Tomorrow I’ll start my new series of posts on Marcel Văn and clerical abuse. For, now, here are quotes that were posted to Facebook, Instagram, and X this past week:

What is meant by the direct acts of contemplation? They are acts which are in no way discursive, but which are made by a simple gaze, above reasoning. And indeed—they are at times so peaceful that the soul does not, so to speak, perceive them; in that case they are the contrary of reflective or perceived acts. With this meaning… Saint Antony said, “There is no perfect prayer if the solitary perceives that he is praying.” — Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange

I do not believe that it is possible to put into practice the commandments of Jesus and to become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect [cf. Mt 5:48] without a certain degree of contemplation of Christ. Every saint is, in some manner or another, a true contemplator of Christ. We could never divide saints into active and contemplative saints according to the relationship to Jesus, but only according to their state of life, their outward disposition. Even Saint Ignatius [of Loyola] insisted that every great active is a great contemplative. — René Voillaume