Pillars & Foundations

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...

Madonna Queen of the Universe National Shrine, East Boston, Massachusetts Pillars & Foundations was initiated as an exploration communities as well as faith through religious institutions. My intent is to share experiences, and spread the positivity that I observe. 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. This post took to the fringes of what I'd consider my neighborhood, and shows how much there can be to see right in our own back yards that we take for granted. For many years the sign on the side of Rt. 1A intrigued me but I never took the time to explore it. For whenever I saw it, despite being a twenty minute drive away, I was headed to a destination, perhaps the airport, or a business along the road. When I began exploring area churches, I finally made a point to research, and the reviews of visitors blew me awa...