tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55379786051070654922011-08-09T14:44:58.388-05:00This is the blog for the parish-wide book study at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Austin, Texas entitled One-Book-One-Parish. This fall we are reading "Radical Hospitality" by Daniel Homan, OSB and Lonni Collins Pratt. We hope you will enjoy participating in our blog led by Nancy Biehler, Director of Adult Faith Formation.One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-4108279211637383882010-11-11T17:37:00.000-06:002010-11-11T17:37:23.676-06:00

The subject of personal boundaries is addressed in Chapter 8, but in a way that we do not often consider. Each of us has set, or at least tried to set, our personal limits for how we live our lives. But have we considered how we may infringe on the boundaries that others set for themselves? i can’t deny that I am the world’s worst, and have been guilty of interrupting another’s right to speak

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-82963915480446028132010-11-02T16:37:00.000-05:002010-11-02T16:37:15.004-05:00

Though Chapter 6 moves us back to the awesome responsibility of listening in our relationships, it does also offer an important clarification of what intimacy in relationship is all about -- really hearing what the "other" in our life is saying, and deepening the level of relationship as a result of doing so. It broadens the whole scope of intimacy for those who have limited it to a physical

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-56336828279279861022010-10-26T16:35:00.000-05:002010-10-26T16:35:20.601-05:00

The earliest memories I have of my mother are those of how she loved to set the table with all the proper appointments -- matching placemats, crystal, plates and silverware. Every detail was attended to -- and the table was always set, even when there was no dinner planned. She would change out the glassware, or the tablecloth, or the placemats, to offer different dining presentations. She was

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-40674087200921712322010-10-19T17:32:00.000-05:002010-10-19T17:32:34.196-05:00

Please use the Twitter hashtag, #SJNRadical, for the One-Book-One-Parish read, "Radical Hospitality." Be radical, be welcoming!

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-53659101908087136442010-10-19T15:13:00.000-05:002010-10-19T15:13:39.595-05:00

How we hate to move out of our comfort zones! But, how we hate to be considered "predictable" either! I have to say that it is almost hurtful to have to admit to living a "narrow life," enjoying the company of folks I "get along with," who tend to support issues the way I do. Some of them have greater convictions than I, but we still think alike. There's an important reflection point you are

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-3617104020835533432010-10-11T13:06:00.000-05:002010-10-11T13:06:09.970-05:00

It's interesting to look at hospitality as a "spiritual practice" because we don't always think of our personal conversations with Christ as related. In fact, we all want to have a relationship with Him, and to do that, He teaches us that when we welcome the "least" among us, we welcome Him. But it can be awkward and uncomfortable for us to venture into the unknown in greeting the stranger. We

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-6758372018118581042010-10-03T12:55:00.000-05:002010-10-03T12:55:48.296-05:00

I very much appreciated the reference in the Introduction, that Benedict's rule was based on the accumulation of "uncomplicated wisdom" that created a framework for how to live a good life. The foundation for learning the rule is, quite simply, listening. But for those of us who are leaders and talkers, listening is sometimes a hard skill to come by. I have worked on it for years, and have only

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-14836313465827417882010-09-28T09:14:00.000-05:002010-09-28T09:14:12.230-05:00

Our "parish read" this fall, Radical Hospitality, offers a delightful, and somewhat probing discussion of all the ways we can be welcoming to the stranger. We're planning almost seven weeks to read this 270-page book (counting the intro), and I would recommend that you consider organizing your reading as follows: WEEK 1 -- Introduction and Chapter 1: Right out of the box, Fr. Daniel explains

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-36804473470214211812010-09-22T21:20:00.000-05:002010-09-22T21:20:00.750-05:00

St. John Neumann's Parish-Wide Reading Program announces our 2010-2011 fall parish book: Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way Of Love by Daniel Homan, OSB and Lonni Collins Pratt. Order your materials online or in the parish office for our very popular parish community-wide book read: One-Book-One-Parish. Program kicks-off on October 3rd and materials will be at the Between the Masses talk waiting

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-76884425331873649842010-03-27T23:28:00.005-05:002010-03-27T23:45:48.845-05:00

Thanks to all the parishioners who turned out for our book discussion potluck dinner tonight! We had a great time with fellowship, food and faith-filled discussion about "Left to Tell" and its powerful messages. If you would like to read some of the discussion questions, we have two sources for you:(1) Questions with related scripture verses (prepared by Kristin Zika) and(2) Questions discussed

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-16682965078059353272010-03-15T08:09:00.005-05:002010-03-15T08:17:32.784-05:00

