McGrath Institute Blog

Pope Francis has spoken extensively of a “throwaway culture” in which items, creation, even human beings are deemed unnecessary or inconvenient, then tossed aside. The antidote? A “culture of encounter,” where we do not merely look at others, but we see them; we do not simply hear them, but we listen to them. Every member of the Church is called to minister to the Body of Christ in this way.

Twirling and leaping across the floor, I almost laughed out loud with the joy of doing what I love. I am a ballerina. Now, to be clear, I’m no professional—I gave up those aspirations long ago. I stopped doing pointe work after high school. I’ve only seen a few ballets in person. But ever since my first class as a toddler, ballet has been one of my greatest passions, an activity I pursue simply because I love doing it. For me, ballet will always be an art form in which I feel at home.