School of Community has helped me continue to have a much-needed sense of community during this last year, with so much isolation in so many aspects of my life. The work and readings and shared experiences have given me hope when I could have easily fallen into darkness and despair. When I could have easily given into living in fear, as I saw this all around me, the faith, hope, and questioning of experiences that I witnessed in our School of Community members increased my own faith, hope, and questioning. In the times that we have been able to be together for a shared meal or Mass, this has brought so much light and joy to my heart.

Most recently School of Community has challenged me to focus on "living reality intensely." I have found myself bored in the present moment or anxious to move onto the next thing rather than really taking in and living what is in front of me right now. Time with my family or the patients in front of me at work is so much more meaningful when I work to "live intensely" instead of just trying to get through the moment.

Corie, Fargo, North Dakota