Stories of Mission
The Gospel of Peace: A Commentary on Matthew, Mark, and Luke from the Perspective of Nonviolence, with John Dear
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals - Revised Edition" with author Arthur C. Jones in this One On One Interview. Wade in the Water celebrates the spirituals both as art form and as unique and powerful cultural...
Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals, with Arthur Jones
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals - Revised Edition" with author Arthur C. Jones in this One On One Interview. Wade in the Water celebrates the spirituals both as art form and as unique and powerful cultural...
The Not-Yet God: The Not-Yet God: Carl Jung, Teilhard de Chardin, and the Relational Whole, Ilia Delio
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "The Not-Yet God: The Not-Yet God: Carl Jung, Teilhard de Chardin, and the Relational Whole" with author Ilia Delio in this One On One Interview. We are a species between axial periods. Thus, our religious myths are...
Engaging Thomas Merton: Spirituality, Justice, and Racism, with Daniel Horan
Join us in conversaton with Orbis Author, Daniel Horan. He and Robert disucss his his new book, Engaging Thomas Merton: Spirituality, Justice, and Racism which is based on contemporary engagements with the work and legacy of Thomas Merton that highlight the enduring...
The Ethics of Doing Nothing, with Andrew Blosser
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "The Ethics of Doing Nothing" with author Andrew Blosser in this One On One Interview. This book explores the theological and moral significance of practices once familiar to many Christians and Jews, such as Sabbath,...
The Gospel according to James Baldwin with Greg Garrett
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "The Gospel according to James Baldwin:What America’s Great Prophet Can Teach Us about Life, Love, and Identity" with author Greg Garrett in this One On One Interview. Baldwin’s writing offers critiques of religion, culture,...
I Surrender, with Kathleen Osberger
Orbis Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, discusses "I Surrender: A Memoir of Chile's Dictatorship, 1975" with author Kathleen Osberger in this One On One Interview. I Surrender depicts the solidarity of the Chilean people and the transformational role of nuns and priests...
Jubilee – June 2023
Thomas Francis Ruane was born on April 4, 1927 in Waterloo, Iowa, one of eight children of Thomas and Frances McGuire Ruane. His early schooling took place in Sacred Heart Parish schools in Waterloo. After graduating from Sacred Heart High School in 1944, he joined...
Rediscovering the Divine, with Cyprian Consiglio
"Cyprian grounds his theology in the earth, the body, and the feminine, presenting God as a quaternity of Silence, Word, Music, and Dance. In a “divine alchemy,” which should be our normative experience, “the water of our humanity is changed into the wine of...
Let Go of Fear, Journey of Faith
Once again today we hear Jesus proclaiming that his disciples should not surrender to fear as they carry out their mission. He even tells his followers that they are worth more than an entire flock of sparrows and that every hair on their head has been counted. ...
Saints and Popes Speak on Mission, Journey of Faith
Saints and Popes Speak on Mission Our Gospel reading today presents the beginning of the famous “mission discourse” by the Evangelist Matthew; it covers all of chapter ten of Matthew’s Gospel. Since our Catholic Church is missionary by her very nature and identity,...
Bishop Douglas J. Lucia HOMILY-Diaconate Ordination 16 June 2023
Diaconal Service: The Heart of ChristSt. John Vianney was known to say that "the heart of the Priesthood is the heart of Christ." Well, if I might broaden that definition a bit, I would say that the heart of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the heart of Christ. Even...
Recognition to Br. Lawrence Kenning, MM
During a live-streamed event on June 26, 2023, held at the Maryknoll Mission Center in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Br. Lawrence Kenning, MM was celebrated and honored. The occasion featured the dedication of the book titled "Catalog of Medicinal Plants of the Botanical...
The Healing Path, James Finley, One on One
Orbis Books Publisher, Robert Ellsberg, as he discusses "The Healing Path:, with author James Finley in this One On One Interview. This is a contemplative reflection on the spirituality of healing, the fruit of the author’s lifetime in conducting spiritual direction...
Oath Ceremony
Permanent Oath: Sem. Joshua Mutende Maondo, MM, Sem. Charles Ogony, MM, Sem. Tzong Haur Matthew Sim, MM. Renewal of Temporary Oath: Sem. Victor O. Mutobera, MM. First Temporary Oath: Sem. Costantine Nyanda Kasikiwi, MM, Sem. Paschal John Madukwa, MM, Seminarian...
