by Colten Biro | Sep 21, 2016 | Pop Culture ~ Approx. 4 mins
While some consider me “obsessed” with Harry Potter, I prefer the term “expert.” In last month’s Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter even wrote an exposé on me, copied below… COLTEN BIRO, SJ; Order of Merlin, Second Class With the ravenous wit of a Ravenclaw at heart,...
by Keith Maczkiewicz, SJ | Sep 20, 2016 | Blogs, Spirituality ~ Approx. 3 mins
The final score was a dismally boring 14-2. Our hometown Oakland A’s were creamed by the storied Boston Red Sox in a sparsely attended game, in their ugly, concrete stadium. The game – late in the season for our non-playoff team – didn’t count for much....
by Dan Everson, SJ | Sep 19, 2016 | Justice, Pop Culture, Sports ~ Approx. 4 mins
Embed from Getty Images Colin Kaepernick sat, then took a knee. Megan Rapinoe and dozens of other athletes joined the protest, sparking a national conversation about appropriate behavior during the national anthem. But the athletes’ protests have also raised this...
by Colten Biro | Sep 15, 2016 | In the News ~ Approx. 2min
Grammar is about the last topic I would expect to trend on Twitter. And yet, when Matthew Anderson, a BBC editor, tweeted a picture from Mark Forsyth’s book The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase, it received tens of thousands of likes and...
by Alex Llanera | Sep 14, 2016 | Faith & Politics, In the News ~ Approx. 4 mins
Embed from Getty Images Another day, another set of discouraging “presidential” headlines. Hillary is in the pocket of Wall Street! Trump is provoking gun owners against Hillary! Safe to say, this is an unconventional election year. For the first time in our...
by Eric Immel, SJ | Sep 13, 2016 | Blogs, Spirituality ~ Approx. 4 mins
I take up a lot of space. I often feel I take up too much space. At times, I can overwhelm the eyes and ears of my best friends, dominating their doorways and babbling on with no plan or point. I word-vomit onto some unforeseen conclusion about the latest crisis or...
by Bill McCormick, SJ | Sep 12, 2016 | In the News, Pop Culture ~ Approx. 3 mins
Embed from Getty Images The “internet” always craves something fresh to talk about it, and loves to talk about nothing more than itself. So the meme #HowToConfuseAMillennial was tailor-made for controversy. The meme started as a probably humorous jab against...
by Lucas Sharma, SJ | Sep 8, 2016 | In the News, Justice ~ Approx. 3 mins
Language immersion in Colombia raised many questions: from the mundane (is this fabric softener or laundry detergent?) to the philosophical (what does the subjunctive say about cultural differences) to the urgent (is this the right dosage of medicine???). I threw...
by Damian Torres-Botello, SJ | Sep 6, 2016 | Blogs, Spirituality ~ Approx. 3 mins
“Look how fat she is!” The loud whisper was intentional as the woman passed their table in the Chicago restaurant. “I bet she’ll order a large Diet Coke – they all do!” The girls giggle, drop their cash on the table and leave. My heart sinks. I look over at the...
by Bill McCormick, SJ | Sep 3, 2016 | Global Catholicism, Spirituality ~ Approx. 4 mins
I am not a saint. When I think of a “saint,” I think of someone holy, close to God. When I think of myself, I think of someone trying to be holy, someone somewhat close to God… But what is a saint? Maybe saints don’t always feel close to God. Perhaps they...
