritual of 'feet-washing' in the humble
spirit modeled by Jesus at the Last Supper
is practiced in some ecumenical settings as
a way to experience community when formal
Eucharistic practice may not be possible.
---
Several weeks ago, I participated in a
Eucharist at St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
I was part of an amazing cross-section of
humanity. Perhaps 200 attended that quiet
evening service in a massive church. It
seemed like the whole world was joining me
with God and all people of faith at that
special moment.
So I can identify with Ron when he says
that as we grow older, our sense of the
meaning of Eucharist can 'stretch' and
'widen.'
---
But the author of "Our One Great Act of
Fidelity" is concerned with the personal
as well as the ecumenical meaning of this
sacred practice.
I know of others who, like the author,
attempt to follow the discipline of daily
Eucharist. I quite understand how this can
balance and help to mold one's spirituality.
My spiritual tradition did not form me into
the mindset of Eucharist as a particular,
daily discipline but I can very much
appreciate the value and meaning of engaging
in regular eucharistic observance.
It is quite apparent that the author is
trying to inform his readers about what this
practice means to him; not to force everyone
into a similar discipline. Yet, in the process,
he helps his readers to enhance their awareness
and perhaps their practice as well.
---
Rolheiser offers background to both
theological and spiritual meanings of
Eucharist. 'Incarnation,' 'physical,'
and 'central' - are found in his
chapter headings. In his helpful way,
he describes how 'ritual' can be
transformed into meaningful 'personal'
experience.
His chapters also include words like
'God's physical embrace,' 'unity
within the Body of Christ,''A
celebration of our health and joy,
as well as our pain and sorrow...'
Other important themes considered
include 'sacrifice,' 'memorial of
the paschal mystery,' 'reconciliation'
'an ultimate invitation to mature
discipleship - to wash each other's
feet,' 'vigil' and the 'priestly prayer
of Christ.'
All of these images are introduced
and discussed with a spiritual, rather
than a theoretical emphasis. In doing
this I believe the author communicates
in a language moderns are more likely
to understand and appreciate.
---
After the appearance of this book,
I would like to learn that many
non-Catholics as well as Catholics
have discovered and read it.
Even though the author wants to deepen
his own faith and the faith of fellow
RC's through this writing, I am sure he
would like to be an agent of a general
renewal of this central act of the
Christian community.
---
Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/5stnj9d
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENT
JUNE MAFFIN
Vancouver Island
June 11th, 2011
Dear Wayne,
Thank you for your gracious review of the
Soulistry book and kind posting in your
most recent blog. As a book reviewer for
two groups/companies, I do my utmost to
"get" the book I'm reading, "get" the intent
of the author who wrote the book and convey
that to those who read my reviews.
It takes time, as you know only too well,
to read and review with authenticity, depth
and sincerity rather than a quick read and
superficial review. So, from the perspective
of a book review colleague, I respect the
time you took and professional manner in
which you reviewed "Soulistry"". From the
perspective of author, I am deeply humbled
- you "got" the book and its intent and on
top of that, you were not hesitant in
recommending it to your readers.
Thank you seems such an easy thing to
write, but it doesn't get to the depth
of my appreciation. However, I'll leave
it at that, remembering Meister Eckhardt's
"If the only prayer you utter is thank you,
that would be sufficient." :-)
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
MONICA KILBURN SMITH
Calgary, AB
Personal Correspondence
June 12th, 2011
FIRST CANADIAN WOMAN BISHOP
OF CATHOLIC WOMENPRIEST MOVEMENT
TO BE ORDAINED THIS AUTUMN
Pentecost Sunday seems a perfect day to share
the news that the nine of us who are ordained
in RCWP Canada have elected our first Canadian
woman bishop! Our bishop-elect is Marie
Bouclin of Sudbury, ON, who was ordained a
womanpriest in Toronto in 2007. Her
episcopal ordination will take place in the
fall in Europe. There are more ordinations of
Canadians coming soon, so we needed our own
bishop. There are a number of women bishops
in the States and in Europe, so it was time
for us to follow suit. We are very excited.
Voting for a bishop is an aspect of the renewed,
non-hierarchical model of ministry that RCWP
practices.
