George Maloney and Catherine Doherty

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Phillip_Rolfes

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Greetings all. I was recently on amazon looking at the book “Prayer of the Heart” (I believe that’s the title) by Fr. George Maloney. I’ve read one of his other books and absolutely loved it, so I thought I’d check out some of his other writings. When I was reading through the reviews of the book one gentleman, an Orthodox I believe, quoted Fr. Seraphim Rose having said some very nasty things about both Fr. George and Catherine Doherty. I was wondering if perhaps there was any reason for this. The claim that Fr. Seraphim made was that these two did not take hesychasm and, ultimately, the life in Christ seriously and that their writings were therefore dangerous. Personally I disagree with him. But I just don’t know why he would say such a thing. I’ve only ever heard good things about both Fr. George Maloney and Catherine Doherty from both Catholics and Orthodox alike. Any thoughts?

Oh, and what sort of status does Fr. Seraphim Rose have among the Orthodox? I know he is highly revered by some. Do most/all American Orthodox revere him?
 
Master Beadsman,

He is locally revered as a saint by Orthodox (privately) and there are icons of him, as there are of other notable worthies. There are those who don’t like him because of his views on the toll-houses.

He did say nasty things about Maloney and Doherty only insomuch as they were Catholics and Rose believed completely that to be outside the Orthodox Church meant that you lacked true Grace to see and understand Hesychasm and other things of the spirit.

He even wrote that it is difficult to engage in ecumenical dialogue with RC’s because they won’t accept that they are bereft of Grace - otherwise they would just accept Orthodoxy and be done with it . . .

Alex
 
Barbkw said:
Please explain what that word is and what it means in Orthodox Catholic worship.

Thank you in advance.
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Hesychasm/Hesychia = silence/stillness and has a number of meanings, or rather a number of levels of meaning ranging from an exterior interpretation, progressing to a more interior interpretation. The most exterior interpretation would simply mean exterior silence for the sake of prayer; being alone with God in one’s solitude. Ultimately Hesychia is inner stillness/spiritual poverty where one focuses one’s attention completely on God in the heart. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware says, “Inner stillness, when interpreted as a guarding of the heart and a return into oneself, implies a passage from multiplicity to unity, from diversity to simplicity and spiritual poverty” (The Inner Kingdom, 96). He then goes on to quote St. John Climacus who said, “Hesychia is a laying aside of thoughts.” The mind is stripped of visual images and human concepts and contemplates God alone. During the Cherubic Hymn in the Divine Liturgy we pray, “Let us lay aside all earthly cares.” This, I would say, would be the best definition of Hesychams/Hesychia, the laying aside of all earthly cares, images, concepts, etc. in order to bask in God’s glory and in His love for us. “Be still and know that I am God.” In such stillness we even leave aside all theories on the nature of the Trinity, the Church, Salvation, etc. All of our human intellectual concepts of God are set aside in order that we might simply behold the face of God and contemplate Him in love. Incidentally this is also a very Carmelite approach to the spiritual life. At the risk of stirring up some controversy I would even say that it is a very charismatic approach to the spiritual life (having myself been involved in the Charismatic Renewal for a time, and personally known a number of the leaders in the Renewal).

One might think of it in terms of courtship and marriage. During courtship a couple gets to know things about each other, birthdays, major events in their lives, likes, dislikes, etc. But once the couple is married, although these things remain important to an extent, the primary focus of their relationship is not getting to know things about each other, but living with one another in a relationship of mutual love. This is only an analogy, so it obviously limps.
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Master Beadsman,

He is locally revered as a saint by Orthodox (privately) and there are icons of him, as there are of other notable worthies. There are those who don’t like him because of his views on the toll-houses.

He did say nasty things about Maloney and Doherty only insomuch as they were Catholics and Rose believed completely that to be outside the Orthodox Church meant that you lacked true Grace to see and understand Hesychasm and other things of the spirit.

He even wrote that it is difficult to engage in ecumenical dialogue with RC’s because they won’t accept that they are bereft of Grace - otherwise they would just accept Orthodoxy and be done with it . . .

Alex
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Interesting, particularly the last bit. I don’t understand how an Orthodox person would expect a Catholic to admit that they are bereft of grace, or vice versa. It doesn’t seem a very effective springboard for evangelization. 🤷

What are your thoughts on Maloney and Doherty? I’ve liked what I read of Maloney. Although I’ve not read anything by Doherty I’m inclined to like her. I believe she and Archbishop Raya were good friends, no?

Rose also made the mistake of claiming that at least Maloney was Roman Catholic. He was not, as I’m sure you know, but I’ll say it anyhow for the sake of those who may not know. He was a Russian Catholic and, I believe, died an Orthodox. Was Doherty not also a Russian Catholic, or did she actually become Roman?
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
Interesting, particularly the last bit. I don’t understand how an Orthodox person would expect a Catholic to admit that they are bereft of grace, or vice versa. It doesn’t seem a very effective springboard for evangelization. 🤷

What are your thoughts on Maloney and Doherty? I’ve liked what I read of Maloney. Although I’ve not read anything by Doherty I’m inclined to like her. I believe she and Archbishop Raya were good friends, no?

Rose also made the mistake of claiming that at least Maloney was Roman Catholic. He was not, as I’m sure you know, but I’ll say it anyhow for the sake of those who may not know. He was a Russian Catholic and, I believe, died an Orthodox. Was Doherty not also a Russian Catholic, or did she actually become Roman?
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Dear Master Beadsman,

Maloney was an RC who, like other Jesuits, became members of the Russicum (like Fr. Taft) since they appreciated the purity of the Byzantine Rite there. Rose would not/did not see ANY difference between Roman Catholics and Byzantine Catholics - they were Catholics since they were in communion with each other and therefore shared the same heresies which banished them from the true Orthodox Church into a “sea of spiritual darkness.” When Rose criticized him, Fr. Maloney was still a Catholic and a Jesuit (the latter would hardly make things easier for him with Rose 😉 ).

Catherine Doherty was a Russian Catholic of the Bl Leonid Fyodorov variety i.e. aristocratic background and very Europeanized. The Russian aristocracy is a totally different kettle of fish and are deeply cultured and very conversant with Western ideas and true European civilization. They are a real pleasure to know and I’m proud that my grandparents hid a number of them from the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution and helped them escape from what would have been certain death.

Catherine Doherty was of that background and for her to be Russian “Catholic Orthodox” was to be exactly the same as the ROC but in communion with Rome.

A great and very spiritual lady.

Rose was a very holy man, (a convert from a confused New Age/Buddhism perspective, truth be told), but, when it came to personal culture, true Russian aristocratic finesse and class, Catherine easily outdid him.

Alex
 
Alex,

As always your insights are both informative and uplifting. Have you ever read anything by Doherty? Is she “orthodox/Orthodox”? I’m hoping to read her some time in the future, but I’m wondering if it would be worth my time, or if I should stick with the authors I know. 😛
 
I have greatly enjoyed Catherine Doherty’s works and find her very readable. I attended one or two talks by Father Maloney. I found him difficult to follow, but what I did get was very good. I remember especially his showing us that Purgatory is a place of healing; not of punishment.
 
Ditto re: Joe Kelley’s post!

Catherine is orthodox/Orthodox while being in communion with Rome. I believe the Canadian Catholic Bishops have advanced her name for canonization . . .

Alex
 
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