Franciscan Life
Franciscan life is a love story — with God, with the poor, with the earth, with the stranger. Rooted in the spirit of Francis and Clare of Assisi, these posts explore what it means to embrace simplicity, kinship, and courageous countercultural choices in a world that constantly pushes the other direction. From returning land to Indigenous communities to the spirituality of dumpster diving to what the feast of St. Francis has to teach us today, this is a space for anyone drawn to the Franciscan way — whether you’ve taken vows or are just beginning to feel its pull.
A litany for our inability to end gun violence
**Adapted from “A litany for the teens in Parkland, FL” Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. For our…
Parent in training: a review of “Bless This Mess”
My five-month-old just fell asleep. Now I have anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours to “get something done.” This phenomenon of sporadic, indefinite hands-free…
Bring on the boredom: the paradox of the path
Years ago, at a family gathering with cousins and aunts and uncles rubbing shoulders and shaking hands, I uttered words for which I was shamed…
On parenting, poverty, and privilege
It’s been two months since our family abruptly said goodbye to the mission we were serving in Honduras. We left because our five-year-old daughter came…
What’s whiteness got to do with it?
“You don’t dismantle white supremacy by ‘learning about other cultures.’ You dismantle white supremacy by deconstructing whiteness. – Benita Grace Joy I saw this quote…
Rejoice with me
Along with three others sisters in their mid-30s, I am in a busy café in St. Louis, Missouri, enjoying a lunch of sandwiches and…
Our Common Call to Contemplation, Communion and Creativity
On an ordinary morning, I kneel into The Now. I am alone in my bedroom, sitting cross-legged on the floor. I have set my timer,…
Walking in beauty
No matter what the season, God helps me to find the beauty in the neighborhood in which I live. Perhaps one of my biggest struggles…