Reflections from Our Directors
Acts of Kindness
In the beautifully illustrated book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Charlie Mackesyoffers wisdom for young and old alike. Sitting together on a tree branch, the mole asks the boy, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Kind,” said the boy. The pandemic...
Grief and the Holidays
“There is much I want to say, as if the saying could prepare you for this path, as if there is anything I could offer that would make your way less circuitous, more smooth....” ~The Shimmering Hours (Jan Richardson) The holidays ideally are a time of food and...
Where are YOU in the Sacred Stories of Advent?
Republished from November 2019 Cosmic Birth/Sacred Moment in Time ©Mary Southard marysouthardart.orgCourtesy of MinistryOfTheArts.org All rights reserved When I was a little girl, my December ritual was to sit alone in our living room beside the twinkling tree lights...
Autumn Reflections: Layers of Awareness
“Oh, how I love Autumn!!” I mused as I walked along the familiar trail near our home in late September. What struck me, was that nature all around me seemed to be shouting, “pay attention,” “be aware of the gifts I offer...
In Between Times
These months of 2020 have brought about many unexpected and some unwelcomed changes in our lives such as; the way we work, the way we celebrate, the way we grieve, the way we begin and end relationships, the way we experience home life and school, the way we worship,...
Pandemic Fatigue: A Practice that Helps
We are in the eighth month of living with a declared Pandemic in the United States! By now we are well versed in the protocol; wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance and avoid indoor gatherings. Even as we wear masks and stay safely at home,...
The First Presidential Debate and the Ignatian Tradition
I know the title of this piece sounds like an oxymoron. Wow, what a “free for all” that first debate was! I have been struggling like most with my emotions. I have a hard time understanding why so many in our country don’t think or feel the way I do. I feel tempted to...
Being Neighbors
Loyola has thrived through the past four decades because of relationships. Relationship with God active and present in the world today. Relationships among the staff fostering community. Relationships with other organizations promoting the spiritual...
Loss of Control
The adoption caseworker made it clear the child coming to MN to live with me had endured a staggering number of losses. Preparing to become a mom meant lining up grief therapists, researching childhood trauma and carefully thinking through small acts that could help...