Another in the series: “Stories from Somewhere” by Ken Gray Barricade — (from French barrique 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. The day has finally arrived. After many weeks of planning, our small group of... Continue Reading →
Meet my friend, Ruth
To those of you who already know Ruth, you know what is wrong with this picture. To those of you who do not know her, you need to understand that Ruth is typically NOT the one eating, but more likely the one preparing and setting out the food. She is an extroverted personality who loves... Continue Reading →
Jazz, the Doctor of Democracy
Wynton Marsalis just stepped down as the managing and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, which he founded nearly 40 years ago. He shares his thoughts on the state of democracy in the US presently using the craft he knows so well, Jazz, to illustrate his points. TRANSCRIPT (Generated; check against delivery) [Wynton Marsalis]... Continue Reading →
Love, love, love . . . Canada?
Robert Reich on Substack - Mar 10, 2026 [Ken Gray] Robert Reich possibly exaggerates here. I know many unhappy camper Canadians, on both the right and left politically and relisiously. That said, he may have a valid point. See what you think. Why do Americans hate each other while Canadians love each other? Friends. A... Continue Reading →
The moral arc of reality — A timely Lenten reflection
From Ron Rolheiser March 9, 2026. Still a prairie boy at heart, Fr. Ron Rolheiser is one of the most prolific and respected Roman Catholic teachers and scholars alive today. Thomas Moore, the author of Care of the Soul, teaches that our most important spiritual task is to listen to the promptings of our own... Continue Reading →
God’s restorative justice is Love
READ ON CAC.ORG From Sunday, March 1, 2026 Father Richard Rohr emphasizes how God’s justice in the Bible is fundamentally loving and restorative rather than punitive. As we read the Bible, God does not change as much as our knowledge of God evolves. I certainly recognize there are many biblical passages that present God as... Continue Reading →
We remain “battered and bruised, but not defeated.”
A Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Primate of the Province of Jerusalem & the Middle East - 28 February 2026 Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As you are all now painfully aware, in the early hours of this morning, February 28th, a coordinated and massive military assault was launched by the United... Continue Reading →
Drinking from our own well: How a Salt Spring Island experiment recovered Christian contemplation
Published February 23, 2026 by By Nicholas Fournie in the Anglican Journal When the parish of All Saints by the Sea consecrated its new church in 1994, it did something unusual: it placed meditation and silent prayer at the very centre of the celebration. That choice, made on a quiet island in the Diocese of... Continue Reading →
Traditional Religion meets evolving contemporary needs
Originally published as “Christianity isn’t just in decline — it’s become obsolete, says sociologist -- The problem isn’t simply about belief. ‘[Traditional religion] doesn’t fit ordinary life,’ says Christian Smith.” by Julie McGonegal - Feb. 6, 2026 on Broadview Christian Smith says that traditional religion hasn’t merely lost adherents — it’s become culturally obsolete. That’s... Continue Reading →
Empathy or Cruelty? — The choice is yours — J B Pritzger, Governor of Illinois
Previously published on Substack by Heather Cox Richardson on Feb 18, 2026 Long, but worth a careful read “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about love—about loving people and loving your country and the power involved in both,” the governor said. “I know, right now, there are a lot of people out there who love... Continue Reading →