Boat with more than a dozen migrants sinks off Colombia – The Associated Press

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BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Rescue workers in Colombia were searching for five migrants missing after their boat carrying 16 people sank as it tried to reach Panama. Two bodies have been found.

The sinking was reported on Monday by officials in Acandi, a municipality along the Gulf of Uraba, an inlet of the Caribbean sea that is lined with dense jungle. Thousands of undocumented migrants cross the gulf each year on small boats.

Colombias navy confirmed the shipwreck off the coast of Acandi. It said nine of the migrants were rescued and the bodies of two migrants were recovered from the wreck, while five were still unaccounted for.

Migrants traveling through the Uraba region are mostly trying to make it to the United States. Many come from Cuba and Haiti. But it is also common to see migrants from Africa and Asia along this route.

Earlier municipal government officials in Acandi had said 28 migrants were on the sunken boat.

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Boat with more than a dozen migrants sinks off Colombia - The Associated Press

Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean Ring in 2021 in the Caribbean – PopCulture.com

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Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean welcomed the new year on the beach, meeting up in the Dominican Republic to celebrate New Year's Eve with their families last week. Aldean shared a sun-filled snap from the trip with fans on Instagram, posting a photo of himself and wife Brittany with Bryan and his wife Caroline, Bryan's mom, LeClaire, on her phone in the background.

"Happy New Year from the island Everybody!!" Aldean wrote. Brittany posted a video of her husband and LeClaire dancing to Bryan's 2014 hit "Play It Again," Bryan briefly entering the frame to show off his own moves and declare that his mom was "getting all hot and bothered." "Mr. steal your girl," he joked. "Or Mrs. steal your man!"

Jan. 31 also marked Caroline's 41st birthday, which her husband and sons Bo and Tate kicked off with a family tradition. "Happy Birthday my love," Bryan captioned a video of himself, his sons and LeClaire entering Caroline's room while she slept, waking her up by playing an energetic birthday song, jumping on her bed and flashing the lights. "41 years looking so fine in the mornin. I love you to the moon and back. She gets the birthday song."

Meanwhile, the Aldeans have been enjoying their time on the beach, with both Jason and Brittany sharing several posts showing off their resort's stunning scenery. "Spending New Years on the beach this year with my boo thang. #paradise," Aldean captioned a video of himself and his wife sitting on the beach, panning the camera to include footage of the ocean and the empty lounge chairs on either side of the couple. "Happy new year everybody," he said

Though he was on the beach on New Year's Eve, Bryan also made an appearance on ABCs Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest in a pre-recorded clip with his fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry in which the two performed a song titled "2020 Sucks" as Lionel Richie looked on.

"Is this six feet on your TV channel? / Will we ever see a brighter day? / 2020, you have sucked / 2021 will you kiss 2020 in the butt," Perry sang while lying on top of a piano that Bryan was playing. "We are hoping for a brighter day / 2020, can you just go the hell away."

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Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean Ring in 2021 in the Caribbean - PopCulture.com

Unilever’s The Vegetarian Butcher expands plant-based Whopper roll out in Latin America, the Caribbean and China – FoodIngredientsFirst

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04 Jan 2021 --- Unilevers plant-based brand The Vegetarian Butcher is expanding its partnership with fast food giant Burger King to launch the Plant-Based Whopper in Latin America, the Caribbean and China.

The rollout closely follows launches across the Middle East and North Africa, including entry into UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Morocco.

The brands expansion into additional continents follows a successful year in Europe, where The Vegetarian Butcher experienced strong growth across foodservice and retail, driven by its entry into 16 new European markets in 2020.

[Entry into these new markets] marks an important milestone in our ambition to reach annual global sales of 1 billion (US$1.2 billion) from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives within the next five to seven years, says Hanneke Faber, president of Unilevers foods and refreshment division.

The expansion is further confirmation of the huge global demand for high-quality plant-based foods, she adds.

Plant-based meat alternatives are growing at 15.8 percent annually as more people shift to a flexitarian diet worldwide.

Click to EnlargeThe Plant-Based Whopper, powered by The Vegetarian Butcher, has launched in over 35 countries.Fast food plant-basedThe Plant-Based Whopper taps into the growing flexitarian demographic of meat eaters who want to reduce their consumption of meat, without having to sacrifice on taste and texture.

The Plant-Based Whopper, launched in over 35 countries, has been a real game-changer and become one of the biggest launches in the brands history, adds Matt Banton, global head of innovation and sustainability at Burger King.

The growth has helped the brand further tap into the ongoing global surge in demand for plant-based foods as people around the world become more conscious of the impact of animal products on their health and the planet.

Expanding global reachThe Plant-Based Whopper has now been launched in 325 Burger King outlets across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou, China, with nationwide rollout plans from Q2 of 2021.

Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Suriname, Saint Martin and Saint Kitts are the first Latin American and Caribbean countries to add the Plant-Based Whopper to the Burger King menu, with more markets to follow throughout 2021.

In EMEA, Burger King expanded its menus last year with Plant-Based Nuggets, also supplied by The Vegetarian Butcher.

In parallel, The Vegetarian Butcher recently launched via foodservice channels in Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

Driving sustainability through plant-based salesThe latest move into new territory marks significant global expansion of the partnership between Burger King and The Vegetarian Butcher, whichkicked offin 2019 with the introduction of the plant-based Rebel Whopper across 25 European countries.

UnileveracquiredNetherlands-based The Vegetarian Butcher in 2018 for an undisclosed amount.

Unilever has been expanding its plant-based meat and dairy alternativesbusiness for several years by developing vegan versions of well-known classics, such as Hellmanns mayonnaise and Magnum ice creams.

The company recently launched its Future Foods commitments, which aim to help people transition towards healthier diets and to help reduce the environmental impact of the global food chain.

As part of its goals, Unilever set a global sales target to net 1 billion (US$1.2 billion) from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives within the next five to seven years.

The multinational also aims to roll out The Vegetarian Butcher brand and ramp up vegan alternatives from brands including Hellmanns, Magnum and Walls.

Last month, Unilever also presented its shareholders with a non-binding advisory vote on the companys climate transition action plan to reduce emissions.

Edited by Missy Green

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Unilever's The Vegetarian Butcher expands plant-based Whopper roll out in Latin America, the Caribbean and China - FoodIngredientsFirst

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Captain Hook’s Hidden Role Explained – Screen Rant

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Peter Pans Captain Hook has a hidden role within the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Heres his secret cameo (and its implications), explained.

Peter Pans Captain Hook has a hidden cameo role within the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Originally appearing in J. M. Barries 1904 play (which later became a novel) Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldnt Grow Up, Captain James Hook has menaced the titular Pan across a boatload of adaptations and reimaginings - becoming one of the most iconic villains of all time in the process. Out of said adaptations, Disneys Peter Pan (1953) is the most widely remembered, with Hans Conrieds Hook often cited as the definitive version of the pirate captain on-screen.

Peter Panisn't Disneys only successful pirate property, however, with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (based on a Disneyland water ride) proving a surprise hit in 2003 and launching a now-long-running franchise. The original Disneyland attraction, which opened in 1967, featured Hook and his assistant Smee in a promotional video, embarking on the new ride - a connection which would come full-circle with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom in 2011, detailing Jack Sparrows early brushes with the East India Trading Company.

Related:Pirates Of The Caribbean Needs An Original Villain More Than Jack Sparrow

Written by sci-fi author A. C. Crispin, The Price of Freedom was billed as the first adult novel in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and contained in-universe references to Peter Pans Captain Hook. While Hooks surname isnt revealed in the book, pirates Don Rafael and Edward Teague (Jack Sparrows father) discuss an old acquaintance named James who matches Hooks description: namely, that hed disappeared for a while, lost a hand, been fitted with a hook, didnt appear to age between meetings, and had developed a fear of children.

Hooks disappearance can be chalked up to his time spent in Neverland (the magical island/alternative dimension featured in Peter Pan) - which also accounts for his apparent non-aging, since Neverland seems to exist on a plane in which time stands still. The hook is, obviously, Hooks most identifiable attribute, and his fear of children is the result of his many conflicts with the Lost Boys (Peters tribe of child-warriors).

Curiously, Peter Pan features in-universe references to other pirates, both real and fictional, including Blackbeard (who also exists in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe, as played by Ian McShane) and Long John Silver from Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island, suggesting an informal shared universe. Now that Disney owns Lucasfilm, they could even incorporate the Monkey Island video games into such a world - though shared universes are quickly becoming overwhelming, with every franchise eager to stretch the boundaries of epic, long-form storytelling (for better and for worse).

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Pirates Of The Caribbean: Captain Hook's Hidden Role Explained - Screen Rant

Do we need white men? This author has a surprising answer – Caribbean Life

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Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo

c.2020, Seal Press $28.00 / $35.00 Canada 336 pages

This year, you are going to roar.

Youre going to seize every opportunity, wrestle every bad habit to the ground, and do better than your best. Youre gonna kick the universe in the tail. This is absolutely going to be your year unless, as in the new book Mediocre by Ijeoma Oluo, someones standing in your way, now and for a hundred years.