Last week, a lovely, thoughtful and sincere young woman asked me, "why are people so reluctant to go to confession?" I think it's because we really don't know what is happening when we walk into the confessional.Father Henri Nouwen, in his beautiful book, Life of the Beloved, told us that the original Hebrew meaning of the word “to sin”, is “to forget”. When I read that, I was so moved. That is

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-75194386439532427872010-02-25T23:44:00.002-06:002010-02-25T23:47:02.356-06:00

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-12034392572168896782010-02-25T21:45:00.001-06:002010-02-25T21:51:44.440-06:00

Someone once said, “Life is an adventure in forgiveness”. In fact, forgiveness is the center of our relationship with Christ. It is for forgiveness’ sake that He entered the world. His greatest work of creation, was not the grandeur of cosmic spectacle, or the incomprehensible order of molecular physics. For these, God had only to make something out of nothing, which for Him, was simply to

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-87637142272733281382010-02-25T21:40:00.002-06:002010-02-25T21:44:31.784-06:00

This spring, we are reading Left to Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza. A Roman Catholic and Tutsi, Immaculée was born in Rwanda and studied electronic and mechanical engineering at the National University. She lost most of her family during the 1994 genocide. Four years later, she emigrated to the United States and began working at the United Nations in New York City. She is now a full-time public

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-4317050790090147532009-11-01T08:33:00.004-06:002009-11-01T08:38:40.410-06:00

You may be interested in this mini-workshop by Ron Rolheiser on The Eucharist. Below is a clip from the two-hour presentation available at www.videoswithvalues.org. The DVD features Fr. Ron Rolheiser explaining that we are a Eucharist people, a Eucharistic church, a community formed and nurtured by the Eucharist. How does the Eucharist work? What are its various meanings?

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-46267378932248019622009-10-31T17:44:00.012-05:002009-10-31T18:36:54.871-05:00

The talk on Thursday night and the retreat on Friday with Fr. Ronald Rolheiser were really a wonderful renewal for several of us on staff, as well as numerous parishioners. I wish all the parish could have experienced this gift. There were so many different points brought up during the retreat; I'm just going to post on one or so at a time. Today, I'd like to post about some comments Fr.

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-30620411442974776212009-10-31T17:39:00.000-05:002009-10-31T17:40:04.312-05:00

Yesterday, I spent a wonderful day with some dear friends...Hilary, Nancy, Jo, and Elinor at Father Rolheiser's workshop on leadership at St. Edward's. He was addressing some important questions. "How do we lead when we ourselves are burdened and tired? How do we lead others and not be unduly influenced by our own egos, wounds, ideologies, tiredness, and temperaments? How do we tap into a

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-7442518320811735242009-10-28T08:48:00.008-05:002009-10-28T08:56:17.252-05:00

In this chapter, Father Rolheiser discusses the factors that mitigate against contemplation in our culture; narcissism, pragmatism, and unbridled restlessness. I found it very interesting to read this chapter in light of what the Church teaches about the temporal consequences of sin. Now, we all know that "sin" is a much maligned concept these days. But a different perspective on sin might be

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-37628068793918049072009-10-27T22:54:00.002-05:002009-10-27T23:01:09.219-05:00

Fr. Bud Roland, Sally Robb, Hilary Olson and Nancy Biehler will be attending Fr. Rolheiser's talk on Thursday night at St. Edward's University. If you are planning to attend, please let us know as we are hoping to sit together as parishioners.Please note that the room assignment at St. Ed's has been modified. Information below:The 8th Annual Sr. Mary Rose McPhee Lecture with Ronald

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-25249448051239170882009-10-18T10:35:00.005-05:002009-10-28T08:58:24.421-05:00

Dear Fellow Readers, There are many different ways to generate a more thoughtful and informed faith. Certainly, one of them is to read insightful and challenging books that lead us to examine our faith in a deeper way. When we genuinely seek the Truth….He will find us! For Christ is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”. Father Rolheiser, in his book The Shattered Lantern: Rediscovering a

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5537978605107065492.post-28708716665541718992009-10-14T16:57:00.000-05:002009-10-14T17:26:27.795-05:00

Dear Parishioners,This fall, we will be reading The Shattered Lantern by Ronald Rolheiser, OMI for our parish book study, One Book One Parish. The program will begin October 17th/18th weekend, will include this online blogging community for One Book One Parish and will culminate in a parish event for personal discussion and sharing on November 21st. You can pick up a copy of The Shattered Lantern

One Book One Parish Programnoreply@blogger.com2