Category Archives: Blog

Owens Lake Project: Metamorphosis for Contemplation

Posted on March 20, 2021 by fatherbrad1971

“Great numbers of water birds are in sight along the lake shore—avocets, phalaropes, ducks. Large flocks of shorebirds in flight over the water in the distance, wheeling about in mass, now silvery, now dark, against the gray blue of the … Continue reading →

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Embracing Joy

Posted on February 25, 2021 by fatherbrad1971

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 Saturday morning, brilliant sunshine, 75 degrees F. Our son Erik and I begin our walk around the Big … Continue reading →

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The Peacemaker-Der Friedensstifter: One Lutheran Pastor’s Grassroots Movement that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall and deconstruction of Communist East Germany.

Posted on October 2, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

“The followers of Christ have been called to peace…. And they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult.  In the cause of Christ nothing is to be gained by … Continue reading →

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Practicing the Presence of God: Contemplative Prayer, Centering Prayer

Posted on September 17, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

This is the third and final section of the workshop I presented on 29 August 2020: “Prayer Practices to Nourish Men (and Everyone)”, from the Center for Spiritual Development in Orange, California, Sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of … Continue reading →

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Finding Gratitude, Practicing the Examen Prayer: Prayer Practices to Nourish Men (and Everyone) Part Two

Posted on September 11, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

The following comes from the second part of a workshop on spirituality for men that I presented at the Center for Spiritual Development, Orange, California, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange, August 29, 2020. “Twice a day, … Continue reading →

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Prayer Forms to Nourish Men. Part One: Compline/Night Prayer

Posted on September 2, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words. Prayer should therefore be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace. In community, however, prayer … Continue reading →

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Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Posted on July 31, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

An invitation to men seeking to develop their prayer life:  I will be offering an online spirituality program for men: Lord, Teach us to Pray, on Saturday, August 29, 2020, from 9am to noon. This session is part of the … Continue reading →

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Journey in the Desert: A Spiritual Treasure Map. July 25, 2020

Posted on July 14, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

  An Online Session: Journey in the Desert: A Spiritual Treasure Map     Presented by: Fr. Brad Karelius Join others online as we explore treasures of the desert experienced by Jesus and the monastics- solitude, silence, and surrender, using … Continue reading →

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Home is Right Here: A Revision for our home-bound days

Posted on May 10, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

Home is right here! Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. Robert Frost, The Death of the Hired Man. More than anything else, we long for home. Our deep ache … Continue reading →

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The World’s Best Cup of Coffee: Memories of East and West Germany

Posted on April 30, 2020 by fatherbrad1971

“The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But the man who learns, in solitude and recollection, to be at peace with his own loneliness, … Continue reading →

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