Posts by Joe Colletti
COVID-19 Pandemic: How Should We Respond to the Dying of the Elderly?
You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD. –Leviticus 19.32– –Let Us Envision a Post-Pandemic Era in Which We Rise in the Presence of the Elderly and Honor the Aged Unlike Ever Before– You are to rise in the presence of the…
Read MoreCOVID-19: How Should We Respond to the Death and Dying?
“The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing.” (Job 24.12) The groans of the dying rise from the city We hear the groans through the media, the distressing daily stories and updates about the number of persons…
Read MoreSocial Distancing and Social Distance: What’s the Difference?
–Social distancing provides a time for deeper reflection on social distance— Health and government officials define social distancing in disaster preparedness terms such as “shelter in place” and “Safer at Home” to prevent the spread of an infectious disease such as the new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) by ordering people to stay in their residences…
Read MoreSenses and Census: Creating a Sense of, and Solutions for, Social Justice
Our senses often allow us to grasp and understand our surroundings if we allow it. Through our senses, we receive information about our external everyday world. Such information often helps provide daily reasons or purposes for our actions including moral discernment. We formulate opinions and seek consensus when we engage others in light of our…
Read MoreCollective Responsibility and Homelessness: Integrating individual and shared responsibility
William Johnston, S.J., one of the twentieth century’s mystical theologians, and who I once met, wrote the following in his book entitled: Christian Mysticism: “The inward journey can be described as a journey into the depths of one’s being, a journey to the true self and through the true self to God, who is at…
Read MoreIntegrating Scripture, Social Capital, and Social Reform
While there is no set and commonly agreed upon definition of social capital, common elements include the sum of the social, economic, and moral resources that accumulate through a network of mutual relationships; goodwill among the persons and organizations that make up the network to disseminate the resources within the network; and positive benefits from…
Read MoreIntegrating our Passions, Probity, and Prayers
The Spiritual Practice of Praying the Psalms and Seeking Social Justice Integrating our passions, probity, and our prayers can be accomplished by praying the psalms. These Old Testament prayers serve as examples of powerful petitions filled with passion and probity and often centered on social justice which can serve as patterns of prayers for us…
Read MoreWhat about Holy Saturday? What Should We Do?
Let this Saturday, Holy Saturday, be a time of deep spiritual reflection. The primary focus of the day before, Good Friday, is the crucifixion and death of Jesus and the primary focus of the day after, Easter Sunday, is his glorious resurrection. But what about the day in-between—Holy Saturday? Matthew wrote that Joseph of Arimathea…
Read MoreCombining the External and Internal: The Work of Artist FrankyJames
FrankyJames relies heavily upon the figure as a primary icon in his compositions, choosing to work in a narrative style that combines many elements of human activities and thoughts. He has effectively combined two tendencies, external and internal, to create works of compelling psychological dimensions. While using his power of imagination, he brings to his…
Read MoreNelson Mandela was Freed from Prison 26 Years Ago Today
After being confined to Robben Island for most of his 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela walked out of prison 26 years ago, on February 11, 1990 and into the arms of a South Africa on the verge of transformation. He became South Africa’s first black president four years later on May 10, 1994 and…
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