good evening everyone and thank you to the team that organized this event when
the team that organized this event when
the team that organized this event when I was at that Institute in in India
I was at that Institute in in India
I was at that Institute in in India starting there about 10 years ago I
starting there about 10 years ago I
starting there about 10 years ago I received a letter from a very young
received a letter from a very young
received a letter from a very young friend Candida was her name and as they
friend Candida was her name and as they
friend Candida was her name and as they was because she died inexplicably a few
was because she died inexplicably a few
was because she died inexplicably a few years ago and didn’t know that I used
years ago and didn’t know that I used
years ago and didn’t know that I used her story to convey a message about
her story to convey a message about
her story to convey a message about meaning tan Vega was an altar server in
meaning tan Vega was an altar server in
meaning tan Vega was an altar server in the parish that I served I am a Catholic
the parish that I served I am a Catholic
the parish that I served I am a Catholic priest with postgraduate qualifications
priest with postgraduate qualifications
priest with postgraduate qualifications in physics and philosophy faith science
in physics and philosophy faith science
in physics and philosophy faith science rationality make me who I am and
rationality make me who I am and
rationality make me who I am and contribute to what I’m going to say in
contribute to what I’m going to say in
contribute to what I’m going to say in non contradictory ways today I wrote
non contradictory ways today I wrote
non contradictory ways today I wrote this letter and in the letter she gave
this letter and in the letter she gave
this letter and in the letter she gave me all the news about the people of the
me all the news about the people of the
me all the news about the people of the place news about the place and then she
place news about the place and then she
place news about the place and then she ended her letter with these words she
ended her letter with these words she
ended her letter with these words she said this is my message for you when you
said this is my message for you when you
said this is my message for you when you see a butterfly
see a butterfly
see a butterfly it is me checking to see if you are okay
after that letter began to notice
after that letter began to notice butterflies they were all over all
butterflies they were all over all
butterflies they were all over all colors designs shapes dancing from
colors designs shapes dancing from
colors designs shapes dancing from flower to flower and whenever I saw them
flower to flower and whenever I saw them
flower to flower and whenever I saw them they would they would leave a smile on
they would they would leave a smile on
they would they would leave a smile on my face as I felt the warmth and
my face as I felt the warmth and
my face as I felt the warmth and affection coming from miles away
sometimes I would just stop in silent
sometimes I would just stop in silent wonder staring at the bushes now the
wonder staring at the bushes now the
wonder staring at the bushes now the students at the college I was at
students at the college I was at
students at the college I was at sometimes caught me just standing and
sometimes caught me just standing and
sometimes caught me just standing and looking at the bushes and they would say
looking at the bushes and they would say
looking at the bushes and they would say father what are you looking at and I
father what are you looking at and I
father what are you looking at and I would say just the butterflies but I
would say just the butterflies but I
would say just the butterflies but I wasn’t looking just at butterflies the
wasn’t looking just at butterflies the
wasn’t looking just at butterflies the butterflies had a new significance for
butterflies had a new significance for
butterflies had a new significance for me and they for a deeper truth and after
me and they for a deeper truth and after
me and they for a deeper truth and after that experience
that experience
that experience I began to think about the words I
I began to think about the words I
I began to think about the words I listen to the words that have helped
listen to the words that have helped
listen to the words that have helped they construct the way I look at the
they construct the way I look at the
they construct the way I look at the world and construct meaning what I want
world and construct meaning what I want
world and construct meaning what I want to talk to you about is about these
to talk to you about is about these
to talk to you about is about these words it’s not about the butterflies
words it’s not about the butterflies
words it’s not about the butterflies many people who listen to the story in
many people who listen to the story in
many people who listen to the story in different contexts I lift with some
different contexts I lift with some
different contexts I lift with some romantic image about the butterflies and
romantic image about the butterflies and
romantic image about the butterflies and they happy to stay there but I want to
they happy to stay there but I want to
they happy to stay there but I want to tell you about language constructing and