Here is a link to a story about Marie in the
newspaper in Sudbury:
http://tinyurl.com/6zkqvoy
Monica
---
"Infallibility and Women's Ordination Question"
Richard O'Brien
National Catholic Reporter
June 13th, 2011
(Use Mozilla Firefox search engine to open)
http://tinyurl.com/3ujupxj
---
RON ROLHEISER
San Antonio, TX
Personal Blog
"Meaning and Happiness"
http://tinyurl.com/3rx4bhx
*****
NET NOTES
BEN SMILIE - UCC MINISTER AND
PRAIRIE POPULIST, DIES
Globe and Mail
June 15th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3hvwknx
*****
FRENCH BAN ON FULL FACE VEILS
Assessment from a Muslim Perspective
Sightings
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/428tdy5
*****
KUNG URGES PEACEFUL EVOLUTION
AWAY FROM PAPAL ABSOLUTISM
National Catholic Reporter
June 11th, 2011
(use Mozilla Firefox to open)
http://tinyurl.com/3cxatkk
*****
NEW WESTMINSTER ISSUE SETTLED
Supreme Court Supports NW Diocese
Dissidents Lose Their Buildings
Anglican Journal
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3f8ausx
---
Statement by Bishop Michael Ingham
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3ze6cjm
*****
DETROIT ARCHDIOCESE REVIEWS
MASS OF CATHOLIC REFORMERS
Threats of Defrocking Made
Detroit News
June 12th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3c4fx9j
*****
'BOOK OF MORMON' PLAY WINS TONY AWARD
Musical on Mormonism Charms Broadway
New York Times
June 13th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/5sfqzq8
*****
LUTHERWOOD MAKES GRADE AS GREAT EMPLOYER
Waterloo Institution Helps Mentally Ill
Christianweek.org
June 14th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3gpdarx
*****
'RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE' GROWS IN VIETNAM
Christians Experience More Freedoms
Ucan News
June 14th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3txhjxq
*****
CANADA'S RESERVE SYSTEM STILL A DISGRACE
Many Reports Fail to Reverse a Tragedy
Toronto Sun
June 13th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3wxpwu4
*****
NEITHER THE DAY NOR THE HOUR:
The Meaning of the Rapture
New York Times
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3dxyrxz
*****
GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI
Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
10 June 2011
Archbishop of Canterbury's comments provoke
response from British government
London (ENI news) - In a strongly-worded opinion
piece in the 9 June issue of The New Statesman,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams,
took a stand against recent economic, criminal
justice, and healthcare reforms proposed by
British Prime Minister David Cameron. Williams,
launching his broadside as guest editor of the
weekly journal, said Britain's coalition
government is forcing through "radical policies
for which no one voted." He questioned whether
democratic legitimacy existed for flagship
policies on welfare, health and education,
which we he said were causing "anxiety and
anger." He also dismissed Cameron's "Big
Society" initiative for the voluntary sector
to play a greater role in providing services
as "painfully stale" and condemned what he
described as punitive action against alleged
abuses of the benefit system.
_____
Member contributions an issue of concern
at Lutheran World Federation meeting
Geneva (ENI news) - Members of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) today expressed
concern about budget problems at the LWF
Council meeting in Geneva. Factors such
as the global financial crisis, the
weakness of the euro and the dollar
against the Swiss franc, and a decline
in membership fees have combined to create
concern about the organization's financial
situation. The reduction in contributions
from members in the southern hemisphere
was another topic of discussion. Some
southern churches are not paying their
dues, creating tension with members in
the north. Member contributions have
decreased about nine percent over the
past two years, to three million dollars,
though this is partly due to the weakness
of some currencies. The fees are based on
a formula indicating the relative wealth
of a given church compared with those in
other countries.
_____
Renewed Sudan fighting leading
to humanitarian crisis
Nairobi, Kenya (ENI news) - Escalating
violence against civilians in Sudan's
disputed South Kordofan State is
leading to a major humanitarian
catastrophe with an estimated 300,000
people besieged, cut off from relief
aid, and unable to escape fighting,
according to a number of aid agencies
and witnesses in the region. Up to
40,000 people have fled recent fighting
between Sudanese government troops and
members of the former southern rebel
group, the Sudan People's Liberation
Army (SPLA), in Kadugli, the capital
of Sudan's oil-producing state of
South Kordofan, according to a U.N.
report quoted by the World Council
of Churches (WCC).
*****
13 June 2011
Religious leaders assess
UN AIDS declaration
New York (ENI news) - Religious leaders
and representatives of faith-based
organizations are giving generally high
marks to a United Nations AIDS meeting
that set new targets to combat the
continued spread of HIV/AIDS. At the
8-10 June meeting at the U.N. in New
York, marked by frequent references to
the three decades in which acquired
immune deficiency syndrome has claimed
more than 30 million lives, U.N. member
states agreed on a final document which
called for strengthening measurable
targets to fight HIV/AIDS.
_____
Christian council will return
torture documents to Brazil
Geneva (ENI news) - On 14 June, three boxes
containing records of brutal torture and
repression suffered under two decades of
Brazilian military rule will be returned
to the South American country from peaceful
Switzerland, where the material has resided
at the World Council of Churches (WCC)
archives. Religious and political leaders,
including WCC general secretary the Rev.
Olav Fyske Tveit and Brazilian Senator
Pedro Taques, will hand over the documents
in a ceremony in Sao Paulo at the Public
Prosecution Office. The information was
collected by dissident lawyers and church
leaders from 1979 to 1985, surreptitiously
copied and sent to the WCC. Brazil was
under a military dictatorship from 1964
to 1985.
_____
June 14th, 2011
New Zealand city again rocked by earthquakes
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) -
New Zealand's second biggest city was again
plunged into a chaos of dust clouds, rock slides,
traffic jams and collapsingbuildings, after being
rocked by a 5.7-magnitude and a 6.3-magnitude
earthquake within 90 minutes in mid-afternoon
on 13 June. Many buildings, including churches,
were damaged or have collapsed. One elderly rest
home resident died in a fall, according to police.
The quakes are the latest in a series of dozens
of aftershocks following the devastating magnitude
-6.3 earthquake on 22 February, when 182 people
died, and a damaging magnitude 7.1 earthquake
last September.
