by Peter James | Mar 8, 2025 | John Donne
“John Donne, Anne Donne, Undone” were the whimsical words written in the aftermath of a clandestine marriage. The English poet John Donne (1572-1631) married Anne Moore secretly, against her father’s wishes. Anne’s dad wanted her to marry...
by Peter James | Mar 7, 2025 | Soren Kierkegaard
Some people are hard to peg. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) is one such person. He is eminently quotable yet challenging to read. He broke off his engagement with Regina while admitting he was still deeply in love with her. He wrote with an acerbic pen yet was also...
by Peter James | Mar 6, 2025 | Catherine of Siena
Jesus was the epitome of contemplation in action. He was a model contemplative, withdrawing from people at regular intervals for intentional prayer. Yet he was also an activist, healing the sick and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. His rich inner life directed his...
by Peter James | Mar 5, 2025 | Samuel Crossman
John Ireland was having lunch with a friend who asked him if he would compose a tune for the poem, “My Song is Love Unknown.” John reached for the menu and sketched out a tune in fifteen minutes. His friend published the poem as a hymn in 1918 and rescued...
by Peter James | Mar 4, 2025 | Favorite, Thomas Aquinas
His parents had a cushy job picked out for him. Thomas would become abbot (leader) of a wealthy monastery that had grown lax in monastic rigor. Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225-1274) did not share his parent’s enthusiasm for this prearranged scheme. He aspired to set...