tell you about language constructing and
tell you about language constructing and influencing the way you look at the
influencing the way you look at the
influencing the way you look at the world language is our greatest
world language is our greatest
world language is our greatest technology that’s the T in Ted
technology that’s the T in Ted
technology that’s the T in Ted but let’s not dismiss the butterflies
but let’s not dismiss the butterflies
but let’s not dismiss the butterflies too quickly heads
too quickly heads
too quickly heads tand agar said if you see a fly or a
tand agar said if you see a fly or a
tand agar said if you see a fly or a mosquito I probably wouldn’t be using
mosquito I probably wouldn’t be using
mosquito I probably wouldn’t be using the story you see the symbols are
the story you see the symbols are
the story you see the symbols are important too because the symbols
important too because the symbols
important too because the symbols participate in a reality they may
participate in a reality they may
participate in a reality they may present and very often that reality is
present and very often that reality is
present and very often that reality is is not visible and it’s that reality
is not visible and it’s that reality
is not visible and it’s that reality that I’m talking about I’m often going
that I’m talking about I’m often going
that I’m talking about I’m often going to throw our Christians to do to you
to throw our Christians to do to you
to throw our Christians to do to you that I’m not going to answer what are
that I’m not going to answer what are
that I’m not going to answer what are your central symbols what are symbols
your central symbols what are symbols
your central symbols what are symbols that you latch onto that help you
that you latch onto that help you
that you latch onto that help you construct hopefully some ultimate
construct hopefully some ultimate
construct hopefully some ultimate meaning meaning needs to be put into
meaning meaning needs to be put into
meaning meaning needs to be put into perspective and you’ve heard that I
perspective and you’ve heard that I
perspective and you’ve heard that I teach a module at our institutes and
teach a module at our institutes and
teach a module at our institutes and Joseph’s at Sidora called philosophy of
Joseph’s at Sidora called philosophy of
Joseph’s at Sidora called philosophy of nature and in this module I introduce
nature and in this module I introduce
nature and in this module I introduce students to the physical theories about
students to the physical theories about
students to the physical theories about the universe the Big Bang Theory etc and
the universe the Big Bang Theory etc and
the universe the Big Bang Theory etc and I take great joy in showing them a
I take great joy in showing them a
I take great joy in showing them a series of slides I received by email a
series of slides I received by email a
series of slides I received by email a few years ago I don’t know the author of
few years ago I don’t know the author of
few years ago I don’t know the author of these slides and three weeks ago I
these slides and three weeks ago I
these slides and three weeks ago I received
received
received subversion so maybe you have seen a to
subversion so maybe you have seen a to
subversion so maybe you have seen a to the slides show the earth from a
the slides show the earth from a
the slides show the earth from a geometrically increasing distance by a
geometrically increasing distance by a
geometrically increasing distance by a factor of 10 from 1 meter 10 meters 100
factor of 10 from 1 meter 10 meters 100
factor of 10 from 1 meter 10 meters 100 meters at kilometer 10 kilometers and so
meters at kilometer 10 kilometers and so
meters at kilometer 10 kilometers and so on when the distance gets to a trillion
on when the distance gets to a trillion
on when the distance gets to a trillion kilometers the Sun is seen to be just
kilometers the Sun is seen to be just
kilometers the Sun is seen to be just one star among thousands of other stars
one star among thousands of other stars
one star among thousands of other stars in our Milky Way at a light year away
in our Milky Way at a light year away
in our Milky Way at a light year away which is the next factor up the solar
which is the next factor up the solar
which is the next factor up the solar system is just a speck at ten years at
system is just a speck at ten years at
system is just a speck at ten years at ten light years away the solar system is
ten light years away the solar system is
ten light years away the solar system is not visible on that scale and without
not visible on that scale and without
not visible on that scale and without fail in my class there’s always some
fail in my class there’s always some
fail in my class there’s always some restlessness at that point sometimes a
restlessness at that point sometimes a
restlessness at that point sometimes a shifting in the seas and sometimes even
shifting in the seas and sometimes even
shifting in the seas and sometimes even some uncomfortable laughter as the
some uncomfortable laughter as the
some uncomfortable laughter as the students grasp this unfathomable reality
students grasp this unfathomable reality
students grasp this unfathomable reality of our place in this vast cosmos human
