Today is the 44th anniversary of Thomas Merton’s death.  Merton remains a popular figure among Millennial Catholics.  In the video below, Fr. James Martin discusses his life and his enduring appeal.

Once there was a new mother who sorted her child’s new toys.  Musical instruments went in one basket and cars went into another.  The child grew, and the number of toys grew as well, until all the vehicles no longer fit in one basket.  At that point, the mother separated the vehicles into two baskets,… Read More The Parable of the Vehicles

Over the years I have had any number of nicknames, but I’ve never particularly cared for any of them.  In high school, the name Keebler had its genesis when someone noticed that my ears do not curl over, and I thus bore a resemblance to certain elves.  In college many referred to me by a… Read More Coming to the Table

“When people say (as they do, it seems, with increasing frequency) that they are more interested in ‘spirituality’ than in ‘religion,’ they usually seem to mean that they prefer the balm of private fantasy, the aromatherapy of uplifting individual sentiment, to the hard work of thought and action, the common struggle to make sense of… Read More The Challenge of ‘Spiritual, but Not Religious’

As the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes to an end and Christians around the world prepare to enter the season of Advent, I am reminded of a day nearly nine months ago when Catholics observed the Solemnity of The Annunciation of the Lord. This feast day commemorates the Virgin Mary’s encounter with… Read More Seeing the Signs

Last week, families all around the country gathered to break bread, give thanks and inevitably to share their thoughts in some awkward political discussions. The family Thanksgiving dinner table has always seemed to capture the political dynamic that exists in our country as a whole.  People who largely agree on how to raise children or… Read More Ending the Era of Bitter, Unproductive Partisanship

When the calendar flips past Thanksgiving, that means two things: leftover turkey sandwiches and a month of hyper-saturated, over-the-top Christmas commercialization.  Yesterday, CNN reported that between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, U.S. consumers generated $59 billion in revenue. “Black Friday” may be welcomed by accountants who see their corporations climb into the black, but it… Read More Season of Giving