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Welcome

This blog began as a public journal during my undergraduate studies and has grown into a space for honest, imperfect reflections on faith, education, and public theology. Written across different seasons of life and formation, these posts invite dialogue and thoughtful interpretation rather than aim to settle debates.

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Introduction & Overview

This blog began in 2011 while I was an undergraduate student, as a way to share retreat talks, essays, and reflections on my experiences at Xavier University. Its primary purpose was to detail my study abroad experience in Shanghai and serve as a “public journal” of that summer in China.…Continue reading “Introduction & Overview”

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October 17, 2025October 17, 2025
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Being an “And Companion”

God sees what human memory forgets. On Sunday, October 19, the Church honors the Feast of the North American Martyrs—St.…

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September 23, 2025September 23, 2025
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Looking like the One we Love

People often adopt the traits and characteristics of those they love.  Friends often look, act, and dress alike. Couples begin…

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April 18, 2023May 1, 2023
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Discerning Thomas

Earlier last week, I was invited to the Jesuits, and I accepted their offer to enter the novitiate to discern…

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Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Find your Bungoma

16 Jul 2022July 16, 2022
“I would love to do something like that!”“I wish I could spend my summer volunteering.”“I’ve always wanted to visit Kenya.” THEN DO IT! All summer long, I have heard some…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Our World is not The World

13 Jul 2022
It is so easy to become myopic. To narrow our vision of the world to a limited radius and perspective. Given our hyper-personalized social media feed, preferred news outlets, and…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Progress

9 Jul 2022July 9, 2022
Perching on a pile of dirt where a tree once stood, a bird lands chirping for its former home. Progress. As workers hastily hack away at the roots of a…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Traveling Home

8 Jul 2022July 9, 2022
Traveling has its inevitable joys, wonders, and exciting moments. Who doesn’t love a beer before noon while sitting on the beach reading a book? What’s not to enjoy about seeing…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

We’re Teachers

6 Jul 2022
“We’re teachers.” The weight of those words resounds no matter where you go. Traveling in Mombasa and the Masai Mara, people ask, “What are you doing in Kenya?” “We are…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

God Bless America

4 Jul 2022
The Fourth of July is a day of American exceptionalism. Blanketed in the Stars, Americans feel a sense of pride in living in a free, democratic country. With bombs bursting…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Life finds a way

3 Jul 2022
Scouring the tall grass, an elusive cat hides for a mid-morning nap. Plucking large clumps of grass, elephants gorges themselves for hours. Towering over trees, giraffes gum thorny branches gnawing…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Safari Silence

2 Jul 2022
Beneath the safari sun, a bloat of hippos bath in the Mara river. Their deep nostrils surface like whales gasping deep breaths of air before hiding from the cool breeze.…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Into the darkness

1 Jul 2022July 2, 2022
Some added context: This post has nothing to do with the conditions of Kenya and everything to do with the conditions of my own interior judgment and darkness. To conflate…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Medical Judgment

28 Jun 2022June 28, 2022
“You could have malaria.” As I prepared to go to the doctor’s office to check if I had malaria, I was overwhelmed with fears and judgment of the Kenyan medical…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

Communally Independent

27 Jun 2022
Living in the Xaverian Brothers community means only a limited number of available vehicles exist. As a result, the ability to leave campus is dependent on the availability of the…
Xaverian Brothers Kenya

A Mass of Time

26 Jun 2022June 26, 2022
Time in Kenya moves differently. In America, time works against you. Each tick is a moment lost. Each tock an opportunity missed. Every second is precisely counted and every minute…

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