For me, one of the most wondrous and graced moments in doing the work of ministry as a jail chaplain, in being present to the inmates, is that years can go by and I will not have any contact with the people I visited in jail. Each month, I reflect on some of the names I remember and on many of the names I forgot but I remember their faces. And some of the stories I remember as well. There are a few common threads in most of the stories. Yet each and every story is as unique as the person telling the story. And then suddenly out of the blue, I hear from them. This week I received two phone calls from inmates I had not heard from in years, wishing me a Merry Christmas and saying thank-you for the visit 5, 6 years ago. What a gift! Blessings to all in this Christmas season! Pace e Bene!

God bless you, CJ, and God bless the inmates! God give you peace.

-- Brother Carlo --

Thank-you, Br. Carlo! For this "thread", I am interested also in "What has been surprising for you in misistry?" "Where has there been a shift in your thinking?" "How do you see things differently now as a direct result of an encounter with someone to whom you ministered?" To put this in Franciscan language: "Share the story of your own meeting with THE LEPER." I serve on a committee at the hospital in which we interview the graduating CPE students (Clinical Pastoral Education). This is one of my favorite topics to cover with them. So I offer it now with all of you! Pace e Bene!

Chiming in to say "amen" to Carlo's blessing of your ministry, CJ.

Thank-you, Sr. Sophie Elisa! Looking forward to the possibility of the first ever chapter/convocation of those in the wild, wild West! Pace e Bene!

Dear Brother CJ: I haven't met many lepers lately. The leper who has given me the most difficulty is me. Whenever I behold it, I try to embrace my leprosy, or rather what is not whole in me. I am probably too weak to have our Lord send me others with leprosy beyond myself. May God give me grace to embrace each one when he does. As to ministry, mine has to do with praying for peace. I have been considering beginning a Christian Meditation group in my locality to point people in the right direction, to inner-peace. The group I used to lead was taken over (I let it go) by a Quaker friend. But this fall, after a summer suspension she decided to lay it down. (Party because we now have a mid-week or Wednesday Meeting For Worship and my friend did not want to have too many commitments.) I feel there is still a need for a contemplative prayer group in my area and may follow this leading through to begin one yet again.

--Brother Carlo--


P.S. Nice to hear from you. Happy New Year! God give you peace.

Love your leper as you love yourself! Pace e Bene!

I am trying to"...Be Open..." I think that is what ministry is, an opening up to the call of God and Spirit in our lives. I am now without a job,(I won't go into the details here...) But I am seeing it as a call from within the Mist, for me to move forward. I have been working on workshops, and writings and it is time time to bring some of this reality out into the world. My work on urban violence remains untouched. I found out yesterday in a Service, centered on World AIDS Day, that while Blacks make up 6% of the population we make up 24% of HIV cases in Massachusetts. It is here and I suspect elsewhere around the country a, "State of Emergency for People of Color" ... the title of the talk. It is tied with so many issues the speaker naming racism #1. I am looking at the pulling together of a Quaker Hermitage, and just in general spending more time in solitude and prayer. A year ago even 2 month ago I would not have had the energy to do much more then - just think about these ideas. Having the energy to move forward is a wonderful gift. How silly Francis and Clare must have looked to most of their peers, walking away from wealth and other trappings of worldly power. I think it was scary for them. It is scary for me. But I think all of us who walk this Franciscan path are in the same boat... God is calling and we are responding. I have faith that ....................
Good will happen! It may be Hard, but it will still be GOOD! Prayer accepted...

Amen Br Greg! You inspire me deeply. May you find yourself doing exactly what it is God desires of you, and may that joy be your strong foundation!

Amen, Brother Carlo, there's a leper within all of us, something that we zealously keep secret and are ashamed of. My leper is my experience with mental illness as a young man. And as I try to kiss that leper now, I am called to kiss that leper in its many persons in the world. God knows they need it...

Kiss the leper within--it'll help you kiss the lepers around you.

Peace,

Brer Bruce

Bro. Bruce thank you for sharing your leper with us.