Reconciliation, Coming to Peace

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For 9 June 2016, Thursday of 10th Week, based on Matthew 5:20-26

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.


Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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About Brendan Curran, OP

Fr. Brendan serves on the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace. He serves as the North American Dominican Co-promoter for Justice and Peace and the Integrity of Creation, the commission for justice and peace representing Dominican sisters, brothers, priests, and laity in the United States and Canada. Fr. Brendan serves at the Resurrection Project in Chicago, advocating for school choice.

Fr. Brendan Curran, O.P. is a Dominican priest who for the past several years has served as Special Assistant to the President at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Fr. Curran is the founding chair of the Dominican University Latinx Visioning Working Group, designing support and leveraging the cultural strength of first-generation immigrant students and families in admissions, scholarships and grants, classroom, advising, career mentoring, and alumni/ae.

Before arriving at Dominican University, Fr. Brendan served for nine years, as pastor of St. Pius V Catholic Church, considered one of the most prominent pastors fighting for immigrant rights in the Midwest. He led a parish staff of over 5o full-time employees with a budget of $ 3 million. St Pius V has been the home to the HOPE Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the largest parish-based program in the United States.

In 2014, one of his proudest moments, he was a critical voice in convincing the Illinois General Assembly to pass Illinois Drivers Licenses for undocumented immigrants protecting over 300,000 immigrant drivers in Illinois.

He is a founding leader of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, an organization of over 100 priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago to support for comprehensive immigration reform in the struggle for immigrant rights.

He has been published in the books: Marcha! Latino Chicago and the Immigrant Rights Movement (2010, University of Illinois Press) and Hope Dies Last by Studs Terkel (2003, The New Press). He is also an outspoken presenter and facilitator on leadership and immigrant rights, Catholic Social Teaching, and retreats in the Midwest.