Deacon Ralph Poyo once told me: “if you’re not looking for ways to serve the people around you, then you’re expecting to be served.” Yikes! That’ll preach. 

I could have been born hundreds of years ago in a world without Netflix, Doritos, and lawn mowers. I could have been born into a different family and grown up in a different country. But that’s not my story.

You know that scene in The Lion King where young Simba and Nala are cornered by the hyenas in the elephant graveyard? They’re pinned on all sides! Simba tries to scare off his enemies with a roar but it’s just not enough. Simba decides to give it another go, but this time - it’s different.

Few moments have shaken my resolve to be Catholic as much as the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report released last year. The scandal and crimes committed by priests, the silence...the victims. It is hard to take in.

A mind blowing sunrise exploding with color, a clear and crisp starry night, the still water of a massive lake and the sound of silence in the wilderness; the sweet smell of incense, pine trees, the ocean, home cooking, and perfume; the warmth of a fire while reading a good book or a dose of great poetry