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Dark Train to Cusco
Chase Nelson
Through the Lens of Our Forebears
Eric Dusenbery
Moroccan and a Half
Mike Bernhardt
Winter 2019 / Human & Nature
by Brandon McWilliams
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Stumbling my way up the first of many boulder fields, the sun glaring in my eyes and sweat dripping from every pore, I was already disheartened. This month-long mountaineering excursion into Washington's Northern Cascades wasn't turning out to be the carefree nature experience that I had needed it to be. That wondrous feeling I had remembered experiencing as a child was nowhere to be seen.
Views like this one were waiting for 17-year-old Brandon McWilliams when he set out to rediscover his love of nature in Washington State's Northern Cascades, but the terrain wasn't his greatest obstacle. PHOTO: GREGG M. ERICKSON.
No, this was just work. Hard work. Somehow, this is even worse than what I left behind, I thought as I slipped off the mossy edge of a boulder, barely avoiding a face plant onto a sharp granite flake. After hours of endless ascent and a couple more slips, I crested the boulder field and entered a moss-hung evergreen forest, chasing a glimmer of hope.
Then, the cast-iron clouds that had been ominously building all day erupted into a drenching storm.
Just a few days earlier, I was living a different reality. As a 17-year-old, I moved through a world of conflicting messages. Everyone had an opinion on how I should live my life, from the poster in my English classroom that told me to follow my dreams to the relative who told me that money is the key to happiness.
For my generation, Gen Z, the struggle is particularly fraught…more than 90 percent of us experience some combination of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Day and night, I was bombarded.
"Plan for your future!" People would say. "What you do now impacts the rest of your life!"
"Have fun! You're only young once!"
"Don't be so spoiled! Life isn't just handed to you."
"Remember, always be yourself! But don't be too weird, or you'll never make friends."
"Are you politically active? Do you play a musical instrument? A sport? You're doing volunteer work, right? How many languages have you learned so far? You've got to become a well-rounded person."
"Only take classes you love!! But also take every AP class you can."
"You've got to be the best at whatever you do, or what's the point?"
And on and on, until the voices all blurred into one dull roar.
The transition from childhood to adulthood is always a difficult time. Yet for my generation, Gen Z, the struggle is particularly fraught, as young adults across the country deal with mental health emergencies and rising suicide rates. The number of children hospitalized for attempted suicide doubled between 2008 and 2015. Suicide among girls aged 10 to 19 rose by 70 percent between 2010 and 2016. We have the worst mental health of any generation polled by the American Psychological Association, and more than 90 percent of us experience some combination of depression, anxiety, and stress.
And most of us can't even buy a beer yet.
Experts are conflicted as to the cause of our anguish. Maybe it's the web of political, financial, and environmental crises. Perhaps the advent of social media and the pervasiveness of technology makes forming a unique, healthy identity difficult. Or it could be all of these factors and more—working in hideous tandem.
For me, it was the combination of constant, lofty expectations surrounding me, along with the specter of student debt and the constant stream of glittering, flawless lives on social media that drove me to think that I had only one slim chance for a successful future. Any deviation from the "correct" path would bring me unfulfilled potential and sadness.
The only remedy was a constant push for perfection.
But after a grueling school year spent sprinting from AP classes to varsity crew practice to volunteer work to ACT study sessions, I was exhausted. If this was how my life was going to be to achieve success, I thought, I might as well throw in the towel now.
I was wet. The trees were wet. The ground was wet. My underwear was wet. I quickly began to question what I had been thinking.
In childhood, nature had always brought me joy and peace. It brought the taste of sun-warmed blackberries. It brought the soft, reassuring rustling of leaves and chirping of birds. It brought long, meandering walks with my mother. I desperately wanted that peace and happiness to be part of my life again — I saw it as the one spark that would keep me afloat.
When I shouldered the heaviest pack I had ever carried and stepped onto that Washington trail, away from the chatter of the world and the Internet, I thought that maybe, just maybe, nature could be my passion.
But this was not the tranquility that I remembered. The rainstorm went on for four days, soaking me as I thrashed through bushes, lunged over jagged deadfalls, crawled under twenty-foot walls of grasping branches. When I stumbled into the clearing or glade that was our makeshift campsite for the night, I would collapse, tired to the bone and covered in scrapes and bruises. Then I would realize that there was even more work to do: Tents had to be raised, food cooked, gear cleaned and dried. I barely made it into my sleeping bag every night before unconsciousness took me. Some break this was, I would think bitterly.
This was just as much of a struggle as what I had tried to escape.
In the Northern Cascades, 17-year-old McWilliams and other climbers navigate obstacles and contemplate the inescapable struggles of life. PHOTO: BRANDON MCWILLIAMS.
One morning, as we were slogging our way through a particularly dense section of forest, my musings on my burning legs, bruised shoulders, and damp socks was interrupted. I looked up from my feet.
I was surrounded by perfectly straight pillars of tree trunks, 50 feet tall. Their canopy protected a bed of verdant green moss which covered the forest floor like a living carpet. In the middle of this pristine cathedral sat a massive boulder that was slowly being consumed by the earth, with licorice ferns and huckleberry colonizing its top. As we skirted around the edge of this monolith, the utter stillness of the place struck me. Where had this come from? It didn't occur to me until that night that I hadn't thought about the ache in my feet all day after that.
The rain finally relented as we broke the treeline and zig-zagged our way up the flank of the Middle Cascade Glacier to our first rest day. I was once again taken aback, not only by the sunset that blazed across the sky, reflecting on the cool blue of the glacier, but also by the smile that was creeping across my face. I was cold, wet, hungry, and tired, but I couldn't seem to shake a feeling of joy. Being in this place, witnessing such a wonder as I worked at my limit; I felt privileged to be there. Somehow, the distance between me and my destination seemed less like an obstacle and more like an opportunity. How strange.
Sitting in my tent one evening, listening to a glacial stream chuckle itself to sleep, I suddenly sat up, my mind shaken out of its pleasant drifting. I had realized something.
Kool-Aid Lake provided another moment of awe. Despite our constant jokes about it being grape-flavored, once we perched next to the tarn, I found the perspective of the valley's descent sublime. I sat and stared — for hours. I even volunteered to cook dinner for my group despite the siren song of a nap. Somehow, over the last year, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed cooking.
I'll have to remedy that, I thought, as I contentedly stirred a pot of pasta and looked out over the world.
It would always be work. Classes, tests, sports, college admissions. Even this trip, where we had walked long miles, climbed thousands of feet, carried packs weighing as much as a medium-sized child. I would never escape the work. Yet here, work came with something else: a contentedness, a glow that had been missing from my life for a long time.
Living in a frantic, connected, achievement-based world is a battle for anyone, and especially for my generation. But I now know that it's possible to experience joy even as we struggle. It happens a lot, actually, if we take our eyes off our destination and look around.
As I sat in my tent, I thought back on that evening by the lake. On the face of it, my life was as complicated as ever: I was still a teenager trying to figure out what my future would hold. But at least for a moment, when I looked at the sun setting upon the glacier, I could loosen my grip on the perfection that had driven me so constantly and focus instead on the perfection that was already there — right in front of me.
Brandon McWilliams is a writer, outdoor educator, and college student who tells stories to encourage people to think about how they treat the world around them.
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Meet Kristal Silva, Miss Mexico for Miss Universe 2017
She will represent Mexico at the Miss Universe Pageant on January 30, 2017 in the Philippines. Kristal Silva would describe herself as funny, positive, and committed.
Ever since Silva was young, she had always watched the Miss Universe Competition and had always dreamt of competing. Now that she has the opportunity to compete, Silva is very proud to be representing the traditions and culture of her country on this years stage.
Kristal Silva via instagram
at the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant
With Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach
Outfit : Lili Bernal
With the mexican flag
Representing Mexico!
In Cebu, Philippines
Looking gorgeous in her pink gown
In association with Televisa, the Nuestra Belleza México pageant and organization of the same name is directed by the nation's first Miss Universe titleholder, Lupita Jones (1991). The organization has produced a Miss Universe in 2010 (Ximena Navarrete) — the second title for Mexico in that event, and two Miss International winners, 2007 and 2009.
During an official event as Miss Mexico 2016
( 5 / 12 votes)
Miss Universe Miss Mexico 2017
Miss Universe 2013 - Press Conference.
Miss Universe Miss Universe visits Sirius XM. Pageants NEWS
Miss Universe Miss Dominican Republic 2016 : Candidates Pageants NEWS
Beauty & Fashion Sara Sampaio without makeup Pageants NEWS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Hexham 5°c
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Haydon Bridge
Ponteland
Hextol
Beauty salon plans to grow online offering
Prudhoe's Fab Face and Beauty plans online growth
By James Robinson @CourantJames Reporter
Paul Murray at Fab Face and Body
A Tyne Valley beauty salon has reaped the benefits of a new Northumberland-based business support programme.
Through Business Northumberland one-to-one growth coaching, hair and beauty salon Fab Face and Body is looking to make the most of its website while face-to-face treatments can't be carried out due to the pandemic.
Business Northumberland provides support to small and medium enterprises across the North East who are looking to sustain and grow their business online.
The fully-funded support programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Advance Northumberland, so there is no cost to eligible businesses when accessing the support.
After joining the programme in June 2020, Fab Face and Body received 12 hours of one-to-one support as part of the growth programme element of Business Northumberland.
With dedicated support tailored to the needs of the business, Fab Face and Body now has a website and the knowledge to update and edit it meaning it can be run at a low cost.
It's something that, in such uncertain times due to the pandemic, is vital to small businesses.
Partner Paul Murray said: "Being able to get access to the experts, for a 12-hour free programme with a business coach, as a paid service would be quite expensive, and small businesses can't afford to do this.
"It was a massive benefit to us to gain the technical skills to now manage and maintain our website."


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Don't Go Back to Sleep
Today is the birthday of Sufi poet and mystic Jelaluddin Rumi (September 30, 1207 – December 17, 1273).
To mark the occasion I share the following poem by Rumi as interpreted by Coleman Barks.
The breeze at dawn
has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what
you really want.