_____
Christian leaders condemn terror
in Sudan's Kordofan
Nairobi (ENI news) - Christian leaders
from around the world are calling on the
international community to intervene in
the violence in Sudan's Southern Kordofan
border state, where an air bombing campaign
is causing "huge suffering" to civilian
populations and endangering humanitarian
assistance. Church and aid officials say
more than 300,000 people are trapped, cut
off from relief and unable to flee the
region where the Sudan Armed Forces has
been fighting the Sudan People's
Liberation Army, the former rebels
aligned groups in the oil state. The
fighting, which has been going on for
a week, is raising fears of an increased
death toll, after clashes escalated to
include artillery and aircraft.
_____
Lutheran council addresses plight of refugees
Geneva (ENI news) - On the closing day of the
Lutheran World Federation's (LWF) governing
Council meeting here, members addressed
conflicts in the Middle East and Sudan and
urged developed nations to increase efforts
to welcome refugees. Giving displaced persons
asylum "can be a matter of life and death, as
is now seen with migrants drowning in the
Mediterranean. In the current circumstances
in North Africa and the Middle East, the
Council calls especially on countries in
Europe to offer protection," the Council,
which met from 9 to 14 June, said in a
statement. People attempting to flee unrest
in Libya and other countries have died in
recent months when overcrowded boats sank
attempting to reach Italy and Greece.
*****
15 June 2011
Christchurch's Anglican landmark
suffers further damage
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) - This
city's most famous building, its historic
Anglican cathedral, may be damaged beyond
repair after 5.7-magnitude and 6.3-magnitude
earthquakes shook New Zealand's second
biggest city on 13 June. The cathedral, the
centrepiece of the business district for 150
years, was initially seriously damaged in
February's 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which
killed 181 people. The central city is in
ruins, and many businesses have moved to
the western suburbs.
_____
Conference to address issues
faced by Christians in the Middle East
Geneva (ENI news) - The volatile situation
facing Christians in the Middle East is a
key topic of concern for members of the
central committee of the World Council of
Churches (WCC), and will be highlighted at
an upcoming conference on Christians in the
Middle East to be held in Volos, Greece from
20 to 22 June, according to a news release.
With the diminishing presence of Christians
in the region, the central committee said
in a statement in February, the "conviviality
among peoples from different faiths, cultures,
civilizations, which is a sign of God's love
for all humanity, will be endangered." The
conference in Greece will explore the issue
from a theological, ecumenical, cultural,
and political perspective.
*****
June 16th, 2011
Japanese churches must become more active,
warns theologian
Tokyo (ENI news) - Japanese Christianity has
"spinelessly gone along with the government,
"mostly shunning social activism and becoming
"excessively theoretical," according to a
leading theologian. "What Christianity needs
here is orthopraxy [right practice]," said
Yasuo Furuya, professor of modern Christian
systematic theology at Seigakuin University,
north of Tokyo. The 85-year-old theologian
made his comments in a new book, "Is
Christianity Real in Japan?" released on
1 June by Kyo Bun Kwan, a Tokyo-based
Christian publishing company.
---
U.N. environment agency sees work with
faith groups, African cleric says
Nairobi, Kenya (ENI news) - The United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) is looking
forward to working with the faith communities
in Africa on environmental issues, retired
South African Anglican Bishop Geoffrey Davies
said. The cleric's comments follow faith groups'
interaction with the agency from 7-8 June at
its headquarters here during preparatory
meeting for the 17th Conference of Parties
COP-17) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, to be held
in Durban, South Africa in November.
---
Vatican tries to revive Eucharistic adoration
Vatican City (ENI news) - For seven centuries,
Eucharistic adoration -- praying before an
exposed consecrated Communion host -- was one
of the most popular forms of devotion in the
Roman Catholic Church, the focus of beloved
prayers and hymns and a distinctive symbol
of Catholic identity. Following the
modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican
Council (1962-65), the practice fell from
favor, especially in Europe and the U.S.,
reports Religion News Service. But over the
last decade, under popes John Paul II and
Benedict XVI, the church has strongly
encouraged a revival of the practice.
---
Christchurch's Anglican landmark
suffers further damage
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) - This
city's most famous building, its historic
Anglican cathedral, may be damaged beyond
repair after 5.7-magnitude and 6.3-magnitude
earthquakes shook New Zealand's second
biggest city on 13 June. The cathedral,
the centrepiece of the business district
for 150 years, was initially seriously
damaged in February's 6.3-magnitude
earthquake, which killed 181 people.
*****
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
From the services of Sojourners.online:
June 13th, 2011
"Dear Lord, I will remain restless, tense,
and dissatisfied until I can be totally at
peace in your house. There is no certainty
that my life will be any easier in the years
ahead, or that my heart will be any calmer.
But there is certainty that you are waiting
for me and will welcome me home when I have
persevered in my long journey to your house."
- Henri J.M. Nouwen
---
June 14th, 2011
"We should have much peace if we would not
busy ourselves with the sayings and doings
of others."
- Thomas à Kempis
---
June 15th, 2011
"I dream and work for the day/when saying
that I'm a Christian/will say it all.
/But until then, /I am a Christian feminist."
- Juanita W. Potter, "Why Am I a Feminist?"
