THE HUMAN SIDE How do we keep our minds healthy in light of all the disturbing events in our world? How do we successfully deal with senseless crimes, starving children, devastating hurricanes, forest fires, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Some suggest we turn off the news totally or at least periodically. This is true. Whenever travel […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Imaging like never before
THE HUMAN SIDE “It ruined me for life.” This utterance is that of a participant in lay volunteerism. Disturbing images of working with the poor in a foreign country were burned into his memory — images of the gap between rich and poor that drive him to continue to serve the poor back at home. […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: More eloquence please
THE HUMAN SIDE After making a giant step forward in modern communications, have we also taken two steps backward? Thanks to the internet, people are communicating with each other in wonderful ways. For example, shut-ins once disconnected from society are able to stay connected with friends, and we now have all sorts of libraries at […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Causes of unkindness
THE HUMAN SIDE What are some leading causes of heartless conflicts in life? One look at kindness and its opponent gives the answer. Kindness is being well-disposed toward our self, neighbors, world, government, church and God. Kindness respects, values and promotes the development of another. Understanding the enemies of kindness is the best antidote for […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: More meekness please
THE HUMAN SIDE Would we sleep better and be more convivial if a higher degree of meekness existed in society? I believe the answer is yes! To see how true this is let’s examine its essence. Meekness is usually envisioned as timidity, mildness and humbleness — the direct opposite of being forceful and dynamic. However, […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Words for the grief-stricken?
THE HUMAN SIDE Grief comes in many forms: losing a valued heirloom, a job or a home filled with beautiful memories. The list of heartbreaks is unending. However, losing a loved one with a whole life ahead of him or her pierces the very depths of our heart. How do we support a grief-stricken person? […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Hope in 2018
THE HUMAN SIDE When Isaiah speaks of a bear and cow being neighbors and a baby sitting aside a viper (Is 11:1-9), what message is he sending for us in 2018? At first look his examples symbolize peaceful coexistence. That which seems unlikely is now likely; direct opposites uniting as one. The derivation of the […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Advent is a time to start anew
There’s no better time than Advent for putting our house in order. The house of which we speak is our disposition that is being bombarded by a topsy-turvy world threatening the beauty of the season. Years ago, the Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World identified the threats to society […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: The value of travel
When a student at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was asked, “What did you fear in traveling to a foreign country most?” he replied, “Money!” He was a student taking part in Saint Vincent’s program for students going abroad to enhance their education. No doubt, handling foreign money is challenging until one learns to […]
Father Eugene Hemrick: Fighting slumps of depression
THE HUMAN SIDE I sat staring out the window all day paralyzed. At night, panic attacks hit and in the morning, I wanted to go back to sleep hoping to wake feeling better. Nothing in life held meaning and medicine was useless. The depression stopped me dead in my tracks and dreading meeting the day. […]