A Beacon of Light

“Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you.”  Ignatius of Loyola Forty years ago today, my brother, Tom, was ordained to the Jesuit priesthood at Saint Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. It goes without saying that he was strongly influenced by his experience as a student…

It was a perfect storm. A Friday in June. Spectacular weather forecast for the weekend. Road construction. Egotistical drivers, most in Teslas and BMWs, attempting to impress other drivers with their Indy 500 racing skills on a congested highway. More road construction. Cars, trucks, motorcycles. A horrific accident which required closing two lanes of I-80…

“It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.”  John Wooden It’s a morning I will never forget. In June 1974, with the resident students at Bellarmine College Prep having moved out of the dormitory for the summer, I had the responsibility of being the live-in liaison between the school and outside groups that…

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.”  Joseph Campbell After graduating from elementary school in June 1968, I attended Saint Ignatius High School at Turk & Stanyan Streets in San Francisco. In the fall of 1969, which was the beginning of my sophomore year, the school moved from the Stanyan…

“70 might be the new 40, but 9:00 p.m. is the new midnight.”  I received a number of birthday messages today. I appreciate all those who expressed their condolences on my turning seventy. One email in particular is worth a share. It began with a welcome to The Wonder Years, as in: • I wonder…