October Gathering; reflection

After a two month planned hiatus, the Fellowship met at the Kirkwood residence. A dozen men gathered for reflection, conversation and prayer (Compline), as is our custom.

An essay by Dr. Andrew Seeley entitled Lord of the Rings and Catholic Education: Developing the Human Person, served as the subject matter to initiate reflection. Conversation was spirited, honest and sobering, as those gathered wrestled with contemporary challenges to living as Christians.

With a loss of positive human identity formerly sustained by a classical education, a societal vacuum has developed wherein distorted understandings of human identity routinely result in deadly psychological and spiritual consequences for those who embrace current norms, and wherein proponents of strange ideologies violently attack those who represent a more wholistic and intrinsically human formation that supports authentic growth and human development.

Thoughts raised by members ranged from how to respond to hostility enacted against Christians by those allied with irrational political and social causes, to the culture of death and ubiquitous evil occupying social and political institutions, to personal integrity and concern for one's family, to maintaining hope and looking to the witness of the Apostles for direction in our efforts to evangelize others.

Being light in a world darkened by sin. Members arrived to discover the area in darkness due to a power outage. Our host, being the resourceful fellow he is, had stationed candles and lanterns throughout the house. The evening commenced in candlelight; the evening concluded with Compline.

Thank you to all who provided snacks and beverages!