Today the United States celebrates Independence Day, the federal holiday that commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence 241 years ago on July 4, 1776. In 1776 the American colonies were united in their opposition to overreaching by the British Government, which taxed them severely while not letting them make their own laws or […]

I again offered the reflection at daily Mass at the Jesuit Retreat House in OshKosh, where I am a director for a directed retreat.  I spoke about the Gospel reading for today: Matthew’s account of the storm at sea. Jesus is asleep in a boat with his disciples when a storm suddenly arises, and the […]

Tonight was the opening session of the Lenten Ignatian Retreat at St. Thomas More.  After this initial large group meeting, small retreat groups will meet weekly, and participants will pray each day with materials we provide to them that are based on Weeks 2 and 3 of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I gave […]

Today was the second session of the Fall Reflection Series that Jennifer Wright and I are offering at the University of St. Thomas (on the Minneapolis campus) this year.  The theme for this five week series is Women of the Bible. In last week’s opening session, Jennifer spoke about Sarah and Hagar.  (You can find her talk […]

Monday was the first session of the Fall Reflection Series that Jennifer Wright and I are offering at the University of St. Thomas (on the Minneapolis campus) this year.  Our theme for the five week series is Women of the Bible. Monday I briefly introduced the series and Jennifer spoke our our first subjects: Sarah […]