of our place in this vast cosmos human
of our place in this vast cosmos human life is insignificant apparently and
life is insignificant apparently and
life is insignificant apparently and possibly probably not unique the earth
possibly probably not unique the earth
possibly probably not unique the earth is insignificant and possibly not unique
is insignificant and possibly not unique
is insignificant and possibly not unique and the series of slides continues for a
and the series of slides continues for a
and the series of slides continues for a few more factors of ten and then it ends
few more factors of ten and then it ends
few more factors of ten and then it ends with a very provocative question are you
with a very provocative question are you
with a very provocative question are you the center of the universe makes you
the center of the universe makes you
the center of the universe makes you think doesn’t it just what is your place
think doesn’t it just what is your place
think doesn’t it just what is your place does your universe extend beyond your
does your universe extend beyond your
does your universe extend beyond your skull beyond your ego now let’s zoom
skull beyond your ego now let’s zoom
skull beyond your ego now let’s zoom right back to your place you sitting in
right back to your place you sitting in
right back to your place you sitting in this auditorium how do you construct
this auditorium how do you construct
this auditorium how do you construct your meaning in this vastness of the
your meaning in this vastness of the
your meaning in this vastness of the cosmos that we’re in or even just in the
cosmos that we’re in or even just in the
cosmos that we’re in or even just in the political system that you were in in
political system that you were in in
political system that you were in in this part of Africa
when I finished school I went to
when I finished school I went to university and I pursued studies in
university and I pursued studies in
university and I pursued studies in physics and I couldn’t imagine how
physics and I couldn’t imagine how
physics and I couldn’t imagine how anybody else could be studying anything
anybody else could be studying anything
anybody else could be studying anything else and understanding the vast cosmos
else and understanding the vast cosmos
else and understanding the vast cosmos and and it stretches understanding
and and it stretches understanding
and and it stretches understanding nature in its minutest hunting levels
nature in its minutest hunting levels
nature in its minutest hunting levels was everything for me and I had this
was everything for me and I had this
was everything for me and I had this this almost mystical sense that
this almost mystical sense that
this almost mystical sense that everything was connected and explicable
everything was connected and explicable
everything was connected and explicable through all these theories I did not see
through all these theories I did not see
through all these theories I did not see that any of the other faculties could be
that any of the other faculties could be
that any of the other faculties could be true intellectual pursuits but then I
true intellectual pursuits but then I
true intellectual pursuits but then I began to realize that studying the
began to realize that studying the
began to realize that studying the physical theories of the universe did
physical theories of the universe did
physical theories of the universe did not help me negotiate my emotions did
not help me negotiate my emotions did
not help me negotiate my emotions did not help me create better interpersonal
not help me create better interpersonal
not help me create better interpersonal relationships do not inspire me for for
relationships do not inspire me for for
relationships do not inspire me for for action towards social cohesion do not
action towards social cohesion do not
action towards social cohesion do not motivate me for a stand against
motivate me for a stand against
motivate me for a stand against apartheid was in the 80s
apartheid was in the 80s
apartheid was in the 80s unless of course I wanted to develop
unless of course I wanted to develop
unless of course I wanted to develop certain kinds of military hardware when
certain kinds of military hardware when
certain kinds of military hardware when I made these realizations I began to to
I made these realizations I began to to
I made these realizations I began to to pursue other other other fields of study
pursue other other other fields of study
pursue other other other fields of study I realized that just understanding the
I realized that just understanding the
I realized that just understanding the physical world was flat there’s no
physical world was flat there’s no
physical world was flat there’s no height a depth of meaning just insects
height a depth of meaning just insects
height a depth of meaning just insects with colorful wings so back to the
with colorful wings so back to the
with colorful wings so back to the bottle flowers what happened in that
bottle flowers what happened in that
bottle flowers what happened in that story about the butterflies what
story about the butterflies what
story about the butterflies what happened in my mind that is the words of
happened in my mind that is the words of
