FOR THE JOURNEY At the conclusion of the Mass I attended on Easter while visiting in New Jersey, the pastor repeated what appeared to be his annual Easter joke. Many people applauded when he asked if they wanted to hear it, and many smiled knowingly, already in on the punchline. So, the Easter Bunny is […]
Effie Caldarola: A volunteer’s experience
ON THE JOURNEY The Jesuit Volunteer Corps was young — and so was I — when I first arrived at a remote Alaskan village to teach school at a Jesuit boarding school for Native Alaskan students as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. There were no cellphones yet, and the internet did not exist. […]
Effie Caldarola: To be in God’s hands
FOR THE JOURNEY Like most Catholics, I planned for Lent. I had my list of suggested “give ups,” “to dos,” goals. I like to be in control. There are aspects of this personality trait that are positive, but essentially wanting control is often a futile endeavor. So on the morning of “Shrove Tuesday” or Mardi […]
Effie Caldarola: Our refugee family
ON THE JOURNEY On a recent Sunday, I delivered fresh produce to the Syrian refugee family my Catholic community sponsored this year. As I parked outside the apartment building, eager little faces were watching for me from the second-floor window, and soon the three oldest children of the family dashed from the door below to […]
Effie Caldarola: Need and gift matched
FOR THE JOURNEY Not too long ago, a 15-year-old refugee from Eritrea was found walking along the side of a road in Hampton, England. Just another statistic, perhaps, representing a microcosm of an enormous problem, a worldwide conundrum encompassing millions and millions of people who have been displaced by war, famine, tyranny. It’s a refugee […]
Effie Caldarola: Are outward signs of faith offensive?
FOR THE JOURNEY I am settling into my cramped seat in a small aircraft when I smell it: the nauseating odor of fried food in close quarters. I turn, ready to glare, when I see that the culprit, a middle-aged man, is bowed in prayer over his meal, hands folded, eyes closed. All is forgiven. […]
Effie Caldarola: Resolutions that extend beyond the new year
FOR THE JOURNEY By now, many people have given up their resolutions. A couple of articles I saw in January confirmed this. In one, a local writer who exercises regularly and writes for a fitness blog reports that she dreads the gym in January. Finding a parking spot is frustrating, and the gym is so […]
Effie Caldarola: The Year of Mercy: an opportunity
FOR THE JOURNEY January can be a drag, a real letdown. The remaining Christmas cookies are stale crumbs and the tree, once so respected, has been ingloriously dragged out of the house to be recycled into mulch. One by one, the Christmas lights in the neighborhood have gone out, as if some festive power grid […]
Effie Caldarola: Gratitude, a spiritual practice
FOR THE JOURNEY Like many families, during the holidays we try to focus on thankfulness by asking each guest at a festive meal to express that for which they are most thankful. Surprising how tongue-tied a roomful of noisy siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins suddenly becomes when given this task. Sometimes, one kid comes up […]
De-clutter, make room for the spirit
Effie Caldarola: FOR THE JOURNEY A member of my faith-sharing community devoted one year to buying nothing. Nothing, at least, that wasn’t a necessity. She bought food, of course, and if her printer ran out of ink, she would deem that a necessary purchase. She paid her utility bills and her mortgage, but she added […]