In addition to a quiet setting and uninterrupted time to write, on a recent retreat for women, Ijeoma Oluo noticed that when socializing, most of the attendees talked about men but not the boyfriend-husband-partner men. They discussed bad dudes, particularly the white ones that largely controlled publishing. That conversation morphed into bad men, white men in general, that are found just about everywhere

There are, Oluo says, a thousand memes that feature the words, Lord, give me the confidence of a mediocre white man, meaning that white male mediocrity is a baseline from which all power rotates, regardless of skill or talent Its as if some sort of higher rank should be granted just because those individuals happen to be white men.

None of this is new. Its been going on for hundreds of years, Oluo says, and Black women arent the only ones on the receiving end of it. It exists in the West, as white men fight against white men over land that white men stole.

We see white male privilege all over politics, from the top down and especially in political arenas where white supremacy exists. Its been on college campuses, and in places of higher education where Black people were historically denied entrance. Its in the workplace, where Black women continue to make far less money than their white male counterparts.

White male privilege exists today in economics, pro sports, in language, in an ignorance of history and the contributions of Black men and women, and in entertainment. Its a very dark place, Oluo says, and there are things every American can do about it starting with two things: an acknowledgment that we need white men, and an admission to our complicity in this terrible, untenable legacy.

Got a few days to read? Yeah, and grab a packet of those sticky-flag things, too. Mediocre is a book that practically demands them: though this is not a seven-hundred-page manifesto, theres that much information inside its covers.

Whats more, author Ijeoma Oluo asks readers to think about her words, and not lightly. This is a read-a-few-paragraphs, put-it-down kind of book, making you live with the facts before moving forward. Oluo uses stories to illustrate many of her points, diving into American history, politics, and economics to help readers to see how quietly, totally entrenched white male privilege is and has been. Most eye-opening are her many statements of relevancy, showing how white males enjoy other cultures blithely, often while denigrating those very cultures.

Be prepared to give yourself a lot of time with this book it needs that. And then be prepared for action, because Mediocre is going to make you roar.

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Do we need white men? This author has a surprising answer - Caribbean Life

Petition To Rehire Johnny Depp For Pirates Of The Caribbean Closes In On 400K – We Got This Covered

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Some franchises in the film industry are, to a greater degree, defined by their main protagonist and what they bring to the role than they are by the merit of their own narrative and worldbuilding. And Pirates of the Caribbeanis a perfect example of this, despite the fact that Disney has recently decided to push ahead with the next installment without involving Johnny Depps legendary Captain Jack Sparrow.

The endless saga of the actors legal feud with former wife Amber Heard recently took an unexpected turn when a UK court ruled against the former in his libel case, which led to a whole lot of rage and backlash on social media. And as for Depps career prospects in Hollywood, Warner Bros. revealed that they would recast the role of Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beastssaga, so things arent exactly going well for him at the moment.

Of course, Disney is also reluctant to continue to work with the actor. Only recently, we heard that a soft reboot of thePirates franchise is in development, with Margot Robbie in talks to play the lead role. As youd expect, fans of Jack Sparrow took to social media to show their support for the iconic character and they even started a petition to have the Mouse House rehire Depp, which is currently closing in on 400K signatures on Change.org, as it currently sits at just under 370,000 and is gathering steam rather quickly.

Admittedly, its difficult to imagine Pirates of the Caribbean without Captain Jack. In fact, if you take the characters charisma and charm out of the equation, the story doesnt have a whole lot else going for it. The last two entries, 2011s On Stranger Tidesand 2017sDead Men Tell No Tales, actually go a long way to prove this point by showing just how important he is, as without him, the pics wouldve basically been intolerable to watch, if not downright mediocre.

Alas, this petition has thus far proven almost entirely useless when it comes to changing the decision of Hollywood moguls, so lets hope that Depp manages to get back on his feet in the near future and maybe convince the Mouse House to give him at least a cameo in the next Pirates of the Caribbean.

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Petition To Rehire Johnny Depp For Pirates Of The Caribbean Closes In On 400K - We Got This Covered

Book Review: Philanthropy – Can the rich save the world? – Independent Catholic News

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Ellen Teague

This has to be the weightiest book I have ever reviewed at more than 700 pages, and the length is the reason I have delayed reading. However, Christmas and New Year is a good time to look into altruism, and there can be no better resource than Paul Vallely's 'Philanthropy: From Aristotle to Zuckerberg'. There is no surprise that this book, which is nothing short of a 'magnus opus', is the result of five years of research.

Clearly, philanthropy - private initiatives for the public good - is a complex issue, interweaving all manner of motivations and intentions, personal and social, political and economic. We hear that both altruism and egoism are at work in philanthropy.

We learn of the scale of wealth of the world's richest people and the philanthropy of some of them. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation alone has a bigger budget than 70 percent of the world's nations. I was surprised how few of the super-rich donate substantial wealth - around nine percent - and those that do get perks out of it, from privileged access to tickets for prestigious events to having a major say on the boards of charities and even at the highest level political gatherings.

A fascinating chapter, 'Survival of the Fattest' starts with a focus on Andrew Carnegie, the rags-to riches philanthropist who was the wealthiest man in the world in the late nineteenth century. Yet, he once said, "he who dies rich, dies disgraced". Carnegie eventually gave away some $350 million, the bulk of his wealth, but it was built on ruthless tactics such as cutting the wages of his steelworkers to increase profits. He built a network of nearly 3,000 libraries and other institutions to help the poor elevate their aspirations, but social justice was absent from his agenda. Then, as now, wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few, almost completely untouched by tax and regulation. Carnegie and his associates, their critics say, neglected the great ethical question of the day, which centred on, "the distribution rather than the redistribution of wealth". Paul asks, "can epic acts of benevolence ever compensate for a lifetime of callous exploitation?"

There was a change in thinking with the founders of the Quaker confectionary companies: Cadbury's, Fry's, and Rowntree's. During the Victorian era, the popularity of chocolate catapulted the three Quaker confectioners into public prominence and they adopted innovative approaches to business. George and Richard Cadbury believed that benevolence was a quality that should inform the whole way a good life is led. They built houses, parks and recreation centres in Bourneville, Birmingham, so that their workers had comfortable accommodation away from city smog. Quaker employers also pioneered pension schemes and lobbied for improved labour laws. They founded charities and philanthropic foundations that continue today. Yet, they realised that philanthropy on its own cannot deliver social justice.

I found myself most fascinated by the sections about today's philanthropists. Philanthropy, it is popularly supposed, transfers money from the rich to the poor. However, in the US barely a fifth of the money donated by big givers goes to the poor. Much goes to the arts, sports teams and other cultural pursuits, and half goes to education and healthcare. The biggest donations in education in 2019 went to the elite universities and schools that the rich themselves had attended. In the UK, in the 10-year period to 2017, more than two-thirds of all millionaire donations - 4.79bn - went to higher education, and half to just two universities: Oxford and Cambridge. When the rich and the middle classes give to schools, they give more to those attended by their own children than to those of the poor. British millionaires in that same decade gave 1.04bn to the arts, and 222m to alleviating poverty.

Much elite philanthropy is about elite causes. It is always an expression of power and giving is often based on the personal whims of super-rich individuals. The philanthropy of Microsoft's Bill Gates has brought huge advances in tackling Malaria, for example, and his knowledge of health threats led him to warn prophetically in 2015 about the dangers of viral pandemics. However, many radical grassroots groups based in the global south question the unaccountability of his power. They suggest there has been an overwhelming focus on developing and promoting new vaccines at the expense of supporting local public health systems. Also, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested heavily in genetically modified organism (GMO) research and advocated for genetically modified crops - also a favourite beneficiary of the Sainsbury family - over local agroecology practices to meet food security goals. Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva has challenged "philanthro-imperialism" and said in 2019 that "industrial agriculture is inefficient, unproductive, creates dependency on corporations for eternal inputs, and dependency on global supply chains which impose uniformity on farms."

Paul explores the argument that public goods and services should remain within democratic institutions. The Global Policy Forum, an independent policy watchdog that monitors the work of the United Nations general assembly, warned in 2015, about, "the unpredictable and insufficient financing of public goods, the lack of monitoring and accountability mechanisms, and the prevailing practice of applying business logic to the provision of public goods". Perhaps philanthropists' money might be put to better use if it was collected as taxes and spent according to the priorities of a democratically elected government. In which case, Paul reflects, should the state be giving tax relief to philanthropists at all? The Facebook empire, for example, is one of the top five tech companies in the UK that avoided 1.3 billion in tax in 2018. Paul suggests that, "if Mark Zuckerberg wants to demonstrate the moral seriousness of his philanthropism he should pay more tax." Disposal of power should go alongside disposing of wealth.