People are going back and forth
across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
• Sufism: A Call to Awaken
• Sufism: Way of Love, Tradition of Enlightenment, and Antidote to Fanaticism
• Doris Lessing on the Sufi Way
• Rumi and Shams: A Love of Another Kind
• Ramesh Bjonnes on Rumi and Shams as Gay Lovers
• In the Dance of Light, Eyes of Fiery Passion
• Prayer of the Week – June 2, 2014
• The Guesthouse
• "Joined at the Heart": Robert Thompson on Christianity and Sufism
Related Off-site Links:
Rumi: Poet and Sufi Mystic Inspired by Same-Sex Love – Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Live Blog, September 30, 2015).
Rumi: Another Male's Love Inspired Persia's Mystic Muse – Warren D. Adkins (Gay Today, January 5, 1998).
Image: "Ali" by JR Christiansen.
Labels: Poetry, The Sufi Path
DignityUSA Responds to News of Meeting Between Pope Francis and Kim Davis
A statement released earlier today by DignityUSA is one of the most succinct responses yet to news of the secret September 25 meeting between Pope Francis and Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who briefly went to jail for refusing to issue civil marriage licenses to same-sex couples and thus attempting to force her religious beliefs onto others.
Following is DignityUSA's media release in its entirety.
DignityUSA, the leading organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Catholics, responded to the Vatican's confirmation that Pope Francis had met with Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis with dismay.
"The news that Pope Francis met with Kim Davis while failing to respond to repeated requests for dialogue with LGBT Catholics and their families will be deeply disappointing to many Catholics, gay, trans, and straight alike," said DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke. "It may be seen as putting the weight of the Vatican behind the U.S. Catholic bishops' claims of victimization, and to support those who want to make it more difficult for same-sex couples to exercise their civil right to marriage. This encounter could, in many people's minds, transform the Pope's US trip from a largely successful pastoral visit to the endorsement of an exclusionary political agenda.
"I fear that this meeting and claims that the Pope told Ms. Davis to 'stand strong' will embolden the many US bishops and others who continue to try to turn back support for LGBT people. It will make even more of us feel like the Pope's message of mercy and love was not meant for LGBT people and families. It points again to the deep divide between Catholics who affirm and support their LGBT family members and friends, and the hierarchy, which is tragically out of touch," continued Duddy-Burke.
"It would be helpful for the Vatican to be more forthcoming about the circumstances that led to this meeting, and what the Pope hoped to convey in his discussions with Ms. Davis," said Duddy-Burke.
In July 2015, DignityUSA, GLAAD and over 30 endorsing organizations sent a letter to Pope Francis, urging him to meet with LGBT Catholics and their families during his U.S. visit. The letter cited the "enormous pastoral crisis" with regard to LGBT people and the grave damage being done to LGBT youth as compelling reasons for this dialogue. The letter was followed by several petitions urging that such a meeting take place. No response was received from the Vatican.
"We still believe that for the Pope to hear the stories of LGBT Catholics and our families would be a key step in reversing the official Church teachings that damage so many people," said Duddy-Burke. "In fact, his meeting with Ms. Davis makes this even more urgent. We have people in Rome right now, on the eve of the Synod of the Family reconvening, who would be happy to talk with the Pope if he's willing to take a small step towards righting this injustice.
10/2/15 UPDATE: Quote (and Reality Check) of the Day
How Pope Francis Undermined the Goodwill of His Trip and Proved to Be a Coward – Michelangelo Signorile (HuffPost Gay Voices, September 30, 2015).
Kim Davis Recounts Secret Meeting With Pope Francis – ABC News (September 30, 2015).
Pope Francis' Meeting With Kim Davis Raises a Red Flag – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, September 30, 2015).
What We Don't Know About Francis' Kim Davis Meeting – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, October 1, 2015).
The Pope and Kim Davis: Seven Points to Keep in Mind – James Martin, SJ (America, September 30, 2015).
Why the Pope's Meeting with Kim Davis is the Last Straw for Me: With Commentary on Father James Martin's "Points to Keep in Mind" About the Meeting – William D. Lindsey (Bilgrimage, October 1, 2015).
Pope Francis' Kim Davis Visit is the Dumbest Thing He's Ever Done – Charles P. Pierce (Esquire, September 30, 2015).
Responses to Pope's Meeting with Kim Davis from My Facebook Feed – William D. Lindsey (Bilgrimage, September 30, 2015).
LGBT Catholics Confused and Hurt by Pope's Visit with Kim Davis – Antonia Blumberg (HuffPost Religion, September 30, 2015).
Pope Francis's Meeting with Kim Davis Should Come as No Surprise – Trevor Martin (The Guardian, September 15, 2015).
Pope Francis Doesn't Believe in LGBT Equality – Barbie Latza Nadeau (The Daily Beast, September 30, 2015).
Pope's Secret Meeting Reframes Historic Visit – Reuters (September 30, 2015).
Pope Francis, the Kentucky Clerk and Culture Wars Revisited – Laurie Goodstein and Jim Yardley (The New York Times, September 30, 2015).
Let's Really Talk About Religious Freedom, Pope Francis – Charles P. Pierce (Esquire, September 29, 2015).
Pope Francis' Deep Ties to Evangelicals – Jamie Manson (National Catholic Reporter, July 8, 2015).
• Pope Francis in the U.S.
• Quote (and Reality Check) of the Day – September 1, 2015
• Quote (and Question) of the Day – January 22, 2015
Labels: Marianne Duddy-Burke, Marriage Equality, Pope Francis
St. Michael: Archangel, Spiritual Warrior, Icon of Homoerotic Love
Notes Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit:
Saint Michael the Archangel, usually depicted with a sword and/or standing over a dragon he has conquered, is one of the archangels of Christianity. Michael is often thought of as a spiritual warrior who leads the hosts of heaven and protects the soul at the hour of death. Saint Michael the Archangel is fêted on September 29.
In the work of Spanish poet Federico García Lorca, Michael becomes an icon of homoerotic love. In "San Miguel (Granada)," Lorca depicts the archangel as a beautiful young man "fragrante de agua colonia" ("fragrant with cologne"). In the Yoruba-diasporic religion of Candomblé, Michael is associated with Logunedé [left], an androgynous deity.
For more of St. Michael the Archangel at The Wild Reed, see:
• The Archangel Michael as Gay Icon
• St. Michael the Archangel: Perspectives and Portraits
• Michaelmas (2008)
• The Inherent Sensuality of Roman Catholicism
Images: Artists unknown.
Labels: St. Michael the Archangel
I been loving all of what Pope Francis has been saying regarding poverty, war, climate and classism. However, he has yet to get around to the Doctrine of Discovery, and I doubt whether he has yet dedicated himself to either the background, the ongoing harm the Doctrine has caused, or the contemporary ramifications and future of unfairness, cruelty, the whole colonial holocaust upon indigenous people living in a modern world.
I have hope that he will do so, and applaud him for paving the way for a more just and peaceful world while he gets around to us. Stay calm and de-colonize, Friends.
In my own experience, I am aware of many loving, wonderful and highly educated people who have never learned about the Doctrine of Discovery. When they do learn about this green light for colonial horror against indigenous lands and people, most finally understand at last [and] are shocked and eager to get it gone, and to address solutions for reparations. Don't give up hope.
– Buffy Sainte-Marie
• It's Time We Evolved Beyond Theological Imperialism
• Buffy Sainte-Marie: Singing It and Praying It; Living It and Saying It
• Buffy Sainte-Marie: Still Singing with Spirit, Joy, and Passion
• Buffy Sainte-Marie: "The Big Ones Get Away"
For The Wild Reed's special series of posts leading-up to the May 12, 2015 release of Buffy's most recent album, Power in the Blood, see:
• Buffy Sainte-Marie and That "Human-Being Magic"
• Buffy Sainte-Marie's Lesson from the Cutting Edge: "Go Where You Must to Grow"
• Buffy Sainte-Marie: "Sometimes You Have to Be Content to Plant Good Seeds and Be Patient"
• Buffy Sainte-Marie's Power in the Blood
Posted by Michael J. Bayly at 10:01 PM No comments:
Labels: Buffy Sainte-Marie, Indigenous Wisdom, Pope Francis, Quote of the Day
• O Sacred Season of Autumn
• Autumn Hues
• The Beauty of Autumn in Minnesota
• Autumn Dance
Image: Michael J. Bayly.
Labels: Photo of the Day
Really? This is the best that the church has for LGBT Catholics – the expectation that they be celibate? At this extraordinary meeting of Catholics from around the globe, why is [a] celibate gay man [Ron Belgau, pictured with his mother, Beverley, at right] the only representation of the church's LGBT members?
What a wasted opportunity.
How extraordinary it would've been to also hear married gay Catholics tell their stories and for sincere, honest and mutually respectful discussions to have proceeded from them.
What an eye-opener it would've been for straight Catholics who don't know any LGBT Catholics to actually speak with them, from the heart. To get – maybe for the first time - that LGBT Catholics are more than their sexual orientation just as straight Catholics are more than their own.
They, too, are husbands, wives and parents who pray and yearn for a better world for themselves and their families. Who try to discern God's will and handle life's hardships with grace. Who are flawed but trying, broken but worthy of full inclusion in the faith that sustains them.
. . . After Belgau's talk, attendees lined up at two microphones to ask questions, at least one of which broke my heart: A woman wondered how she should respond to a beloved niece, a lesbian who has announced her engagement. As a Catholic, the woman didn't know if she should attend the wedding.
[Belgau] advised the woman to respond with love and, maybe, consult with her priest. I'm sorry: If you have to ask a priest whether to attend the wedding of a niece you say you love, you don't deserve to be there.
– Ronnie Polaneczky
Excerpted from "Just Say No to Sex. Forever."
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Hundreds Shut Out of Sole Session on Gays at World Meeting of Families – Kimberly Winston (Religion News Service, September 25, 2015).
At World Meeting of Families, Homosexuality Dominates Talk – Peter Smith (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 25, 2015).
At Philly's World Meeting of Families: Not Much Time Given to Homosexuality, But LGBT Catholics Keep Conversation Going – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 26, 2015).
Pope's Outreach to Gays Doesn't Change Traditional Catholic View of Family – Jerome Socolovsky (Voice of America, September 25, 2015).
Marginalized Faithful Strive for Inclusion in Church – Laura Benshoff (NewsWorks, September 25, 2015).
Uneasy LGBT Conversations at Family Meeting – Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans (National Catholic Reporter, September 25, 2015).
Papal Visit Prompts Calls for LGBT-inclusive Church – Michael K. Lavers (The Washington Blade, September 27, 2015).
