Lately I’ve been praying through my spiritual past, letting memory guide me through how I became a Christian in a non-Christian family, how I traversed fundamentalism to later become Episcopalian, and how the Episcopal Church dared to ordain me both deacon and priest
I live in Newport, Rhode Island where there is a small but mighty Irish population that has been celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day with vigor for 65 years.
I grew up in New Orleans, a city with a strong Roman Catholic presence. A lot of the kids I knew attended Catholic schools. Statues of the Virgin Mary adorned every third front yard. Fridays in Lent meant that someone was always holding a fish fry.
‘Humility.’ We can use the word in such ugly ways, but humility simply means to be real, to be honest, to be ourselves. If you’re doing Lent, it’s a good Lenten word.
I love thinking about Simeon holding Jesus in the temple singing about how his eyes have finally seen God that light to enlighten the nations.
I’m making another king cake for the Conversion of Saint Paul. The epiphanies will keep coming, whether by guiding star or blinding light or daily bread.
Throughout my younger years, my dad was fond of reminding me that Del Priores were supposed to be Renaissance men. It was something he took great pride in. His motto and mantra back then: Jack of all trades, master of none. Honestly, I think he sold himself short, as he is truly a master of much.
If I were writing this last year I don’t even think I would have paid any attention to this part of Nicholas’ story. I’m not sure the word would have registered in my brain. But this year? Hearing of a young boy losing both his parents to an uncontrolled illness was hard to ignore.
Saint Andrew was a pioneer in many ways. His festival is often the first major Christian feast celebrated after the beginning of the Christian year to commemorate his status of being the “first called.”
A few years ago, I ran across a video of a toddler playing in the rain for the first time. As someone who loves the rain, I was immediately captivated.