I remember in my Allentown College/DeSales University days a popular poster on the walls in the dorms had the poem “Desiderata.” It started with the following two lines: “Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and
Writing this reflection on our colorful campus the day before Earth Day, I am grateful for the cool breeze that streams the dank, sour smell of mulch through my pollen-coated nasal passages. I recall the quick, mini-debate with the DPT student who held the Chappuis door for me this morning: Whose allergies are worse? It is spring, and we are
Today, as we celebrate our core value of gratitude, we look no further than Psalm 118:24 that states “this is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” We hear this verse so many times on Sunday in mass, but the message is so valuable each and every day. Gratitude begins with our attitude.
“True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.” —St. Francis de Sales The arrival of spring is a reminder of the inevitable progression of time. The seasons change and we move forward. We make progress. As I’m sure most people can relate, I’ve been more impatient for spring than ever this year. A pandemic winter can be cruel –
Pope Francis has declared 2021 (12/8/20 – 12/8/21) the Year of St. Joseph. Today is his feast day and are our attention turns to this just man who, with Mary, raised and helped form Jesus. St. Francis de Sales had a great devotion to St. Joseph and is credited greatly with advancing the devotion to the husband of Mary. This
Sr. Elizabeth Johnson is a Sister of St. Joseph and a retired professor of theology at Fordham University and past president of the Catholic Theological Society. She is the author of 10 books, many articles, and monographs, and her work has been translated into 13 languages. During this Women’s History Month, we applaud her contribution to theology and wisdom, a
Everything we do in life is a process. How we learn is a process, how we grow from childhood into adulthood is a process, even how we process information is a process! Our life, from birth to death, is a process. One definition of process is “a systematic series of actions directed to some end” (Dictionary App, 2021). It’s easy to get
Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship, 2020), calls all of us to deepen our bonds of community and respect for all members of the one human family. His words here align well with our University core value of wisdom. The recent pandemic enabled us to recognize and appreciate once more all those around us who,
Today the church celebrates the feast of St. Katharine Drexel, the heir of the vast Drexel Family wealth from Philadelphia. March is also Women’s History Month. In this excerpt from the writings of Kathy Coffey’s Women of Mercy (Orbis, 2005 p, 111-112), we see the deep commitment of Katharine to care for Black and Native American peoples, despite great resistance.