---
July 16th, 2011
"I much prefer a person who can love God
enough to take a handout of bread, to a
person who can give a hundred dollars for
God's sake. ... The poor [one], by taking
the handout, gets closer to God than [the
one] who gave the one hundred dollars for
God's sake."
- Meister Eckhart
---
June 17th, 2011
"To live in this world/ you must be able/
to do three things/ to love what is mortal;/
to hold it/against your bones knowing/
your own life depends/on it;/and, when the
time comes to let it go,/to let it go."
- Mary Oliver, from her poem
"In Black Water Woods"
*****
ON THIS DAY
June 12, 1987 - during a visit to the
divided German city of Berlin, President
Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Soviet
leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to "tear
down this wall."
http://tinyurl.com/3hpr5a7
_____
June 17, 1928 - Amelia Earhart embarked on
the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.
She flew from Newfoundland to Wales in about
21 hours.
http://tinyurl.com/44fhptw
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT
"Creatures can come into being like
shoots from a stem, only as part of an
endlessly renewed process of evolution."
- Teilhard de Chardin
(end)
*****
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
*****
Colleagues List Blog:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/
*****
In This Issue -
Special Item This Week:
Book Notice -
"Our One Great Act of Fidelity"
by Colleague Ron Rolheiser
___
Colleague Comment:
June Maffin
___
Colleague Contributions:
Monica Kilburn Smith
Ron Rolheiser
___
Net Notes:
Ben Smillie Dies
French Ban on Veils
Kung Advocates Peaceful Evolution
New Westminster Property Settlement
Detroit Reviews Reformed Roman Mass
"Book of Mormon" Play Wins Tony Award
Lutherwood Recognized as Ideal Employer
Religious Tolerance Improves in Vietnam
Canada's Reserve System Still a Disgrace
Neither the Day nor the Hour: The Rapture
___
Global Faith Potpourri:
Fourteen ENI Geneva stories appear this week.
___
Quotes of the Week:
Henri J.M. Nouwen
Thomas à Kempis
Juanita W. Potter
Meister Eckhart
Mary Oliver
___
On This Day:
June 12, 1987 -
Reagan Says in Berlin "Tear down this wall."
June 17, 1928 - Amelia Earhart embarked on
the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.
___
Closing Thoughts - Teilhard de Chardin
(end)
*****
Dear Friends,
My Special Item this week is a notice
of the immanent publication of a new
book by Ron Rolheiser whose columns
appear regularly on Colleagues List.
"Our One Great Act of Fidelity" - is
a book on a particular subject for a
general reading audience.
___
Colleague Comment:
June Maffin - (Vancouver Island)
writes to thank me for the appearance
of a notice of her recent book in
last week's Colleagues List. If you
missed it, why not take a look?
___
Colleague Contributions:
Monica Kilburn Smith - (Calgary) sends
a notice about developments in the
Womenpriest movement. I include a
column by Richard O'Brien on the
theology of women's ordination.
Ron Rolheiser - (San Antonio, TX)
appears again this week with a column
on life's meaning and personal happiness.
___
Net Notes:
"Ben Smillie Dies" - long known in Canada
for his social activism - a prairie United
Church minister and teacher has passed away
(Globe and Mail)
"French Ban on Veils" - while debate on the
banning of religious covering remains timely,
here is a view in support of veiling
(Sightings)
"Kung Advocates Peaceful Evolution" -
The veteran theologian presents his views
on how Catholics should deal with the pope
(National Catholic Reporter)
"New Westminster Property Settlement" -
The Supreme Court of Canada rules in favour
of the Anglican diocese - not the dissenters
- and hopefully this brings some closure
(Anglican Journal, New Westminster Website)
"Detroit Reviews Reformed Roman Mass" -
a reformist group of Catholics held a
unique mass in Cobo Hall, Detroit a week
ago, and the archdiocese now comments
(Detroit Times)
""Book of Mormon" Play Wins Tony Award"
- Broadway is currently featuring a musical
that some Latter Day Saints may or may not
appreciate (New York Times)
"Lutherwood Recognized as Ideal Employer"
- a Lutheran home near Waterloo, ON which
was established to support young people
with mental illnesses has been rated one of
Canada's best employers (Christianweek.org)
"Religious Tolerance Improves in Vietnam"
- a report on the current religious climate
in Vietnam tells of some improvement there
(Ucan News)
"Canada's Reserve System Still a Disgrace"
- while there are now more Native university
graduates than ever, the situation back on
the 'rez' does not seem to improve much
(Toronto Sun)
"Neither the Day nor the Hour: The Rapture"
- intriguing comment in the popular press on
a strange religious phenomenon to many modern
secular folk (New York Times)
___
Global Faith Potpourri:
Fourteen international religious news stories
appear this week courtesy of Ecumenical News
Service, Geneva.
___
Quotes of the Week:
Henri J.M. Nouwen, Thomas à Kempis,
Juanita W. Potter, Meister Eckhart
and Mary Oliver offer pithy comments
___
On This Day:
As it happened articles from the archives
of the New York Times:
Reagan Says to Gorbachev while visiting Berlin
"Tear down this wall." (1987)
Amelia Earhart embarked on the first
trans-Atlantic flight by a woman. (1928)
___
Closing Thoughts - this week come to us
from the paleontologist/theologian
Teilhard de Chardin
Blessings on your summer weeks!
