Over the years I've been more motivated to grow things from the earth, like Cain in the Old Testament, and more disinterested from nurturing animals, like Abel in the Old Testament. And, in my decades of experimenting with various types of both indoor and outdoor plants, I'm settling on growing grass (the turf type). Nurturing turf also affords me to operate power equipment including a string trimmer, lawn mower and leaf blower; I do enjoy the hum of a fine-tuned engine! I also made a conscious decision over the winter to focus my energy on turf simply because, in some small and dramatic ways, I'm trying to reduce the busy distractions in my life. I really want to focus on fewer things and focus on them more clearly. Included in those things I'm more focused on is my own spiritual life, my priesthood and how I' m called to me a little more effective in serving the people of God.

READ MORE

I have become intrigued about our current Pope Francis. Some of my curiosity stems from the opinion of some people about his radical, progressive and liberal ideas. Some of my curiosity stems from his decision to depart from his Jesuit upbringing and, rather than embrace a Jesuit saint for his name, takes on the name of Francis, the founder of a different religious congregation. Some of my curiosity stems from his election as the first non-European pope in Catholic Church history; he's from Argentina in South America. Some of my curiosity is a consequence of his formative years in Argentina, his ordination class, his lived experience; a good portion of his ministry has been lived post Vatican II (1965).

READ MORE