Category Archives: Histories, Commentaries, Commemorations

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 →

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 →