Pope Francis Isn't As Progressive on LGBTQ Issues As You Think – German Lopez (Vox, September 23, 2015).
An Invitation to Pope Francis from D.C.'s Gay Catholic Community – Jeff Vomund (The Washington Post, September 20, 2015).
LGBT Catholics Say World Meeting is Missing an Opportunity – Julia Terruso (The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 17, 2015).
• Jim Smith on the "Tears of Love and Faith" of LGBTI People and Their Families
• Quote of the Day – August 19, 2015
• The Many Manifestations of God's Loving Embrace
• The Dreaded "Same-Sex Attracted" View of Catholicism
• Be Not Afraid: You Can Be Happy and Gay
• LGBT Catholics to Pope Francis: Let Us "Work Together Towards Creating a Church Where All Families Know That We Are Truly Loved and Welcomed"
• Catholics Make Their Voices Heard on LGBTQ Issues
• LGBT Catholics Celebrate Being "Wonderfully Made"
• Remembering and Reclaiming a Wise, Spacious, and Holy Understanding of Homosexuality
• 300+ People Vigil at the Cathedral in Solidarity with LGBT Catholics
• Celebrating Our Sanctifying Truth
• Stop in the Name of Discriminatory Ideology!
• The Real Meaning of Courage
• The Many Forms of Courage (Part I)
• The Many Forms of Courage (Part II)
• The Many Forms of Courage (Part III)
• Beyond Courage
• Trusting God's Generous Invitation
• Sons of the Church: The Witnessing of Gay Catholic Men - A Discussion Guide
• What the Vatican Can Learn from the X-Men
Labels: Human Sexuality, Quote of the Day
Remembering John McNeill
John McNeill was the spiritual director to an entire generation of queer Catholics. He was a prophet, a pioneer, an activist, a scholar, a friend and a spouse. . . . He was a proud gay man.
– John Stasio
I was saddened to hear last night of the death of John McNeill, a scholar and activist who, in his tireless proclamation of God's unconditional love for LBGT people, inspired and empowered countless lives. He was without doubt a prophet of his time, one who challenged the Roman Catholic hierarchy and cultural homophobia through his steadfast affirmation and celebration of the goodness of the human body, relationships and sexuality.
Following is a statement released by DignityUSA about the life and legacy of John McNeill.
DignityUSA mourns the passing of John J. McNeill, a seminal figure in the history of the 46-year-old organization of LGBT Catholics and allies, as well as the broader LGBT civil rights movement. McNeill died on the evening of September 22 at the age of 90 in hospice care in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the presence of his devoted spouse and partner of 49 years, Charles Chiarelli.
A former Jesuit priest with a doctorate in philosophy from Louvain University in Belgium, McNeill helped inspire the founding of Dignity with articles in theological journals in the 1960s that for the first time challenged Catholic Church teaching on homosexuality from an authoritative theological and scholarly perspective. In 1972, he convened the meeting that led to the founding of Dignity's New York City chapter. His groundbreaking, bestselling 1976 book, The Church and the Homosexual, was an international sensation that landed McNeill on the Today show and sparked widespread debate. Subsequent books, including Taking a Chance on God and Freedom, Glorious Freedom, extended McNeill's discussion more deeply into the pastoral and personal realms of LGBT Catholic and Christian experience.
In 1987, McNeill was expelled from the Jesuits after nearly four decades for refusing to be silenced by the Vatican on LGBT issues. The same year, he was Grand Marshal of New York City's LGBT Pride March. Until recent years, he pursued a multi-faceted vocation as a psychotherapist, spiritual director, retreat leader, and author, with a constant focus on the needs of the LGBT community. In addition, along with Fr. Mychal Judge, he founded The Upper Room AIDS Ministry, an outreach for homeless persons with AIDS in Harlem. Through these activities, he offered hope and healing — at times literally life-saving — to countless people around the globe.
Born and raised in Buffalo, McNeill entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and became a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany — an experience that for him was profoundly spiritual and led him to enter the Jesuits in 1948. Ordained in 1959, he taught philosophy and theology at Fordham University, Union Theological Seminary, and Le Moyne College, where he was a noted peace advocate during the Vietnam War.
A powerful presence at nearly every Dignity convention and in many Dignity communities until recent years, McNeill was presented with DignityUSA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. In 2011, he traveled to Rome, where, along with European LGBT leaders, he delivered a letter to then-Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. The letter asked for dialogue and urged Church leadership to speak out against the violence, injustice, and discrimination experienced by LGBT people around the world. In 2012, McNeill was the subject of Taking a Chance on God, a documentary film produced and directed by Dignity member Brendan Fay that highlights his role as priest, gay man, activist, author, spouse, and pioneer of the international LGBT civil rights movement.
DignityUSA also shares the following compilation of testimonials.
John was really the first major prophet of the Catholic LGBT movement. Every DignityUSA president has consulted him for insights into the emerging issues of the Catholic LGBT community. His groundbreaking bravery in daring to question official Church doctrine was truly liberating to so many people. The Church and the Homosexual was really the 'coming-out' Bible for LGBT Catholics. And Freedom, Glorious Freedom was incredibly important in helping to shape an empowered Catholicism not just for LGBT people, but for all. We offer our deepest condolences to Charlie [pictured with John above right in 2012] and commend him for his faithful companionship and care-giving to John over so many years.
– Marianne Duddy-Burke
DignityUSA Executive Director
I first became aware of John McNeill at the 1985 DignityUSA Convention. He spoke to us about his book and challenged us by his mere presence to join him in asserting with sincerity and courage, that God loved us in our identity and our sexuality and that we could remain faithful and whole in the presence of our God. A prophet, perhaps ahead of his time, whose message liberated many of us; a man of courage who, following his conscience, spoke truth to power and showed us how to do the same. He will be missed on earth, welcomed with the saints in heaven, leaving with us the message that living rooted in the Gospel is the only way to be whole and holy. May God help us make his legacy a reality in our work and in our lives.
– Lourdes Rodriguez-Nogues
DignityUSA President
When [I was] asked to step up to leadership, I was not an easy sell. The state of the organization had been quite stressful during my previous five years on the board. I was between jobs and feeling quite stressed myself. The needs seemed too great and I felt too weak. John called me to talk. He told me he believed I had the gifts required at the moment. He countered my instinctive Catholic rush to take it all along with a reminder that it was not my job to "save" Dignity. John said, "Just bring your gifts to the table and trust the Spirit will provide the rest. She has seen us through many trials. If we are meant to survive we will. But that is to be determined by forces bigger than any of us." I immediately felt the perceived "burden" lift. He reframed it for me. I was able to say yes. John was right – the Spirit has provided for our needs in abundance. John got us past a major sticking point with the wisdom he has shared with me then – as he has in countless ways thru our journey to the Promised Land.
– Mark Matson
Former DignityUSA President
My recollections of John go back to 1973 in Hollywood. His contributions to the equality and justice of the LGBT community are legendary. We all owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude.
– Pat McArron
John McNeill was a giant in the LGBT Catholic movement. He taught us all to take risks and trust in the Holy Spirit. In one of his later gatherings, he believed the Holy Spirit was always at work. He looked forward to the day the church officials would recognize the gifts of LGBT people and women.
– Lewis Speaks-Tanner
Incoming DignityUSA President
and member of Dignity/New York
Meanwhile, at Bondings 2.0, the blog of New Ways Ministry, Sr. Jeannine Gramick and Francis DeBernardo share their thoughts on the life and legacy of John McNeill.
John McNeill was a dear friend and colleague. He was a true pioneer in whose footsteps so many of us followed. I learned so much from his research and writing, but I learned even more from personal interactions with him, by witnessing the passion and human concern he had for every LGBT person he encountered.
– Jeannine Gramick
Co-Founder, New Ways Ministry
John McNeill was a good friend of New Ways Ministry for many years. He had a rare mixture of both a great heart and a great mind. His "academic" theological work was informed not only by philosophical principles and logic, but by awareness of deep and real human needs. It is not an overstatement to say that any of the pastoral, political, theological, and practical advances that LGBT Catholics have made in recent years could only have been brought about because of John's ground-breaking work.
– Francis DeBernardo
Executive Director, New Ways Ministry
In remembrance of John and his pioneering work, his family has established The John J. McNeill Legacy Fund to provide support for the preservation and dissemination of his writings, lectures and teachings. An immediate goal of this fund will be the digitization of his correspondence, audio/visual recordings and other archival works so that they will be available for scholarly research as well as to continue the work to which he devoted his life of inspiring and empowering the worldwide gay and lesbian community.
To learn more and/or make a donation, click here.
The Rev. John J. McNeill, Jesuit Priest Who Became Famed LGBT Activist, Dies at 90 – Steve Rothaus (Miami Herald, September 23, 2015).
"Patron Saint" of LGBT Catholics, John J. McNeill, 90, Dies – Thomas C. Fox (National Catholic Reporter, September 24, 2015).
Reflecting on the Life and Ministry of John McNeill, Gay Theology Pioneer – Francis DeBernardo (Bondings 2.0, September 24, 2015).
RIP John McNeill: Pioneering Gay Priest and Patron Saint of LGBT Catholics – Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Love Blog, September 24, 2015).
Father John McNeill, Gay Catholic Pioneer, Dead at 90 – Andy Humm (Gay City News, September 25, 2015).
John McNeill, Priest Who Pushed Catholic Church to Welcome Gays, Dies at 90 – Margalit Fox (The New York Times, September 25, 2015).
Rev. John McNeill Dies at 90; Gay Priest and Author Expelled by Jesuits – Elaine Woo (The Los Angeles Times, September 29, 2015).
UPDATES: The Spiritual Legacy of John J. McNeill – Mary E. Hunt (Beacon Broadside, October 5, 2015).
Jesuit John McNeill Changed the Conversation on Gays – Alexander Santora (The Jersey Journal, December 28, 2015).
• John McNeill's Message to the US Bishops: "Enough!"
• Gay People and the Spiritual Life
• "Catholic Harvey Milk," Fr. Robert Carter, Dies at 82
Image: John McNeill pictured with (from left) Dan McCarthy, Bernard Lynch and Robert Carter at a gay pride march in the early 1980s.