A 2017 report by Oxfam called 'An Economy for the 99%' highlighted the injustice and unsustainability of a world suffering from widening levels of inequality: for since the early 1990s, the top 1% of the world's wealthy people have gained more income than the entire bottom 50%. Oxfam's report places the blame firmly with corporations and the global market economies in which they operate. Some kinds of philanthropy may have become not just undemocratic, but anti-democratic. Charles Koch and his late brother, David, are undoubtedly the most prominent example of rightwing philanthropy at work, with the secret funding of climate denial groups by Koch industries. Should philanthropists have so much power to advance their own vision of a better society?

A chapter on celebrity philanthrophy drew heavily on Paul's insights into Bob Geldof's outlook after accompanying him to Africa following the success of LiveAid. He admires how pop stars Geldof and Bono both informed themselves of the structural injustices within the issue of international debt and trade. And yet, he also documents the unease that celebrities were heard at the G8 summit in Gleneagles in July 2015 at the expense of voices from the global south. As one of the half a million people attending 'Make Poverty History' in Scotland a decade earlier who could find only Geldof being interviewed on the television news that evening, I am sympathetic to this, but undoubtedly celebrities helped make Jubilee 2000 in particular the success that it was. Geldof explained to Paul that he has continued his commitment over more than three decades, "because it works".

Of course, Jubilee 2000, Make Poverty History and today's Climate campaigns have a backbone of support from the churches. Church altruism goes back a long way: from Saints Basil the Great and Ambrose in the fourth century talking about almsgiving being redemptive, to Thomas Aquinas endorsing charitable outreach, to the growth in the Caritas network in the 1980s, to Pope Francis calling climate stability a common good and urging action to protect it. Work towards social, economic and environmental justice is firmly on the agenda of the churches. Fossil fuel disinvestment, for example, is a growing area for Christian campaigning, along with positive impact investing in such areas as renewable energy, which will first help poor communities most impacted by a warming world.

The very first question in the book is, "Can the rich save the world?"

There are more philanthropists than ever before, giving tens of billions annually to charitable causes. So how come inequality keeps rising? Paul suggests that fears are growing amongst the super-rich that further growth in inequality, "could lead to the kind of anti-capitalist unrest which might threaten the social order to such a degree that could render philanthropy quite irrelevant." He urges them to abandon top-down initiatives and pet projects and think afresh - forging partnerships with one another, with governments, with the business sector and with communities at the grassroots.

Paul's long-term experience of justice and peace networks, knowledge of the architecture of philanthropy, considerable writing skills and perception have made him the perfect person to write this fascinating book.

Philanthropy: From Aristotle to ZuckerbergPAUL VALLELY(BLOOMSBURY CONTINUUM, 768 PP, 30)Tablet bookshop price 25 Tel 020 7799 4064

Tags: Paul Vallely, Philanthropy, Philanthropy - Can the rich save the world?, Ellen Teague, Charity

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Book Review: Philanthropy - Can the rich save the world? - Independent Catholic News

Bring Me The Horizon explain delay in "bigger than intended" EP series – NME.com

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Bring Me The Horizon have discussed a delay in the release of the remaining EPs in their Post Human series.

The band released Post Human: Survival Horror at the end of October, and told NME that it would be the first of several EPs under the Post Human banner across the space of 12 months.

Now, in a new interview with Kerrang!, keyboardist Jordan Fish has explained how the project began to get bigger than the band anticipated, leading to delays.

Fish said: We planned to do four EPs in a year, but the last one was almost an album, so I think the spacing will be a bit longer than intended, just because theyre probably going to turn out bigger than intended, he added, while clarifying: That doesnt matter, as long as theyre all really good.

Jordan Fish performs live with Bring Me The Horizon. CREDIT: Getty

Weve been writing on and off for quite a while, so theres a lot of material thats being worked on, he continued. But we havent properly got into the rhythm of writing the next EP yet, well probably do that in the New Year.

Speaking to NME last year about the idea of the project, frontman Oli Sykes said: The idea behind Posthuman is looking at how weve stepped out of evolution and the food chain.

If we can do that, then we can take responsibility for what weve done to the planet and become something better than what humans are right now.

Reviewing Post Human: Survival Horror, NME wrote: Many bands in Bring Me The Horizons shoes would use this opportunity to go full Coldplay with a radio-friendly album primed for mass communication, but not Bring Me. Instead, theyre releasing four EPs across the next year, all themed around how humanity is totally screwed.

What could have been an act of self-sabotage or self-indulgence or both has transpired to be a welcome reminder of all that this band does best, rooted in raw relevance for today and the cyber-punk energy of tomorrow.

Watch Sykes give NME a track-by-track rundown of Post Human: Survival Horror above.

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Bring Me The Horizon explain delay in "bigger than intended" EP series - NME.com

Letter: Be spiritual all the year through – Grand Forks Herald

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Having family near Grand Forks, I read the article in the Grand Forks Herald titled "World's din won't woo; only the holy will do." In the article, Forum Communications columnist Roxane Salonen noted that today's world is full of hustle and bustle.

There is still too much focus on the material instead of the Spiritual -- even during this COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. People are still lured into shops to buy things they don't need, despite the sparkle and luster. Too many people quibbled over not wearing medical masks to protect themselves and others; despite the fact that if they themselves were ever wheeled into a surgery-room they would almost universally insist that their doctor and nurses be masked before any invasive procedure. People are wooed by the rising stock-market. Some are wooed by seductive women using the age-old temptation of sexual overtures. And, conversely, by powerful men in politics, sports, or show-biz who use their positions of power to persuade younger women to give-in to intercourse to further their careers or under threat of even keeping a job. Political pandering and racial protests have upended the year 2020.

We can only pray that 2021 will be better; yet it's apt to begin on a rocky footing. The utter noise or din of people jockeying for position sometimes drowns out our moral compass. During this time around Christmas, many people are what I call saintly for a day, yet revert back to sinfulness before January is even halfway through.

The aspects of holiness are timeless, and should be practiced year-around. Archbishop Fulton Sheen had a great quote: "If you don't behave as you believe, you will end by believing as you behave." Granted, every human has faults and failings, but if we contemplate more on what is holy (or, at least focus more on what is decent, humane, moral and sacred), this world will be a better place.

James A. Marples, Longview, Texas

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Letter: Be spiritual all the year through - Grand Forks Herald

Spiritual direction: What is it, who needs it, and why? – The Catholic Telegraph

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by Mary Farrow

Denver, Colo., Dec 29, 2020 / 03:00 am MT (CNA).- Chatting with Lee McDowell is a peaceful experience.

Seated in a comfy leather chair in a rust-colored office near downtown Denver, McDowell serenely and thoughtfully explains the art and science of her particular trade and its not surprising to learn that she has a background in clinical psychology.

Today, McDowell serves not as a psychologist, but as one of many spiritual directors available to Catholics and other Christians through the Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Denver, Colorado. The center is a house founded by the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, with the mission of bringing spiritual direction to the popular level of parishes and lay people.

Once thought to be reserved for the interior castles of highly mystical souls like St. Teresa of Avila, spiritual direction is today increasingly popular among Catholics of all vocations in the post-Vatican II age of emphasizing the universal call to holiness.

As she has never failed to do, again today the Church continues to recommend the practice of spiritual direction, Pope Benedict XVI said in 2011, not only to all those who wish to follow the Lord up close, but to every Christian who wishes to live responsibly his baptism, that is, the new life in Christ.a

But good spiritual directors can be hard to find, and it can be difficult to know when one needs spiritual direction, versus a good confession or pastoral counseling or other kinds of help.

CNA posed some questions about the ministry to some seasoned spiritual directors and experts on spiritual direction: McDowell, a Catholic convert and former clinical psychologist who found spiritual direction through her grief after losing her husband; Fr. Greg Cleveland, an oblate of the Virgin Mary and executive director of the Lanteri Center; John Johnson, the associate director of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation; and Dr. Anthony Lilles, Academic Dean of both St. Johns Seminary in Camarillo, California, and the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, who has written extensively on the spiritual life.

What is spiritual direction and what is it not?

While the answers from spiritual directors and experts vary slightly on this question, one thing is clear spiritual direction must be aimed at forming and cultivating a relationship with the Lord.

One of my favorite definitions for spiritual directions is that it is a three-part encounter, McDowell said. An encounter between the Lord, the directee, and the spiritual director, for the purpose that the directee may grow in their relationship with our Lord.

Remove any one of those encounters, and what is taking place is no longer spiritual direction, McDowell said.

Spiritual direction is also distinct from other forms of pastoral help or counseling, Cleveland told CNA.

Spiritual direction is not pastoral counseling, a lot of people mistake it for that, Cleveland said. Pastoral counseling is more about solving problems in a persons life, and thats certainly important and very much needed.

Its also not confession, Johnson noted.

Its very important that spiritual direction is distinguished from confession. Confession is for your sins, and that doesnt need to be very illustrative. Confession is number and occasion (of sin), he said. If you confess all your sins, you express remorse, you have contrition, and you vow to do satisfactionyou have a good confession, you get absolution. It doesnt need to be a laundry list.

