Find the Whole Person In Everyone

A few years ago — June 14, 2018, to be exact — David Brooks had a column in the New York Times entitled, “Personalism: The Philosophy We Need.” Because personalism is one of the philosophies that I teach at St. John’s University, I read the essay as soon as I saw the title.

How Even Death Can Be Viewed as a Beautiful Gift

As I mentioned in last week’s column, I have been reflecting for some time on a view of death that Father Ronald Rolheiser wrote about in his spiritual masterpiece “Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity” (New York: Image, 2014, pp. 344, $25.00).

Death May Be Our Final (And Maybe Greatest) Gift

I am not sure, but I think the first time I thought about our death as possibly an important gift to others was when I first read Father Ronald Rolheiser’s book, a contemporary spiritual classic “Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity” (Image, Random House, pp. 342, 2014, $25.00).

Finding God in Our Own Center

I have been saying centering prayer daily for many years. Recently, I suspected that I could use a brief refresher course on the way centering prayer should be said, and I found what I was looking for in the wonderful book by James Martin, S.J.: “Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone,” Harper One, 2021, pp. 386, $27.99). 

The Very Special Power Of Living in Goodness

Every time I glance through the pages of Bernard Cooke’s “Power and the Spirit of God: Toward an Experience-Based Pneumatology” (Oxford University Press, 2004, pp. 209), I find some topic, question or insight that I wish to share with readers of this column. 

The Spirit Breathes Where It Will, Even to Atheists

I wonder if in my past understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role in the process of salvation and redemption I unwittingly limited the Spirit’s activity to the Spirit’s role in the life of Catholics. Emphasizing in my own mind the presence of the Holy Spirit as the Soul of the Church and as the sanctifier in the life of Catholics, I may have unwittingly not appreciated the role of the Holy Spirit in the world. 

Mystery of Love Is Enriched And Deepened by Our Faith

In his “What Is God?: How to Think About the Divine” (Paulist Press, New York, 1986, 143 pp.) John Haught suggests that religion is adventure. I love that idea, but I wonder how many of us think of religion as adventure. 

Power of Art to Influence And to Humanize People

There are so many influences that play a part in shaping and forming our experience of ourselves and others that the word “mystery” seems applicable to everything involving human persons. Writing this series using Bernard Cooke’s “Power and Spirit: Toward an Experience-Based Pneumatology” (Oxford University Press, 2004) as a springboard has been a very provocative experience for me.

The Holy Spirit Is Operating in The Church and Each Person

This series of columns has caused me to reflect on my past understanding of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and also on the importance of human relationships. I know that when I was a young priest I hardly ever mentioned the Holy Spirit in my Sunday homilies.

Embrace by the Holy Spirit Can Lead Us to Become Saints

As I mentioned in last week’s column, Bernard Cooke was the best teacher I have ever had. Bishop Bryan McEntegart sent me to Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1965 after I had obtained my master’s degree in philosophy from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.