Labels: Francis DeBernardo, Jeannine Gramick, John McNeill, Marianne Duddy-Burke
Being "straight-acting," for a gay man at least, is directly related to how convincingly he is able to present traditionally masculine mannerisms. The term is so markedly offensive because its very existence insists that there is a particular, instantly identifiable manner of being gay (defined by effeminacy). And what's more, those qualities are seen as patently unattractive, undesirable and wildly dangerous.
Conversely, it then follows that there simultaneously exists a particular, instantly recognizable manner of being straight (defined by "masculinity"). And what's more, those qualities are seen as incredibly attractive, desirable and wholly advantageous – enough so that gay people would try to "act" in that way.
And there is a long history of straights attempting to straight-ify queer people (and of us trying to do it to ourselves). The performance of straightness is something that gay men have struggled with and against for as long as modern gay identities have existed. Because being gay has been so intimately connected with being effeminate, which was – and still is – equated with being submissive, weak and ineffectual. Gay men have been shamed (and attacked and murdered) for any display that does not reverberate with and reflect what our culture has determined is sufficiently masculine.
. . . It's time we stop using "straight-acting" as some kind of dreamy, aspirational bridge-building tactic or lure. There are all kinds of different ways to be gay and straight (and everything in between or outside of that binary). And while we're at it, how about we just stop trying to act like straight people all together and start acting like exactly who we are? And let's get some sissies up on the big screen. And let's get some more trans people in the spotlight. And let's remember that our community is not comprised of only gay white cis men. Let's tell our stories to each other and anyone else who will listen. . . . [And] we'll just keep telling our stories over and over again until we all know them by heart and they're so loud and powerful and yes, of course, awful and painful and tragic in parts, but finally so beautiful and true that when we're finally heard – and we will be heard – they'll know exactly who we are, what we have been through and why it matters.
– Noah Michelson
Excerpted from "'Straight-Acting' and Roland Emmerich's Stonewall"
Stonewall Might Be the Year's Most Insulting Film, But Not for the Reasons You Think – Jeremy Kinser (Queerty, September 25, 2015).
Stonewall Uprising's Most Noted Historian Says Film "Is No Credit to the History It Purports to Portray" – Queerty (September 25, 2015).
• A Fresh Take on Masculinity
• Beyond Limiting Ideas of "Real" Gay Sex
• The Trouble with the Male Dancer
• Rockin' with Maxwell
• Love as Exploring Vulnerability
• Unique . . . Yes, You!
• Quote of the Day – May 13, 2015
• Quote of the Day – July 16, 2010
• The Challenge to Become Ourselves
• Mary Bednarowski on the Power of Our Stories
• Jesus Was a Sissy
Image: Subject and photographer unknown.
Labels: Masculinity, Quote of the Day
Pope Francis in the U.S.
Pope Francis arrived in Washington, D.C. yesterday for his first visit to the United States.
Much has been written in the lead-up to this historic visit and I'm sure much more will be written in the days to come. My own thoughts on the pope's visit aren't that profound, in large part because I have no real enthusiasm for the whole feudal monarchical papal system – a system of authority and governance totally at odds with the model of leadership embodied by Jesus. Quite frankly, I'd rather expend time and energy on evolving the Catholic community beyond both papalism and its "diseased system" of clericalism.
The purpose of this post, however, isn't to belabor this point. After all, a whole Wild Reed series, "Progressive Perspectives on the Papacy" is devoted to exploring the pitfalls of and alternatives to papalism. Rather, I share today some perspectives (along with a number of relevant links) that I find both interesting and helpful in the midst of the media hoopla surrounding the Bishop of Rome's U.S. visit.
A glimmer of hope
I start with the perspective of E.J. Dionne Jr., shared in his recent Washington Post op-ed. I appreciate how Dionne reminds us of how in a number of significant ways, Francis is more radical than many "liberals." It's important to note that the word "radical" is being used here in its deepest and truest sense. All too often "radical" is erroneously equated with extremism of one kind or another. Yet that's not what it means. It actually means to go to the root, to recognize and address the underlying essence of a given reality, along with the deep-seated issues, questions and/or problems associated with it. Pope Francis does this with regards to economic and environmental issues. He is yet to do it, however, with regards to issues of gender and sexuality. This discrepancy is problematic for many people, and stems from the fact that the Vatican employs two conflicting worldviews when dealing with different areas of human inquiry and experience.
Yet Dionne finds hope in many of the pope's actions, which he argues speak louder than his words, words often reflective of and thus limited by the impoverished and dysfunctional doctrines of the "official" church. By and large, the pope's actions tend to favor human experience over doctrine, a favoring which in turn has, says Dionne, "radically reordered the priorities of the church." At the core of this development is the pope's focus on human encounter and experience, and in this I see an ever-so-slight glimmer of hope for gay people and their loved ones. One reason it's a slight glimmer is because of the ongoing treatment of women in the church. They continue to be left out of the pope's "revolution" of encounter. It's a scandalous and demoralizing situation that doesn't bode well for LGBT people.
Despite this (or perhaps because he's unmindful of it), Dionne writes that: "It's hard to see how progressives don't come out ahead [with Francis]. He is not fighting culture wars. He is fighting against them. This, in part, is what accounts for his broad popularity among former Catholics, Americans of other faiths and even secularists and atheists."
Continues Dionne:
But seeing Francis only as a player in our political fights is misleading. To begin with, he is — both spiritually and politically — far more radical than most Americans, including most liberals.
While he has been quite specific on some political questions (the climate and immigration especially), what characterizes his mission is an effort to turn our notions of who counts and who has the strongest claim on our attention upside down.
. . . In a moving New York Times piece about one of the pope's planned stops in New York, columnist Jim Dwyer described the invitation list: "carwashers . . . Hudson Valley farmworkers, day-laborers, immigrant mothers, and teenagers and children who have crossed the border without their parents." In Philadelphia, Francis will visit the city's largest jail. In Washington, he will bless the needy who get help from Catholic Charities. His ministry will be right out of what the Catholic Mass says of Jesus: "To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners freedom, and to those in sorrow joy."
Francis will be calling everyone (liberals no less than others) out of complacency.
A gay Catholic invitation
The second perspective I share today is that of Jeff Vomund (left), a member of Dignity/Washington. Vomund has an incredibly well-written and inspiring commentary in the September 20, 2015 issue of The Washington Post. To date, it's the best "gay Catholic" commentary I've read in relation to the pope's visit to the U.S..
In its recognition and understanding of the lived experiences of gay people, Vomund's perspective stands in stark contrast to that of Ron Belgau, the only gay person officially sanctioned to appear (along with his mother) at the upcoming World Meeting of Families. Belgau, a self-described celibate gay man, sees "chaste and holy intimacy as a model for Christ-centered spiritual friendship" between gay people. Echoing the stance of the Vatican, Belgau maintains that it is type of friendship that is "corrupted" by "homosexual activity," which is a reductive and demeaning term for the rich and complex reality of sexual encounters and/or relationships between people of the same gender. In contrast to Belgau's limited perspective, Vomund's words reflect what I and many other Catholics consider to be a wise, spacious, and holy understanding of homosexuality.
Following is Jeff Vomund's September 20 Washington Post op-ed reprinted in its entirety. It's entitled "An Invitation to Pope Francis from D.C.'s Gay Catholic Community."
Pope Francis, welcome to Washington! Like the rest of the Catholic world and people of good faith everywhere, we have felt challenged to find God in all people by your focus on the poor and the outcast. We watched you wash the feet of women and non-Christians and were inspired to be more inclusive. We read your words on the moral imperatives caused by our climate crisis and were challenged to change our relationship to the Earth. But never have we been more energized by your words than when, on the first foreign trip of your papacy, you said this to a reporter who asked you about gay priests: "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?"
As an organization that provides a spiritual home to LGBTQ Catholics, Dignity/Washington works for respect and justice for people of all sexual orientations, genders and gender identities in the Catholic Church. We know what it's like to feel judged. For being honest about our sexuality. For wanting to live happy and open lives with families and friends. And, indeed, for wanting to be who we are — LGBTQ and Roman Catholic.
We also love our church. We love gathering as a community around the altar for the Eucharist. We love the scriptures and the liturgy and the faith tradition that has shaped our lives. Although we as an organization have been exiled from Catholic buildings and rejected by Catholic leaders because we want to live our sexuality openly and without apology, we are still Catholic, and we still look to you for leadership.
That is why we are so grateful for your upcoming presence in our city. We await your arrival with hope and expectation. And we invite you, Holy Father, in the words of Jesus to his first disciples, to "come and see."
So often when the church has made pronouncements about homosexuality and the LGBTQ community, it has done so from a distance. Despite the high percentage of gay clergy in the Catholic Church — or perhaps because of it — Vatican and hierarchical statements about homosexuality and LGBTQ people have felt like an intellectual exercise in natural law and interpretations of scriptural text, not statements that speak to the great commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. "Intrinsically disordered," as the church refers to homosexual acts, may be a legitimate philosophical category, but it is not a label to put on brothers and sisters.
We are, like you and all church leaders, human beings who fall in love, have to learn how to forgive and want to grow old surrounded by friends and family. It is not the church's judgment about us that has hurt so much, but rather our being judged without being known. For if church leaders knew us, they would also know the love that surrounds us. They would know couples who have cared for each other in sickness and in health — indeed not parting until death. They would see the power of understanding, especially the understanding of parents and children, as we have struggled with our families to make sense of who we are. They would know the joy and laughter that come from friendship and the powerful bond that comes, at times, from feeling outcast together. For any who know us would know that what church teaching has labeled "disordered" is actually a gift that gives order to our love and to our lives. From the distance of philosophical theology, that might seem impossible. But up close I promise one cannot fail to see it.
And so, we invite you, Holy Father, as well as Cardinal Donald Wuerl, our own archbishop, and all of the bishops and priests in whose dioceses and parishes we live, to "come and see." Get to know the strength of love that survives despite ridicule and cultural rejection. Experience firsthand couples who have been together for decades praying and seeking to do God's will. See us in our need for forgiveness, but also in the sharing of our gifts. We are confident that, like those who experienced Jesus firsthand, you would recognize as did the apostle John in his first Letter, "Everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love."
We might disagree about the definition of a civil or a sacramental marriage. We might not see eye to eye on the purpose of sexual activity in a same-sex relationship. But we can begin by simply getting to know the love that God has for each of us. We could share that love with you, and you with us — or any other church leader who would be willing to "come and see." We believe that once you got to see and know our love, it would no longer make sense to call it "disordered" or to fire people who work for and serve the church while sharing that love. We believe that once you came to share in our love for one another, labeling it as a "cross" we had to bear, or treating it as less deserving of government protection, would make no more sense to you than it does to us.