Spiritual direction instead focuses on a relationship with God, Cleveland said, which is not a problem to be solved, but something to be discovered and deepened and celebrated. A lot of times people are looking for something elseso sometimes we have to really reorient someones thinking are you looking to deepen your relationship with God through prayer and discernment?

Johnson told CNA that spiritual direction is a helping relationship that allows Christians to achieve sanctity and the heights of contemplation which are for every Christian, and not just an elite few.

The practice has biblical roots, Johnson noted, such as in Acts 8:27-39 in which an Ethiopian eunuch is travelling and reading Scripture, but does not fully understand the passage he is reading.

Seated in his chariot, (the eunuch) was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, Go and join up with that chariot. Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, Do you understand what you are reading? He replied, How can I, unless someone instructs me? So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. (Acts 28-31).

In the rest of the passage, Philip reads the Scripture passage with the eunuch and proclaimed Jesus to him by teaching him about the passage, and then baptizing him.

Lilles emphasized that spiritual direction is not just another self-improvement program.

Its not psychological counseling for example, nor is it self-exploration or self-improvement or self-therapy, he said.

There might be a therapeutic dimension to it, and of course self-knowledge allows you to have a deeper knowledge of God, but is about a living encounter with the Lord. What obstacles do I need to remove so that that encounter can unfold in my life? What do I need to do to dispose myself for that encounter so that Im ready to say yes to what God places in my heart?

Who needs spiritual direction? Is it for everyone?

The first thing that we could say about a spiritual director is that everybody needs one, Johnson said.

Its a point on which not everyone in the world of spiritual direction and formation completely agrees. But for Johnson, the biblical roots of spiritual direction confirm its necessity in the spiritual life.

In this culture of self-starters, of bootstrappers, we hear a lot this notion of well I taught myself. Howd you learn that language? I taught myself. Howd you learn ballet? I taught myself. Well thats not true, because if you could teach yourself anything, you wouldnt need to, Johnson said.

So we need a guide, and beginning in the Biblical tradition even in the earliest days, the apostles introduce one another to Christ. This is the normative way that sanctity is achieved.

For Father Cleveland, the desire for spiritual direction is key. The average person who identifies as Catholic but may not pray regularly or seek out the sacraments is probably not going to be interested in a spiritual director, he said.

McDowell said that while every Christian who is serious about their faith could benefit from spiritual direction, she didnt believe formal spiritual direction with a trained religious or lay director was always necessary or practical in the spiritual life.

People early on in their faith journey might benefit more from bible studies or other small groups at first, rather than diving right into spiritual direction, she noted.

But there are times in a persons life when spiritual direction might be more beneficial, she said, such as times of transition whether thats vocational discernment, transitioning from college to the real world, a midlife crisis, retirement and empty nesting, or other life changes.

Another time when spiritual direction is especially helpful could be when a person experiences something unexpected, usually something painful like the loss of a job, a dream or a loved one, McDowell said.

Unexpected sufferings, are marvelous times and often needed times for the ministry of spiritual direction, she said.

Lilles said there are three key times when he thinks spiritual direction is most needed in a persons life: when someone has become spiritually lazy and needs to reignite their spiritual life, when someone experiences a traumatic event due to their own sin, the sin of others or an outside event, and when someone experiences some internal spiritual trial that may or may not be related to external events.

When some kind of crisis of faith has come it would be good to seek someone out, he said.

Where can good spiritual directors be found?

A good spiritual director can be hard to find. Isolated geographic locations, a shortage of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and the already-busy schedules of available spiritual directors are some of the reasons someone might have difficulties finding a qualified person.

Johnson said he recommends that people find the holiest person they know, and ask them who their director is.

Its easy to say my parish is terrible and my priest is too busybut you have to keep looking. Because the best spiritual directors are going to be very hidden, he said. If you see a billboard that says call me, 1-800 Spiritual Director, run the other way.

Johnson and Lilles both recommended spending some times at local monasteries or convents with religious who are faithfully living out their vows, and asking them for spiritual direction.

Where the discipline of the Christian life is being lived, God always raises up people who have wisdom for the spiritual life, Lilles said. He added that most parish priests should also be able to recommend spiritual directors to their parishioners.

As with everything in the spiritual life, prayer is a key component of finding a good spiritual direction.

The most important thing to find a spiritual director is to beg God to send you one, and God will send you the spiritual director you need at the right time in your life, he hears those kinds of prayers, Lilles said.

Are all priests spiritual directors? Can lay people be spiritual directors?

While most priests have some sort of training in giving spiritual counsel, they often need further formation to become a well-trained spiritual director, Cleveland said.

The traditional thinking was that priests were automatically qualified by virtue of their training to be spiritual directors, but it all depends on how good their training is, he said.

Priests may have that gift but that gift needs to be developed, like any talent we have, he added. Somebody could be a born athlete but they would still have to practice and become good at the sport that they play, and its like that with the priesthood as well.

There are several formation programs that help develop priests and religious as spiritual directors, and these are increasingly open to interested and qualified lay people as well. Both the Avila Institute and the Lanteri Center providing spiritual direction formation for priests and laity.

Lay people, when given the proper formation and training, make excellent spiritual directors, Cleveland said.

Sometimes the life experience of one lay person receiving spiritual direction will be more consonant and similar to the lay person whos giving spiritual direction (they) may find that another lay person understands and is able to relate to (their) experience of being a layperson in the world, he said.

McDowell, herself a lay spiritual director, said that she finds that people seek lay spiritual directors for a variety of reasons their priest is busy, they want to talk to someone who might share their vocation of marriage, or they are a woman who would rather share intimate spiritual details of their life with another woman, rather than a priest.

The key qualifications for any good spiritual director are spiritual maturity, psychological maturity, and self awareness, McDowell added. These people can then enter into formation as spiritual directors, where they delve more deeply into the spiritual life, the discernment of spirits, and the ability to listen deeply to another person and notice where God might be moving in their life.

What happens at spiritual direction? What do the directee and the director bring to the table?

At the Lanteri Center, spiritual directors are taught to listen to their directees and to help facilitate their relationship with God, rather than present themselves as gurus who have all the answers, McDowell said.

My facilitation is mostly asking questions, sometimes repeating back to them a word or phrase that they have said and asking them to say more about that, McDowell said.

I dont suggest: I believe God wants you to do this. We are not directive in that way. Therell be times when I may have a sense that God is working in a particular way in a directees life, but one of our cardinal maxims so to speak is never get out in front of God, she said.

So even though I may have a sense that he is working in a particular way or has a desire for the directee in a particular area of holiness and growth, my suggestion will be how about praying with this scripture. Or if theyve been praying with it, to journal about it. Thats what I will do, thats what I mean by facilitating.

As for what the seeker of spiritual direction brings to the table, a desire for and commitment to a prayer life is key, McDowell said.

Without their own personal prayer, theres really no reason to get together, McDowell said. Now, some people come and they want to be taught how to pray. Thats beautiful and we can do that.

Once people begin with spiritual direction, Cleveland said he usually recommends they spend at least half an hour a day in prayer, whether thats meditating on scripture, praying the examen prayer, spending time in front of the Eucharist or other forms of prayer.

Johnson said his recommendation to people just beginning spiritual direction is to bring themselves.

At first you especially want to try to get to the heart of the matter, and that can be the most prevalent place of pain in your life, that can be your heaviest cross, that can be your darkest memory, he said, because in many ways these crosses, these trials impress themselves upon us in a way thats very formative or de-formative and that might be the place to start, the most difficult place.

Each of us is deeply broken, and if we werent deeply broken we wouldnt need any direction, he added. Its like when you go to the doctor, what are you going to do? Its not like youre going to tell them about things that arent bothering you. Youre going to tell them about whats hurting so he can fix it. Thats what a director does, thats the quality of a good physician.

What happens if a spiritual director is not a good fit?

McDowell said both the spiritual director and directee should always be discerning whether the relationship is a good fit.

At the Lanteri Center, people seeking spiritual direction are encouraged to have an initial interview meeting with one of the available spiritual directors, and to read their biographies online to see if they feel called to meet with any particular person.

McDowell said she never assumes at a first meeting that she will be that persons spiritual director, she rather uses the time to gauge where the person it at and what they need.

Our first meeting with a potential or prospective directee is what we call an initial interviewwhere Ill tell them what spiritual direction is and is not, Ill ask what their desires are and what has brought them, she said.

It is then up to both the director and directee to discern whether they are a good fit, or whether another person or another ministry altogether might be needed. McDowell said she has referred people to priests for pastoral matters, and directors at the Lanteri Center are also able to recommend Christian psychological counselors if they discover that that is what a person might need.

Sometimes a spiritual direction relationship reaches a natural end a person may enter a new phase of life or prayer that necessitates a different spiritual director. Prayerful discernment and honesty are key, McDowell said.

For example, as a convert to Catholicism, McDowell said if she had directees who desire to delve more deeply into the lives of the saints, she will usually refer them to a different director, since she is not as familiar with this particular tradition.

