The Ties that Bind
As wars rage and migrants and refugees seek a place to land, as the very ecosystems on which we depend unravel and countless species go extinct, as our houseless neighbors struggle for survival in the shadow of obscene material overabundance, how do we manifest our inherent connectedness in ways that bring hope and healing to a world that seems to be fraying at the seams? How do we strengthen the ties that bind us to one another so that we can be a refuge and home for those who lack such connections?
¡Louis Vitale, Presente!
Our dear friend, Franciscan friar, and peacemaker Louis Vitale died. He helped found various peace initiatives, including the Nevada Desert Experience protesting the Nevada nuclear test site, as well as Pace e Bene, known for its training course in nonviolence. He was arrested on hundreds of occasions for nonviolent acts of civil disobedience against war. He took inspiration from Jesus of Nazareth, Francis of Assisi, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Catholic Worker movement turns 90
This month we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Catholic Worker. On May 1, 1933, the first issue of The Catholic Worker newspaper was printed and distributed in New York’s Union Square, and a movement was born. What started as an 8-page paper to report on the conditions of workers and the unemployed and to share the social teaching of the Catholic Church has evolved into an interfaith network of some 200+ houses of hospitality, farms, and yes, newspapers, blogs, and podcasts.
Finding Our “Liturgy of Hope”
Twelve years ago, I joined the LACW as a summer intern. On the first day of our internship, veteran Catholic Worker and then-editor of the Agitator Jeff Dietrich reviewed the weekly schedule with us. It included days for the Hippie Kitchen, other days for the street corner oatmeal breakfast, and still other days and times for the death penalty vigil, the anti-war vigil, culture critique, Eucharist, and happy hour. As he finished showing us the calendar he remarked, “This is our liturgy of hope.”
Resistance and Love in the Christmas Story
Amidst all that is good about this season – family, community, joy – and all that is difficult – loneliness, consumerism, family dysfunction – it is helpful for me to recall the radical message of the Christmas story.
Both Christmas stories from the Bible tell of forced migrations as a result of imperial policy.
Our New Home
We have a house! It’s small, but on a big lot, and when we arrived for the Open House the yard and the path leading up to it was filled with dandelions.
To Live Differently
It’s dandelion season. Maybe you’ve seen one peeking out of a crack in the sidewalk, or on someone’s lawn during an evening neighborhood walk. In cities, their bright yellow against the drab gray of concrete always makes me smile.
Standing with the Salmon, Choosing Life
Last weekend, Jessica and I camped along the Salmon River near Mount Hood, an hour’s drive from Portland. It was a beautiful fall weekend, the air crisp and cool, the leaves beginning to turn, and, most exciting for us, the salmon returning to spawn.