Holy Father, "come and see" for yourself how God is made flesh in our liturgies and in our loves, as in any other Catholic community, and you will not have to ask: "Who am I to judge?" Because, again echoing John, you will speak of "what we have seen with our eyes . . . and touched with our hands" and proclaim "the eternal life . . . that was . . . made visible to us" so that we might "have fellowship" together and "our joy may be complete."
– Jeff Vomund
Related Off-site Links and Updates:
LGBT Catholics and the Pope's Visit
Gay Catholic Families Plan Pilgrimage to See Pope – Lisa Wangsness (The Boston Globe, September 13, 2015).
Gay, Celibate Man Is Official Face of LGBT Catholicism for Pope's Visit – David Gibson (Religion News Service, September 14, 2015).
The "Francis Effect": Putting Rhetoric Together with Reality on Eve of Pope's Visit – William D. Lindsey (Bilgrimage, September 17, 2015).
White House Invites LGBT Catholics and Advocates to Papal Ceremony – Michael K. Lavers (The Washington Blade, September 16, 2015).
Fired Teacher and Wife to Be at White House for Francis' Arrival – Chris Brennan (The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 21, 2015).
Sr. Jeannine Gramick, LGBT Ministry Pioneer, to Meet Pope Francis – Terry Weldon (Queering the Church, September 18, 2015).
Vatican Angered After White House Invites LGBT Activists To Pope's Welcome Ceremony – Rachel Witkin (The New Civil Rights Movement, September 19, 2015).
Conservatives (Not Vatican) Outraged at White House Guest List for Pope – David Gibson (National Catholic Reporter, September 21, 2015).
So What if Pope Francis Meets a Transgender Catholic at the White House? – Nathan Schneider (America, September 20, 2015)
Amid Mixed Messages and Controversy, LGBT Catholics Prepare for Pope's Visit – Alex Kacala (Logo, September 19, 2015).
Gay U.S. Catholics Will Greet Pope with Rainbow Rosaries, Not Protests – Laila Kearney and Elly Park (Reuters via Religion News Service, September 20, 2015).
Gay Catholics' Message to Pope Francis Ahead of U.S. Visit – Anna Bressanin (BBC World News, September 22, 2015).
LGBT Catholics and Allies Will Welcome Pope Francis to the White House – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 22, 2015).
I Am Catholic and I Am Gay. This I Know for Sure – Kristen Ostendorf (The Huffington Post, September 22, 2015).
LGBT Advocates Call on Pope Francis to "Welcome Us Home" – Rebecca Ruiz (Mashable, September 23, 2015).
Outsiders Keep the Faith – Susan Milligan (U.S. News, September 23, 2015).
LGBT Catholics Alarmed With Pope's Remarks About "Unjust Discrimination" – Dominic Holden (BuzzFeed, September 24, 2015).
Pope Francis' Visit is Ambiguous on LGBT Issues Thus Far – And It's Not Over Yet – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 25, 2015.
What Pope Francis Really Said About (Gay) Marriage – and What He Did Not – Michelangelo Signorile (The Huffington Post, September 25, 2015).
Openly Gay Comedian Mo Rocca Reads at Papal Mass; Francis Remains Unclear on LGBT Front – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 26, 2015).
Openly Gay Reporter Mo Rocca's Starring Role in Pope's Mass Thrills LGBT Advocates – Daniel Marans (The Huffington Post, September 26, 2015).
Pope to Bishops: Don't Blame Others for Gay Marriage and Family Problems – David Gibson (Religion News Service, September 27, 2015).
New Ways Ministry Welcomes Pope Francis to Philly with Catholic Gender Identity Workshop – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 27, 2015).
Here's Why a Gay Dad is Inviting Pope Francis to Dinner – Rob Watson (The Huffington Post, September 27, 2015).
At LGBT Picnic, a Pope's Words – If Not His Presence – Chris Brennan (Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 2015).
Before Departing USA, Pope Francis Offers His Strongest Words for New Approaches to Old Issues – Francis DeBerardo (Bondings 2.0, September 28, 2015).
On Plane Back to Rome, Pope Says Workers Have "Human Right" to Refuse Same-Sex Marriage Licenses – Alastair Jamieson (NBC News, September 28, 2015).
Pope's Visit: Mixed Messages for LGBT People – Kittredge Cherry (Jesus in Love Blog, September 27, 2015).
Ahead of the Pope's Visit, the Pundits Weigh In
Pope Francis's Actions Speak Louder Than His Words – E.J. Dionne Jr. (The Washington Post, September 20, 2015).
Will Pope Francis Be Polite or Prophetic? – Ray McGovern (The Baltimore Sun, September 20, 2015).
Some American Catholics Really Don't Like Pope Francis. Here's Why – Amanda Erickson (The Washington Post, September 18, 2015).
On Fact-Free Flamboyance: George Will vs. Pope Francis – Anthony Annett (Commonweal, September 21, 2015).
No, Pope Francis Is Not a 'Progressive' or a 'Liberal' – He's a Priest – Emma Green (The Atlantic, September 22, 2015).
Why U.S. Bishops Aren't Embracing Pope Francis' Climate Push – Suzanne Goldenberg (Mother Jones, September 21, 2015).
A Moral Challenge for Pope Francis – Ray McGovern (Common Dreams, September 22, 2015).
Three Scenarios for Pope Francis' U.S. Visit – Massimo Faggioli (The Huffington Post, September 23, 2015).
The Junípero Serra Controversy
 Why Is the 'Radical Pope' About to Canonize a Priest Who Helped Enslave and Murder Native Americans? – Richard Kreitner (The Nation, September 18, 2015).
What Is Driving Pope Francis' Canonization of Junípero Serra? – Jamie Manson (National Catholic Reporter, September 19, 2015).
Suzan Shown Harjo to Pope Francis: Don't Canonize Junípero Serra – Suzan Shown Harjo (Indian Country, September 21, 2015).
Native Groups Protest Pope Francis' Canonization of Junípero Serra Over Role in California Genocide – Democracy Now! (September 23, 2015).
Native Americans Make Last-Ditch Plea Against Serra Canonization – Vinnie Rotondaro (National Catholic Reporter, September 23, 2015).
Pope Makes California Missionary a Saint – AFP via Yahoo! News (September 23, 2015).
Day 1 of the Pope's U.S. Visit
Pope Francis in the USA: Calling for Revolution of Tenderness, Pope Touches Down in Richest Nation – Democracy Now! (September 23, 2015).
Pope Francis Opens His U.S. Visit With Message of Mercy and Encounter – Bob Shine (Bondings 2.0, September 24, 2015).
Pope Francis Gets Political in White House Address – Nahal Toosi (Politico, September 23, 2015).
Pope Francis' Speech at the White House – Millennial (September 23, 2015).
A Little Girl With a Message for the Pope – Andy Newman (New York Times, September 23, 2015).
Pope's Address to Bishops May Have Been His Most Important – Tom Roberts (National Catholic Reporter, September 24, 2015).
Francis Tells U.S. Bishops to be "Promoters of the Culture of Encounter" – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, September 23, 2015).
Pope Francis to Bishops: Reject "Harsh and Divisive" Battles, Be Open to Others – David Gibson (Religion News Service, September 23, 2015).
Pope Francis' Speech to the Bishops of the United States of America – New York Times (September 23, 2015).
Angry Conservatives Insist Pope Francis is a Fake Christian – David Horsey (Los Angeles Times, September 23, 2015).
Pope Will Dine with Homeless, Not Politicians After Addressing Congress – Stephen Collinson (KUTV, September 22, 2015).
Francis, Citing Day and Merton, Pushes Congress to Pursue Common Good – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, September 24, 2015).
Pope Calls for End to Death Penalty in Speech to Congress – Alana Horowitz Satlin (The Huffington Post, September 24, 2015).
Full Text of Pope Francis' Speech to Congress – America (September 24, 2015).
Day and Merton: The Catholic Radicals Francis Cited – Thomas C. Fox (National Catholic Reporter, September 24, 2015).
Why Pope Francis Cited Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton – Lily Rothman (Time, September 24, 2015).
Standing Before Congress, Pope Francis Calls Out the "Industry of Death": The Arms Trade, War Profiteering, and Even the "War on Terror" Itself – Phyllis Bennis and Manuel Perez-Rocha (Institute for Policy Studies, September 24, 2015).
Conservative Points in Pope's Speech Include Liberal "Chasers" – Pamela Miller (Religion Dispatches, September 24, 2015).
The Pope Handled His Congressional Critics With Perfection – Shawn Drury (Blue Nation Review, September 24, 2015).
In UN Speech, Pope Francis Blasts "Selfish and Boundless Thirst for Power and Material Prosperity" – Democracy Now! (September 25, 2015).
Pope Francis' Address to the United Nations General Assembly – HuffPost Religion (September 25, 2015).
Pope Prays for Peace in "Our Violent World" in Service with Faith Leaders at 9/11 Memorial – Maurice Timothy Reidy (America, September 25, 2015).
At 9/11 Site, Pope Prays with Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus – Lauren Markoe (Religion News Service, September 25, 2015).
At Ground Zero, Francis Asks 9/11 Families to Be Instruments of Peace – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, September 25, 2015).
Pope Goes Back to School, Meets Students and Community in Harlem – David Agren (Religion News Service via National Catholic Reporter, September 25, 2015).
At New York Mass, Francis Describes How to Be a Saint in the City – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, September 25, 2015).
A Holy Father's Day in New York City – Matt Stout (Boston Herald, September 26, 2015).
At Independence Hall, Francis Links Religious Liberty and Cultural Identity – Brian Roewe (National Catholic Reporter, September 26, 2015).
At Independence Hall, Pope Offers a Broad Vision of Religious Freedom – Jim Yardley and Daniel J. Wakin (New York Times, September 26, 2015).
Pope Francis in Philadelphia Mass Calls for Church to Place Greater Value on Women – Alastair Jamieson, Katie Primm, Kasie Hunt, Tracy Connor and Elizabeth Chuck (NBC News, September 26, 2015).
Pope Francis Watches Dancers from the Pennsylvania Ballet – Getty Images (September 26, 2015).