So thats another time where its really good to discern, McDowell said. Maybe weve been together, and its been really good, but now theres someone else to take them on the rest of the journey.

What can Catholics do if they still cant find a good spiritual director?

There are many resources on spiritual direction available to those who desire spiritual direction but who cannot find a formal director.

Cleveland recommended the many books by Father Timothy Gallagher, another Oblate priest, who is most well-known for his book Discernment of Spirits, as well as his other spiritual works such as The Examen Prayer, and Discerning the Will of God.

In his video for Ascension Press entitled No spiritual director? No problem! Father Mike Schmitz makes several book recommendations. Besides Discernment of Spirits, he also recommends Time for God by Father Jacques Philippe, Deep Conversion, Deep Prayer by Father Thomas Dubay, and the Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales.

Whether people are in spiritual direction or not, Lilles said he recommends that people who want to grow in their spiritual lives read more about the doctors of the Church.

Since 1972 the church has raised up doctors of the Church St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. John of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and more recently St. Gregory of Narek..these doctors of the Church have all written about the spiritual life, they all have spiritual wisdom, he said.

They are masters of the spiritual lifethis is an important time for rediscovering that spiritual teaching, he added.

Dont be afraid to put out into the deep, as St. John Paul II often exhorted us Cleveland added.

Dont be afraid to try to deepen that relationship with God, to seek the Lord through prayer and through living the spiritual life vibrantly. Its a commitment, but the rewards are tremendous to have that relationship with God, to know Gods presence not only in prayer but in the midst of my daily life, and to be able to seek and find God in all things.

This article was originally published on CNA Aug. 31, 2018.

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Spiritual direction: What is it, who needs it, and why? - The Catholic Telegraph

‘I see miracles every day’: Hospital chaplain reflects on spiritual care during pandemic – Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

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TUPELO Rev. Dr. Don Simmons, Director of Pastoral Care for North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo, believes in the power of prayer.

The 57-year-old Louisville, Mississippi native is going into his third year as a chaplain at the hospital.

He and his team are tasked with providing spiritual care for patients, their families and fellow health care workers, no matter what their faith background is, and that hasnt changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What has changed is the volume and emotional weight of what Simmons deals with each day. Whereas a typical day on the job might have previously involved praying with someone who came in for a minor surgery, theres more urgency now.

Families often have to make heart wrenching decisions regarding their loved ones and Simmons is there to help whether hes talking with a family representative inside the hospital or praying with a group in the parking lot due to visitation restrictions.

He often first sees patients in the emergency room, where they might wind up in the critical care or COVID unit for a week or two, sometimes even a month. All the while, Simmons and his staff are counseling and praying with the patients family for healing. The bonds they form make even small victories feel monumental.

To see them walk out of here, its incredibly emotional, Simmons said. We celebrate those victories because it doesnt always go that way.

Chaplains mark recoveries with a prayer of praise, Simmons said. The type of prayer depends on the patients faith background, tradition or denomination, of course, and their own faith leaders sometimes join by phone to share in the moment with them.

I see miracles every day," Simmons said. "I really do. Im in awe that I get the opportunity to see those things.

COVID-19 caused a dramatic increase in hospital staff requesting times to talk and pray with chaplains at NMMC. From administrators down to individuals cleaning hospital rooms, health care workers have dealt with staffing and budgetary challenges coupled with personal stress.

The size of the chaplaincy team at NMMC-Tupelo is currently limited to a handful of core staff, but pre-pandemic there would typically be 20 to 30 trained volunteer chaplains to help with patients on a regular basis.

Our volunteers right now arent able to come in, Simmons said. Many of them are older, oftentimes retired clergy, that we very much depend on. And right now, we really miss them.

During the pandemic, Simmons has also obliged nursing homes requests for pastoral care as residents werent able to have ministers, or even family members, visit for much of 2020. He conducted worship services in hallways while residents stood in the doorways of their rooms to participate.

An elderly man at one nursing home, tears running down his face, told Simmons I used to try to have the Lords Supper every week if I could, but he hadnt been able to since March.

This is just emotional and challenging for everybody, Simmons said. So you know it means a lot to them.

Being a chaplain isnt a 9-to-5 job. When families come together to make those difficult decisions about a loved one, its typically in the late afternoon or evening and Simmons does his best to provide care for everyone who needs it, whenever they need it.

Job demands of the pandemic have taken a personal toll on all health care workers, and chaplains are not immune.

I have decided that I need to start focusing a lot more on self care, Simmons said. I just have to. With Thanksgiving and Christmas surges, I have let my own self care slide a little bit, so Im trying to get better at those kinds of things.

Simmons said he worked through the Christmas holiday weekend to feel like he was doing something to help the situation. Otherwise, it would have been just he and his wife sitting at home, because they arent visiting family as they try to stay safe.

Right down the street, on Christmas Eve, I rode by a house that had about 20 cars in the yard and Im thinking Im probably going to see one of those people soon, Simmons said.

Thats the current reality for health care workers, and Simmons said the subject matter of conversations with other hospital personnel has largely been different this year because theyre facing a crisis that they cant escape when they leave work.

The stressor, whatever it is normally that is causing them to seek pastoral care, is usually something that they can take a long weekend and get away from or take a deep breath and escape, Simmons said. You cant go anywhere in the world and avoid something related to the challenges of COVID.

Simmons' office is on the same floor as the COVID unit, so the virus is never far away.

In the beginning, going into units with COVID patients was frightening because no one knew what they were getting into, he said.

When you go into work in the health care business, you know that youre going to come in contact with infectious diseases and other things, Simmons said. This was just such an unknown for everybody. You strip down before you get in the house and you jump right in the shower. Everything youre doing is trying to protect your family and everybody else from it.

Simmons never thought he would work in the healthcare field.

At one time in my career, I remember very clearly telling someone on a mission trip I appreciate all those folks that work volunteering as nurses and doctors but I just dont like hospitals, Simmons said. Now Im in the room everyday with patients and I help a lot of families say goodbye. I know the Lord put me where Im supposed to be.

While working with COVID patients, Simmons wears a double mask with a face shield and stands in the doorway, not entering the room. He accommodates families in any way that he can, often praying for and with patients.

Oftentimes, the patient cant talk or will be on a ventilator, but Simmons will recite the Lords Prayer in their presence.

Im not sure how conscious they are, but sometimes theyll start mouthing it with me, Simmons said. This happens, I wont say a lot, but sometimes it will happen.

He said its easy to get attached to the patients and their families while being there with them during their struggle.

We laugh together and celebrate success, and we cry together and mourn with the families, Simmons said. Its an emotional roller coaster sometimes, but I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.

Simmons credits his team, especially Lowell Walker, NMMCs staff chaplain, for helping him make it through the year. Walker is a rock for so many of us," he said.

He has also felt blessed during the pandemic to have a proactive administration at NMMC that addresses challenges and understands that you cant separate the physical and the spiritual in health care.

There is a growing understanding of the importance of spiritual care alongside health care, as part of the health care experience caring for the body, mind and spirit, Simmons said.

Another major source of support has been the faith community in the Tupelo area. He has received calls throughout the pandemic from different pastors and priests in the region asking how he and Walker were doing and offering support.

It doesnt hurt to be in the Bible Belt, Simmons said with a laugh.

One particular verse of scripture that gets Simmons through a lot, and has certainly helped him during the pandemic, is Mark 10:14, which reads: Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

The reason that one really hits home with me is that everyone that we see and care for is a child of God, Simmons said. Theyre all his little children.

Simmons has received his first dose of Pfizers COVID vaccine and said receiving it makes him optimistic that it marks the beginning of a return to some sense of normalcy.

Hopefully I can start spending more time with my mother and feel a little more comfortable with it, Simmons said. I have a mother that is in her late 70s and I havent spent a lot of time with her because I was always concerned with What if? and now I can at least be a little bit more at peace, spending time even though well still social distance, still wear that mask.

Due to working in such close proximity with COVID patients, Simmons and other chaplains in Mississippi were included in the first phase of the vaccine rollout, which targets health care personnel and long-term care residents.

I remain hopeful, Simmons said. I think as a chaplain you have to.

After the pandemic began, he couldnt help but think back to a paper he wrote to complete his masters degree in History from the University of Mississippi on the topic of the bubonic plague and the impact it had on the church.

In the end, after a lot of conflict, controversy and challenges, the church came out of it stronger, Simmons said. I think the faith community in general, no matter what faith or denomination, will come out of this much more clearly focused.

Although he hasnt sat down to read through the entire paper yet, he did find it and glance through it. He sees similarities in the fear that people had, and the fact that though there were no mandates against it, people didnt go to church because they were afraid.

We have so much more knowledge and information now, Simmons said. Our understanding of things is very different and yet in so many ways, there are a lot of similarities. But I think the church will emerge renewed. Im hopeful, from a spiritual perspective, that that is the case.

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'I see miracles every day': Hospital chaplain reflects on spiritual care during pandemic - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

Spiritual Editorial: Walk confidently In 2021 and always | Faith – NorthcentralPa.com

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And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b NRSV).

