Fumbling towards Beatitude

By John D. O’Brien, S.J.  Photo: John O'Brien, S.J. Coming so soon from watching one of the most moving and remarkable films I’ve ever seen, I was inspired when I received a song by Canadian songwriter and musician Erin Leahy that explored similar themes . Leahy’s “Calling All People to Life”, like the movie Gravity , dwells upon the idea of the inherent fragility and value of human life, pivots upon the power of prayer, alludes to the fundamental choice between life and death, and has great exultant motifs of baptism and rebirth. Already getting radio-play, this new song from the Juno-award winning artist captures several basic themes from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius . I invite readers to listen to the song for themselves, which is posted here with her permission:

There was a great turn-out and wonderful response to the Ignatian Discernment retreat on Jan 26 at St. Mark's Parish/College in Vancouver, B.C. A snapshot of Jesuits in action. With, Fr. Mbugua "the growler" William, S.J. Fr. John "I clench my fists when I'm angry" McCarthy, S.J. Fr. Elton "the discernment origamist" Fernandes, S.J., Um, me, "boxing fanatic" O'Brien, Kevin "the hitman" Eng, esquire, And a group of more than fifty young adults from twenty parishes in nine Greater Vancouver cities... Thanks are due to St. Mark's College for being our host, the college council of the Knights of Columbus for providing lunch, and Fr. Rob Allore, S.J., pastor St. Mark's Parish for the use of the Church for Adoration and Mass... A.M.G.D. That's what this was all about.

If anyone knows young adults in the Vancouver area looking for something like this right now... forward it to them -- and have them email me.