K
kathielee
Guest
These cassette tapes is him talking? That would be good! The book I have that I just started reading is to novices. Very easy to read which is important for me because my attention span is so short.
- Status
K
kathielee
Guest
Where do you purchase them from? Kathie
B
BarbaraTherese
Guest
The tapes were given to me from someone in the USA…I understand they can be purchased from Gethsamane Monastery and are actual recordings of his meetings with novices while novice master. He has a great sense of the funny even while talking on very serious subjects. Could you pass on the title of the book addressed to novices please? I can go through passages intermittantly where I find it impossible to read anything at all too…Blessings - BarbThese cassette tapes is him talking? That would be good! The book I have that I just started reading is to novices. Very easy to read which is important for me because my attention span is so short.
K
kathielee
Guest
The book I have is “An Introduction to Christian Mysticism”, Initiation into the Monastic Tradition 3, Monastic Wisdom Series Number Thirteen.
I have a small library here of books I have ordered from Cistercian Publications and there are two that made a big difference in my spirituality.
- “Centered on Christ…A Guide to Monastic Profession” by Augustine Roberts, OCSO
- “Passing From Self to God…A Cistercian Retreat” by Robert Thomas, OCSO
B
BarbaraTherese
Guest
Thanks heaps, Kathie…Barb:thumbsup:
M
mangy_dog
Guest
I recommend you start with “Seeds of Contemplation”.Merton sounds like someone worth checking out then.
It will prepare “your place of silence and stillness”.
It’s an easy, free-flowing read so, avoid the temptation of reading it all in one sit.
Contemplation can start with one chapter, one page, one paragraph or one word. Don’t rush through it. I promise you, you’ll be glad you took your time.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
J
JimR-OCDS
Guest
My wife is going on retreat at St. Joseph’s Abbey, in Spencer MA, this week-end. She always lucks out and manages to get the Palm Sunday weekend. They take the retreatents into the cloister, and allow them to join the procession through the monetary, into the Abbey Church, carrying palms. My wife says its awesome. For some reason, the mens retreat never manages to hit it on Palm Sunday week-end. In fact, I was only able to get in on April 11, which is after Easter. In fact, come April 1st, weather permitting, we’re not allowed to go through the cloister to get to the church, but have to go out doors and enter through the side door.
During the years of going to the Abbey, we use to see Fr Basil Pennington. He was an impressive man. He stood about 6’4, huge shoulders and had pure white hair and beard. He had soft gentle blue eyes and when he spoke, he had a soothing tone to his voice. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago, from injuries received in a car accident.
Anyway, here is a site with some of Fr Pennington’s as well as Fr Keating’s work.
kyrie.com/cp/index.htm
Enjoy!
Jim
During the years of going to the Abbey, we use to see Fr Basil Pennington. He was an impressive man. He stood about 6’4, huge shoulders and had pure white hair and beard. He had soft gentle blue eyes and when he spoke, he had a soothing tone to his voice. Unfortunately, he died a few years ago, from injuries received in a car accident.
Anyway, here is a site with some of Fr Pennington’s as well as Fr Keating’s work.
kyrie.com/cp/index.htm
Enjoy!
Jim
B
BennyBoy89
Guest
I know what you’re saying. That’s initially why I shied away from Merton. Too many of the “cafeteria” variety seemed to like him.
B
BennyBoy89
Guest
It’s going on my list of books I need to buy when I get the money to do so.
K
kathielee
Guest
Yes, and I also stayed away from any Merton books until I was sure I had a firm grasp. There needs to be a balance because Merton spent most of his time alone reading the early Church fathers. Those who don’t know Merton’s true roots can tend to think he is off in Buddhist land…or quite new-age. And, of course, he was not. Kathie
K
kathielee
Guest
My spiritual director told me to get several books…the following book is out of print but I found it on Amazon and it’s SO good.
“Common Mystic Prayer” by Gabriel Diefenbach, O.F.M. Cap, printed by St. Anthony Guild Press, 1947.
It’s wonderful and if you can find it, well worth the read.
Kathie
“Common Mystic Prayer” by Gabriel Diefenbach, O.F.M. Cap, printed by St. Anthony Guild Press, 1947.
It’s wonderful and if you can find it, well worth the read.
Kathie
K
kathielee
Guest
Incredible graces, that I could never have imagined, have come to me from Lectio Divina. But also, there is so much emphasis on humility vs pride in Trappist spirituality, that it has made major changes in me that I didn’t know were possible. I didn’t even know there was anything needing to be changed! My guess would be that Carmelites are also heavy into this. Another book I can suggest:
“The Steps of Humility and Pride” by Bernard of Clairvaux.
Learning this through Trappists has been an eye opener like no other thus far in my life. Seeing things that were invisible to me for 55 years of my life.
Kathie
“The Steps of Humility and Pride” by Bernard of Clairvaux.
Learning this through Trappists has been an eye opener like no other thus far in my life. Seeing things that were invisible to me for 55 years of my life.
Kathie
J
JimR-OCDS
Guest
kathielee,
humility is a virtue that is sought for, throughout Christianity, not just among Trappist.