Pope Francis: "Let's Protect the Family" – David Chang, Jim Iovino and Josh Kleinbaum (NBC News, September 26, 2015).
In Philadelphia, Pope Francis Urges Laity to Strengthen Church – Agence France-Presse via NDTV (September 2015).
Before Pope's Farewell Mass, Visits with Bishops and Inmates – Daniel J. Wakin (The New York Times, September 27, 2015).
Pope Francis Meets with Survivors of Sex Abuse – Carol Kuruvilla (The Huffington Post, September 27, 2015).
Pope Francis Speaks to Bishops on Gay Marriage and Families in Philadelphia – Jaweed Kaleem (The Huffington Post, September 27, 2015).
Pope Francis Wraps Up Joyful U.S. Visit with Big Open-Air Mass – Nicole Winfield and Rachel Zoll (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, September 27, 2015).
Francis Bids Farewell, Tells Catholics to Avoid "Perversion" of "Narrow" Faith – David Gibson (Religion News Service, September 27, 2015).
Francis' Last Message to America: Don't Be Afraid of New Things! – Joshua J. McElwee (National Catholic Reporter, September 27, 2015).
Pope Leaves U.S. After Moving 6-Day Visit – Antonia Blumberg (The Huffington Post, September 27, 2015).
Pope Uses Popularity to Chart New Direction for Church and U.S. – Rachel Zoll (Associated Press via Yahoo! News, September 28, 2015).
Pope Wades into U.S. Gay Marriage Debate After Historic Visit – Scott Malone (Reuters via Yahoo! News, September 28, 2015).
Aboard Papal Plane, the Pope Just Handed Kim Davis a Huge Win – Reuters via The Huffington Post (September 28, 2015).
What the Pope Really Said About Kim Davis – Jack Jenkins (Think Progress, September 28, 2015).
En Route to Rome, Pope Francis Reaffirms Ban on Women's Ordination – Jamie Manson (National Catholic Reporter, September 28, 2015).
Voices Calling Francis and the Church to Go Further
A Letter to Pope Francis – Joan Chittister (Benetvision, September 19, 2015).
Francis Falters in Addressing Sex Abuse – Dennis Coday (National Catholic Reporter, September 23, 2015).
Abuse Victims Blast Pope's Praise of Bishops – Barbara Blaine (SNAP, September 23, 2015).
Pope Francis' Gesture Towards Sex Abuse Victims Wasn't Nearly Enough -- Charles P. Pierce (Esquire, September 28, 2015).
Seven Arrested After Group Seeking Ordination of Female Priests Protests Pope Francis in Washington – Polly Mosendz (Newsweek, September 23, 2015).
Theologian: "Gender Insights Challenge Priesthood Theology" – Thomas C. Fox (National Catholic Reporter, September 19, 2015).
What a Catholic Mom Wants the Pope to Learn from Her Rabbi Daughter – Cindy Skrzycki (Forward, September 21, 2015).
Pope Francis' Revolution Has Left Out Women – Lisa Miller (New York Magazine, September 23, 2015).
Five Minutes with Francis: What Women Want – NCR Staff (National Catholic Reporter, September 24, 2015).
A Church That Dreams of Rights for Women Can Be Great, Too – Jamie Manson (National Catholic Reporter, September 25, 2015).
Pope Francis: Apply the "Golden Rule" to Women in the Catholic Church – Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite (The Huffington Post, September 28, 2015).
Francis, the Perfect 19th-Century Pope – Maureen Dowd (The New York Times, September 26, 2015).
Onondaga Nation Members Felt Disrespected During Pope Francis Visit in NYC – Sarah Moses (Syracuse.com, September 25, 2015).
Pope Francis' Careful Side-Step – Steven Newcomb (Indian Country, September 26, 2015).
9/30/15 UPDATE: DignityUSA Responds to News of
Meeting Between Pope Francis and Kim Davis
• Quote of the Day – October 31, 2014
• How the Pope's Recent Remarks Highlight a Major Discrepancy in Church Teaching
• Why I Take Hope in Pope Francis' Statement on Gay Priests
• On the Issue of Contraception, the Catholic Clerical Caste Does Not Speak for "the Church," Let Alone "Religion"
• Progressive Perspectives on the Papacy (Part 1)
• Beyond Papalism
• Casanova-Inspired Reflections on Papal Power - at 30,000 ft.
• Somewhere In Between
• Beyond the Hierarchy: The Blossoming of Liberating Catholic Insights on Sexuality
Labels: Pope Francis
Out and About – Summer 2015 (Part 2)
Tomorrow is the autumnal equinox, an astronomical event that marks the end of summer here in the northern hemisphere. A good time, then, to conclude my two-part series, "Out and About – Summer 2015! (For Part 1, click here.)
I begin this second installment with two images from the vigil against weaponized drones that I participated in last weekend at Camp Ripley, MN. In the image above I'm pictured with my friend Sue Ann. For more images and information about both tes issue of weaponized drones and this particular event, click here.
Above: On Thursday, September 3, I was part of a three-person delegation from the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform (CCCR) that met with Interim Archbishop Bernard Hebda at the chancery of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis. (It was actually the archbishop's birthday that day, and he's pictured holding the gift we brought him.)
Yes, it's quite astounding how far we've come! After all, it wasn't that long ago when CCCR was denounced by the former archbishop, John Nienstedt (see here and here.) And now here we are being welcomed at the chancery! In the past, I've always been there in a very different capacity (see, for example, here and here.)
I'll share my thoughts about our September 3 meeting in a later post. For now, here is how the meeting was described by CCCR to the group's Lay Network.
Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement for CCCR's meeting with Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Michael Bayly, Art Stoeberl, and Paula Ruddy, CCCR Board members, met with him on Thursday afternoon, September 3.
Our purpose was to request Archbishop Hebda's support for an open and broad consultation process before the appointment of the next archbishop.
The good news is that he and the Archdiocesan staff have already begun planning for eight listening sessions throughout the archdiocese during September and October. They will focus on the needs for leadership in the archdiocese and the qualities of leadership the people perceive to be necessary here. In addition to listening sessions, they are planning other methods of communication too, written opinions, electronic surveys, etc. This is the kind of communication process we were hoping for, and we are grateful to the Archbishop and his staff.
Archbishop Hebda was welcoming, friendly and down to business. He is open to input from us and took notes on the suggestions we made for venues.
Now our job is to participate in this process and to urge everyone we know to come with us. We can't be apathetic now. If we hope to get the kind of leadership we say we want, we must turn out in numbers and speak up. Do we hear an Amen?
We will let you know when and where as soon as we have that information.
Commenting on the meeting, Archbishop Hebda told the National Catholic Reporter:
I was pleased to meet with three members of the CCCR and was delighted to learn that they share my interest in engaging in a wide consultation of the faithful in assessing the needs of the archdiocese. I was also happy to share with them some of the preliminary plans for that consultation, and appreciated their input and offer of collaboration.
UPDATE: Fall Listening Session Series Aims to Shape Archdiocese's Future – Maria Wiering (The Catholic Spirit, September 20, 2015).
As I mentioned in Part 1, since the beginning of the year my good friend Pete and I have been meeting every Thursday morning for breakfast. We thought it would be fun to get a photograph of us at every new restaurant we visited. And it has been!
In the photo above we're in the lovely garden of Cafe Southside in Minneapolis – Thursday, August 27, 2015.
Left: At the Nicollet Diner, Minneapolis, September 3, 2015.
Right: At Our Kitchen Diner, Minneapolis, June 25, 2015.
Left: At the Blackbird Cafe, Minneapolis, July 30, 2015. I think it's fair to say that the Blackbird is our favorite breakfast place so far.
That's a copy of Winston Graham's The Loving Cup on the table. It's the tenth novel in Graham's Poldark series of historical fiction. I introduced Pete to these novels at the end of last year, and he's almost finished reading all twelve! He also enjoyed the recent Poldark BBC TV series, as did I! And good news! . . . The second season of Poldark is currently being filmed in Cornwall.
Above: On Thursday, September 17, my friends Tom and Darlene White invited me and a number of our mutual friends to dinner at their new home in St. Louis Park. Pictured from left: Darlene, me, Kathleen, Brigid, Paula and Tom.
Above: With friends George and Joan.
Above: Dinner at what I've come to call "the French Quarter," the welcoming St. Paul home of my friends John and Noelle. Pictured clockwise from left: John, Noelle, Brittany, Phil, Curtis, Liana, and Amelia – August 23, 2015.
Left: With Eddie, the "wonder dog"!
Above: Ziggy!
Above: At the August 9, 2015 Dignity Twin Cities mass with friends Jim Smith and Fr. John Brandes. You may recall that John is the inspiration for the character of "Father Brandon" in my semi-autobiographical Wild Reed series, The Journal of James Curtis.
Above: Cloud City! . . . The view of downtown Minneapolis across Lake Calhourn – July 2015..
Above: At right with friends Rick, Neil and Jim – August 1, 2015.
Left: Friends Walter, Barry and Raul.
Twice this summer friends and I attended the free concerts held at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. Early in August we saw the Brass Messengers (above), while on August 21 we saw The Pines (right).
Below: Friends at Lake Harriet – August 21, 2015. From left: Joan, George, Carla and Kathleen.
Above: With my good friend Raul – July 2015.
Above I've mentioned it many times before that Raul has one of the best views in Minneapolis! His Uptown apartment looks southwest over Lake Calhourn, and affords some stunningly beautiful views.
Above: The Minneapolis Aquatennial, an annual celebration of the city's lakes, rivers and streams – Saturday, July 25, 2015.
More than 250,000 people attended the fireworks show in the city's riverside Mill City district. I was there with my friends Eric, Kyle and Pete (right).
Left: With Pete – July 25, 2015.
Above and left: At the weekly Wednesday afternoon peace vigil sponsored by the Twin Cities Peace Campaign and WAMM – August 26, 2015.
Since 1999 this weekly vigil has been held on the Lake St./Marshall Ave. bridge which spans the Mississippi River and links the "Twin Cities" of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Above: Friends Tim and Colleen at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for a Free Arts Minnesota event– August 2015.
The sculpture at right is by Igor Mitoraj and entitled Eros. Notes the MIA website:
Eros, depicted bandaged and marred by cracks, points out the contradiction between the ideals of strength and beauty and the inherent fragility of the human condition. Life is precious because it is fleeting. And love causes both joy and heartache. The post-modern monumental scale of Eros also suggests the glories and failures of entire civilizations.
