Christian contemplation thrown into the muddy highways of the world : encouragement : experiences : resources
Last month, in the middle of writing my massive project on Marcel Văn and clerical abuse, I got into a brief exchange on X (formerly Twitter). Now, that is often an unwise thing to do. But in this case, I had to address that persistent slander about the Holy Father that I just can’t stand. …
Continue reading “More Catholic than the Pope, More Contemplative than a Carmelite”
Yesterday Pope Francis met with the Little Sisters of Jesus after they had finished a part of their General Chapter in Rome. The Vatican website published the text of the pope’s address in Italian only, so I thought I would put an unofficial translation into English here, for ease of reference for myself or others. …
Continue reading “Pope Francis’ Address to Little Sisters of Jesus after General Chapter”
The pope is visited by transgender people at his general audiences. He has gone to a permanent carnival park to visit the Little Sisters of Jesus who bring these trans people to him. And he chats with some of his trans visitors by email. However improbable it may seem, this is something that has happened …
Continue reading “The Pope, Transgender People, and Little Sisters of Jesus: How It Came to Happen”
In my last post, I promised an exploration of how Pope Francis teaches about and encourages Catholics to engage in contemplation of Christ in others. There have been 21 discussions of this topic in seven of the pope’s encyclicals and apostolic exhortations—which is to say, an awful lot. I plan to unpack this step by …
Continue reading “Pope Francis Walking in the Ways of Charles de Foucauld”
Before all projects, before all plans, before all works and actions is being. Being comfortable and alive in Christ interiorly (and exteriorly); being with and existing with others exteriorly (and interiorly). This is the surprising message that one gets by reading the life of Charles de Foucauld, by exploring the writings of Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, …
In the course of centuries Christians have increasingly come to realize that their prayer like the prayer of Christ himself, and because of that prayer, is a work of adoration and intercession in the name of mankind. In our time this awareness has become more vivid than ever, and it has reached the point when …
I’m pretty sure this blog is a smorgasbord of contemplative life in the Church. So I checked: here are some of the major influences, by Congregation (or other): Benedictine: Bernard of Clairvaux, Hildegard of Bingen, Raïssa Maritain (oblate) Carmelite: Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross, Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Elizabeth of …
Is it possible to live a contemplative vocation in the world? The story of the Little Sisters of Jesus, contemplative religious living in the world without a cloister, and their circus fraternity in Europe and the USA, can be found here on the website for the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant …
Continue reading “Little Sisters of Jesus and their Circus Fraternity”
This is a long post. It has the goal of deepening the spirituality of Blessed Charles of Jesus and deepening the Gospel sources of a contemplative vocation lived “in the mud”. It also purports to engage in some practical anti-anti-Semitism. If any of these points interest you, please read on. – – When Blessed Charles de Foucauld read the …
Continue reading “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in the Economy of Salvation”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKfO5nGcYSA Video to complement the Vocations Week post about contemplative religious orders living outside the cloister (contemplative religious orders in the world). This video shows some of the life of the Little Sisters of Jesus in the Holy Land: Our life in Gaza is really a very simple life: with the people, a life of …
Contemplative in the Mud 