The feeling of frustration is one of the many emotions that were either expressed by the People of God or intuited in their stories during the consultation phase of the synodal journey. I invite you to sense the frustration in the following testimony extracted from a synod synthesis. “Some of the priests are very thin-skinnedContinue reading “Synodality and Fustrations”
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Ancestral Tears
Queen Elizabeth – A grandmother A great grandmother A mother A person A woman – Has died. There are overflowing tears Pouring from social, print, and electronic media eyes, Usurping news of global war, famine, drought, violence. Tears filling the cups of the United Kingdom Violently stirring the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel. But,Continue reading “Ancestral Tears”
Synodality and Conflict Transformation
The synodal journey of the People of God fundamentally involves the initiation and development of quality relationships. Relationship building is like the proverbial saying “getting under someone’s skin”. One of the consequences of such attachment is conflict. There’s no synodal journeying without conflicts. Due of our differences – different personalities, experiences, perspectives, opinions, ways ofContinue reading “Synodality and Conflict Transformation”
Synodality and the Human Family
Why does the journey towards building a synodal Church appear like the ascent up a steep and rugged hill? Some years ago, four friends and I agreed to hike up a steep mountain. On the way to the starting point, I observed a bottle of whiskey and few glasses in the car. At the footContinue reading “Synodality and the Human Family”
Synodality and the Aged
We have a natural attraction for youthfulness – the fat cheeks of toddlers, the smooth silk-like skin of children, the exuberance and aliveness of adolescence, the sculptured body of athletes, and the full head of hair of young men and women. These images splatter the pages of fashion magazines, occupy the storyline of movies, shapeContinue reading “Synodality and the Aged”
Synodality and Ecclesial Bunkers
Within community life, we have been injured by the bullets of persons’ tongues, writings, or inactions. Perhaps, a parish priest has failed to visit during an illness; parishioners have exercised inhospitality at Mass; gossiping tongues have exposed my inner world; or hierarchical infighting plots against upward mobility. When we are emotionally injured, sometimes the humanContinue reading “Synodality and Ecclesial Bunkers”
Synodality and Waiting
Have you ever had the experience of waiting for a response from someone? It may have been waiting on your boss’s response to a project proposal, or a response to a request to your parents, a challenge or critique to a friend, a love note to a girl or boyfriend, a submitted application form, orContinue reading “Synodality and Waiting”
Synodality and Solitude
I remember fondly my summer childhood hikes in the hills and mountains of St. Andrew, Jamaica…hiking, not alone, but with the youth and altar servers groups of my childhood church community. With joy and excitement, I always anticipated the summer months – these hikes, the ritual of the preparation of food and gears, the sleeplessContinue reading “Synodality and Solitude”
Synodality and Imperfections
Prior to the Coronavirus lockdown and restrictions, I celebrated Mass with the Bethesda Catholic community. It’s a community that promotes the inclusion of persons with disabilities into the liturgies, through sensory-friendly Masses. At the Mass there were parents along with children of various ages and located at different points on the autistic spectrum. It wasContinue reading “Synodality and Imperfections”
Synodality and Bridle Bit Discipline
My Dad tells the story of his childhood donkey named Aaron. True to the saying, Aaron was stubborn and incredibly wild. Aaron was controlled primarily by placing a bridle and bit on his mouth. The bit is a metal bar that is placed behind the teeth, resting against the soft tissues in the back ofContinue reading “Synodality and Bridle Bit Discipline”
Beloved Reflections 