A few days ago I published a blog describing Pope Leo’s citation of the faithful witness of the Algerian Martyrs during the Algerian civil war between 1994-1996. Mission, the pope insisted, is never “a form of self-display, in opposition of identities, but the gift of self, even to the point of martyrdom, by those who... Continue Reading →
I first learned of the Algerian martyrs through the movie: Of Gods and Men, a film centered on a true story that happened in the monastery of Tibhirine, Algeria, where nine Cistercian monks lived in harmony with the largely Muslim population of Algeria, until seven of them were kidnapped and assassinated in 1996 during the... Continue Reading →
Posting on David’s Facebook page, Joan Bubbs, David’s wife shared the sad news: “I have signed on to David's Facebook page to share the heartbreaking news that David died yesterday [Sunday], after a short illness. Some of you will also know that David was suffering from severe dementia. The combination of physical and mental deterioration... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen Anglican Church, Summerland BC - Sunday, August 17th, 2025 — The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - The Very Rev. Ken Gray A woman approached me after a sermon I recently preached in Penticton, quite upset, as I intentionally contrasted the love of the Good Samaritan with the... Continue Reading →
I am always pleased to share posts from friend and activist, Jim Hodgson, who lives just down the road from me in Summerland. Now retired from global justice work with the United Church of Canada Jim has a special passion for human rights respect in the Americas. He is currently working on a major book... Continue Reading →
Source, Facebook They say that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Others suggest that some photographs can influence a generation. Think of Falling Man (The 911 terrorist attack); Napalm Girl (Viet Nam); Hiroshima (The plane that carried the atomic bomb to Hiroshima). Each of these images document a contemporary, now historical event in order to... Continue Reading →
Anas al-Sharif with his daughter, Sham, and son, Salah. Photograph: Facebook ‘If these words reach you … Israel has succeeded in killing me’: the last words of a journalist killed in Gaza Anas al-Sharif, an Al Jazeera reporter, was killed along with four other journalists by an Israeli airstrike last Sunday night. This is the... Continue Reading →
Something totally different today. A test of memory for all my loyal readers, and those who arrive at this page by accident. (Lucky you.) An investigative challenge for those who enjoy the variety of personalities named in the over 680 posts viewed 103,000 times by over 64,000 visitors. This year, 2025, the volume of traffic... Continue Reading →
I share three things in common with the newly elected Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev. Cherry Vann. We were both born in 1958, she in Leicester, England, and me in Victoria BC, Canada. We were also students at the Royal College of Music in London in the late 1970s where, as a colleague reminds... Continue Reading →
I often wonder how I can assist the victims of the Gaza genocide. Sure, I make information available to my blog followers. What more can I, and you actually do? Well we can pray, in particular with Palestinian residents throughout the Middle East. We can join the Sabeel Wave of Prayer. Sabeel is an ecumenical... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 