Fr. Joe Hennessy's Blog, page 6

Mother Nature is slow and smooth

The Creator meet creation and we are present for that mysterious encounter. That is why all of our journeys into nature are spiritual experiences. Some more intense than others. Some more transformative than others. Each encounter however, affords us the opportunity to experience something we have not, the word to describe. John M. Hopkins penned […]

Nature is the container of Mystery

“The mountains call and I must go” the John Muir quote that I love is paraphrased by others to say “The Tabernacle calls and I must go.” This results in the practice of Eucharistic Devotion, or as we used to say in Ireland “She/he has gone to make a chapel visit.” Gone to visit The […]

Mercy part 2

What then is the life enriching understanding of that word mercy which is so much part of our Pope’s vocabulary, as in the following. “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold, and more just.” What warmth, what compassion, what understanding, what acceptance, has exuded from our Pope. He speaks to us of […]

Mercy

“Mercy…” “…Mercy…” and still more “Mercy,” is the word we are hearing again and again from Pope Francis. Our, Pastor of Pastors, is in reality just reminding us, and I am in the need of being constantly reminded of a gift that is always being offered. We must also be cognizant of the fact that […]

The Tabernacle of you…Part 2

When I was growing up, back in Ireland, there was the custom of making visits to The Prisoner in the tabernacle. Like all prisoners this Prisoner welcomes visitors, all visitors. You do not have to make an appointment, you do not have to be all dressed up, all one has to do is just enter […]

The Tabernacle of You

Note: We apologize for any inconvenience with accessing the website, we were experiencing technical difficulties. “The mountains are calling, so I must go.” These words written by John Muir have an ever deepening meaning for me. The call of the mountains, with it streams and rivers, with its ever so silent forests, and sparkling deep […]

It is a gift and it is always freely bestowed Part 2

The gradual journey into freedom from that death dealing prison goes lock step, goes hand in hand with the experience of being loved with a love that is unconditioned, unlimited, and unrestricted love. May all who read this be the recipients of such an awe-full vivifying life enhancing gift. This is a gift that cannot […]

It is a gift and it is always freely bestowed

I went to confession for years but did not encounter, or slowly embrace the wounded Joe, as today’s wounded Christ. I have however been led to slowly, and oh so slowly accept and embrace the paschal process which is my destiny. This paschal process is an essential part of every new moment of each and […]

The Prisoner in the prison within

If we are going to be alive, and I mean really alive, there is no second option. How I have wished and do wish each day that there was another way, an “easier and softer way.” There is not. Now the trouble is when we get to those places of discomfort, and begin to be […]

Tears as sacred pearls, to be gifted You have so many pearls to be gifted. None of your tears have been lost

We are led deeper and deeper into places we do not wish to visit. In oh so many cases the family system of denial, wars against this journey into honesty and reality. The toxic shame paralysis the victim of that shame into extreme denial. Some choose to take this shame to the grave rather than […]