Mary van Balen

Author, Columnist and Speaker on widening our circles of awareness and inclusion

  • Blog: The Scallop
  • Grace in the Moment
  • Articles
  • Your Stories

Widening Our Circles

A series of blog posts on expanding our horizons by embracing human diversity by Mary van Balen.

She writes about widening our circles of awareness and inclusion through compassionate encounter with one another and with the Sacred.

Read Widening Our Circles

The Scallop and Grace in the Moment

Mary, a spiritual director, holds an MA in Theology and has been writing on spirituality and faith for over 30 years. You'll find post on these topics under The Scallop and her monthly column Grace in the Moment

About Mary

Mary van Balen is the author of four books, numerous articles, and writes the long running column, "Grace in the Moment," which reflects on meeting the Sacred in everyday living.

About Mary

Recent Columns:

A Christmas Puzzle

I was never a puzzle person, but my mom was, particularly as her children became adults and had homes of their own. Sometimes, she placed all the … [Read More...]

Following the Servant-King

The feast of Christ the King has rolled around again, and I have decided to do something I rarely do: repost a column. This one, written in the first … [Read More...]

Recent Posts:

Scientists Say Return for Efforts is Public Health, Not Profit

My daughter forwarded an article from today’s Guardian that energized me. Think about it: people doing something to make the world a better place and … [Read More...]

Image of the James Webb Space Telescope moving away from Ariane 5 rocket and moving past Earth

James Webb Space Telescope and “Holy Curiosity”

Early Christmas morning, I shut off the alarm and lay in bed, still tired after a late night. My cell phone dinged. Ahh, a daughter checking to see if … [Read More...]

All Recent Posts:

A Christmas Puzzle

Following the Servant-King

Celebrating My Monk Friend: Kilian McDonnell, OSB

What Prayer Looks Like These Days

Quieting the Spirit

There Is Only One River

With Gratitude for Jimmy Carter

Holding Both Grief and Hope

With Gratitude for Mary Oliver

Entanglement

  • Bio
  • My Books
  • SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
  • Contact
  • Home

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2026 Mary van Balen · Site by cararufenacht.com· Log in