Christmas 2024: Jesus, Be Here!

Professional & Personal Updates

I was not able to send a Christmas card in 2023 for two related reasons: (1) I was laid off from my job resourcing national lay ministry efforts at the U.S. bishops conference in June of that year in an unexpected and sudden reorganization, and, (2) because of that, I needed to conserve funds while I worked interim jobs before finding full time employment again, which occurred in February of this year (more below). So, while 2023 was a beautiful year personally in many respects, it ultimately ended up being a subdued year due to necessity.

In addition to teaching theology at Loyola Marymount University in Baltimore and doing some successful grant writing for the Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition in the second half of 2023, I was both able to have gainful income and support important ministry work while I applied for jobs and waited. Further, my friend of many years, Kenneth, was named Dean of the Graduate Schools of the University of Maryland Baltimore City – an excellent role utilizing his many gifts. I have been close to his family, who live in Vienna, Va., for many years. As they determine their steps to ultimately moving to the Greater Baltimore area, I was fortunate that, in 2023, he came to stay with me, boarding in a spare bedroom and adding an enjoyable presence at breakfast or dinner, while also helping with my income stream.

The year of 2024 brought me a new full time opportunity as Director of Education & Communications for Saint Luke Institute (SLI), a nearly 50-year-old organization that has provided mental health and spiritual care for priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, as well as lay ministers and some Protestant clergy. It is a remarkable organization with very gifted psychological experts and spiritual directors who work hard to help ministers dealing with the many mental health challenges they can face today – burnout, depression, loneliness, managing power, relationships, addictions, and more.

The organization has also built up, through its online learning platform, SLIconnect.org, as well as presentations at workshops and conferences, a proactive educational resource to support mental health, spiritual enrichment, leadership skills and development for ministers. My work has been focused in these latter areas, providing a comprehensive approach for marketing our mental health clinical offerings and also developing and implementing new content on our learning platform in collaboration with SLI experts and others. I also have developed the presence of our experts at conferences and have exhibited at a few myself over the past year.

During some staff transitions in these months, I was also tasked with some development work through several fundraising campaigns, and working to coordinate communications and event logistics for the organization’s annual benefit, which raised over $260,000 in support of the mission! I am also coordinating the launch of a new main website for the organization early next year. As 2024 concludes, my work within the organization continues to evolve, and it has been a unique opportunity to bring together skills from my decades of work in ministry and over 15 years of work in digital communications and relationship-building.

On the personal side, 2024 has also been full, including:

• Overseeing some significant repairs to my home after a roof leak did some damage over the holidays in late 2023, which fortunately were completed well, but took several months to complete
• Enjoying a basketball game between my alma mater, the Saint Bonaventure University men’s basketball team, and George Washington University, with some friends at the GWU campus in DC
• Celebrating Holy Week and other special events with the choir and community of Saint Mary of Mt. Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish in Utica, NY, where I have a long-standing connection and many meaningful relationships
• Observing the total solar eclipse of April as the path of totality passed just north of Utica, NY. Despite overcast skies, family members and I were able to experience the unique 360-degree sunlight and overhead darkness that only comes with totality
• Checking off a big item on my bucket list: a walking tour of the White House with my friend Russ on a beautiful spring day in April (fortunate timing, as I won’t be visiting while The Felon is in residence)
• As usual, enjoying many in-person baseball games through walking-distance access to Oriole Park at Camden Yards with my friend Chris, who has a partial season plan with me, and with many of our friends, and some visits to Nationals Park in DC, including their 5-year celebration of their 2019 World Series win, for which I was able to be at one of the home games. While the Nationals had a substandard year, the Orioles did well enough to make the playoffs for the second year in a row (this time as the AL Wild Card), before, sadly, losing in the first round to Kansas City
• Work travel brought me to Saint Louis (twice!) for conferences and I was also able to take in a home game at Busch Stadium of the St. Louis Cardinals for one of them (though not a new stadium for me, it was enjoyable all the same).
• The late spring and summer brought time with family in Central New York, and allowed me to do my usual work tending many of the family graves, which I find humbling and rewarding. Friends also joined me for a concert at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the shadow of the remains of the Key Bridge, which collapsed due to a collision in March. Six workers were killed and the area’s transportation and supply chain activities were disrupted for months and remain so as leaders look to rebuild. The concert was in support of first responders.
• June brough the opportunity to celebrate Kenneth and Andrea’s eldest, Simon, graduating from high school at Constitution Hall in DC, and subsequent party, and enjoying some summer events with him and his sister, Monica, who is also one of my goddaughters, as well as their parents, before he moved to and settled well into his first semester at the University of Maryland College Park.
• July 4 brought people to my home to view the Baltimore City fireworks display from my roof deck. There was also a Nats game and Carly Rae Jepsen concert at Nationals Park later in the month. August and Labor Day weekend allowed me to spend time with family, including my cousins Deb & Bob and their families, including young adult children Alex and Dominic, and girls Ana and Tori (Tori is also my goddaughter). Most of us spent time in New York on the Erie Canal tour, and an enjoyable day on Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks.
• October gave me my first chance to attend a professional soccer game at Audi Field, home of DC United as they played Charlotte FC. I was able to join my friends Rebecca and David in the Charlotte cheering section in what turned out to be an important victory for them. It was enjoyable to see the enthusiasm of the fans! While the Orioles postseason ended early, I did have a chance to attend Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Yankees and the Royals at Yankee Stadium with another Rebecca, a friend from college and big Yankees fan.
• And I was able to join many friends out for my 49th birthday earlier in December at a BSO concert followed by dinner at a Baltimore restaurant.

In addition to the photos of these various activities here, I also include two videos of unique experiences from my home living in the heart of the city: a flyover for a Ravens playoff game in January and, less enjoyably, a funnel cloud / tornado that touched down near Baltimore in early June.

In closing, please know that despite distances between us, I remain grateful for each of you and pray that this season is a blessing for you and the coming year – even with what are sure to be extraordinary difficulties for everyone – will allow you to find and cherish the blessings in each of your lives.