Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way… it’s technically not a beanie. That said, one of the fun things about being a priest is that we get to wear some of the most fantastic clothing in the world. The church has no shortage of headgear options for the clergy. Some of you have seen my biretta (the hat with the silk pom on the top), which I wear on 1st Sundays when we use incense. You’ve also seen bishops wear a mitre (the pointy hat) during their Episcopal visits…
“Why?” is the first question I ask myself! Since the Columbine tragedy in April 1999, where twelve students and one teacher were murdered, this haunting question, “But why?” echoes persistently through each new, senseless massacre. After another devastating shooting, this time at Robb Elementary School in Texas, I find myself asking again—perhaps asking God—“My God, why?” Nineteen children. Two teachers. Dead. Gone. Forever. We grieve not only for the lives lost but for the futures these young ones could have shaped, the countless lives the teachers might have touched. This is the heavy cost we continue…
A few months ago I had the privilege to sit down for a Q&A interview with Dr. Dan Finley. Dan writes for Go! Magazine. This section is called Chat with a Pastor. Go! Magazine is a Christian publication that circulates along the emerald coast of Florida. Below is the interview! A Special thank you to Dr. Dan Finley, a man whom I consider a friend and a great example of a Christian who looks for ways to give back to the community and the world. I also know his students at Gulf Coast College appreciate his humor…
Why Spiritual Self-Care? I bet you’re a lot like me; you’re feeling some spiritual cabin fever. In this blog entry, I want to suggest a few ideas that can provide spiritual self-care during the coronavirus isolation. We’ve been cooped up for a few weeks thanks to coronavirus, and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy spiritual life. COVID-19 has shaken up our spiritual lives, and taken away many of the systems we rely on to keep us centered and grounded. There’s a lot of information and creative…
Paris… sigh. I’ve been flirting with this blog post for weeks. I hesitated to write it because I wanted to adequately describe the experiences. Then I realized blog posts are never really finished… Last spring, my wife and I visited Paris. The culture there is unlike any city I’ve visited: Creme Brule, croissants, and espresso shots in the afternoons were blissful. I had the best sleep of my life in a quiet hotel that, two hundred years before, served as a convent for Catholic sisters. Fourteen hours… if you wondered. Of course…
Beyond the Collar: Fostering Genuine Connection in Christian Ministry In the vocation of Christian ministry, one encounters a profound and often paradoxical challenge: the mandate to serve authentically within a context where unspoken expectations can feel as binding as any ecclesiastical decree. With reverence and hope, parishioners frequently imagine their clergy as epitomes of moral clarity, unwavering wisdom, and spiritual serenity. Such elevated views, while rooted in respect, inadvertently prompt clergy to assume a “mask”—a crafted persona that aligns with these idealized expectations yet restricts the freedom of authentic self-expression. Drawing from the depths of Anglican theology…