Contemporary Spirituality

Dr. Allegre is a pioneer in the fields of hospice care and palliative medicine. She began her career in general medicine and soon became interested in palliative medicine as a result of a personal experience with life-threatening illness. She joined Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care in 1995 and became its first director of medical programs. In 1999, she became the founding medical director of the Palliative Care Consult Team at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City. Colleagues praise her remarkable communication skills, her holistic and spiritual approach to her patients and their families, and her finely honed clinical expertise. Dr. Allegre is also an educator and mentor to other physicians. As an associate clinical professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine, she educates the next generation of physicians about end-of-life care. She is also active in the work of the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City.

Simone Curls is a Kansas City native and the Executive Director of Prospect Business Association. She has over fifteen years experience owning a business consulting firm in Los Angeles. From that experience, she assisted businesses start-up, scale-up, provided one-on-one business consulting, conducted workshops and training. She also worked with various partners, community-based organizations, and public and private sectors to provide resources and support.

Tom Cordaro is the Justice & Outreach Minister for St. Margaret Mary in Naperville, Illinois. Tom coordinates the charity work of the parish and is responsible for educating parishioners about issues of justice and peace as they related to Catholic Social Teaching. Tom served on the national staff of Pax Christi USA and was also a founding member of the Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team which assist Pax Christi USA in transforming itself into an anti-racist multi-cultural Catholic movement for peace and justice. 

Tom has been involved with faith-based peace and justice work for over 40 years as a local, regional and national organizer, public speaker and writer.

Both Charles and Mike were part of a group that completed the Richard Rohr Living School in 2017. His journey includes business success, a battle with alcoholism and his resulting sobriety, including his thoughts on his current battle with cancer. Mike asked Charles to identify some key aspects of his journey and he provided the following – “Finding out I’ve always been okay; I just didn’t know it. Trudging the road of happy destiny. Giving up the merit economy so as to join the economy of Grace. Finally knowing God loves me because He is good not because I am good.”

Law and faith - journey of a preachers kid 

John has a trial lawyer’s skill, coupled with a servant’s heart. Below in John’s own words is a summary of the essence of his journey.

My feelings about my Maker and my faith seem like unto John Wesley’s expression of his “conversion” experience ---

Aldersgate Day is celebrated on May 24 (or the Sunday closest) to commemorate the day in 1738 when John Wesley experienced assurance of his salvation.  Wesley reluctantly attended a group meeting that evening on Aldersgate Street in London.  As he heard a reading from Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, he felt his "heart strangely warmed."   Wesley wrote in his journal that at about 8:45 p.m. "while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

I have been fortunate to have multiple such strange warmings of my heart throughout my life.   I live for them.   I treasure them.   Lucky me.

In this episode, Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) Executive Director Michael Poffenberger shares how they are building on Fr. Richard Rohr’s vision for the organization and its role in the future of the Christian contemplative movement.  Founded by Fr. Richard in 1987 as a “school for prophets,” today the CAC provides spiritual wisdom and guidance to millions of seekers around the world in support of inner and outer transformation.

Frank Cordaro 70 yr old Des Moines native, former Des Moines Diocesan Catholic priest for 19 years, co-founder of the Des Moines Catholic Worker in 1976.  Frank calls the Berrigan brothers Dan and Phil his rabbis. His 1st arrest on the steps of the Pentagon Aug 9, 1977. Frank’s been arrested hundreds of times, in lots of places, for a wide range of issues over the years, spending over nights, to months in jails or prisons.  Collectively Frank has done 6 years of jail and/or prison time, never more than 6 months at a time over the last 44 yrs.

Two weeks after 9/11 in 2001 Frank suffered a life threatening heartache. After a long recovery and an even longer decrement process Frank resigned from active priestly ministry in 2004. In a public statement he said he wanted to live, that his long standing conflict at maintaining celibacy was too much to bear.

Frank’s been living and working at the Des Moines Catholic Worker since 2004. Life at the Des Moines Catholic Worker has given Frank a place and tradition that allows him to remain Catholic and follow the radical Jesus he came to know in the Gospels and in the people he’s served over the years.

Interview with Cristo Rey's President, John O’Connor, and Director of Corporate Work Study Program, Ted Koppen. Cristo Rey Kansas City provides a Catholic, college and career prep education enhanced by an innovative corporate work study program to culturally diverse, ambitious students with economic need.

In 2006, Cristo Rey Kansas City opened its doors making an intentional investment in students of limited economic means across the metro area. Drawing on the educational experience of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and the Cristo Rey Network, school leaders set out to make college and career-prep education accessible for ambitious students.

Sharon and David Hoover live in Joplin, MO. David holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California and Sharon holds a Masters of Counseling Psychology and a Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy from the California School of Integral Studies in San Francisco.

Both are Spiritual Directors and teach in a Spiritual Direction training program offered by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, California. They lived in Orange County and worked for/with the Sisters of St. Joseph for many years. Sharon worked at Bethany, a transitional living program for homeless woman operated by the Sisters of Orange from 1999 until 2013.  During her time there she served as the Case Manager and the Assistant Director. David was a member of the Spirituality team at the Center for Spiritual Development from 1999 until 2012. David's special interests are in prayer and spirituality and Sharon's are in peace and justice.

Several years ago they formed Inscape Ministries through which they offer dramatic presentations on Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and St. Francis of Assisi; Storytelling events; and lectures and retreats on many other spiritual topics. After their jobs with the Sisters of St. Joseph ended, they volunteered at St. Camillus in Los Angeles where they served as the Pax Christi Southern California Regional Coordinators and worked closely with Father Chris Ponnet.  In 2014 they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they lived for four years.  During their time there they were involved with the Trinity House Catholic Worker where Sharon served on the board. In the summer of 2017 they relocated to Joplin, Missouri in order to be closer to family as they begin the wind down of their lives.

They are available for presentations and for individual spiritual direction via Zoom. You can contact them through their website: www.Inscapeministries.com