Category Archives: Histories, Commentaries, Commemorations

Adolf Hitler and “the luck of the devil” By PATRICK S. WOLFE Sir Ian Kershaw’s masterful two volume biography of Adolf Hitler was published in 1998 and 2000. In 2002, Kershaw was knighted for “services to History.”[1] His chapter on … Continue reading →

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 →

Climate change remediation and social responsibility are bedeviled by the status quo two-step 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 … Continue reading →

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[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[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[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 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[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.[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 →