Christian contemplation thrown into the muddy highways of the world : encouragement : experiences : resources
Yesterday, Pope Francis met with members of the Discalced Carmelite nuns and superiors who were gathered together with the purpose of revising their Constitutions. The remarks that he made are worth highlighting, at least in part. The Holy Father opens with a concern to “give greater impetus to the contemplative life” lived in the cloister …
Continue reading “Pope Francis’ Remarks on Contemplation to Discalced Carmelite Nuns”
The reason for this brief post is that, in my own life, I have recently run into a situation which seems to use Thérèse’s teaching in a way that would call into question her deep concern for abuse in the Church. This, for me, won’t do. The Thérèse I know is resolutely against abuse. In …
Continue reading “Thérèse of Lisieux Against Abuse, Before and After Death”
Earlier this week, Vatican News ran a story saying that Pope Francis will, this year and in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee, open up a school of prayer: The Pope himself, during this year, they announced, will set up a “School of Prayer.” “This School,” Archbishop Fisichella explained, “will be a series of moments of …
I was wondering which of the many ideas I have jotted down to take up and develop for my next post—and lo and behold! A reader wrote to me with the intention that a gem of a homily of Pope Francis not go unnoticed. Here I am putting that very just, very right intention into …
Continue reading “The Magi and Contemplation, with Pope Francis and John of Avila”
From Facebook, Instagram, and X this week: I remain convinced that the sick child is the one with the privilege of being closest to his mother. In the same way, the weak soul is the one the closest to the Lord. — Marcel Văn In every human being you can find the Face of Jesus, never forgetting that what …
Continue reading “Confidence and the Face of Jesus (Quotes Vol. 12)”
Yesterday’s apostolic exhortation on the message of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is a gem. I love it very much. Original announcements from several months back claimed that this was going to just be an apostolic letter, as with those on, for example, Blaise Pascal and Francis de Sales. In the end, it was upgraded. Just …
Contemplative in the Mud 