A Contemporary Nativity Scene
A few years ago, the outdoor nativity scene at the Vatican evoked some startling responses. Some people said it was strange and certainly not inspiring; others called it grotesque, ugly—all […]
Entries by Amanda Hackett
Dropping Temperatures
This month, my mind went blank when I was considering what to blog about. So I sought help form a colleague and asked her to “Give me a topic, any […]
Friendliest Country to Migrants
I was very saddened last week when I read the opinion of columnist Fareed Zakaria in the Washington Post (11/4/22): “The United States is no longer the world’s friendliest country […]
Life Lessons Learned Through a Game of Cards
At the age of 94, my mom still loves a good game of cards. As a child, I remember her monthly Bridge games with neighbors or a church group; she […]
Blessing
As a Benedictine Live-In Experience volunteer, I serve in many departments and have had a lot of wonderful experiences with different sisters and staff at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. It’s meaningful […]
Dorothy Day: A Modern-Day Saint?
Oblate Sunday on November 20 featured oblate Clarey McInerny speaking about Dorothy Day. Her enthusiastic and animated presentation not only covered the life of Dorothy Day, but also her activism […]
How to Be Eucharist
εὐχαριστία eucharistia berakah בְּרָכָה Thank you! eucharistia and berakah are feminine nouns. The first is Greek and the second is Hebrew from which the Greek was translated. Those words are […]
Visio Divina of Life
As a Benedictine Live-In Experience volunteer, I have many departments I serve in, including at Saint Scholastica Convent, the sisters’ retirement center, just down the road in St. Cloud. One […]
Connecting With You
The fall leaves glisten—reflective upon the lake this crisp morning. Being tucked away in the stillness awaiting that which is to come—the momentary pause breathes life. “Behold, I make all […]
Life of a Live-In Volunteer
I am a Benedictine Live-In Experience volunteer. What a mouthful. Usually the title gets shortened to “live-in volunteer,” although “Jack of All Trades” or “all over the place” also fit. […]
