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Le blog de la Bergerie Sharing the faith . . . in English . . . et en français! |
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Heretics, Iconoclasts and Tattoos a short reflection on John of Damascus and Flannery O'Connor... On the crucial importance of obedience, humility, and the Body of Christ all I can say is Thank God for the Incarnation! read it here 
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 Attacks in Paris and our RESPONSES, an attempt at listing articles and testimonies, so many of them extremely moving and definitively informative... because it was - and it still is - such an edifying and defining moment: here |
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René Girard, a tribute. In French and in English. I greatly love his writings, I keep going back to them and, in the days following his death, on November 4 2015, I posted many quotes, comments and links read them here |
On Bagels and Love here
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Laudate Si Excerpts, quotes, a collage and some photos about this wonderful encyclical from Pope Francis, on an integral ecology, with charity, with reason, for the common good, in French and in English; read it here |
On Pope Francis visit to the US, October 2015
here |
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Epiphany! The feast of Epiphany 2015 was very special to me, let's say those days of early January changed my life and my family life and it is ALL GOOD! here |
A stormy afternoon by the Pacific |
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The Challenges of Caring About the small daily struggles and successes, about loving and caring for our families, mini-stories of my life journey, tidbits and pix on wisdom and faith, updated April 2014 read it here |
On Seizing the Moment of Lent here |
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Psaume 1 Lire ici le psaume et le commentaire. 
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Catholic San Francisco
published my Advent meditation: Catholic San Francisco published my commentary
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Catholic San Francisco
published my reflection on prayers: |
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| Pentecost Reflection: |
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Two slide shows with recent photos (Nov and Dec 2010) in
the valley of the Haut-Giffre, in Haute-Savoie, France. Especially in
black and white, snow scenes are beautiful!
(Black & White: here and in color: here )
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I have made a few simple videos (via Animoto
or xtranormal, two terrific sites)
and here are the links to the ones I uploaded to YouTube : - Un petit tour of my city : here - Summer Fog: here - Berry Verrine recipe: here - A ray of hope will bring a smile to your face: here - The new Presentator: here - Je pars en vacances: here (IN FRENCH) - Cheese Puff Pastries recipe (on Animoto) : here - The only sustainable peace (on Vimeo) : here - A mini Flash movie on the theology of Saint Therese de Lisieux (on my blog): here |
| Psaume
65 Lire ici le psaume et le commentaire. 
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THE
CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP, "Jesus of Nazareth" from Benedict XVI, the high moment of the Transfiguration, an insight from Saint Ephraim and the fuller understanding of Scriptures. here |
The 3 stages of life my own reflection on the time-line of our life... The current crises and the next crises The economy crises and the next threat to tear apart the fabric of society... |
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When
the allegorical sense surpasses the litteral one. I read a wonderful article by Robert Louis Wilken on the history of the allegorical sense in Biblical studies and it got me to think why it meant so much to me, so suddenly, so late in life... Wilken says that "Christian allegory is centered on Christ, it means interpreting the Old Testament as a book about Christ. Saint Ambrose wrote: "The Lord Jesus came and what was old was new". Everything in Scriptures is to be related to him". Read more here . |
I have written an Open Letter to Ingrid Betancourt, whom I admire so much and whose release brought me - and the whole world - so much joy and so much hope, such a wonderful sense that peace is possible! Read it here and see my meditation/slideshow on praying to Mary Most Holy. |
Pour une liste alphabétique des articles & prières |
Free
Tibet! When the Olympic Torch went thru my City. See my thoughts and my hopes and my pictures here . |
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He died and was buried and descended to hell... 
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The Descent: traditional or dissenting? What
happened that famous Saturday 2000 years ago is of the utmost importance
for us and for the whole world. A commentary on "Light in Darkness" by
Alyssa Pitstick on the theology of the Descent and Balthasar
here . |
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Help on the spiritual journey.
