I am a graduate of Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia. It is where I met the Oblates. I also had the privilege of serving there as principal from 2003-2008. Marguerite Scafati was the Vice Principal for Academics at BI for many years. She also was a cancer survivor.

That’s the ultimate goal of our lives on this earth, isn’t it? To make it to heaven? The challenge is that on any given day we’re tempted to see our earthly lives as merely a place to wait until our name or number gets called. Christian philosopher Dallas Willard observed:…

During the autumn season, as I cross the threshold of the front door and embark upon my daily walk to school, I look forward to seeing the leaves begin to fall from the canopy of branches arched over our quiet neighborhood street. The humidity, oh so smothering during the summer, is finally replaced by the refreshment of a cool breeze.

When a brilliant rainbow fills the sky after a thunderstorm, its vibrant colors have the mystical effect of bringing smiles to the faces of everyone watching. Why? Well, rainbows signal, with the splash across the sky, that the danger is over, in a brilliant array of glorious and varied colors and that--“All is well again!”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your hearts will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

These three brief Gospel verses capture the essence of our Oblate vocation which is to live Jesus and to bring him to our world today through the learned doctrine and inviting spirit of St. Francis de Sales. These verses are in the DNA of all who embrace Salesian spirituality. I would like to say a little something about the key elements of these verses.

We celebrated Homecoming 2019 on our campus last Saturday, a celebration which really began on Wednesday night with a King of Wings eating contest. It was fun to watch, the teams got very creative. Alumnae/i returned for Tailgating and the Homecoming Game, televised on ESPN3 (which we won, thanks be to God). Others joined us for Mass and a Reunion Dinner later in the day.

One of my favorite scenes comes near the end of the movie right after the Wizard loses control of the balloon and leaves Dorothy and Toto behind. Just when she thinks that she’ll never get home, enter Glenda, the good witch. Remember?

“O Jesus, teach us how to make our soul be silent so that You may speak to us.”

~ Blessed Louis Brisson, OSFS

I love this simple but profound prayer of our Oblate Founder in which he asks Jesus to teach us how to silent our souls in order that he might speak to us. To “silent our souls” –what does that mean anyway?

I was at Starbucks one day to indulge in one of my pleasures, iced coffee with almond milk and sugar free cinnamon dolce. A young mother and her four or five year old daughter stood in line behind me. The mother invited her daughter to pick out a treat to eat,

Our nation hurts and mourns yet again after two more senseless acts of violence, killing twenty-nine and wounding many others. The emotional wounds of those who love the killed and wounded are beyond words. Once again, there are calls for thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families.

While reading an article in the Wall Street Journal highlighting the challenges facing Elon Musk’s Tesla electric cars, I came across a term that I had never before encountered: “Range anxiety”.

Earlier this week, on Sunday evening, I was going for an evening run through Wilmington, Delaware, just as it was beginning to get dark. As I turned right at an intersection to enter Brandywine Park, two boys standing at the opposite street corner called out to me, “Hello, Jogger!” Wondering what kind of greeting this could be, I stopped, and they came over to me holding a plastic bag.

A tired looking Ted was having lunch with his brother Luke, who remarked. “Geez Ted you look beat. What’s happening?” In a weary tone Ted answered, “It seems all I do is work, work, work, providing food and stuff for Dot plus saving a little for the kids’ futures, but I never seem to make ends meet.” Ted added “Don’t get me wrong Luke, I love my family, but it just isn’t fun anymore.”

A few weeks ago I read an editorial that suggested that the world today, fractured and combative, needs to rediscover comity. What is comity anyway? An early 1948 edition of Webster’s Dictionary defines comity as “mildness and suavity of manners; courtesy.” A later dictionary speaks of comity in terms of “international courtesy,” which is closer to its meaning in the recent editorial.

I just finished preaching two retreats at different Motherhouses of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Last week I was in Great Bend, Kansas. We reflected on their commitment to: “Be Peace! Build Peace! Preach Peace!” This is the tenth anniversary of their founding.