The Life of St. Maria of Paris

The Life of St. Maria of Paris listen HERE

Mother Maria Skobtsova

Mother Maria of Paris was canonized by Ecumenical Patriarch 16 January 2004. Her feast day is July 20th. She died at the Ravensbruck death camp in 1945. Some have suggested she took the place of a women selected for the crematory’s oven. She was born in Russia, was a socialist revolutionary, was married twice and became a Christian without dropping her socialist leanings. She worked tirelessly for the poor and marginalized, lived a life of poverty and love of others. She exemplifies the “sacrament of fellowship” and a life where there was no distinction between the first and second commandment: loving God with all ones being and one’s neighbour as oneself. She called for new forms of the monastic life and her eccentric behaviour and sometimes strange views and practices are why she is much love by those who know her a “Maria of Paris.” Link for the talk below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umgwv0hFX-Y

A young friend of mine has his own YouTube broadcast called “The Deep Voice Show.” His voice is deep and “deep voice” is his nom de plume. His interests are wide ranging from gardening and growing mushrooms to aspects of mental and spiritual illness, from mythic images in popular culture to theological quandaries and the curious images and metaphors in scripture, from martial art to the spiritual preoccupations of his own generation: atheists, goths, and those who are religious refugees.

I appreciate the questions he raises and the themes he wishes to think about. His outreach to a part of our society often marginalized is laudable. We will be pulling forward many of these YouTube broadcasts over the next few months and invite you to explore any that may be of interest.

David Goa focuses on deepening the capacity of the faithful to think through the gifts of their traditions: the spiritual life, the theological traditions and our responsibility to the public world. Supporters help him continue to do this important work.

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