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Current Issue
Welcome to the latest edition of Parable! Click on the image on the left to see the full edition. See the links below to read individual articles.
Charity Begins at Home
Did you ever hear the phrase, “Charity begins at home,” or maybe even use it yourself? It’s an interesting statement and, as I’ve thought about it, I realize it isn’t as simple a declaration as it may seem.
Charity may mean “love” or “kindness” or it may mean “before contributing financially or materially anywhere else, make sure the household or individual family members receive first.”
Coffee & Communion
Day Café ministers to those in need of shelter and companionship
Story by Kathryn Marchocki. Photos by Tom Roy.
The warm smell of brewing coffee drifts through the St. Patrick Parish Center in downtown Nashua while people gather outside in a thick morning fog.
Soon the center’s doors swing open and men and women – most of whom have no permanent homes – stream inside.
The Day Café, a place of hospitality and mercy, is open.
Hey Father, Got a Minute?
So, who am I?
Q: Dear Father Francis, welcome to Parable! We are glad to have you join us! Our readers are curious about who you are — could you please tell us about yourself?
A: Dear friends, I am honored to join the Parable family! As an avid reader of each issue since I came to New Hampshire nearly nine years ago, I have appreciated the beautiful reflections, insights and lessons in these pages. I only hope I can match the quality of my new colleagues. I also pay tribute to my predecessor in this column, Father Michael Kerper. When I told folks I was taking on this new ministry, many asked if I was replacing Father Kerper, to which I politely said to them that he is irreplaceable. However, I aspire to imitate his clarity and pastoral sense.
Seeing the Hand of God in All Things
Andre Dubus (1936 – 1999) was an American short-story writer and essayist, Marine Corps veteran, husband, father and creative writing professor.
In July 1986, on his way home from Boston, Dubus was struck by an oncoming car while stopping to assist two motorists in a disabled vehicle. In the accident, Dubus lost one leg and the use of the other. He remained wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
Explore Beliefs Through Storytelling
Every person’s life story is no doubt different, but we do all have something in common — the potential for transformation and redemption.
In my own life, the art of storytelling has been a profound source of healing, contemplation and drawing myself closer to God. Through the power of a well-told story, hearts can be opened, minds engaged and souls uplifted — creating a pathway to a deeper spiritual life.
Let Mary Mother You
It’s here. May — the wonderful month when we New Englanders allow ourselves to believe that summer is, indeed, coming.
Vibrant hues of green pop on trees, lilacs blossom in comforting shades of purple and with each passing day, the sun remains in the sky a little longer, filling our days with radiant light.
Surrounded by such brilliant new life, it seems clear why the month of May has been set aside to honor Mary, the mother of God, the cause of our joy, the mother of all life.
One More Way to Wash Some Feet
What is the goal of politics?
A priest friend of mine from Washington, D.C. once posted a Holy Thursday Facebook message to his large circle of friends: “Let’s find some feet to wash.”
Now, if you need a motto for the Church’s work in the public square, there you have it.
Hearing the Quiet Hymn of Sacrifice, Duty and Love
As a priest, you get used to a lot of sounds. Some are a part of the daily routine — like kneelers lowering to the floor, bells ringing during the consecration and footsteps in the back of the church.
Other sounds can catch one off guard, like the sudden shriek of a baby, an unexpected sneeze or a hymnal that slipped from someone’s grip and hit the floor with a thud.