What a year 2020 turned out to be! From March until now, we have had many fears, struggles, heartaches, uncertainties, seemingly endless chaos in our government, and divisions among our citizens and among the worlds nations.

The stress and anxiety of this past year have been unprecedented in many of our lives. Where is hope? is a question that many are asking as we begin this New Year of Our Lord 2021.

As we journey into this new year, we must take with us the gift of Christmas, the gift and hope that is Jesus, Gods Son come down to us at Christmas and still with us following his sacrificial death and glorious resurrection.

In the midst of whatever we have been facing and whatever lies ahead, Christ is with us. That is the promise Jesus gave to his early followers and gives to us now: I am with you always he said.

The gift of His presence is so needed by us today. I believe that we are ready to and will turn a hope-filled corner this new year. Vaccines will be administered, and new possibilities will rise in our government and in our relationships nationally and internationally. And God will be with us through it all. This is a year, through the help and strength of God, that we will map out a new normal for our lives.

As Christians, this new normal needs to be built upon the glorious commission Jesus has given us to share the gift of Gods love with our neighbors, no matter their ethnic or racial background, their primary language (remember: Jesus never spoke English, and his skin was not white), their economic level, or their sexual orientation.

This new normal needs to include us being the beloved church in our community, daily sharing the gift of Jesus, the gift of Christmas, the gift of love with others. We have learned through the pandemic to not allow the church to be contained in the walls of a building but instead for us to be the church in the community.

During this past year, my family, like so many during 2020, experienced the loss of a loved one. Our son died alone from a massive stroke, his life so quickly taken from us. One day, as I was struggling with his death and the empty spot in my heart, I was overwhelmed by the appearance of a beautiful bald eagle.

I was driving on River Avenue when I saw that majestic bird soaring low in the sky. I pulled into a parking lot nearby and watched as that eagle lifted my heart to God. I felt the touch of Gods hand upon me as God reminded me that our son, through the gift of Christ, was now soaring with God in heaven. That is the great promise and hope of Christmas; that is the great promise and hope of this New Year.

God is with usalways. Whatever lies before us, God is with us. The gift of His Son and the presence of His Spirit remind us of that never ending and never failing love. As we thank God that 2020 is behind us and continue to be concerned about what 2021 holds for us, know that Christ has promised He is with us.

Move boldly knowing the gift of His Love and choosing to share that gift with the neighbors God reveals to us.

Stay safe! Stay hopeful! Walk confidently in 2021 following the Footsteps of Jesus!

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Spiritual Editorial: Walk confidently In 2021 and always | Faith - NorthcentralPa.com

Inspiration – The Abundant Empower Hour 01/04 by Universal Energy | Spirituality – BlogTalkRadio

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"Topic Pick" Good Grief!Have something you would like us to discuss? Email Ask@UniversalEnergyRadio.com.Conversation that make a Difference! Shift for your highest and greatest good in this world of great transformation. How we look at all things. How we interact with all things. Join the conversation when we are LIVE. Messages from Source through tarot and intuitive guidance and validation for your nexts steps.

Three major transitions for Anita were her multiple marriages and birth of her son which taught her many lessons about herself, the discovery of her love for computers which led to some great careers, and her move to a rural area which enriched her love of nature. All of these experiences have led her to tap into her intuitive abilities and study more about God, Angels, Reiki, Channeling, Shamanism and Spirit Animals.

Anita knows that she just has to ask for help and guidance and it will appear. She trusts and flows with the love in the Universe!www.earthpathguide.com

Anna Banguilanis a Life Coach & Spiritual Humorist. Blessing the messes and now helping others tap in to their Master Mind to release blocks and resistance to receive what they truly want, bringing more clarity, joy, peace and revealing their true identity.www.lifegetsbetterandbetter.com

It's Time Ya'll Just Ask!

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Inspiration - The Abundant Empower Hour 01/04 by Universal Energy | Spirituality - BlogTalkRadio

New Religious Fiction Novel ‘The Chronicles of Assignments: Principalities’ Presents Thrilling Adventure in Spiritual Warfare – GlobeNewswire

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WINDER, Ga., Jan. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Chronicles of Assignments: Principalities by R. W. Touchton introduces readers, both familiar and unfamiliar with the Bible, to an exhilarating adventure in spiritual warfare to provide them with a peek into the spiritual world through entertaining storytelling. The novel follows the life of protagonist Terrence Palmer, a world-renowned Evangelist, who with the help of his guardian angel, goes into the spiritual realm to battle the demon Leviathan and the spiritual wickedness that hovers over his family and church.

During Terrences birth, readers meet the Angel Jedon who is watching over his new assignment. The guardian angel is aware of the demonic forces also assigned to his mortal as the enemy learns the child is destined for greatness and determined to distract Terrence from his destiny. The boys dysfunctional family already makes for a mire of evil for the wicked demons to perform their feats. As Terrence grows up into an adult with the guiding light of his angel, he begins to study the Bible ultimately giving his life to Christ and enrolling in a Spirit-filled Bible college. It is during this time he realizes his calling is Evangelizing and along with his Angel Jedon, battles against powerful demons attempting to destroy Terrences friends church.

Touchton tells the story of mysterious and malevolent forces waging spiritual war in celestial and infernal realmsHe envisions angels as loving protectors of their human assignments, but bound by Gods plan for salvation. The angels emerge in Touchtons telling as disciplined, almost professional warriors, strictly unwilling to override the free will of those they protect no matter how much they love them. Touchtons demons, on the other hand, present a fascinating combination of the grotesque and the farcical, and there is theological wisdom in this depiction. Review by Actor, Allan Edwards

Inspired from his time working in different churches as a minister of music, Touchton noticed Satan and his demons had field days with the church members and based his fiction novel on them and the leaders of these churches. He hopes his story will help argue points of the Bible while providing an edifying, startling, at times terrifying, but ultimately very moving evocation of what it was like to grow up seeking God in the last half of the 20th century. (Allan Edwards review).

The Chronicles of Assignments: Principalities (An Adventure in Spiritual Warfare)By R. W. TouchtonISBN: 978-1-400328796 (Paperback); 978-1-400328802 (Hardbound); 978-1-400328819 (eBook)Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, FaithGateway and Church Source

About the AuthorR. W. Touchton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In keeping with the unique pattern of his life, how and where he was born, and to whom, were intricate pieces of a fascinating story. Touchtons story is a true testament to Gods faithfulness. Following Jacksonville University School of Music, his career would span television, nightclub entertainment, telecommunications, and theatre management with his favorite role as minister of music. Recently retired, Touchton completed his first book for publication and currently resides in Winder, Georgia. To learn more please visit, Teerobb.com and follow The Chronicles of Assignments: Principalities on Facebook.

WestBow Press is a strategic supported self-publishing alliance between HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Author Solutions, LLC the world leader in supported self-publishing. Titles published through WestBow Press are evaluated for sales potential and considered for publication through Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. For more information, visit http://www.westbowpress.com or call (866)-928-1240.

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New Religious Fiction Novel 'The Chronicles of Assignments: Principalities' Presents Thrilling Adventure in Spiritual Warfare - GlobeNewswire

2020 YEAR IN REVIEW: Washington reflects on a year of ‘Spiritually Speaking’ – The Atlanta Voice

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In a year filled with so much upheaval and turmoil, how does one find the strength and conviction to press on? The Atlanta Voice President and General Manager James A. Washington takes a look back on his column Spiritually Speaking, and offers up some thoughts to consider heading into the new year.

When the world goes absolutely crazy, what do you do? When your life is in absolute chaos, how do you handle it? When nothing makes any sense, where do you find clarity amidst confusion? When there is madness all around you, where do you seek sanity?

It has become apparent to me that the only thing that has to happen to bring chaos and confusion into your life is to allow some distance between you and God.

A factoid regarding this is simply seek something other than the kingdom first. You want to deal with crazy. Just say hello world. Were looking at it right now.

As a minister friend once told me, being a Christian is a full-time job. You dont get the summer off. There is no Spring Break. Do not misunderstand me. No! You dont get nights and weekends off. You can never get too comfortable with how well you think youre doing Gods will.

The reason I bring any of this up is, the devil is ever vigilant. When youre dog tired, hes got a bed for you to sleep in. When youre thirsty, he has the perfect thing to quench it. When you lose focus, guess who has the right game to fill your imagination and temporary desires?

If youre not careful, you will wake up one day thinking youre close to God, only to find yourself hangin with Satan as your sidekick.

Back when we could assemble in church, I was blessed to hear the pastor try to address the fears many of us might have gone through these tough times with the economy and the uncertainty which permeates the world today.

He talked about famine, fire, terrorists, recession, the mortgage crisis, and the like; all of those worldly issues that might keep you up at night.

Let me add COVID-19 to further emphasize my point.

The angst of todays problems should be replaced with the peace of mind that when the world is out of control, God isnt. Now, where do you choose to put your energy, circle your wagons, demonstrate your faith? In the world? Or, in God?

