Pillars & Foundations

My Story of Visiting "Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris" I had often thought of writing a post about my Notre Dame visit, and had been reluctant previously largely because my photographs are few and unexceptional. This post is my way of expressing my sadness about the recent fire at the church, expressing my hope that they are able to rebuild, and being thankful that I did get to experience it first hand. When I had the opportunity to do a layover in Paris in 2009 (Oh how the time flies), I was far from being a "Church Crawler," and my grasp of photography was even worse than it currently is, so unfortunately I was not mindful to take great photos. It was my opportunity for a quick experience in Paris, I only had several hours, and I certainly rushed through major sites with as much gusto as I could foster up after doing more than a week's worth of 12+ hour days of work in a neighboring country. The visuals I can provide from my brief visit are less than ...

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, West Hartford, CT: Lectio Divina Pillars & Foundations documents an exploration of communities, as well as faith through religious institutions. My intent is to share experiences, and spread the positivity that I observe.  Campus Description Holy Family Retreat Center is located in a bucolic suburb of Hartford Connecticut. Still decidedly urban the monastery and an expansive, mostly wooded grounds is seated amongst an idyllic upper middle class neighborhood. Forty-eight acres of grounds offer a refuge from the bustle to visitors as well as the people in the community, to which it is open. Trails meander through the forest, and visitors can appreciate thoughtful landscaping and features that include the stations of the cross, grottos and various statues of saints and Christ. One particularly striking feature on the property is a large landscaped labyrinth located on a clearing in the forest. I found it covered in snow on my visit, a...

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Attleboro, Massachusetts Pillars & Foundations documents an exploration of communities, as well as faith through religious institutions. My intent is to share experiences, and spread the positivity that I observe.  Reflecting on my 2018 Journey Prior to discussing Our Lady of La Salette further, please humor me as I reflect. This blog has documented a year long journey that has taken me to over 50 different churches, shrines, temples and faith centers. Most of these I was privileged to attend a service and to mingle with community members. It has be a terrific experience exploring faith, religion, community, charity, and I am better off as a consequence. It is fitting that I write about the shrine of La Salette in Attleboro as my experience touring the lights in 2017 with my wife, drinking hot chocolate, warming ourselves by a fire, watching a candle light procession of Silent Night at a manger, and seeing families experi...

Incarnation Parish, Melrose & Saugus, Melrose, MA Pillars & Foundations documents an exploration of communities, as well as faith through religious institutions. My intent is to share experiences, and spread the positivity that I observe. The hope is to provide a window into these organizations allowing those who might not other wise venture in to appreciate these thoughtful, often intimate groups in our midst. Faith centers embody a drive to make a difference which they deliver upon, regardless if it is with one person looking for hope & community, or a recipient of their expansive charitable work. Building & History The parish was started in 1958 and an interesting write up on the parish website demonstrates just how much this region of Melrose has changed over the past 60 years. It notes that the land was once a dairy farm located near the Saugus border, and that parishioners originally met in Mount Hood Lodge, "under a stuffed moose head," a...