Emmaus Blog

Tuesday, October 6, 2026:  Francis and the Natural World: Rediscovering Our Connection to Nature  The sacramental nature of the world was largely lost until its more recent rediscovery by seers that we usually think of as “secular,” “mere” nature mystics, poets, and artists: people like Chief Seattle, John Muir, Rachel Carson, Walt Whitman, Wendell Berry, Annie Dillard , and others.  We Catholics ended up limiting “sacramentals” to things like religious medals, blessed candles, and holy water, instead of honoring the inherent holiness of the earth ores, beeswax, and water that actually formed them. Please think about that! [1]   We limited the official church sacraments to seven (six for women, subtracting the sacrament of Holy Orders) when “there should be seven hundred,” as an old man once said to me in Tanzania. We ended up actually desacralizing God’s world without realizing it.  The people we called pagans and animists actually had a head start on us, ...

 Monday, October 5, 2026: : March with Us! OCTOBER 10, 11, 12! SONOMA COUNTY SANCTUARY COALITION Dear Friends and Allies, We are happy to invite you and your organization to participate in the Sonoma County Three-Day Walk For Immigrant Rights, on October 10-12, from Petaluma to Cloverdale! As you know, Sonoma County still has much to do to respond to the attacks against immigrants, including stopping the Sheriff from continuing to turn people over to ICE, offering emergency aid to those who aren’t able to access State or Federal safety nets, and ensuring that immigrant surveillance through General Dynamics Corp. and flock cameras stops.  Cities in Sonoma County must also do more to defend the rights of immigrants. For these reasons, we are putting together a strong coalition of individuals and organizations who agree that we must show the urgency of this moment by organizing a more dramatic action. The demands of the Walk (“Caminata”) are: ● The Sheriff must stop collab...

Sunday, October 4, 2026: We Celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi: “ Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” Reflection by Sister of Mercy Kathleen Mary O’Connell, RSM Who is this man whose death 800 years ago is still being celebrated today? Why do ceramic statues of him decorate gardens around the globe? How is it that his feast day is the ending point for the Season of Creation each year? Just who is Francis of Assisi and why is he still so impactful for us today?  We have known the story of Francis since we were little children. But it is good to reflect upon it from time to time. To find the answers to my questions, I went back to an old favorite book about Francis, “I, Francis” by Carlo Carretto (published in 1982). It reopened my eyes to the spirituality of Francis that extends beyond the image of a garden ornament. As a result of his conversion, Francis saw the world with new eyes - God’s eyes. God was all around him, in every created being, eac...

Friday, October 2, 2026: Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape." I think that St. Francis of Assisi, whose own death anniversary we commemorate on Oct. 3, would find a lot to like in Gawande's book and broader message. And although the medieval saint does not make an explicit appearance in this contemporary book, I believe that Francis' own understanding of death lends a helpful spiritual framework to Gawande's insightful clinical and social arguments.  Perhaps surprisingly to some, the Christian tradition has not always engaged the subject of death in a manner reflecting the theological claims we actually profess: that Christ conquered death, that death does not have the last word, that we believe in the communion of saints, and that in baptism we have already died with Christ and will share in his resurrection.  Unfortunately, like the modern medical-industrial complex and our wider popular culture, the Christian...

Tuesday, September 29, 2026:  "Even just one of these children."  "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me" (Matthew 18:5). This week, Catholics around the world will celebrate and honor the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. As is customary each year, the pope chooses a theme to recognize the importance of the week. Pope Leo XIV has chosen a striking theme for the occasion: "Even just one of these children." These words echo the teaching Jesus taught in Matthew's Gospel: "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me" (Matthew 18:5). This clarion call to people of faith is a timely reminder. Immigration is often discussed through numbers and statistics: how many crossed a border, how many cases remain pending, and how many were detained. Statistics can help us understand the scale of migration, but they can also obscure the individual people whose lives are at stake. Leo has chosen a theme that invites us to begin s...

 Monday, September 28, 2026: A reflection by Father Jim Fredericks on "demons" Today, I want to talk about demons.  I want to explain the Church’s teachings about demons.  These teachings are subtle and, I admit, difficult. But  understanding the Church’s teaching about demons is very  important.  Why do I say this?   It’s because these teachings help us to live our faith with  depth and with hope in God’s promise never to abandon  us.  Some time ago, I spoke with a young man for about two  hours. I sat with him on the benches before the image of  Our Lady of Guadalupe outside the church. He was about  twenty years old.  This young man was struggling with a demon.  At a party, he got drunk and then got unruly and then  started to threaten people. The police were called and he  was placed under arrest.  A judge sentenced him to three  months in the county jail.  Father, something’s wr...