Word to Flesh:
A Blog to Make Visible the Invisible

Travel Companions Lone Wolf, Maverick, Self-Made Man. The list of labels goes on and on for a man going it alone. However, despite some of the positive aspects associated with them (e.g., a certain degree of independence, determination, or grit), masculinity meets maturity when one sees such monikers for what they are: masks. Truth is, in order to successfully arrive at our ultimate destination, we men need other men with whom to journey. A man needs men who have gone bef

Adventure Gear Every journey requires the right gear. The masculine journey is no exception. For over twenty years, Phoenix, Arizona has been my home. One survival habit I've acquired from living in the desert is carrying a certain piece of gear everywhere I go. That item is my 46oz vacuum insulated water bottle, which keeps one's water cool and one's temper cooler. Water is essential for life even outside of the desert, and when it comes to our spiritual life, water is s

A Good Good Father? Old wounds were lurking in the shadows. It was the first week of a new year and my wife and I found ourselves, somewhat unexpectedly, on a week-long retreat at the Theology of the Body Institute in the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside. A friend invited us to attend just a month before and, in a matter of days, a few generous benefactors covered the entirety of our expenses. Moreover, in what certainly will be included in their future cause for canoniz

Songs speak to us. From melody to lyrics, songwriting and singing are particular examples of art that almost immediately reveal the content of the heart. It's a vulnerable thing, putting pen to paper poetically for peers and public. It's a vulnerable thing, opening one's mouth to sing in front of others — perhaps even more so: another. It's a vulnerable thing. So why do we do it? I've always loved to write and sing. One of my earliest memories is sitting down next to my

The phone rang. A familiar voice on the other end said, "Are you ready for an adventure?" Mike Phelan, the Director of Marriage & Respect Life for the Diocese of Phoenix at the time, had called to offer me the position of Coordinator at the JPII Center. His choice of words, however, reinforced the fact that it was not a mere job offer, but an invitation to a shared mission. A co-mission-ing, if you will. Only a month before, an unexpected layoff rocked my world. It was my