A Journal of Catholic Experience

Last Advent, Pilgrim Publishers, Inc., a non-profit company based in New Haven, Connecticut, was pleased to present PILGRIM, a web journal conceived to foster humane reflection on the challenges and wonders of life in the world, particularly as seen through the eyes of Catholic faith. In her introductory essay, editor Bronwen McShea introduced the project and its patron saint:

Per Humanitatem »

Featured artwork: Dimanche après-midi (1914), by Gustave van de Woestyne. Copyright © Artists Rights Society.

 

STORY AND SONG

Advent

A short story by Christopher Killheffer

 

Tidy House

A poem by Anthony Esolen

 

Dominican Nuns

A poem by Atalie Young Thompson

 

PLACES WE'VE BEEN

Camp Meetin'

By Andy Smith

 

Via della Scala

By Hanja Kochansky

 

MADE BY OUR HANDS

At the Still Point of the Turning World

By Caroline Swinehart

 

Response to De Chirico's "The Serenity of the Scholar"

By Caroline Swinehart

 

Matthew 18:2-5

By Bronwen McShea

 

ADVENT/CHRISTMAS 2010

God on Earth, and Man in Heaven

Saint John Chrysostom, our featured saint this season, reflects on the meaning of Christmas.

 

 

caravaggioTo Whom Shall We Go?

Thomas A. Peregrin, a doubter, describes his path to God.

 

 

Lewis the Young Philosopher, 1917-1919

Adam Barkman examines the popular Christian author's early, pre-conversion absorption in pagan philosophy.

 

 

IN MEMORIAM

PILGRIM's inaugural issue is dedicated to James Edward Maschoff (Jan. 19, 1977 - Jan. 19, 2010), who was to have been an associate editor of the journal but was stricken with esophageal cancer the summer before his 33rd birthday. While suffering, he often recited from memory Saint Ignatius of Loyola's "First Principle and Foundation":

"Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created. Hence, man is to make use of them insofar as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them insofar as they prove a hindrance to him. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created."

In honor of James's commitment to pro-life causes, his family has established a memorial fund in his name together with Americans United for Life. Please visit their website, www.aul.org, if you are interested in donating to the fund.