Why We Need Friends

By John D. O’Brien, S.J. 

Credit: www.spectator.co.uk

You are my friend, 

I never knew it 'til then 

My friend, my friend 

– Patti Labelle

Frank Capra’s beloved classic It’s a Wonderful Life explores a number of themes, but perhaps the most important – or at least the final word – is given to the angel Clarence, who leaves his copy of Tom Sawyer to George Bailey with this line inscribed: “Remember George, no man is a failure who has friends.” That even the most mundane and provincial of lives can be considered a success if it includes the gift of friendship, is a profoundly Christian idea. Yet it also immediately begs a number of questions. What is true friendship? What differentiates friendship from other kinds of loving relationships? And is it the number or the quality of friendship that is the more important?

Apathetic No More: Reconciliation over a Cup of Tea

 By Santiago Rodriguez, S.J.

On the calender of the Catholic Church, the twelfth of December is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Given her importance to all native peoples around the world, some of our Ibo contributors have decided to launch a two-part series on Aboriginal justice. 

Santiago with members of Holy Cross Parish in Wikwemikong, Ontario

When the first two Jesuits arrived in Port Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1611, the Mi'kmaq people became friends of the Jesuits and supporters of their mission in the Annapolis Valley. In the spring of 2011, as I toured different Mi'kmaq communities in Nova Scotia to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Jesuits in Canada, I visited Holy Family Parish at the Eskasoni First Nation.

On that cold May morning, I joined a group of Mi'kmaq Elders for tea and sweet bread after Mass. As my conversation with the Elders began, half of my tea ended all over my shirt and my pants. I can be an accident-prone klutz at times. I have butterfingers and an incredible ability to fall down the stairs. While I am used to being a stumblebum in front of my family and friends, in that moment I was mortified because I was there on official business. I tried to make light of the situation by joking that I needed to start wearing diapers. I laughed at my own joke, but nobody else did. I sat down again after cleaning up the mess, feeling a bit self-conscious and humbled. While I held my refilled cup of tea with both hands, I noticed one of the Elders looking at me with a mischievous smile. She laughed a little bit and told me how glad she was to learn that some Jesuits need to wear diapers. We all laughed at her comment.

A Theobud’s Journey to Meet the Doctor: The Enthusiastic Discovery of the Time Lord

By Brother Daniel Leckman, S.J.

nuevaprensa.net

It’s been a busy academic year. The fall term was quite intense with 5 courses. This term felt like “all Aquinas, all the time”, but it had a much more enjoyable pace – at least, until the last few weeks! One of the greatest joys in my life this past semester (besides our Risen Lord of course!) were my friends at Regis, Sarah, Lauren, Abbey, Amy and Erica. They are part of a group of students at Regis that played their respective part in making my semester far more enjoyable than it should have been!

This group, which is affectionately known as the Theobuds (and is far bigger than just us), really has been one of the great highlights of my year at Regis. This group has been instrumental in helping me understand what my own future ministry in the Society could be.

In Praise of Calvin and Hobbes

By Eric Hanna, S.J.

http://media.avclub.com

Chances are you've heard of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. If you haven't, I highly recommend you start reading it and don't stop. To my mind, it equals any work of literature in terms of its depth of character and its exploration of the human experience. Also, it's a pleasure to read: it is very funny and beautifully drawn. It's one of those marvellous experiences that are all-too-easy to miss. So let me tell you about it.

Calvin is an ordinary boy of grade-school age whose best friend is his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, who comes alive as the product of Calvin's imagination. Hobbes and Calvin are playmates and philosophical sparring partners. Hobbes' main trait is how he demonstrates the value of friendship. He is someone with whom Calvin can share the moment, explore possibilities, and from whom he can learn a new perspective. What's great is that neither Calvin nor Hobbes can escape a child's lack of experience. They look at the world through fresh eyes.