Wayne
************************
SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS
Contact us at: asdm@sduc.ca (or)admin@sduc.ca
St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/
Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services -
http://sduc.ca/services.htm
___
ST DAVID'S ACTS WEB PAGE
Created and maintained by Colleague
Jock McTavish
http://stdavidscalgary.net/
NOTE: This page is being reconstructed.
*****
STUDY ARCHIVES
A collection of twenty-five+ studies conducted
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
http://bookstudies.stdavidscalgary.net/
This collection of study resources represents
a decade of Monday Night Studies at St. David's,
plus extra courses too!
You are welcome to use our course outlines,
class notes and resource pages in your personal
and group reflections.
******************************************
SPECIAL ITEM
Book Notice:
OUR ONE GREAT ACT OF FIDELITY
by Ronald Rolheiser omi
Doubleday, 2011. 139 pages.
Cost: $20.00 CAD.
ISBN #978-0-307-88703-0.
Release date: June 21st.
Publisher's Promo:
More so than anything else, the Eucharist
is what anchors many peoples' life, prayer,
and ultimately the way they live their lives.
In this deeply personal book, Father Ronald
Rolheiser delves into the history and meaning
of this sacred tradition, drawing upon the
insights of various scripture scholars,
theologians, and church teachings. With
personal warmth and great insight, he
reflects on his own particular Roman Catholic
upbringing and the centrality the Eucharist
has within that tradition.
At the same time, he looks at other
denominations’ traditions around the
Eucharist. "Our One Great Act of Fidelity"
is an investigation into the ways people
secure their faith and belief and discover
true intimacy with God and each other.
Ultimately, however, it is a spiritual
and a personal statement of how Ronald
Rolheiser understands the Eucharist and
why he celebrates it every day.
---
Author's Words:
I celebrate Eucharist every day. More so
than anything else, the Eucharist is what
anchors my life, my prayer, my discipleship.
... Particularly through my contact with
other churches, my understanding of Eucharist
has widened... as more and more Protestants
and Evangelicals became friends and faith
companions, I was introduced to different
understandings and practices of the Eucharist
and other ways within which to think of the
Word and the Eucharist as interrelating.
One of my godchildren, a niece of whom I am
immensely proud, is a Lutheran. I share
deeply my faith journey as well with various
Protestant clergy, and some of them share
their struggles and journeys with me.
As I age, my sympathies and my loyalties
become more stretched. I'll always be a
Roman Catholic, but my faith journey and my
heaven now include Protestants, Evangelicals,
Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Taoists,
and sincere searchers and struggling persons
of every sort... To deny this is to massively
reduce both the scope of Christ's embrace and
the meaning of Christian baptism.
This book will reflect my own particular
Roman Catholic background, but I hope it will
also reflect an understanding and a respect
for other traditions around the Eucharist and
other ways of anchoring faith and searching
for intimacy with God and each other.
- from the Preface
---
My Thoughts:
This book is a clear reflection of the
spirituality of Ron Rolheiser, a friend
of twenty-five years and one of the people
that helped me to come to better understand
Roman Catholicism in general, and the Oblates
of Mary Immaculate (omi - of which he is a
member) in particular.
While I do not normally partake of the
elements in a Roman Catholic Eucharist
(at least without an invitation from
those who host it) I was - many years
ago - pleased to join an RC Eucharist with
Ron, who assured me I would be welcome.
Since my inclinations are toward 'open'
eucharists rather than 'closed' ones,
I considered it a respectful honour to
have been invited by my friend.
Indeed, I see it as one of the tragedies
of Christianity - and of our religion in
general - that we tend to keep people out
of our most sacred meal as Christians.
But if we are going to err, I opt for
inclusivity, rather than exclusion. I say
that, having been extensively educated in
eucharistic theology and the doctrines that
various Christians hold regarding the Eucharist.
I don't believe that right teaching of the
meaning of Eucharist is as important as the
right experiencing of it.
I would rather participate with a group
of fellow Christians who desire earnestly
to be there and to include me with them -
than to be among those who believe that
their particular understanding of
Eucharist is the correct one.
Saying that, I must affirm that I try to
respect the views of my eucharistic hosts
(no pun) and will refrain from partaking
where I sense inclusivity is not practiced.
The ritual of 'feet-washing' in the humble
spirit modeled by Jesus at the Last Supper
is practiced in some ecumenical settings as
a way to experience community when formal
Eucharistic practice may not be possible.
---
Several weeks ago, I participated in a
Eucharist at St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
I was part of an amazing cross-section of
humanity. Perhaps 200 attended that quiet
evening service in a massive church. It
seemed like the whole world was joining me
with God and all people of faith at that
special moment.
So I can identify with Ron when he says
that as we grow older, our sense of the
meaning of Eucharist can 'stretch' and
'widen.'
---
But the author of "Our One Great Act of
Fidelity" is concerned with the personal
as well as the ecumenical meaning of this
sacred practice.
I know of others who, like the author,
attempt to follow the discipline of daily
Eucharist. I quite understand how this can
balance and help to mold one's spirituality.
My spiritual tradition did not form me into
the mindset of Eucharist as a particular,
daily discipline but I can very much
appreciate the value and meaning of engaging
in regular eucharistic observance.
