This is what Mass is about? Really?!

This is what Mass is about? Really?!

Having a young Jesuit as a teacher naturally piques the interest of high school sophomores. Does it mean you can’t get married? Who do you live with? How long does it take to become a priest? But the one part of Jesuit life that tends to provoke a strong response is...
Dream New Dreams: A Prophetic Call from U2

Dream New Dreams: A Prophetic Call from U2

“Desert sky, dream beneath the desert sky. The rivers run but soon run dry. We need new dreams tonight.” — U2, “In God’s Country,” The Joshua Tree “Therefore, I will allure her now;    I will lead her into the wilderness    and speak persuasively to...
My Nuclear Nightmares

My Nuclear Nightmares

There was a time when nuclear war was a regular conversation topic in my family. It’s 1987. The Cold War is four years away from ending. President Reagan just called for Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” There are more than 65,000 nuclear warheads on the planet, my...
Arrupe College: Greater Love than Fear

Arrupe College: Greater Love than Fear

On Saturday, August 12, 2017, Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago held its first commencement ceremony. Ever. If you’re unaware, Arrupe College is the first of its kind: a two-year college embedded within a Jesuit university. Arrupe seeks to provide greater...
Making Mountains

Making Mountains

Perhaps it’s the swamp water, bayou blood running through my veins, but whenever I see a mountain I immediately think two things: God, that’s big… I’ve got to climb it. Only, I see them all the time: great masses of granite, heights, and slopes, often appearing from...
I’m Not Welcome Here

I’m Not Welcome Here

During my junior year of high school, I participated in a university course away from home. One day during that year, I received news that I must call my mother immediately. I picked up the phone and dialed my parents number. My mother answered, telling me she had...