When Nerds Rock Out: The Unusual Marriage of Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer

By Eric Hanna, S.J.

(Photo: Wikipedia)

There's no question that I have always been a nerd. I'm not defensive about the definition of nerds and their sub-classes. I don't fight over which of Star Wars or Star Trek was better. But I like to think of myself as a gentle, introverted, imaginative person with glasses and no desire or likelihood of ever being 'cool'.

Few people are more nerdy than a favourite author of mine, Neil Gaiman. He penned American Gods and The Graveyard Book and is famous for juxtaposing tales of fairies and enchantment with the realism of city life in the age of apps and apartments. He has immense nerd credibility for writing things like graphic novels and episodes of Dr. Who: but more importantly, he comes off as a genuinely humble and kind person, delighted just to be sharing fun stories for a living. Imagine my surprise when a friend of mine mentioned that he married a punk rocker.

Answering the Call: St. Matthew, Pope Francis, and Me

By Brother Daniel Leckman, S.J.

Caravaggio's “The Calling of St. Matthew”

Who are we called to be as Jesuits? This is a pretty big question. As individuals, each one of us can talk about who we are and what defines us. For example, I love the Beatles, Arcade Fire, the Philadelphia Flyers and Pope Francis.  Anyone who meets me will end up hearing a lot about those things.  But some aspects of identity are more difficult to talk about.

My particular vocation as a Jesuit is deeply a part of me … yet not easily communicated. When people ask about it, I usually offer something like, “I am who God is making me,” or, “I’m work in progress.” But such simple replies cannot convey the whole story.

Happiness On Trial – Part II

By Artur Suski, S.J.

In my last blog (“Happiness on Trial I”), I presented two ideas of the Christian vocation. You are all very familiar with the first: “I want to be happy!” The Christian strives above all for her happiness. St. Thomas – with “a little help from his friend”, that is, Aristotle – states that the Christian will only be happy if she lives according to her human nature, and to truly live according to human nature, she is to be a ‘reasonable’ person; in other words, to use her reason. St. Thomas, of course, goes further than Aristotle: not only are we to use our noggin properly, we are also to contemplate God’s truths. We, however, will only be complete and truly fulfilled when we see God face to face. But it is not that simple … it is only when we live virtuous lives that we will be properly disposed to ascend to this glorious beatific vision!

So, what is wrong with this model? I’ve pointed out in my last post, using Bl. Duns Scotus’ reasoning, that this is too “me-centred”. Check out what Hans Urs von Balthasar says about this: “Now, if according to St. Thomas, God is the indispensable One, that without which the hunger for happiness cannot attain its end, is not there in this concept the danger of turning God inadvertently into an end? … In this perspective, God can certainly be the end of the human being – a desired end perhaps sought out through asceticism and mystical passion, with a scrupulous observance of the Commandments – but at the end of the day, it will be my end, it promises my ultimate fulfillment.”

When the World Feels Heavy: The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength

By Santiago Rodriguez, S.J.

There is a certain anxiety that comes with reading the newspaper and discussing with others the situation of the world. I often experience the angst of knowing that so many are suffering, and there is so little I can do. Many a time, I feel like Atlas, with the weight of the world upon my shoulders. Other times, I feel numb.

This past week has been rather eventful. Every event heightened my sense of responsibility for the well-being of those who are suffering. This heightened responsibility seemed to echo the magis, the more. “What more can I do for my suffering brothers and sisters?” is a reverberation of, “What more can I do for God?” I was seized by the question, but I found no answer. Be it facilitating an event on immigration in Canada; participating in talks with a government official about the relationship between Canada and Colombia; working as a translator for a group of Mexican activists and human right defenders; or attending a International Women’s Day event highlighting the voice of women in Africa. The question only became more urgent; it was impregnated with new meanings and depth. With so many people in need in the world, what can I do? Where should I start?

Becoming a Man for Others

By Brother Daniel Leckman, S.J.

“What’s it like being a religious in the 21^st century?” Not many people ever ask me that question so directly, but you can sort of tell that they want to. Many people really don’t get it.

Some don’t get why someone would ‘throw their life (or their freedom) away’ in order to live a celibate life dedicated to Christ poor and to obedience. Others may not understand the concept of ‘a vocation’: giving every ounce of your being to those in need, putting others before yourself, and making the community central to your entire life. Finally, there are those who think they know the Catholic Church a little better, and they may be concerned, and wonder why anyone would want to commit all of their energies to an institution that they consider as irrelevant. They may see the Church as a giant sinking ship of sorts, that once had tremendous glory and importance in the world, but is slowly disappearing into oblivion and within 50 years or so, will have vanished from most major cities in the West. So, obviously to those people, the concept of a life given to the Christ and His bride (The Church) sounds likes a wasted life.

There are a few things that I would love to convey to people when attempting to deal with these types of questions: I wish I could make them understand how important Jesus is to all of humanity; how, despite her struggles, shortcomings and imperfections, the Church continues to do far more great works throughout the entire world than most other organizations out there; how society as a whole would be so much better off if people could learn to balance their secular way of seeing life and creation  with a more God centered view of the world. However, I either don’t have all the gifts I need to communicate this, or those pressing me for answers are not willing to listen (thus becoming “People who hear without listening”. Thank you Paul Simon!). At such moments, it would be easy for me to lose all hope and give up on them, but instead, I chose to witness about my life as a Jesuit brother.

Chastity a la Curry

By Santiago Rodriguez, S.J.

During a dinner conversation last night, I was telling some of my Jesuit brothers about an issue of Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits that I am reading; an issue titled Living Chastity: psychosexual well-being in Jesuit life, and written by Fr. Gerdenio Sonny Manuel, SJ. In the aftermath of the sex abuse crisis in the Church, Fr. Manuel writes that more than ever it is important for us to talk about the positive aspects – psychological, social and spiritual – of living chaste and celibate. He proposes five practices of religious life that promote psychosexual health: 1) living close to God and our deepest desires; 2) developing broad and deep interpersonal relationships and communities of support; 3) asking for love, nurturing others, and negotiating separation; 4) coping with stress and recognizing destructive patterns of behaviour; and 5) celebrating the holy in the company of Jesus.