Learn how to strengthen your
relationship with God and your
union with others.
Give Away
Many of us in our sixties have a diminishing interest in company policies, work regulations, and job procedures. It is true in my case. At this stage, I can increasingly profess what I have always believed: that as a priest I can be a better instrument of the Lord without being a cogwheel of the institutional church; others coming up in the system are better suited for it.
When younger, I was motivated by positions and titles such as pastor of X parish or director of Y office or chairman of Z committee. Those things are good for eager, energetic, upwardly mobile employees, as they once were for me. Now I am extremely grateful to serve in the often-ignored urban center of Kansas City among poor and marginalized members of society. I believe that the heart of the Gospel is easier to grasp in the heart of the city.
Father Don and his sister, Barbie, drop a podcast about podcasts, particularly this podcast, Upon This Rock, as we pause operations to assess its impact and how the church can reach people in our twenty-first-century virtual society. They reminisce about messages from the hundred-plus conversations and how we can encourage people to talk with one another about matters of faith and faith that matters to us, our families and friends, our community, and our world.
Direct Link. Listen on Apple and Spotify. Download the MP3 file.
Listen to all the Upon This Rock episodes. #uponthisrockpodcast
Saint Thomas More (STM) Parish has a sister community relationship with San Andrés Itzapa, a rural parish in south-central Guatemala. STM Parishioners Phil Smith and Marla Byrne have visited frequently in recent decades, often leading groups on work retreats and pilgrimages of faith that support foreign friends. The STM group has escorted thousands of Kansas Citians, including over a thousand teenagers, to Central America to encounter brothers and sisters who struggle in ways that open their eyes and hearts.
Direct Link. Listen on Apple and Spotify. Download the MP3 file.
Listen to all the Upon This Rock episodes. #uponthisrockpodcast
"In the end, these things are only required: that you act justly, that you love tenderly, and that you walk humbly with the Lord."
— The Prophet Micah
"We are like travelers who have forgotten
the name of our destination. We must return from where we came to discover where
we are going."
— G. K. Chesterton
"I truly appreciate the use of musical references and other writings which you often use. I have been blessed to have attended small dinners and discussions where you have often used these same references to engage attendees. It always has left me with soul searching and a path to answering some very deep questions. Thank you for providing some more stepping stones."
- Helen V.
“Thank you, Father Don! Your good words help so many, and I love forwarding your encouraging message.”
- Peggy B
"Thank you for helping us see the connections rather than the differences in many faith traditions."
- Mary Jo C.
The Farnan Spirituality Center provides spiritual direction,
spiritual counseling, and spiritual guidance to everyone.
Farnan Spirituality Center
Kansas City, Missouri
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