25
05, 2015
21
05, 2015
Pilgrimage 2 of 5
Do we walk this Pilgrimage of life alone? Or perhaps alone with God? On the Camino in Spain, I frequently hear young and old people say "Well, everyone has his own Camino!" Indeed, St. John Paul II said that each person is a particular image and likeness of God. So, yes—that means everyone's pilgrimage through life is equally particularized and beautiful. But I think the phrase "Everyone has his own Camino" would have confused JPII a little since he came from a tight-knit Polish family and group of friends, seminarians...notwithstanding the tremendous loss he suffered. Furthermore, that phrase would have never been heard on this Spanish pilgrimage 800 years ago. Why? Because they always [...]
21
05, 2015
20
05, 2015
19
05, 2015
16
05, 2015
16
05, 2015
Pilgrimage 1 of 5
This is a series not on my current pilgrimage, but on the Theology of Pilgrimage. A priest-friend from Denver once said to me: "Pilgrimage isn't just another analogy for the Christian life. Pilgrimage is the reality of the Christian life." That may not sound too profound at first, but the more I meditated on the Old and New Testament, the more I realized that every book of the Bible fulfilled these words. It is no wonder that he had walked the Camino a few times. I'm in Spain now, but when I wrote this post, I was flying from India to Spain. Flying over the Red Sea, I look at the computer [...]
15
05, 2015
Old People with Cell Phones in Adoration
I got debilitated by some Indian food poisoning, so I let Ryan start the Camino without me. I got some good time in adoration in Pamplona. Let me be clear: I love seeing people of all backgrounds and ages in adoration. No one who claims to be pro-life should even begin to bothered by crying babies in adoration chapels. At the other end of the spectrum, let me say that I love seeing the more "mature" generation in adoration, too. However, someone needs to tell them how not to use a cell phone before the Blessed Sacrament. Who will do it? Ok. I will do it in a top ten countdown: 10) You don't have [...]
12
05, 2015
Mary and Pentecost part II
The unity between the Holy Spirt and Mary is so intimate that each one can be called the Immaculate Conception—one in eternity, and one in time. However, to understand the importance of Mary in our lives, we have to understand the basics of the Holy Spirit, as given to us by the earliest Christians. This post will be like a tornado hitting a junk pile and then organizing it into nice categories, so bear with the heavy theology at the beginning. Every earthly analogy to explain the Blessed Trinity eventually breaks down, but the least-failing analogy is the following: The Trinity is like a fire. There is a flame. There is a light. [...]
9
05, 2015
RIP Dr. Alfred Woodward M.D.
The personal physician of Mother Teresa died two days ago (7 May 2015.) May God grant eternal light and peace to Dr. Alfred C. Woodward M.D. Actually, I brought him all the sacraments two days before that, including Mass in his room. He had had a heart attack a month or two ago, but I was surprised at his rapid demise, considering that when I saw him, he was awake, alert, ambulatory...and extremely polite. Since his death, the sisters have told me about his wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor of Kolkata, and it is top news for the Times of India. Here's a picture taken by his [...]