In Part I of Walking Before We Fly, I focused on Faith Formation, and on what I should have called Faith Maturation. Children do not choose to be born into a Christian family. We want them to embrace and flourish in it, not be frightened either into it or away from it. That is a challenge, even with adults. In between, we have the teens and young adults, like the girls’ volleyball team helping with food distribution at St. Finbar’s on May 29. Not only were they practicing their faith, but they were in a room full of adults doing the same thing. That reinforces the faith for them, as it did for the adults.

Following up, I agreed to comment on Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ (On Care For Our Common Home). Father Bill said “it is not just recycling.” True, but recycling is like learning to ride the bike (see Part I) toward protecting Mother Earth. If we cannot be bothered recycling, how will we face the big issues—changing our own lifestyles, even if it is inconvenient, and becoming advocates for protecting the environment, even if it is politically unpopular? Continue reading “Walking Before We Fly, (Pt. II) – Joe Genova” →