The Visitation – A month of Marian posts

What, I have to click to read anything? Um – yes…(continue reading at the Times Union)

Pentecost

Pentecost. Jarring. Unnerving. Compelling. Disturbing. Provocative. Uniting.That’s Pentecost. Ultimately Pentecost is uniting. Pentecost is when the many voices come into One. I keep trying to think of what to say about that today, but the words are unwieldy, going here and there – the Spirit, blows where It will, I can’t control that.

Maybe (continue reading at the Times Union…)

Healing

This is from the blog that I publish at the parish where I work, the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Glenville, NY. I wanted to share it here as well because it is a reminder of how broken we all are, and how we come together as church for healing. This liturgy happens twice a year, and this is my seventh time of attending. I never fail to be moved – and I never fail to be healed. We are bread broken and healed in the world, through Christ. Dying and rising, again and again.

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Introduction: The Body Gathers

Like bees to a hive, people begin to move into the church. The day is warm and sunny, which is a mirror to the mood. Today we will celebrate the bi-annual Anointing Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Glenville.

Greeters cheerfully usher in those arriving. Nametags are given out with great love, hands are held tightly, hugs are dispensed with wild abandon. The church moves from empty and quiet, to filling, with the hum of life all about.

Cars continue to pull into the parking lot, (continue reading at the Times Union…)

The May Magnificat – A month of Marian posts

The Marian window at The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Glenville, NY. (photo by Fran Rossi Szpylczyn)

Read this post at the Times Union…

 

Messy Quest Book Giveaway – We have a winner!

Thanks to all who read and posted comments on our Messy Quest book series. We have chosen a winner and that winner is… (continue reading at the Times Union.)

 

The Messy Quest book review

The vocations mess… We hear so much about vocations… There is a lack of vocations, so we pray for vocations, then maybe there will be more vocations, and so on. Those phrases are centered on the vocation to the ordained, or vowed life, which are essential to the life of the Church. However, there are many other vocations. Are we praying for these also? You know, our own vocations?

It is this notion that Stephen Martin tackles in his book, The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation, (Sorin Books, 179p. $14.95). We are… (please continue reading at the Times Union.)

Messy Quest Guest Post – Author Stephen Martin on interruptions

Today we are hosting a blog tour for the new book The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation, by Stephen Martin. Stephen offers us a guest post about a topic that is near and dear to my own heart. Read on, he speaks with wisdom!

Why Interruptions Are Good for Your Soul

By Stephen Martin

The average person needs 17 minutes to get back on task after being interrupted by an e-mail, according to a magazine tidbit my wife found. What was I doing when she said this? I don’t remember. Indeed, the idea for this post first came to me a month ago – and it’s taken that long to write the first sentence.

With a busy job, two young kids and too much stuff going on in general, I’m obsessed with managing time and eliminating distractions. But I never succeed. Thus I’m perpetually frustrated. And you (continue reading at the Times Union and leave comments there to enter the book giveaway!)

Welcome to the Messy Quest Monday blog tour!

Welcome to the Messy Quest Monday blog tour! Today we are hosting the “blog tour” for Stephen Martin’s new book, The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation, from Sorin Books, an imprint of Ave Maria Press. Stephen is a writer; he does PR for a global non-profit, and he writes a weekly column for his local paper, the Raleigh News and Observer. He has been published in America and Commonweal, among other places; this is his first book. Stephen is also a husband and a father.

Recently I had the privilege of asking him a few questions, here is what the author had to say… (continue reading at the Times Union and leave your comments there, you may win a free book!)

Messy Quest Monday is almost here!

Messy Quest Monday? We will be musing this Monday – complete with multiple posts, which will include an interview, a guest post and a book review. But wait – that’s not all! If you leave a comment on any of the posts, your name will be entered into a drawing to receive a free book. And yes, you can enter more than once.

What is this Messy Quest business all about? On Monday we will (continue reading at the Times Union, and please leave all comments there!)

Welcome to the Messy Quest Monday Blog Tour!

Welcome to the Messy Quest Monday blog tour! Today we are hosting the “blog tour” for Stephen Martin’s new book, The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation, from Sorin Books, an imprint of Ave Maria Press. Stephen is a writer; he does PR for a global non-profit, and he writes a weekly column for his local paper, the Raleigh News and Observer. He has been published in America and Commonweal, among other places; this is his first book. Stephen is also a husband and a father.

Recently I had the privilege of asking him a few questions, here is what the author had to say… (continue reading at the Times Union and leave your comments there, you may win a free book!)