Above: A summer evening meal with friends on the rooftop of my friend Raul's apartment. From left: Barry, Walter, Henry, Ron, Jeff and Raul,
Above: A birthday brunch for my friend Brian – August 30, 2015. From left: Rick, Brian and me. We're at Pannekoeken in St. Louis Park!
Left: Out to dinner with friends Raul, Brittany and Phil . . . before going to see the film Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet at the Lagoon in Uptown, Minneapolis – September 3, 2015. We're at the Amazing Thailand restaurant in Uptown and I'm still dressed in my more formal attire from my visit earlier in the day with Archbishop Hebda!
The Prophet is a great film, and I definitely recommend it. Here's a little of what Variety's Peter Debruge has to say about it:
Think of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet as a gift: a work of essential spiritual enlightenment, elegantly interpreted by nine of the world's leading independent animators, all tied up and wrapped in a family-friendly bow by The Lion King director Roger Allers. A longtime passion project for producer Salma Hayek (credited here as Salma Hayek-Pinault), Lebanese philosopher-poet Kahlil Gibran's cherished guide to life, death, love, art and so forth doesn't naturally lend itself to big screen interpretation, and at first, the pic's framing device seems too silly for such soulful subject matter. But the freshly scripted wraparound doesn't shy away from grown-up concerns, while potentially broadening the book's reach to younger audiences as well.
And here's a snippet of The Salt Lake Tribune's Sean P. Means' review:
Gibran's messages of living simply and thankfully, of transcending national, ethnic and religious divides with kindness and honesty, retain their universal appeal in this rendition.
The Prophet, the movie, is an artful introduction to the uninitiated, and for Gibran's fans a beautiful reminder of the book's thoughtful approach to life.
Above: Friends (from left) Brigid, Carol, Kathleen, Ken and Sue Ann – August 2015.
Above: Protesting weaponized drones at the weekly Lake St./Marshall Ave peace vigil – September 2015. For more on this issue, click here.
Above: Standing by Lake Minnetonka at the Port of Excelsior, Minnesota – September 5, 2015.
Above: Friends (from left) John, Noelle, Brittany and Val – September 16, 2015.
Above: On Sunday, September 6, 2015, I joined with around 50 others in Minnehaha Park to show solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of people undertaking the dangerous journey to Europe from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war-torn parts of the world.
For more images and information about both this issue and event, click here.
Above: My friend David took this photo. It shows 26-year-old Syrian American and University of Minnesota law student Suzan Boulad, who was the key organizer of the September 6 solidarity rally for the refugees of Syria and the world.
That's me in the background at far left. I'm usually so intent on taking photos at events like this that I often don't get in many of them!
For more images and information about both the issue of refugees and this particular rally, click here.
Above and below: With friends at the 27th Minneapolis Greek Festival - St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, September 12, 2015. From left: Joan, Steve, Carla and me.
Above: Friends (from left) Joan, Steve, Carla, Raul, Karam and Archana – September 12, 2015.
Above: On Saturday, September 19, 2015, I made a number of new friends when my friend Pete invited me to join him and his friends at a street party in downtown Minneapolis. From left: Peter, Bret, Tim, Jim, Chris, Sarah, Pete and Tim.
Summer 2015 Wild Reed posts of note:
• Something to Celebrate
• In the Garden of Spirituality – Anthony de Mello
• Mill City
• Interiors
• Summer Blooms
• Progressive Catholic Perspectives on the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 Marriage Equality Ruling
• Recalling a Visit to the Missions of San Antonio and Remembering Bartolomé de Las Casas, a "Passionate and Prophetic Defender" of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
• "Can the Klan!"
• The Devil (We Think) We Know
• "I Caught a Glimpse of a God"
• Celebrating the Unique and Influential Kate Bush
• Prayer of the Week – August 3, 2015
• "Say Her Name" Solidarity Action
• Remembering Dorothy Day's Response to the U.S. Bombing of Hiroshima
• Return to Mill City
• For Buffy Sainte-Marie, a Well-Deserved Honor
• Kittredge Cherry on the Queer Goddess Origins of the Feast of the Assumption
• Remembering Julian Bond, 1940-2015: "Tireless Champion for Civil and Human Rights"
• Remembering and Honoring Dorothy Olinger
• Love Is Love
• The Choice (and Risk) That Is Love
• Meanwhile in Cornwall . . .
• Rallying in Solidarity with the Refugees of Syria and the World
• In Australia, "Something to Celebrate"
• Vigiling Against Weaponized Drones
• Buffy Sainte-Marie Wins 2015 Polaris Music Prize
See also The Wild Reed's 2015 Queer Appreciation series:
• Vittorio Lingiardi on the Limits of the Hetero/Homo Dichotomy
• Reclaiming and Re-Queering Pride
• Standing with Jennicet Gutiérrez, "the Mother of Our Newest Stonewall Movement"
• Questions for Archbishop Kurtz re. the U.S. Bishops' Response to the Supreme Court's Marriage Equality Ruling
• Clyde Hall: "All Gay People, in One Form or Another, Have Something to Give to This World, Something Rich and Very Wonderful"
• The (Same-Love) Dance Goes On
• Out and About – Summer 2015 (Part I)
• Out and About – Spring 2015 (Part I)
• Out and About – Spring 2015 (Part II)
• Australian Sojourn – March 2015
• Out and About – Winter 2014-2015
• Out and About – Autumn 2014
• Out and About – Summer 2014
Labels: Out and About - 2015
DignityUSA Responds to News of Meeting Between Pop...
St. Michael: Archangel, Spiritual Warrior, Icon of...
Buffy Sainte-Marie Wins 2015 Polaris Music Prize
Vigiling Against Weaponized Drones
A Kind of Dancing Divinity
Amos Oz on the Essence of Fanaticism
In Australia, "Something to Celebrate"
Rallying in Solidarity with the Refugees of Syria ...
Meanwhile in Cornwall . . .
Quote (and Reality Check) of the Day


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There are many stunning renditions of Leonard Cohen's famed song, "Hallelujah". Many great artist have given the world their renditions and covers, and each one is more spectacular than the last.
When Roy Tan and Rosemary Siemens decided to cover the song, they wanted to do it in a simple way, by creating it through instruments only. Some might say that's only half of the song without the lyrics, but their beautiful renditions more than makes up for that!


Telemundo picked up the rights to the final match of the tournament after the controversy surrounding fan violence and the relocation of the game to Spain.
The fan violence that postponed the final between longtime rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate and forced the relocation of the game to Spain generated so much controversy that Telemundo saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing interest over the match.
So much so, that its sports division, Telemundo Deportes, acquired the U.S. Spanish-language broadcast rights for the game that will now take place 6,000 miles from Argentina, home country of both teams, and where they were supposed to play.
The decision to change the venue for what is considered to be the "Game of the Century" was made after River Plate fans attacked the bus transporting Boca Juniors team to the stadium for the final match, injuring several of the players. CONMEBOL, the competition's governing body, determined Argentina wouldn't be able to host the final without further violence.
Telemundo this year went all out to show it can be a top soccer destination with its very first wall-to-wall coverage of the FIFA World Cup in Russia, after scoring rights to the global competition for 2018, 2022 and 2026.
L to R: Miguel Gurwitz, Sammy Sadovnik and Eduardo Biscayart (not pictured) will do pre and post game coverage of the final, with Andrés Cantor live at the stadium in Madrid.
The network has never aired Copa Libertadores. The final, taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on Sunday, December 9, will be the first time. Cable network Fox Deportes has been airing Copa Libertadores every year since 2002.
"We acquired the broadcast rights to the final because it represented a unique opportunity to complement the cable coverage and make the game more widely available for soccer fans, especially given all the controversy and anticipation behind the event," states Ray Warren, president of Telemundo Deportes.
Telemundo Deportes will have Andrés Cantor leading the coverage, calling the match live from stadium in Madrid with Carlota Vizmanos as sideline reporter. Miguel Gurwitz will host pre and post game coverage from Telemundo Center in Miami, alongside Sammy Sadovnik and Eduardo Biscayart.
The Boca-River matchup will air live on Telemundo and the Telemundo Deportes App at 2:30 p.m. ET, as well as on Fox Deportes.
John Laguna, Mariano Trujillo and Rodolfo Landeros will helm in-studio pre and post game coverage in Los Angeles.
Fox Deportes will offer more than 10 hours of live Copa Libertadores coverage from Madrid starting at 8 a.m. ET. Announcer Mariano Closs and former Boca Juniors striker Diego Latorre will call the match. John Laguna, Mariano Trujillo, Rodolfo Landeros and Alvaro Izquierdo will tackle pregame coverage from Los Angeles.
The first leg ended in a 2-2 tie at Boca's La Bombonera stadium. A win for Boca will give the club its seventh Libertadores title, while River Plate could earn its fourth crown.
Both networks hope to attract a big audience.
"Beyond the increased interest of the final due to the historic nature of a final between arguably the biggest soccer rivalry on the planet, the controversy over the last two weeks has naturally increased excitement and interest," says Carlos Sánchez, Fox Deportes evp and general manager. "We expect strong ratings based on the teams involved and the vast amount of coverage in the media. The first leg was the highest rated Copa Libertadores games of the last three years not featuring a Mexican club."
Sánchez doesn't seem preoccupied with Telemundo jumping in last minute to broadcast the game.
"We are confident that FOX Deportes will offer the most complete and in-depth coverage of the Copa Libertadores final. Rather than just showing the match, FOX Deportes will have live coverage beginning six and half hours before kick-off and feature expert analysis, comprehensive coverage and expansive on-site resources."


I'd had a spell of reading dull, tedious, and difficult books, and had quite lost my appetite for reading, so I was glad to finally get my hands on a copy of SHADES OF MILK AND HONEY, about which I'd heard many pleasant things.
This novel was presented to me as a fantasy pastiche of Austen. While it is a Regency-era drawing room romance, it's not a pastiche. Kowal has written a witty comedy of manners, but she's included magic into it so seamlessly that it doesn't feel that the magic was shoe-horned into someone else's novel.
The protagonist, Jane, is the perfect sort of heroine–she's just a trifle old (28) and just a trifle plain (sallow complected, and with an overlong nose) but she's kindly to a fault. And I do mean to a fault, as her natural predilection towards showing the utmost kindness and tact in every situation gets her into difficult predicaments.