It is quite apparent that the author is
trying to inform his readers about what this
practice means to him; not to force everyone
into a similar discipline. Yet, in the process,
he helps his readers to enhance their awareness
and perhaps their practice as well.
---
Rolheiser offers background to both
theological and spiritual meanings of
Eucharist. 'Incarnation,' 'physical,'
and 'central' - are found in his
chapter headings. In his helpful way,
he describes how 'ritual' can be
transformed into meaningful 'personal'
experience.
His chapters also include words like
'God's physical embrace,' 'unity
within the Body of Christ,''A
celebration of our health and joy,
as well as our pain and sorrow...'
Other important themes considered
include 'sacrifice,' 'memorial of
the paschal mystery,' 'reconciliation'
'an ultimate invitation to mature
discipleship - to wash each other's
feet,' 'vigil' and the 'priestly prayer
of Christ.'
All of these images are introduced
and discussed with a spiritual, rather
than a theoretical emphasis. In doing
this I believe the author communicates
in a language moderns are more likely
to understand and appreciate.
---
After the appearance of this book,
I would like to learn that many
non-Catholics as well as Catholics
have discovered and read it.
Even though the author wants to deepen
his own faith and the faith of fellow
RC's through this writing, I am sure he
would like to be an agent of a general
renewal of this central act of the
Christian community.
---
Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/5stnj9d
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENT
JUNE MAFFIN
Vancouver Island
June 11th, 2011
Dear Wayne,
Thank you for your gracious review of the
Soulistry book and kind posting in your
most recent blog. As a book reviewer for
two groups/companies, I do my utmost to
"get" the book I'm reading, "get" the intent
of the author who wrote the book and convey
that to those who read my reviews.
It takes time, as you know only too well,
to read and review with authenticity, depth
and sincerity rather than a quick read and
superficial review. So, from the perspective
of a book review colleague, I respect the
time you took and professional manner in
which you reviewed "Soulistry"". From the
perspective of author, I am deeply humbled
- you "got" the book and its intent and on
top of that, you were not hesitant in
recommending it to your readers.
Thank you seems such an easy thing to
write, but it doesn't get to the depth
of my appreciation. However, I'll leave
it at that, remembering Meister Eckhardt's
"If the only prayer you utter is thank you,
that would be sufficient." :-)
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
MONICA KILBURN SMITH
Calgary, AB
Personal Correspondence
June 12th, 2011
FIRST CANADIAN WOMAN BISHOP
OF CATHOLIC WOMENPRIEST MOVEMENT
TO BE ORDAINED THIS AUTUMN
Pentecost Sunday seems a perfect day to share
the news that the nine of us who are ordained
in RCWP Canada have elected our first Canadian
woman bishop! Our bishop-elect is Marie
Bouclin of Sudbury, ON, who was ordained a
womanpriest in Toronto in 2007. Her
episcopal ordination will take place in the
fall in Europe. There are more ordinations of
Canadians coming soon, so we needed our own
bishop. There are a number of women bishops
in the States and in Europe, so it was time
for us to follow suit. We are very excited.
Voting for a bishop is an aspect of the renewed,
non-hierarchical model of ministry that RCWP
practices.
Here is a link to a story about Marie in the
newspaper in Sudbury:
http://tinyurl.com/6zkqvoy
Monica
---
"Infallibility and Women's Ordination Question"
Richard O'Brien
National Catholic Reporter
June 13th, 2011
(Use Mozilla Firefox search engine to open)
http://tinyurl.com/3ujupxj
---
RON ROLHEISER
San Antonio, TX
Personal Blog
"Meaning and Happiness"
http://tinyurl.com/3rx4bhx
*****
NET NOTES
BEN SMILIE - UCC MINISTER AND
PRAIRIE POPULIST, DIES
Globe and Mail
June 15th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3hvwknx
*****
FRENCH BAN ON FULL FACE VEILS
Assessment from a Muslim Perspective
Sightings
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/428tdy5
*****
KUNG URGES PEACEFUL EVOLUTION
AWAY FROM PAPAL ABSOLUTISM
National Catholic Reporter
June 11th, 2011
(use Mozilla Firefox to open)
http://tinyurl.com/3cxatkk
*****
NEW WESTMINSTER ISSUE SETTLED
Supreme Court Supports NW Diocese
Dissidents Lose Their Buildings
Anglican Journal
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3f8ausx
---
Statement by Bishop Michael Ingham
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3ze6cjm
*****
DETROIT ARCHDIOCESE REVIEWS
MASS OF CATHOLIC REFORMERS
Threats of Defrocking Made
Detroit News
June 12th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3c4fx9j
*****
'BOOK OF MORMON' PLAY WINS TONY AWARD
Musical on Mormonism Charms Broadway
New York Times
June 13th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/5sfqzq8
*****
LUTHERWOOD MAKES GRADE AS GREAT EMPLOYER
Waterloo Institution Helps Mentally Ill
Christianweek.org
June 14th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3gpdarx
*****
'RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE' GROWS IN VIETNAM
Christians Experience More Freedoms
Ucan News
June 14th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3txhjxq
*****
CANADA'S RESERVE SYSTEM STILL A DISGRACE
Many Reports Fail to Reverse a Tragedy
Toronto Sun
June 13th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3wxpwu4
*****
NEITHER THE DAY NOR THE HOUR:
The Meaning of the Rapture
New York Times
June 16th, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/3dxyrxz
*****
GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI
Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
10 June 2011
Archbishop of Canterbury's comments provoke
response from British government
London (ENI news) - In a strongly-worded opinion
piece in the 9 June issue of The New Statesman,
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams,
took a stand against recent economic, criminal
justice, and healthcare reforms proposed by
British Prime Minister David Cameron. Williams,
launching his broadside as guest editor of the
weekly journal, said Britain's coalition
government is forcing through "radical policies
for which no one voted." He questioned whether
democratic legitimacy existed for flagship
policies on welfare, health and education,
which we he said were causing "anxiety and
anger." He also dismissed Cameron's "Big
Society" initiative for the voluntary sector
to play a greater role in providing services
as "painfully stale" and condemned what he
described as punitive action against alleged
abuses of the benefit system.
