Three years ago, Franciscan Media offered a seven-day blog and video series on the Virgin Mary. I was tasked with finding a writer. I needed a voice that was authoritative but warm—and quickly. No easy mission! In the 11th hour, a colleague suggested that a good friend of his, Maureen O’Brien, might fit the bill. We engaged her, and she agreed.

He’s built skyscrapers, fought fires, and led the nation’s largest Franciscan province. But what Father John O’Connor most treasures is his ministry as a parish priest.

As Pope Francis wrote, “The Spirit of God has filled the universe with possibilities, and, therefore, from the very heart of things, something new can always emerge. ” Maybe the Resurrection signifies the willingness to give something new a chance.

As we prepare to celebrate Easter, this author reminds us that miracles are all around us.

When we focus on only the present moment, we’re losing sight of tomorrow. Rejoining the Paris Agreement is one step in the right direction.