Exodus 90 turns to the Lord this Advent in its Ad Orientem Challenge under the guidance of Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska. Conley will lead daily reflections with the Exodus 90 app beginning on the feast of St. Martin of Tours on November 11th through Christmas Day. Ad Orientem, “toward the East,” reflects our expectation for the coming of Christ symbolized by the rising sun. The hope of Israel for the Messiah guides us in waiting for his coming again to bring about the fullness of the Kingdom of God that he initiated through his birth.
The feast of St. Martin of Tours, akin to Thanksgiving day in the Middle Ages, kicked off a traditional preparatory period before Advent. Conley will lead Exodus 90’s first St. Martin Challenge as a time of giving thanks, expressing charity, and creating a ramp-up to the beginning of Advent. Together, the St. Martin Challenge and Advent will form a time of prayer and expectation similar in length to Lent, providing an extended preparation for Christmas.
Conley, a noted speaker on beauty, liturgy, and Catholic education, will bring his deep spiritual and cultural insights into this unique period. Director of Content for Exodus 90, Dr. Jared Staudt, remarked that “Bishop Conley is the perfect spiritual guide for helping us to turn to the East. He will bring his attention to how the liturgy can help us to recognize the Lord’s presence through beauty. His attention to literature and the cultural heritage of the Catholic tradition will add depth to our reflections.”
Bishop Conley is a convert to the Catholic faith during his time studying under John Senior at the Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, and served in the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop in Denver before becoming bishop of Lincoln, Nebraska in 2012.
