Blog

As the apple of red was tasted
A veil spread across the soul’s eyes.
Overcome by the sweetness
The world beyond was viewed
As through a cloud.

More sweetness, more color craved,
Until cloud so thickened
Only wafting shadows were seen,
Leading mind to conclude
Nothing more was there.

Only delights and sufferings
And shadows seemed sure.
Faith ebbing, love too, till
Truth-hunger’s madness brought violence,
Life-threatening wounds to the World.

But within cloud-gazer-souls’
Abyssal dark depths
A last living ember
Flickers for those able
To feel into deep stillness.

Once sensed, this soft Hope,
This final force for future,
Itself enlivens, begins musing anew.
By mystery Mary rises opening as pure pod,
Enclosing mystery-conceived seed-Word.

“Hope is last to die,”
Says a Russian proverb.
In those where its embers still glow
Life-support, gentle fanning, tending are needed
That germ of Word leaf out and up.

Tending it ever so carefully
Till born Word rends cloud-veil
And world, now known Abode of God
Swings doors open welcoming home
All who in hope knock, and knock and knock.

by Rev. Peter Skaller December 11, 2011

The following short article was written in response to an article by Ann Marcaida, which was originally published on the website, “Gather”. Her article was titled, “Unconditional Love and a Modern-Day Saint”, and she recommended the writer and memoirist Deborah Digges for sainthood. This was written in support of her article and also originally published on “Gather”. She inaugurated the Losing Your Religion Sainthood Program and I hope to offer some thoughts that may strengthen her canonization work.
Ms. Marcaida did a first great deed in redeeming the idea of the saint by breaking away from the simplistic and inaccurate idea of saint as opposed to sinner, that is, Saints are “good” Sinners are “bad”. …› Read More

The Future Initiatives Group has been a beehive of activity throughout 2010. The current members, Ann Elizabeth Barnes, Fiona Gold, Cindy Hindes, Carol Kelly, Patrick Kennedy, and Oliver Steinrueck, were joined by two new members, Anna Claire Novotny (Spring Valley) and Eileen King (Washington DC), who has agreed to join us at our next meeting. The group has been meeting twice a year, most recently in Los Angeles, CA and Spring Valley, NY, and has had numerous teleconferences during the year. And like bees in the winter that exchange sing song, much discussion was had, and like bees in the summer, scouts have been flying all over North America searching for nectar. Funny how searching for future directions brings you smack, kerplop into the present. Here is a summary of projects to date. If you have extra energy, ideas and enthusiasm sparked by any of these projects, please get in touch with anyone on the Future Initiatives Group. …› Read More