We are many parts, but all one body

I wanted to write a brief, more personal blog today. I'm truly honored to write for NCR. I enjoy reading comments from readers, even those who vehemently disagree with me, because that's what it's all about: finding out what other people think, talking, sharing ideas, etc. I learn a lot.

One helpful comment came up recently that made me think it was important to say a few words about my subject matters. You may find that I don't write very often about what are typically considered "church" issues. I leave that to the experts. I'm a public policy person, and I advocate in particular for children, health care, and children and individuals with disabilities. But I'm committed to all public policy that deals with justice and compassion for anyone less fortunate or marginalized by our society.

These might not seem like "church" issues to some. But as a progressive Catholic (in case that wasn't obvious before), I feel we are all called to do our part, whether it is in government, policy, our parishes, day care, at home, in a bank, at the grocery store, whatever and wherever. We are called to love one another. So hard sometimes. But not, in my opinion, confined to theological issues. So I thank NCR for its open-mindedness to other topics.

And since I love figuring out a way to work a song into any blog, today's allows me a perfect example. (I didn't write this blog just so I could do this, I swear.) My home parish is Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Arlington, Va., and our 11:15 choir -- or as we sometimes call it, the 11:23 choir -- has as one of its banner songs the favorite "We are Many Parts" by Marty Haugen. Here's the refrain:

We are many parts, we are all one body.
And the gifts we have we are given to share.
May the Spirit of love, make us one indeed.
One, the love that we share;
one, our hope in despair,
one, the cross that we bear.

If I had a recording from our choir, I would insert it here, but alas, I do not. But I found an absolutely amazing recording from the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. It goes all over the world and has a diversity of singers like I've never seen. I must admit, it brought me to tears by the end. Well worth the listen. Thanks to all of you for reading (and sometimes listening)!