I loved the glamours that Jane and some of the other characters wield, and I have a typically feminine soft-spot for Regency romances. Kowal keeps the elegance of dances and coming-out and tea with the daughters of the ton, but she also includes some of the stifling social mores expected of women of that century. Jane never forgets who she is, and never once acts like a twenty-first century woman in muslin sprigging. The mysteries of the past of several of the characters also kept me keen on reading to the end. Jane, unlike my tactless self, never shakes her co-characters by the shoulders and demands that they spill their juicy gossip RIGHT NOW.
I read this book in one sitting, and it thankfully succeeded in whetting my appetite for other works of literature, so I must say I liked it. However, no book is perfect, and the flaw of SHADES OF MILK AND HONEY is in the way it lapses from the typical structure of a Regency novel (which, while not as rigid as the social mores of its heroines, is nonetheless structured.) Generally, a heroine sets her heart on one suitor. She may enjoy the attentions of more than one, and she may waver, but sooner, rather than later, she ought to prefer one exclusively to the other. With this novel, Jane seemed to hold two men in equal regard, so much so that when she finally became engaged to one (oh come on, it's not that much of a spoiler! Heroines always become engaged in these novels!) it seemed that her relationship with the other hadn't quite ended. I wondered what happened to him, and at what point she decided he wasn't the one she was after. I would have liked a bit more of a denouement.
I would recommend this to open-minded Regency fans (I say open-minded, because some of them are quite particular about how these novels ought to be done properly–can't have that color dress, etc.) and I would recommend it to those who like fantasy. In particular, I would recommend it to anyone who liked SORCERY AND CECELIA, because it has some of the charm of that novel.
I wanted to read this novel when I first heard about it, and now I want to read it even more!
dang it – now I want to go read this, but I hate reading hardcover. how long do I have to wait for paperback?


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More Education, On Demand
By Len Scrogan
As if anyone doesn't already sense it, everything is changing in the education world due to The Rona. While I have a pretty good handle on what's happening in the U.S. on those counts, it's always instructive to see what's transpiring in other parts of the world. The other day I had a catch-up Zoom session with a long-time connection in Singapore, and together we explored our impressions about what has been happening recently in the education sphere.
I spoke with Jamshaid Askbar, the CEO of Go-CloudLearn. Akbar oversees a number of disruptive brands now selling to home and institutional education markets in the Far East and South Asia. Our informal Zoom session quickly turned into an insightful interview, providing a glimpse into the staging of some emerging challenges and, of course, business opportunities.
Here are the dynamics that Mr. Akbar is adroitly navigating in the Far East and South Asia:
Akbar notices change occurring on many levels: from decimation of traditional delivery models, to rethinking how education is delivered, and towards inevitably reshaping the future of education. Learning, as we know it from yesterday, is on the move.
In education, disruption threatens traditional delivery. In some countries it takes the form of parents switching their children comfortably to online tutoring, YouTube or TikTok for educational advantage. (Akbar cites a Singapore math video service using TikTok for Millennials as an example.) This development pulls parents away from expensive private schools, which continue to demand high tuition while refusing to conduct face-to-face learning during the pandemic. Akbar is observing how more and more parents (in Pakistan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and UAE) are appearing less likely to fully return to the traditional school, post pandemic. New educational options are unexpectedly viable.
In the move away from the typical, the expected, and other legacy landscapes, Akbar is also noticing a shift in educational customer interest towards smaller, more cost effective, and 'portioned' educational experiences. Personally, I call this phenomenon the 'chunking' of educational opportunities.
Akbar suggests "this on-demand learning is Uber-like and represents an approach that offers outstanding education at a fraction of the cost of going to International schools". I suppose we could also call this phenomenon the 'right-sizing' of educational contexts. The notion is to isolate high-demand educational services and offer them separately from their normally integrated environment (usually found within the traditional international school experience). As examples, Mr. Akbar manages a portfolio of focused educational services, each with their own value proposition and growing customer base:
Go-Cloud Learn. (An on-demand education service offering British-style education live from the UK to the world via a global classroom, this is "a cheaper version for the South Asian market delivers the entire A-Level and IGCSE live for USD 999 per year—a fraction of what it takes to enroll in a regular Cambridge-certified school".)
Centre4Writing. (Whether for future accountants, nurses, or aeronautical engineers, English language skills are critical to success, so the Centre4Writing is a global writing skills development center with an integrated "I need help right now!" on-demand platform.)
HeyHi. (A collaborative teaching tool shown in the video immediately below) a built-for-education audio/video conferencing tool with a robust white board.)
In Mr. Akbar's way of thinking, as the quality of education is disrupted or diminished (through mindless and weak online delivery) during the pandemic, so the "popularity of on-demand education with engaging mechanisms will continue to surge forward in the Far East and South Asia". According to Mr. Akbar, what is differentiating this new genre of on-demand learning from its mundane online learning predecessors are the advantages of live instructors, short but high-energy learning episodes, relationship building, convenience, plus high levels of constructive feedback. As a clear example, take a look at the Go-Cloud Learn site. This on-demand service purports to provide a "world-class British education in a global classroom" with some hefty, yet deliverable promises:
Primary, secondary and post-secondary lessons delivered live from the UK.
45/60-minute live lessons delivered by a qualified teacher via Go-CloudLearn's online classroom, "The Learning Cloud."
Up to 10+ young learners tutored live in a group lesson.
Students are able to interact with each other in and outside of lessons.
Homework, assessment, resources and collaboration take place in "Go-CloudLearn Spaces" to continue and reinforce learning.
An emphasis on ongoing, specific, and immediate feedback for learning
Akbar poses the challenge: "Show me an education system that delivers 'excellence' at fraction of the cost of going to a private school. Can a traditional school deliver these innovations at our cost structure in a traditional setting?" He adds, "more and more MOE's globally are trying to get in touch with us to outsource their teaching to us; all inspired by opportunities presented by COVID". He continues: "At best International schools use Zoom to teach using a PowerPoint; they try to replicate the Industrial school experience using an online platform–they just don't' get it."
Mr. Akbar predicts that "our future rests with on-demand education/lessons." He observes that the initial drivers of on-demand learning will be "in the K-12 sector, chiefly science, math, literacy and languages". He anticipates that "other verticals will soon follow the on-demand lure, such as speech therapy, sports training, and physical education, as well as extracurriculars, like chess, robotics, and engineering". Akbar believes that "law, accountancy and literacy subjects at the university level will all evolve to an on-demand model using structured online lessons plus I need it now! support after school hours. He predicts "those that will adapt to the model will flourish and have a global addressable market".
Mr. Akbar also warns that this surge towards on-demand learning also carries accentuated technical implications, since on-demand services must be careful to create friendly LTI hooks into existing learning management and delivery systems and not dare to stand on their own.
Singapore is expected to return to full pre-pandemic GDP levels this year, with other countries following after. But in the education sector, the big questions remain: what will change, what will stay the same? On-demand learning may well grow and secure a formidable footprint— Len Scrogan
Categories Daily Tags Education, Next Action
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Regulatory Focus™ > News Articles > FDA Revises Policies on Obtaining Informed Consent in Clinical Trials
FDA Revises Policies on Obtaining Informed Consent in Clinical Trials
Posted 15 July 2014 | By Alexander Gaffney, RAC,
A new draft guidance document issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is meant to eventually replace a 16-year-old guide outlining the regulator's views on informed consent.
Informed Consent: The Basics
As FDA explains in the draft guidance, Informed Consent Information Sheet, when most people think about the process of obtaining consent, they think of it as obtaining written consent from the subject to participate in a medical study. But FDA says this understanding—while technically correct—is not complete.
"Informed consent involves providing a potential subject with adequate information to allow for an informed decision about participation in the clinical investigation, facilitating the potential subject's comprehension of the information, providing adequate opportunity for the potential subject to ask questions and to consider whether to participate, obtaining the potential subject's voluntary agreement to participate, and continuing to provide information as the clinical investigation progresses or as the subject or situation requires," FDA explained in its guidance.
In other words, it's not just about obtaining a signature on a piece of paper, but should instead be about allowing a subject to consider the opportunities and risks inherent in participating in a trial, and whether participation is appropriate for that particular subject.
Even after the informed consent document is signed, the consent process may still continue, FDA added. "Depending on the clinical investigation, additional information may need to be given to the subject, and the subject may need additional opportunities to ask questions and receive answers throughout the clinical investigation."
Guidance: New Sections
The guidance itself is fairly straightforward, and contains concepts that should mostly be familiar—if not basic—to professionals who have extensive experience conducting clinical trials.
However, there are several updates relative to FDA's 1998 guide on informed consent.
For example, the draft guidance now contains a section on non-English-speaking clinical trial participants. All information given to a patient "must be in language understandable to the potential subject or legally authorized representative." While this means that the information must be in a language the subject can understand, it also means that it must be written in terms the subject can understand as well. FDA cited data indicating that one-third of US adults have basic or worse health literacy, while one-half of US adults have difficulty understanding numbers and data.
The guidance also introduces a new section on dealing with patients with impaired consent capacity, which can range from minor or temporary impairments to complete impairment. Forms to enroll impaired trial participants may require modification, or a process to allow a legal representative to enroll the subject on their behalf. Institutional review boards (IRBs) and investigators should consider if the inclusion of the cognitively impaired or mentally disabled is "ethically appropriate and scientifically necessary," FDA said.
FDA's guidance also includes an extensive section on the inclusion of children in clinical trials, in which FDA asks that, in addition to the permission of the child's parent or legal guardian, investigators obtain the child's "assent" to participate in the research. FDA notes that "assent" means an "affirmative agreements to take part in a clinical investigation, not just the failure to object."
Other new additions include sections on reviewing patient records, subjects participating in more than one clinical trial, and study suspension/termination.
FDA notes that the draft comes just as federal regulators are considering updates to the Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) human research protections, better known as the "Common Rule." FDA said it will work with "other relevant Federal Agencies to facilitate consistency across policies" in the event of an "intersect" between the revised rule and the new draft guidance.
Comments on the draft guidance are due to FDA by 15 September 2014.
Informed Consent Information Sheet (FR)
Tags: Informed Consent, Draft Guidance, IRB, Investigator, Sponsor, Obtaining Informed Consent


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