Anthony de Mello, S.J

[jack63]

Jesuit books with warnings on them aren’t a good thing for people who are suffering or grieving. They are also not a good place for somebody to start to understand the Jesuits. They are something you search out after doing your due diligence (e.g. reading some reviews etc.) They are something you read perhaps under the following conditions…my suggestions…

1. You have the time, energy, and general well being to be existentially challenged for a while. Go in with the understanding that you will either not agree with or not understand what they are talking about, and will have to think about it quite a lot.
2. Understand some thing about the Jesuits…for example…

But, as one example, in Awareness, Fr. de Mello indicates that we must “awaken” and detach ourselves from all of our prior conditioning, people in our lives, material things, and even God, in order for us to be awake.

This sounds a lot like a badly done spin-off of Ignation Indifference. Basically this means to detach yourself from things that don’t lead you to “to praise, reverence, and serve God”…

Ignatian Indifference - Ignatian Spirituality

Ignatian indifference is the capacity to let go of what doesn't help me to love God or love others--while staying engaged with what does. Marina McCoy explains.

www.ignatianspirituality.com

Another technique in Ignatian spirituality is to detach yourself from images of god that are not positive. This in and of itself is certainly not a bad thing. It is in the writings of many recent Jesuits. However, I agree with Pope Benedict, that extending this to mean God is a void is not Christian and not helpful.

Sometimes Jesuits try to think up new ways to express Christianity. I mean the spiritual exercises were quite an innovation at the time. Sometimes they misfire. This book by Anthony de Mello, S.J. sounds like part of it was a misfire. Without understanding anything about the Jesuits or Ignation spirituality, the book does not sound like a good place to find help for suffering or grieving.

 

[badger11]

Thank you so much, Jack. I sure wish that the copy of the book that I read contained the warning, and that I had done more research before reading it. It has really shaken me, to the extent I feel like I am not on stable ground spiritually at the moment. It’s also caused the grief, depression, and anxiety to rear their heads. I know that with some time and prayer, I will reconnect with God in a way I had before reading the book.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

I’m sorry you have been so shaken. Is there a good priest you can speak to?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If you’re having grief, may I suggest you read this pamphlet instead? I found it outside the adoration chapel of the local church right after I’d finished burying my husband last year. It was very helpful and comforting to me. The author is a Dominican who’s written a number of books, and although no one on this forum seemed to have heard of him (I asked before, no one responded), he also does not have any warnings against him, to my knowledge.

Reflections on the Death of a Loved One

 

[jack63]

This thread has helped me. What Pope Benedict wrote was helpful to me on several levels. I’ve had something like this debate with others before…people arguing with me that we should be striving for something like a void…ughh. It bothered me too.

What Pope Benedict said here lets me understand why the holy spirit made him Pope…not that I doubted…it just helps me understand why.