"If you don't know God, your purpose in life is to discover him. If you do know God, your purpose in life is to cling to him." My own Litanies of Gratitude and Fervent Intercessions here about my favorite saints and my favorite writers in the life of faith. Suffering... A commentary: here . |
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The Delicate Juggling Art of "Praying as a Family" with many suggestions
for the beginners or the more advanced among us |
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The
precarious position of the domestic church in the global village
(On how to build and defend the faith-life of the family) The family is the very first school of love. But not according to the many messages being repeatedly offered as attractive models in the surrounding popular culture. Messages which are in direct conflict with the Christian faith: about instant gratification rather than developing patience and fortitude, messages about feeding our own needs rather than exercising the love of neighbor, about glorifying individualism rather than working for the common good. (posted at CATHOLIC ONLINE, Oct 17, 2006) See longer article here with pictures and references and links See shorter version here (published in the "Catholic San Francisco" newspaper June 2008) |
| Hope is both the goal and the journey. see my own commentary after reading Spe Salvi,  the encyclical about HOPE here (published in the "Catholic San Francisco" newspaper March 2007) |
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Letter to
my friend Humilité . We haven’t got together in a while so I thought I would write you a note to catch up. Actually, I did see you very briefly the other day on the bus when you averted a mini-drama. The old Chinese lady was sitting right behind the bus driver and was getting ready to get off the bus. She was watching the road, gathering her cane and her bags of oranges when.... Read more here and see what reading a good (and different) book encouraged me to write. |
Why hope? I wondered why God wants us to have hope and practice it and to be people of hope for others here |
Beauty
in nature: the 4 Seasons of 2007 |
Beauty
in nature: the 4 Seasons of 2007 |
"Faith in the face of the growing storms"a reflection on the "stormy" state of our world: |
There are two storms on the horizon and they are both fast approaching: one is called Dissention and its fierce winds will agitate us and tear us apart. The other one is called Confusion and its menacing clouds will blind us, its sweeping rain will drench us and paralyze us. The storms will attack our families and our communities, it will zero in on our Church and our country, our neighbors, our allies and our enemies alike. No one will escape them. see article |
a slide show on the Lenten Journey here |
The
Triduum. |
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From the edge
of the Golden Gate Bridge to the heart of the
culture of life The Bridge, suicide and assisted suicide and how our contemporary culture is more willing to get rid of the ones who are suffering rather than show compassion and take the time to hold their hand and embrace them and listen to them. (article posted on the site "Catholics For The Common Good" in February 2005) for the culture of life and against "assisted suicide"... see article |
The
end of the CULTURE WAR on contrasting "the spirit of Pentecost" and the "clamors of Babel". A reflection on ethics and action and compassion and a book by Fr. Cantalamessa. Making a clear distinction between building the culture of life on one hand or adding fuel to the culture war bonfire on the other hand. (posted at CATHOLIC ONLINE, December 2, 2006) see article |
I wrote a (little) story about Meeting the truth about Global Warming on a beach in California... Just a few thoughts and a few pictures here |
When Walking for Life is like Running the Gauntlet On the very first West Coast Walk for Life 2005 Walk For Life 2006 Walk For Life 2008 Walk For Life 2009 |
The Cross is the Tree of life... 
You made the cross the tree of life - give its fruit to those reborn in baptism… Prayer, love and the three kinds of obedience. See here |
"Europe!"
and the faith and the faithful. A reflection on the status of the faith in Europe, following the rejection of the European Treaty and after reading a fascinating book from Benedict XVI on the many facets of the European situation. see article |
On
faith and prayers and one specific desire... (on spiritual communion) (posted at CATHOLIC ONLINE, March 20, 2007) see article |
| I just finished
the book on Mother Teresa's private writings |
Of rolling fog
and driving faith and Mother Theresa. |
What
I learned from "God is love" A commentary on the encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" (posted on Spirit Daily April 8 2006) I told my friend that I had got that kind of comment a few times myself and that it really irritated me because, as she did, I did not know what to say but I felt instinctively that I ought to be able to articulate my faith better. Lucky for me, Pope Benedict XVI just did this for me. see article here |
See my Slideshow on Ice in the Creek and Job
37:5-13 here
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Review of Prof. Burke's book on "John the Baptist" and the many paradoxical aspects of his life and mission see article |
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The
death of John Paul II (posted on Catholics For The Common Good site in April 2005) and the ensuing tsunami of prayers and good will and sincere concerns spreading around the globe following the death of the Pope. This is quite a window of opportunity for all of us to beg God for blessings on His Church and on the whole world, for forgiveness for the structures of sins in our own culture and for mercy on our own weakness and timidity in living out our faith. see article |
"Choisir" le Christ.
Introduisant la Preface du prochain livre de Benoit XVI sur Jesus voir l'article |
One
plenary indulgence for the Day of the sick see article |
"The tsunamis & the Kingdom of God". (Posted on Spirit Daily in January 2005) Seeing the link from Mat 28:28 "Go and make disciples of all nations" to today's awareness of the global family, my first reaction to the tsunamis in Indonesia was to watch in astonishment God's plan being publicly played out on a planetary scale. see article |
Why exercise?
why diet? why pray? here |
| Quand la simple lecture d'une
lettre nous remet en forme L'Epitre aux Romains voir l'article |
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La guerre
et l'avortement (les divisions politiques aux elections presidentielles de 2004 aux US) lire l'article |
La Mere Lillie, l'encyclique sur l'Eucharistie, la Prop. 71 (un monastere au Mexique et les machinations politiques en Californie) lire l'article |
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(January 2008) An evening with Mother Lillie
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TRAVEL DIARY: Mother Lillie monastery in Mexico, Prop 71 in California, the Encyclical on the Eucharist.
