It felt so good today to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with the St. Martin de Porres League at Immaculate Conception Church, a Capuchin Franciscan parish in the Bronx.   St. Martin de Porres is the patron saint of racial justice, connecting the goal of racial justice back to Catholic social justice teaching and the Franciscan understanding of all humans as equal and deserving of equitable treatment. 

We started off singing the National Black Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," followe...
Continue reading ...

Ever since I was part of Capuchin Youth & Family Ministries, a Franciscan youth ministry center in Garrison, NY, during high school, I have always thought of the lifestyle of St. Francis an admirable one.  Retreats centered around St. Francis and St. Clare and led by friars and brothers who have devoted their lives to following in the Franciscan path made my times spent at CYFM more than memorable. It's no wonder my CYFM friends alluded to the retreat center as a "heaven on earth." We were ca...
Continue reading ...

I'm a fan of Gandhi.  I'm particularly inspired by his famous quote "You must be the change you wish to see in the world" which has been and continues to be the theme of my blog.  However, I was even more impressed recently when I came across his "Seven Deadly Social Sins" on a poster from Sojourners.  I was able to purchase a copy of the poster at The Justice Conference in Philadelphia last month.  These are the traits Gandhi considered to be the most spiritually perilous to humanity: 

• Wealth...

Continue reading ...

I returned from a much-needed vacation today with my family, celebrating my brother's college graduation in California. And several hours later (on a Sunday, may I add) found myself going to my office to gather some materials needed for an Adopt a Bodega workshop at a school tomorrow morning. On the train ride back I opened up a book I've picked up on and off over the past several months - Meditations with Teresa of Avila.  The chapter I was up to is called "Care of the Body" and discusses ho...
Continue reading ...

I read a quote on my friend's webpage last night as I was checking out her new album being released.  "We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community." - Dorothy Day.  
And then I read it out loud to my housemate, and she pointed up above where she was sitting to the framed quote hanging on the wall.  It was the same quote.  Funny I never noticed it before, or took the time to let its message penetrate my conscience. ...
Continue reading ...

My housemate read this quote the other night at dinner, that she heard through the Christian Community Development Association. It's from a Chinese proverb.

Live among them
Learn from them
Love them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have:
But of the best leaders When their task is done
The people will remark "We have done it ourselves."

I believe this sort of love is central to any sort of effort to help meet the needs of a given community, whether in the U.S. or internationally.

...
Continue reading ...