Faithful Fools

The “Eve”—the day when sunset tells us that tomorrow is something special like Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. We prepare ourselves in the evening for the day to follow. We set our sights on celebrations and gatherings, gifts and greetings. These preparations remind us that our intentions are what set joy in motion. Today being the last Winter Solstice Day of 2025, we take a moment to gather our intentions as well as our good wishes for friends and family. We are hoping to f

As the great pause slowly turns, we sense that soon the Winter Solstice Season will end. There are just two days left—today and tomorrow in our annual 5 days of reflection. Today we take stock and prepare. In so many ways, we are living in an era of uncertainty and distress. Conflict, worry, and upheaval are all around us, unsettling us and giving rise to great doubts about the future. So we hold steady for one more day, and rather than turn our eyes to the future, we continu

“Sabbath,” we say, “is a time of reflection where we are not required to produce anything. We may choose to be creative or quiet, in conversation or meditation, moving about the world or very, very still.” Sabbath, which the Solstice Great Pause celebrates, is that moment when we leave work and problem solving behind and find that place deep within where insight lights the way. Today is the day between reflecting on the past and looking to the future. This year, we are asking

Today, the Second Day of Winter Solstice, we look back at the last year and savor the company of those around us. There are people in our daily lives who lift us in gentle ways, often without our ever knowing how much we rely upon them. These are the people we see in the coffee shop or on the bus. We might send them off to school every morning or greet them in the office once we get there. They are people we see at church or in AA meetings or on a Zoom once a month. They are

To be our best selves. What an achievement that is. Like no other, it is an achievement that repeats often and is also often elusive as we question who we are and how we show up. Are we in our best guise? Are we somehow letting ourselves and others down? Elders, those people who have showed up in our lives with great presence or great love or great wisdom (or maybe all three), are essential in how we grow into our best selves and how we show up as our best selves. Carmen Bars

Join us for 5 days of reflection, December 19th to 23rd. We will publish a reflection for each day as we prepare for the days to come.

The journey of the Fool is about moving intentionally with a commitment to personal and social change.  Read about the latest comings and goings at Faithful Fools.

Get to know a little more about Sister Ade Kroll, beloved Faithful Fool and stardust on earth.

The Fools are getting ready for a journey to the moon on April 12th and we'd like you to join us. Get to know the fools making this happen.

Francis of Assisi has profoundly inspired Faithful Fools. May you enjoy this blog by Carmen Barsody and receive our gratitude and blessings.

Learn about Maya's immersion experience at the Tenderloin with the Faithful Fools & how this time helped nurture her creativity!

Get to know a group of young folks who have re-energized the Faithful Fools and our Tenderloin community with their presence and uniqueness.

Read about our Shanan Liu's reflections on her experience as a volunteer and Fools-in-Residence at the Faithful Fools.

Read about Faithful Fools Silena and Leah being part of the LeadStrong Fellowship by LeaderSpring Center.

In this post, Silena Layne puts the spotlight on artist and activist Charles Blackwell in honor of Black History Month.

Enjoy part 1 of a series of blog posts from Faithful Fool Silena Layne honoring Black History Month.

The holiday lights are lit. The weather is chilly in many places, perhaps snowing or rainy. There are also places where the sun is out,...

Yesterday we asked: “In the world beyond your daily routine, beyond your family, your work, and your friends, what calls your attention?...

Amid all the traditional parties and holiday lights, we forget that this is not only a holiday season. It is also a dark time of year.

Read about reflections & highlights from our work w/ students from University of San Francisco's Marshall Riley Living Learning Community.