(first posted on Godspy.com in November 2004) A Sister took us to the original building, the first one they had, where she told us to leave our bags in the inner courtyard and wait in the Chapel. I remembered that one of the first things that attracted me to this place was a black and white picture of the Sisters doing Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a trailer. You could see one Sister kneeling by the door, her two feet sticking out of the doorway. I was so impressed by the thought of them coming from San Diego, planting their little trailer on top of the hill, and starting Adoration right away. Read morehere |
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"On
War & Abortion" and the presidential elections (posted on Godspy.com in September 2004) From where I stand, I see something unfolding and I wonder what God wants us to do with it, and why it is happening now... I see a bottom line being drawn in the sand, with the war in Iraq on one side and abortion on the other. Each side is appalled at what they see tolerated by the other side: the one thing they abhor. Each side offers a cohesive worldview, but with one large, blind spot. And in the end, we will all suffer, unless we are able to take the beam out of our own eyes first see article |
A soft-spoken Pope is forbiden to speak at La Sapienza! Pope Benedict's lecture prepared for La Sapienza is fascinating and is all about the faith offered freely, the freedom brought by the truth and the progress made possible by reason! here |
Saint among savages.
A Huron Chief asked for baptism, and in 1642 Father Jogues and the other missioners held council, in the Huron fashion, and each of the natives who sought baptism was called upon to argue his petition. The life and death of Saint Isaac Jogues among American Indians. here |
| Temptations:
great and small. How will we deal with the big one when it comes if we don't really see the little ones hurling themselves at us daily? I wondered about this. And then I was fortunate enough to start reading some magnificent pages on The First Temptation of Jesus in the desert in Chapter Two of Pope Benedict XVI "Jesus of Nazareth". Read more here |
The
News - The Clouds - The Faith a weather forecast from my petite window. Storms in Irak, the swaying in the breeze of the coming French elections, the open book of the Church vs the sly and secretive agenda of some but nevertheless much hope in exercising our faith, daily, and checking out new theologians. In English here In French ici |
| The Archbishop of Paris Msgr
Vingt-Trois, in view of the upcoming French elections, has outlined our responsibilities as Christian leaders and as Christian voters. I offer both the French and English version of Msgr Vingt-Trois sermon here |
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Death Penalty
Moratorium On Catholic Social Justice doctrines and why Californians should ask for a Moratorium now here |
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San Francisco
en noir et blanc  http://www.viovio.com/micheleszek A Photo Essay and a personal tribute to San Francisco, in a series of black and white photos, with very short (and reflective) commentaries; focusing on the nature within the City, the parks, the fountains, and the Pacific Ocean lapping at our door steps; and focusing also on the structures, the various bridges, the buildings, the massive and fascinating lines of an urban setting. Why black and white photos? Because there is a timeless beauty to them, a sober elegance... sheer poetry! One version in English and one bilingual version (in English and in French) 74 pages - $37 on Viovio.com |
Pictures
For The Journey 
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/pictures-for-the-journey/5985100 A photo essay, in color, in three sections: the first section is on a small village in the French Alps during the various seasons, then the second one is all about San Francisco and the Bay Area, the Pacific Ocean, the Bridges, the Golden Gate Park and the buildings downtown, and finally the third section is on the little things around us and a reflection on how to sharpen our beauty-bound antennas, finishing with a chart on how to do it! Lulu told me that this book will soon be listed on Amazon.com although it is not there yet 72 pages - $39 on Lulu.com |
For an alpha listing of Michele's articles, see Site
Map
For a general list of articles by other authors, sorted by topics,
click here
- a mini-movie on the theology of Saint Therese.
Last night, Mother Lillie spoke about counting our blessings and thanking
God, this most wondrous God who created us and love us, who put us here
for a very specific reason and do we know that reason? Or do we let ourselves
be distracted from our true vocation and spend so much time grumbling
and complaining… She spoke to great length about the children of Mount
Tabor, of the love and healing that they receive from the Sisters and
the joy and love that they give in return and of the true healing that
can only be accomplished by the love of Jesus, this most deep and complete
healing that will overcome any abuse or brokenness. Read more