Just back from Rome where I spent a delightful week with fellow Passionists from the great continent of Africa. The men had gathered for a months renewal which took place at the Basilica of St’s John and Paul. Fr. Pat Duffy and myself joined forces to facilitate one week of the training event. Our theme covered human and spiritual development  and included introducing them to the benefits of Focusing a mind/body system.

The men are primarily engaged in the Formation of Passionist students. I was greatly impressed with their commitment to their work and their loyalty to the Passionist Congregation.  Whilst we in Europe display a tired and at time lifeless church the African Church seems energised and eager to take its place and make its own unique contribution.

I came across this short video of Richard Rohr recently. What caught my attention was the opening story he uses, it’s one I often used on school retreats . It’s a great story and metaphor that challenges tired churches,  governments etc.,  to rediscover their original mission…..have a listen.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bRqwO6fPjf0

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Jim K. a friend of mine from Scotland rang me tonight. In the course of the conversation he began to speak, with great enthusiasm,  about a religious song he heard recently.  He has shared it with other friends and family. I liked it ….. judge for yourself…….click on the URL below. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud0kaWLHEd4

He was also deeply impressed with a Christian Speaker called Louie Giglio he and Chris work together on occasions. Any way I have included the link so that you can have a quick listen to Louie….he is a fine speaker and has important insights to share….have a listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_82lZ2PpYQE

Whilst we all rejoice in the great gathering of the youth in Australia, lets not lose sight of another significant gathering of radical Catholic activists – The Catholic Workers Movement.

The National Catholic Reporter writes:  In the 75 years since Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin began feeding the destitute men of New York’s Bowery and speaking out against militarism, the Catholic Worker has grown tremendously. It now includes at least 180 communities, among them dozens of small, organic farms growing food for community pantries and hungry neighbors, an art gallery, scores of houses of hospitality offering long- and short-term shelter to undocumented immigrants, women fleeing domestic violence, people exiting prison and those without a place to sleep or belong. It has produced four generations of Catholics living gleefully in opposition to a dominant culture of consumerism and violence.

For more info try googling catholic worker movement

This has to be one of the biggest flags yet!  I want to wish all my friends in the US a happy 4th of July celebration. I know for many of them they find a certain uncomfortableness celebrating independence and freedom whilst US troops. along with the British, occupy Iraq.

The peace and justice movements continue to draw our attention to the horrific human cost particularly to the women and children of Iraq.  We pray for the day when Iraq too will celebrate its own Independence day in the not too distant future

I was talking to a colleague who recently attended a Billy Connolly Show here in Belfast. She informed me that he addressed the recent controversy over Iris and her gay-cure psychiatrist friend. Apparently Billy  enquired if Iris knew  “any nice  psychiatrists who could cure bigots as well.”

As we wave goodbye to the Paisley dynasty, in steps the Robinson dynasty to take it’s place.  If anyone expects that this one will be any more enlightened or humane,  then the statements of  Iris will dash those hopes. On the very day we received a harrowing report of a young man being horrifically beaten because he was gay,  instead of supporting this young man’s right to be himself, Iris contributes to the horror by exposing her own prejudice.  Referring to Homosexuality as an abomination, she revealed that her top medical adviser, a Christian psychiatrist,  believes he can change gay people’s sexual orientation.  Why is he wasting his time on something that is not a mental health issue in itself,  isn’t he aware  that In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association concluded there was no scientific evidence that homosexuality was a disorder and removed it from its diagnostic glossary of mental disorders. The International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organisation followed suit in 1992.

Maybe he’s going down the road of some kind of Christian cloning……….
 

 I can just hear the perpetrators of the horrific beating saying …….there you see, even politicians agree that these disgusting gays….these abominations, shouldn’t  exist….they should be modified…..changed……into heterosexuals like the rest of the population.

 May the God of Creation, who created such diversity and who rejoices in it all.….may  He help us to embrace difference that we too may rejoice in the complexity  and beauty of all   His creation…..without exception.  AMEN

 The Power of Song is a social history through the life of one of America’s significant folk artists of our time: Pete Seeger.   The film takes us through the turbulant formative years of the 60’s – 70’s and includes interviews with Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton to mention but a few. It testifies to the prophetic voice of the peace movement and the courage and commitment to building a better world not just for the few, but for all.  As well as all that, it’s just a celebration of great folk music, which many of us will recognise as the soundtrack to our own growing up. 

 Click below for a real treat!

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi446431513/

I contributed this short comment on a Christian Psychologists web-debate it’s about the churches recent condemnations re: stem cell research

Christians I believe have both a right and a duty to participate in the great debates of our times. However down through the years many of the churches interventions have been overly authoritarian with the effect of causing many people to react to the policing aspect of the message as opposed to seeing some merit in the content of their contribution. The challenge, particularly for Church leaders, is to inspire rather than shame people as they express their concerns. Instead of the language of condemnation they could emphasise the areas of joint concerns, and praise the scientific communities efforts to alleviate human suffering. Promoting the sacredness of life is a noble cause lets acknowledge that we in the Christian Churches have no exclusive ownership of it. In taking this stance we open ourselves up to the possibility of genuine dialogue and may place ourselves in a better position to facilitate the search for truth.

Was asked to include some more of my wild west photos so here they are……as our American brothers and sisters would say…..enjoy!

 This photo is of the Great Salt Lake in Utah

 The mountains were a welcome sight after the flatness of the salt desert