_____
Member contributions an issue of concern
at Lutheran World Federation meeting
Geneva (ENI news) - Members of the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) today expressed
concern about budget problems at the LWF
Council meeting in Geneva. Factors such
as the global financial crisis, the
weakness of the euro and the dollar
against the Swiss franc, and a decline
in membership fees have combined to create
concern about the organization's financial
situation. The reduction in contributions
from members in the southern hemisphere
was another topic of discussion. Some
southern churches are not paying their
dues, creating tension with members in
the north. Member contributions have
decreased about nine percent over the
past two years, to three million dollars,
though this is partly due to the weakness
of some currencies. The fees are based on
a formula indicating the relative wealth
of a given church compared with those in
other countries.
_____
Renewed Sudan fighting leading
to humanitarian crisis
Nairobi, Kenya (ENI news) - Escalating
violence against civilians in Sudan's
disputed South Kordofan State is
leading to a major humanitarian
catastrophe with an estimated 300,000
people besieged, cut off from relief
aid, and unable to escape fighting,
according to a number of aid agencies
and witnesses in the region. Up to
40,000 people have fled recent fighting
between Sudanese government troops and
members of the former southern rebel
group, the Sudan People's Liberation
Army (SPLA), in Kadugli, the capital
of Sudan's oil-producing state of
South Kordofan, according to a U.N.
report quoted by the World Council
of Churches (WCC).
*****
13 June 2011
Religious leaders assess
UN AIDS declaration
New York (ENI news) - Religious leaders
and representatives of faith-based
organizations are giving generally high
marks to a United Nations AIDS meeting
that set new targets to combat the
continued spread of HIV/AIDS. At the
8-10 June meeting at the U.N. in New
York, marked by frequent references to
the three decades in which acquired
immune deficiency syndrome has claimed
more than 30 million lives, U.N. member
states agreed on a final document which
called for strengthening measurable
targets to fight HIV/AIDS.
_____
Christian council will return
torture documents to Brazil
Geneva (ENI news) - On 14 June, three boxes
containing records of brutal torture and
repression suffered under two decades of
Brazilian military rule will be returned
to the South American country from peaceful
Switzerland, where the material has resided
at the World Council of Churches (WCC)
archives. Religious and political leaders,
including WCC general secretary the Rev.
Olav Fyske Tveit and Brazilian Senator
Pedro Taques, will hand over the documents
in a ceremony in Sao Paulo at the Public
Prosecution Office. The information was
collected by dissident lawyers and church
leaders from 1979 to 1985, surreptitiously
copied and sent to the WCC. Brazil was
under a military dictatorship from 1964
to 1985.
_____
June 14th, 2011
New Zealand city again rocked by earthquakes
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) -
New Zealand's second biggest city was again
plunged into a chaos of dust clouds, rock slides,
traffic jams and collapsingbuildings, after being
rocked by a 5.7-magnitude and a 6.3-magnitude
earthquake within 90 minutes in mid-afternoon
on 13 June. Many buildings, including churches,
were damaged or have collapsed. One elderly rest
home resident died in a fall, according to police.
The quakes are the latest in a series of dozens
of aftershocks following the devastating magnitude
-6.3 earthquake on 22 February, when 182 people
died, and a damaging magnitude 7.1 earthquake
last September.
_____
Christian leaders condemn terror
in Sudan's Kordofan
Nairobi (ENI news) - Christian leaders
from around the world are calling on the
international community to intervene in
the violence in Sudan's Southern Kordofan
border state, where an air bombing campaign
is causing "huge suffering" to civilian
populations and endangering humanitarian
assistance. Church and aid officials say
more than 300,000 people are trapped, cut
off from relief and unable to flee the
region where the Sudan Armed Forces has
been fighting the Sudan People's
Liberation Army, the former rebels
aligned groups in the oil state. The
fighting, which has been going on for
a week, is raising fears of an increased
death toll, after clashes escalated to
include artillery and aircraft.
_____
Lutheran council addresses plight of refugees
Geneva (ENI news) - On the closing day of the
Lutheran World Federation's (LWF) governing
Council meeting here, members addressed
conflicts in the Middle East and Sudan and
urged developed nations to increase efforts
to welcome refugees. Giving displaced persons
asylum "can be a matter of life and death, as
is now seen with migrants drowning in the
Mediterranean. In the current circumstances
in North Africa and the Middle East, the
Council calls especially on countries in
Europe to offer protection," the Council,
which met from 9 to 14 June, said in a
statement. People attempting to flee unrest
in Libya and other countries have died in
recent months when overcrowded boats sank
attempting to reach Italy and Greece.
