Heart's Desire & Social Change

Fr. Dan and Richard Leider discuss the importance of kinship and accompaniment. As Fr. Greg Boyle describes it, “Kinship—not serving the other, but being one with the other. Jesus was not ‘a man for others’; he was one with them. There is a world of difference in that…”

We hope that you can take the opportunity to reflect on a time when you were accompanied well, and on how you can accompany others in the future.

Resources:

• Accompaniment Integration
• LifeLine Exercise
• Bryan Stevenson on the importance of "staying proximate"
• Galilean Journey: The Mexican-American Promise by Fr. Virgilio Elizondo

• Acts of Service or Kindness Integration
• A primer on the Biblical meaning of justice
• Fr. Dan's book on Globalization, Spirituality & Justice
• The South Bend Center for the Homeless

Fr. Dan and Richard Leider discuss the difficulties of loneliness and the importance of genuine connection and community.

Resources:

• Social Connection Integration
• Our adapted 12 Questions to Build Relationships exercise
• The Harvard Study of Adult Development
• The viral TED Talk about the study
• Gerald May's Will and Spirit: A Contemplative Psychology

Fr. Dan and Richard Leider discuss the difficulties and importance of facing fear and anxiety.

Resources:

• Agere Contra Integration
• Failure  Résumé
• Flow Résumé
• BioSpirituality and focusing primer

Fr. Dan and Richard Leider discuss the importance of biography and storytelling. At the end of the day, are we living out someone else's story, or our own?

Resources:

• StoryCorps Interview Integration
• StoryCorps TED Talk
• Fr. Dan's short documentary: Return to Rwanda
•  Fr. Dan's  book: Love Prevails: One Couple's Story of Faith and Survival in the Rwandan Genocide
• Spiritual biographies list that we give the students
   

Fr. Dan and Richard discuss discernment, decision making, and how we can make wise decisions.

Resources:

• Life Path Conversations Integration
• Life Paths Exercise
• David Brooks on résumé and eulogy virtues (video version)
• Richard's book on purposeful aging
• A primer on Bernard Lonergan
• A viral video explaining the core human psychological needs of autonomy, master, and purpose

Fr. Dan and Richard Leider discuss the importance of freedom, conversion, and Groundhog Day.

Resources:

• Examen & Gratitude Journaling Integration
• Roger Ebert's review of Groundhog Day
• Some seminal excerpts from Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
• Gerald May's Addiction and Grace

Fr. Dan and Richard Rohr continue their conversation in the second half of our bonus interview. They explore substitutionary atonement theory, the links between contemplation and action, and the dangers of a gospel of perfection.

Resources:

• The full video version of the interview
• Richard's perspective on the cross as a message of love, not atonement
• Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' address to  the Synod of Bishops in Rome

Fr. Dan and Richard discuss the importance and practice of gratitude and grace.

Resources:

• Gratitude Letter Integration
• Examen & Gratitude Journal Integration
• Jean Valjean and the Bishop in Les Misérables
• Harvard Study of Adult Development TED Talk
• A primer on post-traumatic growth
• Examples of the gratitude letter exercise
• Brother Steindl-Rast's TED Talk on gratitude

Fr. Dan interviews Richard Rohr, the renowned Franciscan priest, author, and spiritual teacher.

In this first half of the interview, they discuss Richard's perspective on the true self, the shadow, and forgiveness.

We recorded this on location at the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Resources:

• The New Yorker profile on Richard
• Richard's Daily Meditations email
• Richard's book on the true self: Immortal Diamond