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Photo by Brandon Nappi

The Copper Beech Institute, New England’s newest meditation center, is located at a Catholic retreat center and monastery in West Hartford, CT, but its founder and director, Brandon Nappi, says he hopes all seekers — from lapsed Catholics to Buddhists to atheists in search of stress reduction — will feel welcome there.

From left: a copper beech tree, a symbol of wisdom and solitude, after which the center is named; the sign leading to the labyrinth, based on the design of the one in Chartres Cathedral; a painting in the Golden Thread Gallery.

Rest in peace, Fr. Richard McBrien

A champion of progressive Catholicism has gone to his reward, where we know he’s praying for us. Read the National Catholic Reporter obituary below:

http://ncronline.org/news/people/fr-richard-mcbrien-theologian-has-died

Dr. Helen Evrard is the producer and host of “Mind Matters,” on WESU, a show about mental health issues which airs every Wednesday from 6 to 6:30 p.m. She is also the author of Positive Matters: Words, Quotations and Stories to Heal and Inspire. Raised Catholic, she ultimately left the faith, but then was surprised to discover that some aspects of Catholicism were helpful in her journey. You can learn more about Dr. Evrard at www.wordifference.com and at www.facebook.com/wordifference.

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Commonweal critic Richard Alleva reviews “Exodus: Gods and Kings” and “St. Vincent” and also bats around possible Oscar picks.

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Celebrating the late, great Mario Cuomo

The late NY governor shared an interest in Abraham Lincoln with Harold Holzer and Frank J. Williams, our guests on “Reasonably Catholic: Keeping the Faith.” Holzer, a former spokesman and policy advisor for Cuomo, and Williams, retired Chief Justice of the RI Supreme Court, share their reminiscences of the governor, who died Jan. 1st.

You put the community in community radio!

Thanks to all of you who helped bring WESU-FM’s winter pledge drive to a successful close. As a result of your generosity, we made our $20,000 goal. If you gave — or will give — let me know by emailing me at mjohnson@wesufm.org and I’ll send you a spiritually-themed book from my own collection. The most efficient way to give is by going to http://www.wesufm.org and clicking on Donate Now.