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St. Bonaventure

I don't know much of anything about St. Bonaventure, if I'm being honest. I do have an aspiring religious friend who likes him, if for no other reason than to get away from St. Thomas! [He needs to know that there's no way a Doctor of the Church can be overrated.--ed.] I agree.

We can always count on Father to say, "We gather to celebrate the life and the faith witness" of whomever it is. Even the priest's little quirks in speech like this become part of what you grow to expect.

I think St. Bonaventure would be pleased that, weather permitting, we have made this same journey hundreds of times. Not that merely being present has any merit, but the hope that we will be moved by the glorious grace of Christ for some good end.

We had been talking about grace having possibly come to a notorious mass murderer. We both agreed that we wanted to be the sorts of men who rejoice at stories like that. Easy to say, from a distance.

And I had Sister Helen on my mind yesterday. I think one of the things I most admire about her is that she has never minimized evil that is done. If you can look straight into the face of evil and sin in all its ugliness and say, "Nevertheless, Christ loves you, and offers Himself for you," that is credibility; that is holiness. If we don't believe this, we'd better get out of the church business, if you will.

St. Bonaventure, pray for us!
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