Conversations are the most powerful influencers in the world. They shape who we are. They influence what we do. What's more, they build relationships, foster understanding, promote growth, and change perspectives. As we know, conversations can be good or bad, enlightening or disheartening. So, what can we do when we're stuck in a conversation that makes us feel uncomfortable, agitated, or helpless? What can we do during a conversation to fend off negative influences?  

Conversations are the most powerful influencers in the world. They shape who we are. They influence what we do. What's more, they build relationships, foster understanding, promote growth, and change perspectives. As we know, conversations can be good or bad, enlightening or disheartening. So, what can we do when we're stuck in a conversation that makes us feel uncomfortable, agitated, or helpless? What can we do during a conversation to fend off negative influences?  

Br. Jimmy Kernan wasn’t out to make a fashion statement, but he wound up making a fashion connection. But again, making connections is what Br. Jimmy does. The day he attended office hours at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering while wearing his habit, most of his fellow students didn’t flinch. Most of them kept their heads down and worked away. Most of them asked the typical curriculum-related questions. Until one succumbed to the intrigue created by the flowing robe in that famous down-to-earth hue.

The late Tony Bennett sang about a city by the bay where “the morning fog may chill the air.” For San Francisco lovers, the image is a romantic one. But the morning chill means something different for those who live on the streets of the Tenderloin District. That’s where Brother Andrew Dinegar, OFM, comes in. He will frequently provide blankets, offering those most desperate a respite from the cold, as well as coffee and

The late Tony Bennett sang about a city by the bay where “the morning fog may chill the air.” For San Francisco lovers, the image is a romantic one. But the morning chill means something different for those who live on the streets of the Tenderloin District. That’s where Brother Andrew Dinegar, OFM, comes in. He will frequently provide blankets, offering those most desperate a respite from the cold, as well as coffee and

The aroma of baked butter pervades the friary at the Parish of Santa Clara de Assisi in Carolina, Puerto Rico. For chef and Bro. Eddie Caro, OFM, it is a way to spread joy. “Nobody is unhappy with a sweet treat,” he says. Bro. Eddie first learned to bake at home from his mother. Now he has extended his craft as an integral part of his Franciscan ministry, educating himself in the ways of producing delicious pastry.

The aroma of baked butter pervades the friary at the Parish of Santa Clara de Assisi in Carolina, Puerto Rico. For chef and Bro. Eddie Caro, OFM, it is a way to spread joy. “Nobody is unhappy with a sweet treat,” he says. Bro. Eddie first learned to bake at home from his mother. Now he has extended his craft as an integral part of his Franciscan ministry, educating himself in the ways of producing delicious pastry.

The aroma of baked butter pervades the friary at the Parish of Santa Clara de Assisi in Carolina, Puerto Rico. For chef and Bro. Eddie Caro, OFM, it is a way to spread joy. “Nobody is unhappy with a sweet treat,” he says. Bro. Eddie first learned to bake at home from his mother. Now he has extended his craft as an integral part of his Franciscan ministry, educating himself in the ways of producing delicious pastry.

The aroma of baked butter pervades the friary at the Parish of Santa Clara de Assisi in Carolina, Puerto Rico. For chef and Bro. Eddie Caro, OFM, it is a way to spread joy. “Nobody is unhappy with a sweet treat,” he says. Bro. Eddie first learned to bake at home from his mother. Now he has extended his craft as an integral part of his Franciscan ministry, educating himself in the ways of producing delicious pastry.