Julia Walsh

Let us look for evidence of God's grace in the midst of predator attacks, storms, disasters, upheaval, polarities and the shifting landscapes of religion. Let us search for grace in the uncertainty.

Horizons - I spend a lot of time exploring possibilities with people who want to listen to their deeper wisdom. I have developed a list of spiritual practices that can strengthen the fatigued and lonely, no matter who you are.

Horizons - Think of a giant fountain. Think of an ordinary campfire. To me, these are images of religious life. But what if religious life is shifting so much that for others it feels like the gifts of fountain and fire are behind a giant fence?

Horizons - Between the lines of the Easter narrative engrained in my heart is a story I'd rather not tell — a story made up of agonizing questions and the intensities of death and division.

Horizons - As people of prayer and service, we go into dire circumstances and insist that God's goodness will be triumphant — all situations have potential. It may seem foolish, but that's the point.

Horizons - I'm afraid the war has already started. We've sorted ourselves into echo-chambers online and in real life and succumbed to a mentality that our disagreements make us enemies. The good news is that we have a formula to move forward.

Horizons - "Sister Act," which came out in 1992, has been part of the soundtrack to my life since I first watched the film, when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I watched it again after a long time, and I noticed how deeply the sisters care for each other — the loyalty and affection are deep. The communal bonds are transformative.

Horizons - I imagined it would only be natural for all of us to sacrifice our comforts once body bags began to line up in our counties and towns. It was hard for me to imagine that we'd become divided about this.

Horizons - Off and on, for the past few years, I have sensed a crisis looming. But I never thought it would be like this, a global coronavirus pandemic. Yet here we are. The crisis has arrived, and it is serious and costly.

Horizons - The landscape of religious life is quaking. With every evolution of a tradition or new expression of a charism, the Spirit reminds us that our radical form of life is not about comfort and security.

Horizons - During these Advent days, we pray about making room. We are working to prepare the way for God’s will in our lives, to prepare ourselves to unwrap and celebrate the deep meaning and joy of the Incarnation.

The first person who taught me eucharistic theology was my Lutheran grandmother. Although I have no memories of her ever uttering the words "eucharistic" or "theology," she taught me by being a living example.

Horizons - Aware of his creaturedom, St. Francis proclaimed a mutuality with all God's creation. In the face of the climate crisis, the message of his life is incredibly relevant today.