Contemporary Spirituality Mike Matteuzzi

Dr. Allegre is a pioneer in the fields of hospice care and palliative medicine. She began her career in general medicine and soon became interested in palliative medicine as a result of a personal experience with life-threatening illness. She joined Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care in 1995 and became its first director of medical programs. In 1999, she became the founding medical director of the Palliative Care Consult Team at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City. Colleagues praise her remarkable communication skills, her holistic and spiritual approach to her patients and their families, and her finely honed clinical expertise. Dr. Allegre is also an educator and mentor to other physicians. As an associate clinical professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine, she educates the next generation of physicians about end-of-life care. She is also active in the work of the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City.

Simone Curls is a Kansas City native and the Executive Director of Prospect Business Association. She has over fifteen years experience owning a business consulting firm in Los Angeles. From that experience, she assisted businesses start-up, scale-up, provided one-on-one business consulting, conducted workshops and training. She also worked with various partners, community-based organizations, and public and private sectors to provide resources and support.

Tom Cordaro is the Justice & Outreach Minister for St. Margaret Mary in Naperville, Illinois. Tom coordinates the charity work of the parish and is responsible for educating parishioners about issues of justice and peace as they related to Catholic Social Teaching. Tom served on the national staff of Pax Christi USA and was also a founding member of the Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team which assist Pax Christi USA in transforming itself into an anti-racist multi-cultural Catholic movement for peace and justice. 

Tom has been involved with faith-based peace and justice work for over 40 years as a local, regional and national organizer, public speaker and writer.

Both Charles and Mike were part of a group that completed the Richard Rohr Living School in 2017. His journey includes business success, a battle with alcoholism and his resulting sobriety, including his thoughts on his current battle with cancer. Mike asked Charles to identify some key aspects of his journey and he provided the following – “Finding out I’ve always been okay; I just didn’t know it. Trudging the road of happy destiny. Giving up the merit economy so as to join the economy of Grace. Finally knowing God loves me because He is good not because I am good.”

Law and faith - journey of a preachers kid 

John has a trial lawyer’s skill, coupled with a servant’s heart. Below in John’s own words is a summary of the essence of his journey.

My feelings about my Maker and my faith seem like unto John Wesley’s expression of his “conversion” experience ---

Aldersgate Day is celebrated on May 24 (or the Sunday closest) to commemorate the day in 1738 when John Wesley experienced assurance of his salvation.  Wesley reluctantly attended a group meeting that evening on Aldersgate Street in London.  As he heard a reading from Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, he felt his "heart strangely warmed."   Wesley wrote in his journal that at about 8:45 p.m. "while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

I have been fortunate to have multiple such strange warmings of my heart throughout my life.   I live for them.   I treasure them.   Lucky me.