Understanding Immigration Through the Eyes of Thomas Merton and Joseph Cardijn I am writng this as a “Conversational Talk” for Adults Using the See–Judge–Act Method, that you can use in your own work and missional activity. Let’s begin with a simple prayer of openness: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is fear... Continue Reading →
Bonhoeffer ~ Cardijn and the Paradox
There are interesting and often head-scratching comparisons between people in history. As a cultural historian, I always look to the situation in time when people say or write something that inspires me or motivates me to take action. We call this the "Sitz Im Leben." Joseph Cardijn and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are two of those people... Continue Reading →
Do we have a Catechetical Problem?
"Economic Justice for All" is a landmark pastoral letter issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1986. It addresses the moral dimensions and human consequences of American economic life, focusing on issues such as poverty, unemployment, housing, and the financial relationship between the United States and developing nations. The pastoral letter "Economic... Continue Reading →
There were disciples and there was a crowd.
Matthew 5:1 We read that Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, think about your beginnings in Catholic Social Teaching and ministry. Reflect on the beginnings of those you follow and admire, both historically and present today. What were and are those beginning days about? How did... Continue Reading →
Christian messages and medium practices are starkly divided.
Christian messages and medium practices are starkly divided. Christian practices are starkly divided between those that are focused on imperialism and those that strive for liberation. As Marshall McLuhan famously stated, 'The medium is the message.' The medium significantly influences human perception and behavior, often overshadowing the specific information it carries. Surprisingly, the Church and politicians share more similarities than one... Continue Reading →
“It’s a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack.”
What Joseph Cardijn saw in his time was all about jobs, workers’ lives, the dignity of work, and what it means to be a human being made in God's image and likeness. Today, we learn from those who came before us, and once again, the situation is about jobs. What it means to be made... Continue Reading →
Forever Learning; Why Not?
For 50 years, the Forever Learning Institute has been a vibrant community, providing award-winning educational opportunities to senior adults throughout the Michiana community. The true impact of their mission, which can be measured in the thousands of lives they touch daily ( they average over 2,000 people a semester), is a testament to the power of community and... Continue Reading →
Thinking about Marshall McLuhan
I have been re-reading some Marshall McLuhan (he was raised a Methodist and converted to Catholicism). He talks about how The Eucharist – which McLuhan believed was both symbol and substance, metaphor and material – offered a vessel for his media theories. “Analogy is not a concept,” he wrote. “It is community. It is resonance. It... Continue Reading →
The Times are “a Changin” ~ The good, the bad, and the ugly.
The decline of Catholic Social Teachings is directly linked to the decline in understanding social democracy. The void for most Catholics who sit in a pew and those who no longer come to sit in a pew is filled by a movement of medieval personal piety, devotion, and the traditional liturgy of Trent. Now, understand... Continue Reading →
Jesus Before Christianity: God, Empire & Easter: Lessons learned for today?
"Radical means reaching down to the roots. The freedom that Jesus experienced reached down to the very roots of his being. It was the freedom he challenged his followers to strive for and the freedom that challenges us today as we hover on the edge of chaos." -- Albert Nolan OP Lessons Learned: We are in the... Continue Reading →
Innovate ~ Educate ~ Collaborate 
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