Spring 2026

DIFFERENCES Lately it seems that all we hear about is how divided we are in this country, and how different our opinions are on all sorts of things. With such deep differences and divisions, how are we able to hold together? Winter 2025 newsletter in PDF (1.7 MB)

SPEAKING Recently I have become more and more aware of how unaware I am of how I speak, my tone of voice, my facial expressions, sometimes even my choice of words. It is a great gift to become aware in this way, though a humbling gift. I am realizing how much my tone of voice…

STAYING THE COURSE What a challenging year it continues to be—and likely will continue to be as we head towards fall and winter. And so we trudge along in this perilous ‘new normal.’ We endure. But it’s hard. We need to find ways to help ourselves stay the course. Fall 2020 Newsletter in PDF format…

RELAXING When we think about trying to follow the Gospel directives, or in old-fashioned terms, the practice of virtue, we normally associate this with a lot of effort. Suppose that what is needed is not more will power, or muscle power, or major inner strategies? Suppose we might need to relax. Relax? Summer 2021 Newsletter…

Recently we hosted a weekend preached retreat here at the Hermitage. In setting up times for lectures and discussions with Sr. Donald Corcoran, our presenter, it happened that we left long blocks of free time for people. There were long stretches of free time early Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, again in the evening, and also…

“Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free, tis a gift to come down where you want to be….” So runs the opening line of the famous Shaker hymn, hauntingly beautiful and evocative of the Spirit it celebrates. These lines spring readily to my mind as I gaze on the simplicity…