by Aaron Peiffer May 17, 2013
On the Wednesday following Easter I had the privilege of attending the papal audience with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s square. Much to my surprise I had received a green ticket the previous day at the offices for the Pontifical North American College which gave me access to the seating nearest to the pope at the top of the grand stairs in the shadow of St. Peters. I had been forewarned to not expect orderly queues like back in the states, but I did not fully appreciate the import of his advice until various pilgrim groups began to amass themselves haphazardly around the security entry! Somehow I ended up with a seat about forty feet to the left of Pope Francis and six rows from the front.
by Pia Chedid May 9, 2013
A couple of weeks ago I went to Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral in Brooklyn Heights to attend an evening of prayer for peace in Syria. Gregory Mansour, the Maronite bishop, had invited church members and representatives from the Jewish and Muslim faiths, as well as kids, families, some diplomats, and journalists. The church is full. In between psalms, representatives deliver speeches. They talk about the Syrian people, begging for peace for them. Their need, their thirst is ours. “Somehow I believe we all originate from Syria,” says the Muslim representative before leading us into the Lord’s prayer.
by Jonathan L. Pinkerton May 3, 2013
As I boarded the shuttle bus, I realized that I had underestimated the incredible energy and enthusiasm that precedes and surrounds the Boston Marathon. Within a couple hours I was corralled with approximately 27,000 runners, into ‘Athlete’s Village’— a massive pre-race staging area. 96 countries were represented at the 2013 Boston Marathon. I was shoulder-to-shoulder with persons who were incredibly passionate about and committed to the 26.2 mile race. After all, this was more than just a race — it was a historic celebration of our sport, a tribute to the physical and mental endurance of marathoning, and for many runners it was an opportunity to run for an important charitable cause. After five hours of pre-race activities, I finally reached the starting line in Hopkinton, MA.
by Guillaume de Chateauvieux
Picture
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” ― Mother Teresa
by Armando Gutierrez April 27, 2013
Testimonial
What happens at night in our neighborhood (Porvenir Bajo, in Valparaiso, Chile)? From what I witness outside of my window: the door of Juanita´s corner store are shut, the lamppost light up like candles, and our playground lays silent. It is nothing out of the ordinary. But our hearts have a thirst that goes beyond what we perceive from our window. Somewhere in the night someone cries for compassion, for a presence, for friendship.
by Jesse Scheinin April 20, 2013
As he walked out of the museum after seeing 'STREET' for the first time, Jesse Scheinin felt compelled to "turn his life into art", quite literally . . . ‘STREET’ is a 61-minute high definition video filmed over one week in September 2011 in the streets of New York City by the artist James Nares. The film shows ordinary street life dramatically slowed down by the high speed camera which reveals the subtle gestures and nuances of human movement and interaction. Step back a minute from the fast paced reality, open your eyes, and look at the streets of New York . . . as if for the first time.
