Category Archives: Faith

Synod ’16. Archdiocese of Detroit. Get pumped.

YALLA HABIBI. (^Do you live in an area highly populated by Arabic-speakers? If so, that makes sense. If not: “Let’s go, my love.”) YO, DOG, there are some really, interesting, exciting developments in the Catholic church (A) across the world because the Holy Spirit is always active* and (B) in Detroit. And we’re going toContinueContinue reading “Synod ’16. Archdiocese of Detroit. Get pumped.”

Lent prep. Starting with the end in mind.

This guy walked out of mass with me today and he said, “Hey, I’m not sure what I should do for Lent.”   Oh, rly. Leeeeent. See, I kind of know what I should do. Here’s the deal: if I just do something fluffy and lame like, “Jesus, reveal your heart to mine, OK, amen,”ContinueContinue reading “Lent prep. Starting with the end in mind.”

Tiny blessing prayer

A blessing, sweet Jesus, a blessing I ask your blessing tonight Bless my home and my friends, All assigned odds and ends, That all would turn out alright. A blessing, sweet Jesus, a blessing As I strive to do your will Amidst the questions in my mind And the struggle to be kind I prayContinueContinue reading “Tiny blessing prayer”

Post-modern ministry and new evangelization and the way my mind works these days

On Monday on received a phone call at noon. So, I went to take the call outside. (This is very “If you give a mouse a cookie…”) I realized that I didn’t want to stand still and talk (for it is cold and I am Nell), so I started walking around the block. And IContinueContinue reading “Post-modern ministry and new evangelization and the way my mind works these days”

And the Good News is this…

I have a darling friend, Chester (name changed), who goes to my church. He’s an older man, dark-skinned and missing teeth. If you didn’t know any better, you might think that he was homeless. But, he’s not homeless. He just walks with a bit of a shuffle, wears a scraggly beard, and sometimes smells likeContinueContinue reading “And the Good News is this…”

And then I wrote a fiery email…

You all know that I endorse the podcast Three Dogs North like what. Well. I was listening to this one yesterday, and I was prompted to write a fiery email. So fiery. If you want, listen to the podcast. If you don’t want to listen: basically, in that episode, they talk a lot about thisContinueContinue reading “And then I wrote a fiery email…”

“Incarnation” — for Kathryn

This past year my friend, Kathryn, joined a convent. She sent me a Christmas card and she was like, “You should write something about the Incarnation.” Since buying gifts for nuns is hard anyway, this is kind of her Christmas present. Merry Christmas, Sistah Kate. It’s not the best, but I tried. (Also, I haveContinueContinue reading ““Incarnation” — for Kathryn”

We are not promised good friends…

On January 1, 2016, I woke up at 5:something a.m., with my sister, in a dry room with dated bedspreads. We shuffled down the stairs, across the halls, and into the equally parts stunning and inspiring…and…welcoming and home-y chapel in Marytown. We had gone to bed probably after 1:00 a.m. The new year, after all.ContinueContinue reading “We are not promised good friends…”

Advent Tuesday #4 | All is calm. All is weird.

That night there were homeless, abiding in the alleys and crevices of buildings, keeping watch over their assorted plastic grocery bags by night. And they weren’t your down-on-their-luck homeless who just need a stroke of good fortune and they’ll be back in a good job and an apartment again. No, these are the kind whoContinueContinue reading “Advent Tuesday #4 | All is calm. All is weird.”