Sixty years ago, the first night of the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII came out on a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square and gave his impromptu remarks now called “the moonlight speech.” I remember it well, making its way into the world via the news media.

Looking out over the crowd and smiling the Pope said,

“Here all the world is represented. One might even say that the moon rushed here this evening – Look at her high up there – to behold this spectacle.”

Pope Francis on Oct. 2 opened the final session of a closely watched Vatican summit on the future of Catholicism, encouraging participants not to use the monthlong meeting to push individual agendas, but to seek unity in diversity in the church so “each person feels welcomed.”

“Let us be careful not to see our contributions as points to defend at all costs or agendas to be imposed,” Francis said during his homily for the opening Mass of the synod on synodality.

The international religious Dominican order to which the Shem Center Director belongs receives an occasional letter informing its members regarding the brothers and sisters in Ukraine who have chosen to remain with the people during this war-torn time. These first hand accounts add citizen perspectives to the news reports we receive in the media. These members of the Dominican Order of both men and women date from the 13th century, its world wide membership having been formed in its spirit and purpose in very similar ways. We consider ourselves a “family” living within a tradition of many noteworthy theologians, artists, itinerant preachers and those serving God’s people in many different ministries.