Mary van Balen

IMAGE: Saint Brigid

Last month I presented a reflection on being "Mystics in the Marketplace" to a group of Catholic business people and their spouses. Today is the feast of Saint Brigid of Sweden, a woman who could be called a patron saint of mystics involved in the world. Years ago, my daughter took the name Brigid at Confirmation, but I had not thought of the saint for years. Reading about her reminded me of the many reasons Kathryn had for choosing this woman as one to inspire her.

At the age of thirteen Brigid married a nobleman, Ulf, who shared both her noble background and her religious commitment. Together they raised four boys and four boys. Read More 

PHOTO: Reuters/BP Live Video Feed

The AP article written by Colleen Long and Matthew Daly is one among many that mention the need to monitor the sea bed in the Gulf for possible leaks resulting from undetected damage to BP's well deep under the ocean floor that may be exacerbated by increased pressure caused by capping the well.

Until the past few days, I had not considered effects capping the well would have other than finally shutting down the gushing plumes of oil fouling the Gulf. Why was the news that the sea floor itself could be compromised surprising? It is logical, and it points to a reality we too often overlook: Everything in our world, in the universe, in interconnected; Everything. Read More 

Watching dark plumes of oil and gas rise like dirty clouds from the broken pipe at the BP oil site makes me sick. My stomach turns over when I think of millions of gallons of oil fouling the earth every day. The thought that this will happen day after day for months is unfathomable.

Anger rising from my heart is as dark and dirty as the oily clouds. Read More