Spiritual Renewal Program
By the evening of April 30, 2023 all of the participants for the 2023 Spiritual Renewal Program had arrived safely at the Maryknoll Center in Los Altos, California. All gathered for the Happy Hour that filled the room with the Spiritual Renewal Program arrivals as...
Extended Leadership Board Meeting
The Extended Leadership Board met June 12-15, 2023 at Maryknoll, NY. Present were the four members of the General Council as well as Fr. Michael Briggs, Regional Superior for Latin America; Fr. Hung Dinh, Regional Superior for Africa; Bro. Mark Gruenke, Brothers’...
Publication of Joe La Mar’s Autobiography
Joe La Mar has published his autobiography, A Conversation With a Friend: Concerning Justice, Peace and Joy, available on Amazon. Read of the journey of an infant as he matures through his birth, foster family living, normal schooling and entrance into the Air Force...
Convocation of Thanks at New York Medical College
The atmosphere in the auditorium at New York Medical College was filled with a mixture of reverence and gratitude. It was April 28, 2023, and the college was hosting a Convocation of Thanks, a special event dedicated to honoring the individuals who had generously...
La Amazonia II: Mission as a Cultural Experience and Act of Incorporation
Whenever we are talking about mission, inevitably we bring in the aspect of a people’s culture. Talking about the culture of a people includes their language, their history, and most important, their lifestyle. Even in the life of Jesus and his teachings, all these...
Tom Tiscornia and friend in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan
You might be aware that there is a full-blown war going on in the north and western parts of Sudan since mid-April. It is between the government sponsored Army and Rapid Forces, an independent well supplied fundamentalist military. Hard to appreciate or realize who is...
Feeding on Living Bread Journey of Faith
Corpus Christi Our feast today is Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ; more formally, it is termed: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Today’s Gospel is drawn from chapter six of John’s Gospel, often termed the “bread of life” chapter. Here Jesus declares: “I am...
David Steindl-Rast, with Robert Ellsberg
The magnum opus of our most important living Catholic author—a pioneer in the Christian contemplative life and spiritual writing. Unlike any book he’s written before, Brother David Steindl-Rast offers spiritual direction from a unique perspective in history. At 96...
Julian’s Gospel, with Veronica Mary Rolf
Veronica Mary Rolf is an independent scholar of medieval studies and comparative literature, educated at Columbia University. She has spent her life in the professional theatre, as a playwright, performer, and artistic director.
Living into God’s Mystery, Journey of Faith
Today is Trinity Sunday; it comes just one week after the beautiful feast of Pentecost that celebrates the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in the entire world. Our “Trinitarian” Christian faith asserts that there is one God who is three distinct...
Pentecost Continues Today, Journey of Faith
On this beautiful feast of Pentecost, we affirm that the Holy Spirit is alive in the Church. Diverse Spirit-given gifts flourish in Christian communities across the globe. Today we Catholics are privileged to live in a renewed Church, in a unique age of “a new...
Mission: Keeping Jesus’ Memory Alive, Journey of Faith
As we celebrate the feast of the Ascension today, we are reminded that the task of Christians is to preserve the dynamic, enriching, and salvific memory of Jesus. Mission permeates the entire New Testament; some important mission texts are simply listed here: Matthew...
A Truly Special Anniversary, Journey of Faith
Today’s Scripture readings all speak of God’s continuing and abiding presence with us. The first reading narrates how God remains with the people of Samaria as they receive the Holy Spirit. Next, the Apostle Peter speaks of Christ’s presence in people’s hearts. In...
A Truly Special Anniversary, Journey of Faith
In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus saying: “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). Reflecting on this passage about the “fullness of life,” I am reminded of a special anniversary the Church is celebrating this year: the 150th...
Our Journey to Emmaus, Journey of Faith
The narrative from Luke’s Gospel of the journey of two disciples to Emmaus is well known and loved (Lk 24:13-35). We can imagine the scene: two men are walking; they are dejected, sad, and overwhelmed by recent events. Jesus, their dear friend and presumed messiah,...