Social distancing cannot ever be a substitute for spiritual togetherness. That question where you put your focus in times of trouble is only of importance if you are unsure of the answer. Worry comes with the world. And, the world, by design is chaotic.

Peace of mind comes with the Lord because the Lord is anything but. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ is in you unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. (2 Corinthians 13:5-6)

I believe a key understanding of having a relationship, a personal relationship with Christ has a lot to do with making conscious choices.

As such, I think Im actually gaining more awareness of what it means as one begins or continues to travel a path towards the Almighty.

In attempting to do, it becomes more and more obvious that choosing which path to take when you come to the fork in the road is more a matter of choice than it is a matter of circumstance or accident or fate.

Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, whats in your heart takes (or should take) priority over whats in your mind or certainly what comes out of your mouth.

I believe this is where faith is challenged and professed ignorance falls by the wayside, even as we desperately want to claim ignorance as if it is a defense (or excuse) for unholy actions or hypocritical conduct. The proof is in ones heart.

No matter the situation or circumstance, when you acknowledge God and your relationship to Him, you cannot use the excuse that you dont know, you didnt have control or your sin was an accident.

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2020 YEAR IN REVIEW: Washington reflects on a year of 'Spiritually Speaking' - The Atlanta Voice

Spiritual Reflections: Remember to find joy the new year – SW News Media

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For those who are Christian, the 12 days of Christmas are carrying us out of 2020 and into 2021. Ive never been so excited to see something go. And as helpful as the mental shift of a new year is, I know I could lose touch with this joy if Im not careful.

Joy is that deep current that exists because God exists. Christmas is the celebration of Emmanuel, God with us. Epiphany is not just a day where wise men bring gifts but a season where Jesus is with us healing, feeding, teaching bringing us good news. In a year where doom scrolling has taken over our lives, my Christmas-Epiphany goal is to celebrate the good news. Because it is out there and happening! And it helps that deep current of joy to remember not all is lost. Yes, there will be awful days, but there wont be only awful days. God is with us.

I never do these kinds of things alone. The following good news finds come from friends, parishioners and reasons to be cheerful. I wish you happy hunting in finding and sharing more! May we be intentional about feeding that current of joy, remembering that we are not alone and that there is love and hope out there too.

The pandemic cancelled a Chicago couples wedding. They got stuck with a $5,000 non-refundable catering deposit. What did they do? Had the caterer make Thanksgiving meals for Thresholds, a non-profit with a mission of home, health, and hope for people living with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Did you grow up with this table grace? Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices; Who from our mothers arms hath blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. Martin Rinkart wrote it in 1636 in the midst of unfathomable famine and plague that took his wifes life too. Hes going to be my teacher while I work on my ability to find good news and joy.

London is getting its wildlife back! In 2015 folks set to work, weaving pockets of greenery across rooftops, at street level and along the sides of buildings. The goal was simple: to create pathways of natural habitat along which wildlife can travel and flourish unfettered by human activity. With seven of Londons largest property developers on board, progress has been swift today, more than 2,500 square meters of green space stretch across the cityscape, encompassing dozens of green roofs, flower walls, foliage patches, planters, beehives and boxes inhabited by bats, birds and butterflies.

Lisbon is turning empty Airbnb apartments into affordable housing. The initiative offers landlords up to 1,000 euros per month to lease the apartments to the city for a minimum of five years. The city will then sublet those apartments to locals who qualify for affordable housing. Rents will be capped at one-third of the tenants income. The idea solves two problems at once: it finds a use for the now- vacant apartments while adding affordable housing to the pricey real estate market. So far, nearly 200 owners have signed up.

Back to Chicago and CRED: Create Real Economic Destiny, which works primarily in one of the 15 Chicago neighborhoods responsible for 80 percent of the citys gun violence. The program recruits participants through street outreach, which also works to interrupt violence in real time; pays them to attend counseling, high school classes and job training for nine to 18 months; then helps place them in jobs at one of 40 different Chicago companies.

After three consecutive years of double digit drops in gun violence, shootings in the city are up 51 percent; more than 3,200 people have been shot. But in the far south side neighborhood of Roseland where CRED has operated for the last four years, shootings in 2020 have dropped 33 percent.

How did this start? Someone chose to listen. He asked the same question over and over to dozens of young, mostly African-American, men: How much money would it take for you to put down the guns? For a legal job paying just $12 or $13 an hour less than Chicagos $14/hour minimum wage the men said they would put down their guns and turn away from the life theyd been leading.

Harness that deep current of joy, and lets go change our world.

Kate Payton is pastor at Glendale United Methodist Church in Savage.

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Spiritual Reflections: Remember to find joy the new year - SW News Media

Spiritual politics in the world: Is it an utopian expectation? – WION

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In all countries in the world, whether democracies or dictatorial regimes or feudal systems, politicians and consequently politics have been marked by rivalries, sinister moves to downplay others and in many cases favouritism, corruption and nepotism.

Even highly developed countries like the USA, Japan, and Britain are not exceptions to such a prevailing political scenario.

The recent presidential election in the USA, which is generally viewed as having one of the best democratic systems in the world, more than clearly revealed how politics has descended to abysmally low levels.

A former prime minister of Japan was accused of indulging in corrupt practices and a court verdict went against him.

So many other similar examples can be readily shown in almost all countries in the world these days, pointing to the need to reform politics across the world.

In such a world scenario, one 70-year old film actor in India -- who still has a thriving career in acting -- declared he would start a political party to fight for the concept of spiritual politics and would practice spiritual politics if and when elected in the forthcoming election.

However, before this could start, he took a U turn and said he would not start the political party in view of his poor health conditions.

Nevertheless, the concept of spiritual politics caught the imagination of many people who want clean politics. It has also raised doubts and misgivings -- making many people wonder as to whether spiritual politics is possible at all in the present conditions in the world and they think it can only be a mirage.

Many people also wonder what spiritual politics is. Certainly, it is not religion or caste oriented politics. No less a person than Mahatma Gandhi advocated sort of spiritual politics, where non violence, truth and probity in public life would be the central theme. He, however, did not have the opportunity to experiment with this idea and prove its worth in practice, as he had never been in charge of the government.

In the past, some ardent thinkers have advocated world government, where one administration would rule the entire world, as the ultimate solution to resolve the conflicts in the world and promote lasting peace.

C Rajagopalachari, former governor general of India; Dr S Radhakrishnan, former president of India and a well-known academician; and Jayaprakash Narain, a towering political leader in India have also advocated the concept of world government in the past.

Many people, however, think that this concept of a borderless world could never be achieved.

This concept, though, has its own merits and value.

In several fields, many targets have not been achieved but setting such ambition has provided a sense of purpose and motivation to those involved.

Setting spiritual politics as a target for the world hence need not be straightaway ridiculed as an impossible goal or an utopian view.

There have been many worthy philosophers and thinkers in all countries who have been demanding probity in public life and truth in thoughts and actions.

It is high time that the United Nations ponders seriously on the subject of spiritual politics and gives a lead to the world in debating about the possibility and methodology of achieving spiritual politics. Certainly, this concept should be the ultimate standard for world civilisation.

A worldwide movement must be launched to promote the concept of spiritual politics, which would create an appropriate and progressive climate to achieve this lofty goal.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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Spiritual politics in the world: Is it an utopian expectation? - WION

African-American Educator and Spiritual Leader Jay Vinson Offers Hope for American Youth – Publishes Powerful New Memoir and Devotional That Turns…

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ATLANTA, Dec. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Faith-based leader and motivational youth coach Jay Vinson (http://www.jayvinson.org/jv-home) announced the official release of his second book created to help those struggling during difficult times. Written as a daily devotional, "Stepping Into Greatness: From Pain to Purpose & Promise" blends Vinson's personal and moving life story into a series of profound meditations that help guide readers to discover God's purpose for their lives. Warm, friendly and conversational, Vinson's devotional is intended for a wide audience: teenagers and adults, the faithful, and those who are still questioning. The book is now available via Amazon.com.

"The most important question anyone can ask themselves is 'what is my purpose?'," said Vinson. "Because that question can lead us out of suffering and into a lifetime of discovering what God has planned for us. More often than not, that path starts with adversity and pain. This has never been more-clear than right now, with sickness and death all around us. But God always has a purpose for our pain. And life's adversity has a way of leading us toward a higher goal."

Though born into a family indelibly marked by early tragedies, Vinson ultimately transmuted his painful experiences, now living a life in testimony to the joy that God can bring when people surrender to His will.

"Every experience brings you to a point of understanding. Every trial, tribulation, heartache, and difficult circumstance creates an atmosphere of faith and purpose if you can press through the pain. Believe me I know what it's like and what it takes."