All the spiritual doctors of the Church taught on the necessity for humility in all things.
Jim
humility is a virtue that is sought for, throughout Christianity, not just among Trappist.
All the spiritual doctors of the Church taught on the necessity for humility in all things.
Jim
K
kathielee
Guest
Indeed they have. Kathie
K
kathielee
Guest
Actually, I wasn’t thinking so much about the only way to know this is through the Trappist spirituality…it’s just that through God leading me to the Trappist, I was able to discover Lectio Divina that otherwise, I would not have known…especially because I am in a rural area without the benefit of many Orders to learn from. My emphasis was meant to be more toward the grace of Lectio Divina as opposed to what order one is associated with.
Kathie
G
Gabrielis
Guest
The Servant of God Catherine de Heuck Doherty tells the story of how there used to be a callow young college student who loved to visit her soup kitchen way back when and mouth off about poverty, social injustice and other pertinent issues. One day she told him perhaps he ought to put his words into action by doing some volunteering with her. (This was probably during the Great Depression in the early years of Madonna House, if I’m not mistaken, when it was still situated in Harlem.) Well, he did, and actually stayed at the house for awhile. Some time after he left, while clearing out the room where he had slept she came across an old rug sack he’d left behind in which there was a hand-written (or was it a type-written?) manuscript. It turned out to be an early draft of “The Seven Storey Mountain.”
That’s the spirit of the story, anyway. I read it a long time ago in Doherty’s book, “Not Without Parables” which is full of such stories. Unfortunately I no longer have the book, having probably lent it to someone and never gotten it back. Maybe I’ll get it back again in Heaven. That’s what C. S. Lewis believed anyway: that the only books we’ll have in Heaven are those we lent to others and never got back. But then, on the other hand, what need would we have of such books, or indeed of any books, in Heaven?
That’s the spirit of the story, anyway. I read it a long time ago in Doherty’s book, “Not Without Parables” which is full of such stories. Unfortunately I no longer have the book, having probably lent it to someone and never gotten it back. Maybe I’ll get it back again in Heaven. That’s what C. S. Lewis believed anyway: that the only books we’ll have in Heaven are those we lent to others and never got back. But then, on the other hand, what need would we have of such books, or indeed of any books, in Heaven?
K
kathielee
Guest
Father John Corapi said that an elderly lady told him that he needs to be really good as a priest because if he ends up in purgatory, he will have to listen continuously to all of his own tapes.
“Not Without Parables” sounds like it would be quite a blessing to read. Thanks for sharing that!
B
BennyBoy89
Guest
Last night I bought a copy of New Seeds of Contemplation at Borders and I LOVE it! Merton is basically affirming for me all of the things that as a Christian I knew deep down inside, but never knew how to verbalize.
I’ve got a new favorite author…
I’ve got a new favorite author…
M
mangy_dog
Guest
I’m happy for you Benny.Last night I bought a copy of New Seeds of Contemplation at Borders and I LOVE it! Merton is basically affirming for me all of the things that as a Christian I knew deep down inside, but never knew how to verbalize.
I’ve got a new favorite author…
I have the very old, hard cover. Originally titled, “Seeds of Contemplation”. I’m sure its the same, give or take a prologue or introduction.
I bought mine at an airport bookstore on my way to my father’s funeral 10 years ago.
“Seeds…” is best read slowly and little bits at a time. Because its such an easy, fluent read…there’s the temptation of reading it all in one sit.
You’ll get more out of it little by little. Remember (and Merton will make this clear also) contemplation may start after just one chapter, one paragraph or even after one word. When it happens, stop and contemplate.
I recommend “Thoughts in Solitude” as your next Merton book. He’s also my favorite.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
B
BennyBoy89
Guest
Thanks for the advice. I told myself when I started reading, “I’m going to read this too quickly if I’m not careful.” New Seeds is essentially the same thing, but Merton added a few chapters and tightened up some nuts and bolts so to speak. The introduction said something to that effect. I’ll be keeping Thoughts in Solitude in mind.I’m happy for you Benny.
I have the very old, hard cover. Originally titled, “Seeds of Contemplation”. I’m sure its the same, give or take a prologue or introduction.
I bought mine at an airport bookstore on my way to my father’s funeral 10 years ago.
“Seeds…” is best read slowly and little bits at a time. Because its such an easy, fluent read…there’s the temptation of reading it all in one sit.
You’ll get more out of it little by little. Remember (and Merton will make this clear also) contemplation may start after just one chapter, one paragraph or even after one word. When it happens, stop and contemplate.
I recommend “Thoughts in Solitude” as your next Merton book. He’s also my favorite.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
On a side-note: this is what I love about the Catholic faith. The world tries to lie to us and say that in order to be Catholic, you must sacrifice your intellectual and spiritual freedom and subscribe to this this and that. Well, you do have to subscribe to this this and that, but the Catholic faith IS freedom! The faith is truly alive, and all the great Catholic writers prove it. Would anyone expect our God to give us anything less?
- Status