Patricia Vaccarino

Brody Hale cannot see, but he relates to the world in ways that many of us could only imagine. He is known throughout the United States as an expert in canon law. He works to save Catholic Churches that have been threatened with closure.  This month, Barbara Lloyd McMichael writes a book review about “Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop’s Battle for America’s Soul,” by Michael Fanone and John Shiffman. Annie Searle offers us sage advice to roll up our sleeves to make the world a better place. During this month of Thanksgiving, Reverend Anne Saunders shares her insight: learn how to pray or learn how to become better at praying. Lord knows, we need all of the help we can get! Happy Thanksgiving!!  –Patricia Vaccarino

The blue-skied Seattle day is warm for February 8th. I walk across the freeway overpass on Madison Avenue and turn right onto 6th Avenue. A man is huddled on the steps leading up to the Plymouth Congregational Church. The building is the color of a white palace. The man is young, black, lean, but he takes up the entire landing at the bottom of the steps; his battered blue backpack is large and looks heavy. He is crying, sobbing into a blinding-white concrete buttress.