*****
15 June 2011
Christchurch's Anglican landmark
suffers further damage
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) - This
city's most famous building, its historic
Anglican cathedral, may be damaged beyond
repair after 5.7-magnitude and 6.3-magnitude
earthquakes shook New Zealand's second
biggest city on 13 June. The cathedral, the
centrepiece of the business district for 150
years, was initially seriously damaged in
February's 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which
killed 181 people. The central city is in
ruins, and many businesses have moved to
the western suburbs.
_____
Conference to address issues
faced by Christians in the Middle East
Geneva (ENI news) - The volatile situation
facing Christians in the Middle East is a
key topic of concern for members of the
central committee of the World Council of
Churches (WCC), and will be highlighted at
an upcoming conference on Christians in the
Middle East to be held in Volos, Greece from
20 to 22 June, according to a news release.
With the diminishing presence of Christians
in the region, the central committee said
in a statement in February, the "conviviality
among peoples from different faiths, cultures,
civilizations, which is a sign of God's love
for all humanity, will be endangered." The
conference in Greece will explore the issue
from a theological, ecumenical, cultural,
and political perspective.
*****
June 16th, 2011
Japanese churches must become more active,
warns theologian
Tokyo (ENI news) - Japanese Christianity has
"spinelessly gone along with the government,
"mostly shunning social activism and becoming
"excessively theoretical," according to a
leading theologian. "What Christianity needs
here is orthopraxy [right practice]," said
Yasuo Furuya, professor of modern Christian
systematic theology at Seigakuin University,
north of Tokyo. The 85-year-old theologian
made his comments in a new book, "Is
Christianity Real in Japan?" released on
1 June by Kyo Bun Kwan, a Tokyo-based
Christian publishing company.
---
U.N. environment agency sees work with
faith groups, African cleric says
Nairobi, Kenya (ENI news) - The United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) is looking
forward to working with the faith communities
in Africa on environmental issues, retired
South African Anglican Bishop Geoffrey Davies
said. The cleric's comments follow faith groups'
interaction with the agency from 7-8 June at
its headquarters here during preparatory
meeting for the 17th Conference of Parties
COP-17) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, to be held
in Durban, South Africa in November.
---
Vatican tries to revive Eucharistic adoration
Vatican City (ENI news) - For seven centuries,
Eucharistic adoration -- praying before an
exposed consecrated Communion host -- was one
of the most popular forms of devotion in the
Roman Catholic Church, the focus of beloved
prayers and hymns and a distinctive symbol
of Catholic identity. Following the
modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican
Council (1962-65), the practice fell from
favor, especially in Europe and the U.S.,
reports Religion News Service. But over the
last decade, under popes John Paul II and
Benedict XVI, the church has strongly
encouraged a revival of the practice.
---
Christchurch's Anglican landmark
suffers further damage
Christchurch, New Zealand (ENI news) - This
city's most famous building, its historic
Anglican cathedral, may be damaged beyond
repair after 5.7-magnitude and 6.3-magnitude
earthquakes shook New Zealand's second
biggest city on 13 June. The cathedral,
the centrepiece of the business district
for 150 years, was initially seriously
damaged in February's 6.3-magnitude
earthquake, which killed 181 people.
*****
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
From the services of Sojourners.online:
June 13th, 2011
"Dear Lord, I will remain restless, tense,
and dissatisfied until I can be totally at
peace in your house. There is no certainty
that my life will be any easier in the years
ahead, or that my heart will be any calmer.
But there is certainty that you are waiting
for me and will welcome me home when I have
persevered in my long journey to your house."
- Henri J.M. Nouwen
---
June 14th, 2011
"We should have much peace if we would not
busy ourselves with the sayings and doings
of others."
- Thomas à Kempis
---
June 15th, 2011
"I dream and work for the day/when saying
that I'm a Christian/will say it all.
/But until then, /I am a Christian feminist."
- Juanita W. Potter, "Why Am I a Feminist?"
---
July 16th, 2011
"I much prefer a person who can love God
enough to take a handout of bread, to a
person who can give a hundred dollars for
God's sake. ... The poor [one], by taking
the handout, gets closer to God than [the
one] who gave the one hundred dollars for
God's sake."
- Meister Eckhart
---
June 17th, 2011
"To live in this world/ you must be able/
to do three things/ to love what is mortal;/
to hold it/against your bones knowing/
your own life depends/on it;/and, when the
time comes to let it go,/to let it go."
- Mary Oliver, from her poem
"In Black Water Woods"
*****
ON THIS DAY
June 12, 1987 - during a visit to the
divided German city of Berlin, President
Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Soviet
leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to "tear
down this wall."
http://tinyurl.com/3hpr5a7
_____
June 17, 1928 - Amelia Earhart embarked on
the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.
She flew from Newfoundland to Wales in about
21 hours.
http://tinyurl.com/44fhptw
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT
"Creatures can come into being like
shoots from a stem, only as part of an
endlessly renewed process of evolution."
- Teilhard de Chardin
(end)
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