happened in my mind that is the words of my friend Dave helped me to give you
my friend Dave helped me to give you
my friend Dave helped me to give you significance to to the butterflies what
significance to to the butterflies what
significance to to the butterflies what happened I think I took those words and
happened I think I took those words and
happened I think I took those words and created new associations in my mind
created new associations in my mind
created new associations in my mind I’ve had other words other
I’ve had other words other
I’ve had other words other concepts other beliefs emotions
concepts other beliefs emotions
concepts other beliefs emotions prejudices and they formed a network or
prejudices and they formed a network or
prejudices and they formed a network or a net and I used this net to catch the
a net and I used this net to catch the
a net and I used this net to catch the world I could say that I constructed
world I could say that I constructed
world I could say that I constructed reality I could say that I constructed
reality I could say that I constructed
reality I could say that I constructed my meaning I could say that I used the
my meaning I could say that I used the
my meaning I could say that I used the network as verticals by which I looked
network as verticals by which I looked
network as verticals by which I looked at the world and that’s the question I’m
at the world and that’s the question I’m
at the world and that’s the question I’m throwing out to you is how are you
throwing out to you is how are you
throwing out to you is how are you constructing designing a deal in Ted
constructing designing a deal in Ted
constructing designing a deal in Ted your world your meaning what words are
your world your meaning what words are
your world your meaning what words are you taking in we do that all the time
you taking in we do that all the time
you taking in we do that all the time just think about how a piece of gossip
just think about how a piece of gossip
just think about how a piece of gossip changes the way you look at another
changes the way you look at another
changes the way you look at another person because you’ve constructed this
person because you’ve constructed this
person because you’ve constructed this network for which you’re looking at the
network for which you’re looking at the
network for which you’re looking at the world we’ve just heard stories about
world we’ve just heard stories about
world we’ve just heard stories about racism and immigration we do that for
racism and immigration we do that for
racism and immigration we do that for our sub networks about race about the
our sub networks about race about the
our sub networks about race about the politics in our country about religion
politics in our country about religion
politics in our country about religion and terrorism they all just networks for
and terrorism they all just networks for
and terrorism they all just networks for which we are having certain perspective
which we are having certain perspective
which we are having certain perspective I want to ask how what what do I need to
I want to ask how what what do I need to
I want to ask how what what do I need to listen to what do you need to listen to
listen to what do you need to listen to
listen to what do you need to listen to to get to some ultimate meaning there
to get to some ultimate meaning there
to get to some ultimate meaning there are so many words out there we are
are so many words out there we are
are so many words out there we are bombarded from the time we get up to the
bombarded from the time we get up to the
bombarded from the time we get up to the time we go to bed but social media with
time we go to bed but social media with
time we go to bed but social media with the television with our radios if
the television with our radios if
the television with our radios if there’s a never-ending stream of words
there’s a never-ending stream of words
there’s a never-ending stream of words and when we see there’s even more words
and when we see there’s even more words
and when we see there’s even more words churning and trying to work out
churning and trying to work out
churning and trying to work out everything we’ve heard there’s what that
everything we’ve heard there’s what that
everything we’ve heard there’s what that means with apparently good sayings
means with apparently good sayings
means with apparently good sayings Facebook posts with personal commitments
Facebook posts with personal commitments
Facebook posts with personal commitments tweets with with short sales much like
tweets with with short sales much like
tweets with with short sales much like my butterflies
my butterflies
my butterflies depending who you following how do you
depending who you following how do you
depending who you following how do you listen what should we be listening to
listen what should we be listening to
listen what should we be listening to you in this but as the cosmos really
you in this but as the cosmos really
you in this but as the cosmos really speaking to us and that brings me to my
speaking to us and that brings me to my
speaking to us and that brings me to my final point and it comes again with
final point and it comes again with
final point and it comes again with another anecdote which and if there’s no
another anecdote which and if there’s no
