As we pray for Pope Leo’s operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital today, I wanted to take a moment to share two new exciting Tomorrow’s American Catholic–related publications appearing this month.
First is Writing and the Sacred: An Anthology of Reflections, edited by Sarah Law for Amethyst Press. I am honored to have a chapter included in this anthology alongside several poets previously published in TAC, including Johanna Caton, O.S.B., Maryanne Hannan, Kathryn Sadakierski, and Wally Swist. Poetry, Eugenio Montale said, is the “fruit of solitude and accumulated impressions,” and to be present in communion with others in this textual space is a gift of the season. Writing and the Sacred is available on Amazon here (UK readers can order here, and Australian readers here).
Next is The Blessing of Others: Reflections on the Life and Work of Michael Ford, out later this month from UK-based publisher Darton, Longman and Todd. Michael was a treasured contributor to TAC from 2019 until his passing in 2024; long-time readers might recall his thoughtful, deeply personalist profiles of such figures as William Hart McNichols, Mother Dolores Hart, Father Matthew Kelty, and Henri Nouwen. It was with great joy that I accepted an invitation from editors David Torevell and Simon Lee to contribute a reflection on Michael’s “ministry of journalism” for the volume, which features an array of tributes exploring the central theme of Michael’s work: “how the Other, especially those wounded, dispossessed and on the margins of society, as well as those who have opted for a distinctive, Christian lifestyle, are able to become a blessing to those whom they meet and with whom they engage.” The Blessing of Others is available for order here.
– Michael Centore
We continue our special contributions to Franciscan Month with reflections by Janine Walsh and Stephanie Cottrell Caporaso and a podcast interview with Brother Gregory Cellini, O.S.F. In “Searching for Saint Francis,” Walsh—the former communications director of the Franciscan Action Network—writes about how her Franciscan spirituality has helped her along the path of “continual conversion,” especially finding balance and reconciling relationships through forgiveness. Cottrell Caporaso reapplies the story of Saint Francis and the wolf of Gubbio to our age of climate crisis, overconsumption, and rationalized violence, observing how Francis “approached the wolf without a weapon, symbolically ending the cycle of violence before exercising his dominion over the creature—not as a controlling lord, but as a humble steward.”
Brother Greg is a Franciscan Brother of Brooklyn who currently serves as the Director of the Office of Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue at St. Francis College. He is the host of Thank God for Monday, a weekly radio show focused on issues of the workplace, as well as the author of the book Transform Yourself – Transform the World: A Franciscan View of Career.
In our podcast interview, Brother Greg brings his infectious Franciscan joy to a range of topics, including the “kissing the leper” moment that led to the discovery his vocation after a 29-year career in big pharmaceuticals, overcoming the temptation to self-assertion with the grace of self-giving, and why we should seek to be a church “that’s beautiful in its simplicity.” Listen and find additional resources here.
The Tomorrow’s American Catholic podcast is now also available on Apple Podcasts—feel free to listen and leave a review there.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing new podcasts with Elias Crim of Solidarity Hall, Carlos Malave of the Latino Christian National Network, Brady Young of the Franciscan Federation, and a special “peacemakers week” with John Dear and Shane Claiborne.
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