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U.S. Nuns Facing Vatican Scrutiny – NYTimes.com

Jul 2nd, 2009
by Pat.
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In the coffeeshop this morning I noticed this front-page article in the NY Times (or the Wall Street Journal, I’m not sure which.  However, I found the online article at NYT…).

Seems there’s an evaluation of American nuns underway, and as you can read below, it’s unclear what the goal is.  It’s going to be interesting seeing how this issue develops, and I hope and pray that the issue is explored with grace and humility.

Here’s a quote, but clickthrough the link below to see the whole story.

The Vatican is quietly conducting two sweeping investigations of American nuns, a development that has startled and dismayed nuns who fear they are the targets of a doctrinal inquisition.

Nuns were the often-unsung workers who helped build the Roman Catholic Church in this country, planting schools and hospitals and keeping parishes humming. But for the last three decades, their numbers have been declining — to 60,000 today from 180,000 in 1965.

While some nuns say they are grateful that the Vatican is finally paying attention to their dwindling communities, many fear that the real motivation is to reel in American nuns who have reinterpreted their calling for the modern world.

Read the whole article – via U.S. Nuns Facing Vatican Scrutiny – NYTimes.com.

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The Art of Spiritual Direction

Jun 14th, 2009
by Pat.
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“The art of spiritual direction lies in our uncovering the obvious in our lives and in realizing that everyday events are the means by which God tries to reach us.”

- Alan Jones, in the preface to the book “Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction” (Margaret Guenther)

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Jun 5th, 2009
by Pat.
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The Celtic Church, an Ideal Christianity

Here’s a short video clip that talks about Celtic Christianity. I wouldn’t agree that it’s ‘an Ideal Christianity’, but I do think it’s a healthy one, and one that I identify with. Enjoy this short discussion (2 min or so)

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Audiobook of Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson Free Downloads – christianaudio.com

Jun 1st, 2009
by Pat.
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christianaudio.com offers an excellent book for download – the unabridged version of Eugene Peter’s first book in his new series on spiritual theology, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places.  Link is below, and use the coupon code mentioned in the page.

Useful only for June 2009, it appears.

Free Downloads – christianaudio.com.

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Shared Links for May 24th

May 26th, 2009
by Pat.
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These are my links for May 17th through May 24th:

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Finding Sanctuary by Abbot Christopher Jamison (Book Summary)

May 22nd, 2009
by Pat.
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“Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life” (Abbot Christopher Jamison)

Finding Sanctuary

by Abbot Christopher Jamison

Liturgical Press (2006)

Description of the Book

Modern life is characterized by an overwhelming sense of busyness. The Rule of St. Benedict, written 1500 years ago for an Italian abbey, provides practical insights about Christian living that can be applied today and provide sanctuary from this busyness for everyday people and monastics alike.

Interpretation of the Book

Finding Sanctuary grew out of Abbot Jamison’s experience on the BBC reality TV show The Monastery, in which five men were immersed in the monastic life at Worth Abbey for 40 days and nights. Their experience, and the author’s, showed viewers of the TV series that the Benedictine spiritual tradition is a practical spirituality for contemporary life.

The book is broken into two major sections.

The first section is relatively short, and establishes the contemporary sense of busyness which dominates our everyday lives. It shows that today’s consumerism, while toxic, is not much different from the cultural environment encountered by the desert fathers, from whom Benedict evolved.

The second section introduces seven steps from Benedictine spirituality which provide sanctuary in contemporary culture. Abbot Jamison discusses the monastic practices of silence, contemplation, obedience, humility, community, spirituality and hope. In each chapter he describes monastic history, tells contemporary stories about that practice, and then provides practical suggestions for implementing the topic in everyday life. He also includes spiritual practices from other monastic movements such as the Jesuits, Carthusians, Eastern Orthodox and others.

Application

This book is an easily approachable spin on Benedictine spirituality. It compares well with Radical Hospitality by Fr. Daniel Homan, OSB and Lonni Collins Pratt.

Abbot Jamison’s section describing lectio divina in the chapter on Contemplation is the highlight of the book for me. It makes some key points that I’ve used in leading retreats and to my own small group : “the text is seen as a gift to be received, not a problem to be dissected. The first task to which the tradition invites the modern reader is: avoid imposing your questions and let the text question you. Humility is the key to wisdom.” (p. 64).

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Lectio, Psalm 18

May 21st, 2009
by Pat.
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Lectio divina this morning from Psalm 18.

Two items speak to me in this psalm:
The Lord is my rock (v1)
In the crazy transitions I go through, the fast pace of life even when I’m trying to squash all busyness like spiders, the one solid anchor I have is Christ.  Christ the unmovable, the unchanging, the steady.  I set my feet firmly on him.
Images of the hermit caves on the Skelligs in southern Ireland come to mind.  Those rocks are not only the home for those ancient hermits – the home at the edge of the world, overlooking the edge of the world – but their home is the Lord.  Not just reminds them of, or is as solid as, but is.  Can i plant myself, my house, my job, my time in the same way?
so that my ankles to not give way(v36)
Six months after i broke my right ankle, it is still not at full strength.  I step oddly and it turns, and I’m afraid of re-breaking it.  I am cautious when hiking, running, doing exercise.  I’m always conscious that something might go wrong.  But if the Sacred Trinity provides a broad path for me, for my life and the choices and actions therein, can I trust the path and not focus on the risk of re-breaking what I’ve already broken?
Lord, help.