another anecdote which and if there’s no meaning in what I’m saying at least the
meaning in what I’m saying at least the
meaning in what I’m saying at least the anecdotes are entertaining the Ian Ted I
did some of my studies for the
did some of my studies for the priesthood in Rome and when we got there
priesthood in Rome and when we got there
priesthood in Rome and when we got there the first group of us together in that
the first group of us together in that
the first group of us together in that first week had no common language and we
first week had no common language and we
first week had no common language and we are too trying to learn Italian the
are too trying to learn Italian the
are too trying to learn Italian the speakers we could say we could speak to
speakers we could say we could speak to
speakers we could say we could speak to each other and our fermitas
each other and our fermitas
each other and our fermitas knew felt the tension in this group and
knew felt the tension in this group and
knew felt the tension in this group and decided to take us out for a trip on the
decided to take us out for a trip on the
decided to take us out for a trip on the trains in Rome and as we stood at the
trains in Rome and as we stood at the
trains in Rome and as we stood at the platform the dingdong of the PA system
platform the dingdong of the PA system
platform the dingdong of the PA system sounded and we all went very silent we
sounded and we all went very silent we
sounded and we all went very silent we were hoping to be the first to catch
were hoping to be the first to catch
were hoping to be the first to catch some italian word in that announcement
some italian word in that announcement
some italian word in that announcement and after about 45 seconds we all just
and after about 45 seconds we all just
and after about 45 seconds we all just burst out laughing that was the only
burst out laughing that was the only
burst out laughing that was the only language we had in common
language we had in common
language we had in common and we shouted una parola they couldn’t
and we shouted una parola they couldn’t
and we shouted una parola they couldn’t make a full sentence in Italian bin but
make a full sentence in Italian bin but
make a full sentence in Italian bin but what we were saying is the entire
what we were saying is the entire
what we were saying is the entire announcement sounded like one world did
announcement sounded like one world did
announcement sounded like one world did you have that experience distinctly of
you have that experience distinctly of
you have that experience distinctly of foreign language what I learned then is
foreign language what I learned then is
foreign language what I learned then is that when you’re learning a language you
that when you’re learning a language you
that when you’re learning a language you learn to put the spaces between the
learn to put the spaces between the
learn to put the spaces between the words you learn to be attentive to the
words you learn to be attentive to the
words you learn to be attentive to the spaces because every word begins in
spaces because every word begins in
spaces because every word begins in silence and ends in silence and when you
silence and ends in silence and when you
silence and ends in silence and when you grasp the silence then you can graphs
grasp the silence then you can graphs
grasp the silence then you can graphs the word and its meaning see listening
the word and its meaning see listening
the word and its meaning see listening and – – – meaning require silence and
and – – – meaning require silence and
and – – – meaning require silence and that’s my story three elements for the
that’s my story three elements for the
that’s my story three elements for the construction of meaning symbol that
construction of meaning symbol that
construction of meaning symbol that participates in a reality and makes that
participates in a reality and makes that
participates in a reality and makes that reality present that’s not visible word
reality present that’s not visible word
reality present that’s not visible word as as Theory enhancing and meaning
as as Theory enhancing and meaning
as as Theory enhancing and meaning investing that determines how you see
investing that determines how you see
investing that determines how you see the world and silence that you can hear
the world and silence that you can hear
the world and silence that you can hear more profoundly and see more deeply and
more profoundly and see more deeply and
more profoundly and see more deeply and hopefully rightly I am a person of faith
hopefully rightly I am a person of faith
hopefully rightly I am a person of faith of Christian faith and a Catholic priest
of Christian faith and a Catholic priest
of Christian faith and a Catholic priest and these three symbol word and silence
and these three symbol word and silence
and these three symbol word and silence converge for me in one in my encounter
converge for me in one in my encounter
converge for me in one in my encounter with Christ
with Christ
with Christ that’s a story for another context thank
that’s a story for another context thank
that’s a story for another context thank you
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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