Celebrating 90 Years of Service at Holy Name Hospital

Holy Name's 2015 Annual Founders Ball was held last Saturday, October 10 at Pier 60 in Manhattan, New York.

Angelica with Holy Name CEO Mike Maron & wife Diane

This year was a particularly special one, as it celebrates the 90th anniversary of the founding of Holy Name Medical Center by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. 

The Refugee Crisis: A Leap in Empathy

The shift in the tide of empathy toward the global refugee crisis was undoubtedly the photo of a tiny Syrian boy's body on the beach, his shoes so small and his innocent face resting on the sand.

Two-year-old Alan Kurdi's image provoked people around the world to cry out at the injustice of humanity and the brutality of war. It awakened even the most apathetic soul to bring blankets and toys, open their homes, organize relief efforts and bypass traditional humanitarian agencies to respond in a deeply personal way.

At a time when we feel so much pain and don't know what to do for a global crisis that we have been helpless to act upon, we are awakened by the challenge to our soul of seeing our own humanity in the other. Knowing we cannot solve all the problems in the world has kept so many of us inside our own comfort zone, hesitant to take on the world.

Generosity = Happiness

Every day, we have an opportunity to practice philanthropy as an act of love. Giving opens our hearts to humanity. We all have the power to make a difference regardless of our means. How we give and channel the gift of our life to connect it to purpose is a soulful journey. Passion, aligned with purpose, creates a life of meaning. 

Underexposed by Aaron Draper

Aaron Draper's powerful images of the homeless sends a message about how one person can make a difference using his creativity and talent to be a catalyst for transformation. 

The Art Of Impermanence: A Journey to the Heart of Old Japan

The Japanese view of life embraced a simple aesthetic that grew stronger as inessentials were eliminated and trimmed away. ~ Takao Ando, architect

Ikebana: beauty pared down to its essence

Pared to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness, a deep reverence for authenticity, austere simplicity and the gift of time that blooms with each passing moment. 

So beautiful it makes us cry

There are moments when our jaded sensibilities are reawakened by events that take us by surprise, like the family of Charleston victims who extended forgiveness to the killer of their loved ones. The power of forgiveness transmuted pain that could have erupted in rage at the injustice of brutality in a place of worship. Instead, peoples' hearts opened up in deep empathy and compassion, shifting a nation torn by racial prejudice toward a new direction. Many years from now, when we look back at this moment, we should remember the feeling of opening up to the other we never knew.