Posted via email from patl’s posterous

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Sacred Companions by David Benner (Book summary)

May 21st, 2009
by Pat.
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“Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship & Direction” (David G. Benner)

Sacred Companions

by David G. Benner

InterVarsity Press (2002)

Description of the Book

Sacred Companions describes spiritual friendship and spiritual direction for the contemporary Christian who wishes to be intentional about growing in their Christian life. Benner writes as a psychologist and a spiritual director, specifically aiming to describe these ancient practices to protestant Christians for whom the practices are new and unfamiliar.

Interpretation of the Book

The book is organized in three major sections. The first describes spiritual friendship, an intentional relationship in which spiritual growth is a stated goal. The second section focuses on spiritual direction, and the third section outlines specific scenarios combining friendship and direction, for small groups and in marriages.

The author writes comfortably, providing an approachable environment for Christians of all backgrounds who wish to grow in fruitfulness and seek spiritual accompaniment as the means to help them. Benner lightly references his background as a psychologist, but focuses more on his (mostly self-trained) spiritual direction practice. He introduces classic practices such as centering prayer and the Ignatian Examen, usually by telling stories of his experience as a director or a directee.

Application

This may be the friendliest, most approachable book available on the art of spiritual direction.

It strongly prefers the approach of spiritual direction to more general spiritual friendship, but makes only passing reference to the Celtic approach of anamchara, or soul friendship. The last section’s discussion of spiritual accompaniment in small groups is intriguing, and the author has great hopes for this blend of spiritual friendship and the small group movement. I found myself wanting more information on this subject. He also writes from his experience working with his wife in bi-directional spiritual direction.

I must also note here that the book’s hidden gem is its 28-page annotated bibliography, organized by topics and referencing current and classic works in related fields. This section of the book would be worth the cover price, even if the book were disappointing.

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Posted in: Faith, Grad School.
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Like Me

May 20th, 2009
by Pat.
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President Barack Obama bends over so the son of a White House staff member can pat his head during a family visit to the Oval Office May 8, 2009. The youngster wanted to see if the President’s haircut felt like his own. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

I’m quite certain that I’ll never grasp what it really means for people of color that we have the first non-white American president. But little sacred moments like this one give me a glimpse.

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Benedict’s Instruments of Good Works

May 20th, 2009
by Pat.
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The Rule of St. Benedict provides practical wisdom for living the Christian life. It is a highly influential Rule of Life and has benefitted communities for 1500 years. When you read through the Rule (and it’s very worthwhile to read), you find that Benedict understood human psychology well and was gracious and flexible with people who stumbled.
 
I recently re-read the Rule, and on this read I was impressed with Chapter 4, in which Benedict lists the good deeds that he encourages his monks to participate in. I’m usually vehemently against lists of spiritual tasks, but Benedict’s list feels different to e. I have been thinking and praying through these items, and think that each one would make a good daily emphasis for meditation (one per day).
 
Below is a translation for Benedictine nuns, from http://www.osb.org/rb/text/rbejms2.html#4.
 
> Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works
>
> 1. In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, > the whole soul, the whole strength.
> 2. Then, one’s neighbor as oneself.
> 3. Then not to murder.
> 4. Not to commit adultery.
> 5. Not to steal.
> 6. Not to covet.
> 7. Not to bear false witness.
> 8. To honor all (1 Peter 2:17).
> 9. And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself.
> 10. To deny oneself in order to follow Christ.
> 11. To chastise the body.
> 12. Not to become attached to pleasures.
> 13. To love fasting.
> 14. To relieve the poor.
> 15. To clothe the naked.
> 16. To visit the sick.
> 17. To bury the dead.
> 18. To help in trouble.
> 19. To console the sorrowing.
> 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways.
> 21. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.
> 22. Not to give way to anger.
> 23. Not to nurse a grudge.
> 24. Not to entertain deceit in one’s heart.
> 25. Not to give a false peace.
> 26. Not to forsake charity.
> 27. Not to swear, for fear of perjuring oneself.
> 28. To utter truth from heart and mouth.
> 29. Not to return evil for evil.
> 30. To do no wrong to anyone, and to bear patiently wrongs done to > oneself.
> 31. To love one’s enemies.
> 32. Not to curse those who curse us, but rather to bless them.
> 33. To bear persecution for justice’s sake.
> 34. Not to be proud.
> 35. Not addicted to wine.
> 36. Not a great eater.
> 37. Not drowsy.
> 38. Not lazy.
> 39. Not a grumbler.
> 40. Not a detractor.
> 41. To put one’s hope in God.
> 42. To attribute to God, and not to self, whatever good one sees in > oneself.
> 43. But to recognize always that the evil is one’s own doing, and to > impute it to oneself.
> 44. To fear the Day of Judgment.
> 45. To be in dread of hell.
> 46. To desire eternal life with all the passion of the spirit.
> 47. To keep death daily before one’s eyes.
> 48. To keep constant guard over the actions of one’s life.
> 49. To know for certain that God sees one everywhere.
> 50. When evil thoughts come into one’s heart, to dash them against > Christ immediately.
> 51. And to manifest them to one’s spiritual mother.
> 52. To guard one’s tongue against evil and depraved speech.
> 53. Not to love much talking.
> 54. Not to speak useless words or words that move to laughter.
> 55. Not to love much or boisterous laughter.
> 56. To listen willingly to holy reading.
> 57. To devote oneself frequently to prayer.
> 58. Daily in one’s prayers, with tears and sighs, to confess one’s > past sins to God, and to amend them for the future.
> 59. Not to fulfill the desires of the flesh; to hate one’s own will.
> 60. To obey in all things the commands of the Abbess, even though > she herself (which God forbid) should act otherwise, mindful of the > Lord’s precept, “Do what they say, but not what they do.”
> 61. Not to wish to be called holy before one is holy; but first to > be holy, that one may be truly so called.

Posted via email from patl’s posterous

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