Lessons in

DR. PHUC LUU Religion Faculty

“You should go to confession. It’s good for you,” one of my classmates encouraged when I was a graduate student at a Catholic university. He knew I was not Roman Catholic but perhaps thought that I could use a bit of confession. For those of us not part of a Roman tradition, or any kind of Christian tradition for that matter, confession might seem very foreign. What are some ways people could participate in confession that can be equally meaningful? The word itself offers some hints. Coming from the Latin word, “confiteri,” confession can mean “to acknowledge” or “to reveal” or “to disclose.”

There are many secrets we can keep to ourselves. Even though some of these need not be made public, many of these can burden us and leave us with a heavy heart. This is where a listening ear can be extremely helpful. Priests, pastors, and counselors can sometimes be an outlet for all the heaviness that we hide in our hearts. Other times we need a good friend or even a parent to provide that kind of support. This kind of confession can be seen in James 5:16: “Therefore confess your sins to one an-other and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” I have two or three friends who have been on the receiving end of all my worries, heart aches, and pain (hopefully, I reciprocated for them). The reason I can do this is that trust has been hard earned through our own trials and tribulations.

Recently, mental health counselor Beth Luvisia wrote on the subject of selfdisclosure. She describes self-disclosure within “the process of getting to know another person” and is “characterized by a reciprocal sharing of personal information.” Sometimes, this is a natural process and other times awkward and not done appropriately. When the latter happens, it can lead to embarrassment and damaged relationships. Counselor Luvisia lists reasons why one may not be open to self-disclosure, such as fear of “abandonment” or “rejection,” “trauma,” or even “loneliness.”

Whatever the reasons we might not be able to share about ourselves, it is important to know the person, the situation, and depth of the friendship in order to minimize damage to ourselves and others. In these ways, may we find that confession can both free our souls and bring us healing.

C’est officiel, les taxis volants vont débarquer à Paris. L’annonce a été faite au Salon du Bourget. Trois groupes font s’associer pour envoyer les Parisiens dans les airs de la capitale, Airbus, ADP (Aéroports de Paris) et la RATP.Le projet est soutenu activement par la région Ilede-France. il faut concevoir et produire les nouveaux engins volants, imaginer la gestion du futur trafic aérien en basse altitude au-dessus de l’agglomération parisienne et réaliser les nouvelles installations qui accueilleront les futurs taxis du ciel, le tout avant la cérémonie d’ouverture des JO 2024 !

It’s official, flying taxis are coming to Paris. The announcement was made at the Paris Air Show. Three groups are joining forces to send Parisians into the air in the capital, Airbus, ADP (Paris airport) and RATP. The project is actively supported by the Ile-de-France region.

We must design and produce the new flying machines, imagine the management of future air traffic at low altitude above the Parisian urban areas and build the new installations that will accommodate the future taxis of the sky, all before the opening ceremony of the Olympic games 2024!