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- From Grenades to Grace: The power of certain words and experiences January 31, 2021
- Steer Steady and True January 20, 2021
- Use unnecessary B.C. election to start making necessary changes October 14, 2020
Category Archives: Histories, Commentaries, Commemorations
Use unnecessary B.C. election to start making necessary changes
Use unnecessary B.C. election to start making necessary changes PATRICK WOLFE “Stop Denying the Climate is Dying,” was one of the slogans at the Sept. 25, 2020 #FridaysForFuture protest rallies around the world.[1] “Our planet is headed for disaster,” broadcaster … Continue reading
Martin Luther King Jr., George Floyd, and the awful grace of God
Martin Luther King Jr., George Floyd, and the awful grace of God[1] By PATRICK S. WOLFE The heart flag is ubiquitous throughout the city.[2] It is a symbol of hope in difficult times. So was the Silent Minute. Instituted by … Continue reading
“I can’t breathe”: Humanity’s need for a spiritual renaissance
“I can’t breathe”: Humanity’s need for a spiritual renaissance[1] By PATRICK SHANE WOLFE As “I have a dream” is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s immortal phrase, so “I can’t breathe” is George Floyd’s. Both are gifts to the world. The first … Continue reading
Coping With Coronavirus and Building A Better World: Wit, grit, and inner light
COPING WITH CORONAVIRUS AND BUILDING A BETTER WORLD: Wit, grit and inner light[1] PATRICK S. WOLFE We are living through deeply sobering times. The novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world on its head. The pandemic’s potential for chaos and … Continue reading
Mr. Rogers’ neighbourhood and the gifts of grace
Mr. Rogers’ neighbourhood and the gifts of grace[1] PATRICK S. WOLFE The initial inspiration for the movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, in which Tom Hanks plays Mr. Rogers, was Tom Junod’s article “Can You Say … Hero?” … Continue reading
Wellesley Tudor Pole and the Big Ben Silent Minute
Wellesley Tudor Pole and the Big Ben Silent Minute By PATRICK S. WOLFE On Armistice Sunday, November 10, 1940,[1] during the Blitz, the BBC added its considerable clout to the new practice “of one minute’s silence, to be marked by … Continue reading
Pastor Martin Niemöller’s confession, heard anew amid climate crisis
Pastor Martin Niemöller’s confession, heard anew amid climate crisis[1] By PATRICK SHANE WOLFE Pastor Martin Niemöller is a complex figure. A German nationalist, militarist, and anti-Semite who voted for the Nazis, he was also the most famous German opponent of … Continue reading
Conversations about the past can be tricky: More on the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Victoria, B.C.
Conversations about the past can be tricky: More on the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Victoria, B.C.[1] By PATRICK SHANE WOLFE It is tempting to observe that by the time the proposed City of Victoria conversation on the future … Continue reading
What do Malala, Greta Thunberg, and Alex Trebek have in common?
What do Malala, Greta Thunberg, and Alex Trebek have in common? Compelling voices that galvanize attention[1] PATRICK WOLFE They are a select breed. They often arise out of some combination of personal and socio-political trauma. They are messengers. They speak … Continue reading
From Grenades to Grace: The power of certain words and experiences
From Grenades to Grace: The power of certain words and experiences[1] By Patrick Wolfe Words like “God” and “Jesus” can be loaded with a range of meaning and emotion, sometimes intended, sometimes not, and sometimes projected by people reacting to … Continue reading →