"Stepping Into Greatness": Meditations for Focused Living

While mentoring and educating teenagers and young athletes, Vinson gained a unique approach to leading people toward their life goals: "I have a lot of kids who come to me trying to figure out what they're supposed to be doing with their lives. That's a natural concern for any teenager. I always tell them it's all about connections: making the right relationships with people who are honorable and rooted in integrity. And making a connection with God. That's just as true for adults who are still looking to find their way. We always mirror those around us. And you can't get ahead when you have negative beliefs and the bad behaviors of others pulling you down. But once you realize that truth, you can start changing your own mindset. You begin to understand that you have a divine purpose. That realization is the goal of this book that's the first step toward positioning yourself for a life of greatness."

About Jay Vinson: "A Victorious Life Is Waiting"

Educator, author and Lead Pastor for the True Life Church of Tuskegee, Alabama. Jay Vinson offers programs that propel individuals on a life-path marked by clear purpose and service to God. A Certified Spiritual, Health and Wellness Life Coach, Vinson helps people reconnect with their inner compass, encouraging spiritual growth and personal evolution with inspirational lessons that offer healing and wisdom for the spirit. Learn more at: http://www.JayVinson.org.

Media Contact: Jay Vinson (678) 310-6381[emailprotected] Social MediaFacebook, Twitter, and Instagram@JayVinson30

SOURCE Jay Vinson

http://www.JayVinson.org

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African-American Educator and Spiritual Leader Jay Vinson Offers Hope for American Youth - Publishes Powerful New Memoir and Devotional That Turns...

Ignatian spirituality in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’: The line between greed and the true more of ‘magis’ – America Magazine

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[Editors Note: This article contains spoilers forWonder Woman 1984]

Wonder Woman 1984 is the fourth on-screen outing for Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. In each previous movie, she has faced ultra-powerful, god-like monsters, but this time the true opponent is quite different and so is the manner in which the opponent is fought. The official villains of the movie, Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Dr. Barbara Minerva/Cheetah (Kristen Wiig), are both powerful in their own right, but there is a greater villain lurking in the background.

Greed is the true monster of the movie. Greed, the insatiable pursuit ofmore. This drive for more is the ultimate motivator for the films villains.

Lets start with Maxwell Lord. He takes on the power of the Dream Stone, a relic of an ancient god of mischief that has the power to grant what one wishes at an unknown cost. Lord gains the power to grant wishes as well as the ability to take what he wants from the recipient as a consequence. He becomes desperate to grant peoples wishes because with every wish granted he is able to take something for himself. His desire for more keeps taking him further from the thing that he actually wants, which is to build a life that would make his son proud of him.

As for Minerva, she begins as a good person, although one that is clumsy and largely ignored by those around her. Her original desire is to be like Diana, someone she sees as beautiful, confident, and noticed by others. As a consequence of wishing to be like Diana, she unintentionally gains her powers. Her wish gives her a taste of power, and she wants more. Eventually, this consumes her. Her own goodness becomes corrupted by this desire for more and by the end of the movie she is transformed into the bloodthirsty Cheetah.

For those well-versed in Ignatian spirituality, the term magis should sound familiar. The term is directly translated as more, but that interpretation is precisely part of the problem inWonder Woman 1984. After all, greed, the thirst formore, is the ultimate monster of the movie. But its the true meaning of magis that actually helps save the day.

Interpreting magis simply as more can be problematic. It can make us think that we need to constantly take on more, do more, and even have more.Wonder Woman 1984shows the problem with this pursuit of more. While the initial desires of the principle characters are not necessarily bad, it is greed that corrupts these into an insatiable desire for more.

Read this next:Can Ignatian spirituality teach us to engage prayerfully in civic life?

Even Wonder Woman herself is not immune to this desire. It is obvious in the film that she feels alone. It has been decades since she lost her love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), and she has outlived her friends. She inadvertently makes the wish to have Steve back in her life before she even knows the power of the Dream Stone. Her wish is shockingly granted.

But what she doesnt realize is that the consequence of her wish is the diminishment of her own powers. Over time she becomes weaker and weaker, and it is evident that she does not have the power that she needs to face Maxwell Lord and Cheetah. There is only one way to regain her powers: renounce her wish and give up Steve for good. When she first realizes this, Diana is conflicted. She wants to be able to help people, but she also wants to keep Steve in her life. In this sense she also wantsmore.

Greatness is not what you think.

The true meaning of magis in Ignatian Spirituality is not more, but that which is better or greater. Its not about doing more, but about doing the greater good. Dianas desire to keep Steve and to help others are both good. But in this case she cannot do both.

In the movie, this is because of the consequence of her wish, but in reality, we too are often faced with the choice to do what is greater. We can attempt to do it all, motivated by the misinterpretation of magis, but that will often lead to burnout and a diminishment in our ability to do what is best. This is where discernment comes in, because true discernment is always between good things. Diana sees the chaos and pain around her and knows that she must give up Steve in order to do what is right.

What ultimately allows Diana to pursue the greater good is another concept of Ignatian spirituality: detachment. In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius writes that all created things are intended to help us grow closer to God. We must take up the things that help us do this and let go of the things that prevent us from achieving this. This requires detachment or indifference. This does not mean being unfeeling, but rather, having the freedom to let go of something for the sake of pursuing the greater good.

Dianas detachment from Steve doesnt mean that she stops caring for him all of a sudden. This much is evident from how painful it is for her to renounce her wish. But she is able to do it because she knows what is the greater good.

How does it all play out? Wonder Woman and Cheetah engage in a physical showdown, but the true final battle is an appeal by Diana to Maxwell Lord and the people of the world to recognize the greater good, or the magis. She invites them to see the destruction that is being caused by their own blind pursuit of more, fueled by greed.

It can be easy to write off the message of the movie because of its fantastical nature, including the fact that much of the chaos is caused by the consequences of a wishing stone. But the fact is that our own actions have consequences. And when they are motivated by greed and selfishness, the consequences usually have a negative effect on those around us and ourselves.

Maxwell Lord thought that he was gaining everything. But he was losing his family in the process. Does this not happen in our world? Barbara wanted to be noticed and desired, and she was willing to give up her best qualities, her kindness and goodness, to do so. Does this not happen in our world as well?

Even with the best of intentions, the pursuit of more can keep us from doing the greater good. Like Diana, we might be tempted to do it all, but we cant. The danger with interpreting magis as more is that we can take on too many good things, doing none of them well and harming our mental, physical, and spiritual health in the process.

This is a huge temptation for many of us. Rather than taking the time to make hard choices or, God forbid, telling someone no, we attempt to do everything until were completely worn out. Ignatian spirituality has the tools to help us pursue the greater good. Discernment can help us to take an honest look at what is before us and what would be best, for us and for others. Detachment can give us the freedom that we need to let go of some things, even when it is difficult.

Instead of giving into greed for more, we need to grow in the freedom to let go for the sake of the greater good. Just like Wonder Woman.

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Ignatian spirituality in 'Wonder Woman 1984': The line between greed and the true more of 'magis' - America Magazine

Spirituality: This is time of year to make our dreams real – Norwich Bulletin

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By Cal Lord, For The Bulletin| The Bulletin

I was riding down Route 2 in Preston when I saw it. The sign read, "60 acres for sale." I quickly looked to my right and I saw trees for as far as my eyes could see. Lots of trees. A veritable forest. There was nothing there. No buildings. No roads. Nothing to spark your imagination. It was just a wooded lot.

As I continued to drive I came upon the vast expanse of the Foxwoods. It arose out of the forest and stood tall like the California redwoods. As I drove out over the overpass I could see the taillights of the cars as they ascended into the parking garages. The place was alive and filled with people looking for miracles to happen.

Now I am not a gambler. I don't believe in it. Places like this bring more heartache than anything else. Yet, I remember when that piece of land was just as plain and simple as the parcel that I saw minutes before. The only difference between the two is that someone had a vision for the piece of land that now houses two of the largest casinos in the world.

Vision is what separates what is and what could be.I love this time of year. It's a time of reflection but it also gives us the opportunity tolook at the landscape ahead us and to dream dreams about the future. It allows us to put the past behind us so we canstartover andforge ahead to try new things.

The new year gives us permission to leave behind the things that have weighed us down. It gives us permission to start over and do it right and do it better this time around. People who know me will tell you that every January I go back to Weight Watchers to mold and shape the new me. Every January I pick up my Bible and begin my daily devotionals again. Every January I reach out to old friends and renew some important acquaintances.

The good news is that the ability to begin again doesn't depend on the calendar. God sees the potential in us.He wants us to claim it today. Like that wooded piece of property, God sees what we can become. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that God has a bright and prosperous plan for our future. All we have to do iswalk with Godso that the future can spring to life.

If you have been feeling stuck and need a boost to get you going again, I want to invite you to drop in to a local church or synagogue in your neighborhood.Are you beingcareful about exposure to the coronavirus?Bring up their service online and worship with them in thatway.

You seeGod is there, ready and waiting to get started on that future. Don't just dream about the future. Start making it happen today. Gohand in handwith God intothe new year andclaimthe blessing that He has set aside for you.

The Rev. Cal Lord is the pastor of Central Baptist Church of Westerly. Reach him atcalstigers@gmail.com.

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Spirituality: This is time of year to make our dreams real - Norwich Bulletin