Contemplative practice is not meant to replace other prayer practices, but rather to be part of a wholistic prayer life in which various prayer forms enrich and enhance each other. Nowhere is this truer than in the relationship between ...
The call to contemplation is a continuous theme throughout the Christian Scriptures. Nevertheless, the idea can seem “new” or “hidden” to many, not because the theme of contemplation is not present, but because we live in an age where..
The Season of Creation observance has drawn to a close. Let’s pray the following prayer to remember our sacred obligation to care for all of God’s creation.
Come Holy Spirit, illumine us with the light of hope and give us...
n article from KFF News, an independent, non-profit source of in-depth reporting on complex health issues and their impact on people’s lives, reveals that every year more than 10,000 taxpayer-supported public housing units are lost to disrepair. Around $115 billion is needed to keep them in ...
Today we share an excerpt from an adaptation from the Offertory of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s “Mass on the World” (The Heart of Matter, p. 119-121), placed into a liturgical framework by ...
In conjunction with Labor Day, the US Bishops authored a letter (August 28, 2024) advocating better treatment of workers, stating that in today’s economy, too many people and families are living in poverty due to jobs with ,,,
Contemplative practice should not be seen as a substitute or replacement for other prayer practices and disciplines of faith. Rather, contemplative practices along with these other practices work together to reinforce, strengthen, and ...
We continue our review of the Laudato Si’ movement’s, “Ten Myths About Caring for Creation”. 6) We can’t know how much climate change is occurring due to a lack of records over hundreds of years. National Geographic reports that...
The word “tradition” means “to hand on,” but when it comes to Traditions of faith, we must be careful not to think of this as a static handing on, where that which is passed from one person and one generation to the next is frozen in its...
In his book, Contemplative Prayer, Trappist monk Thomas Merton shares this reflection on contemplative silence from Syrian monk Isaac of Nineveh:
Many are avidly seeking but they alone find who remain in continual silence. … Every man who delights in a multitude of words, even though he says...
Both political parties have chosen candidates for state and national office. Now, we as faithful citizens have important and sometimes difficult decisions to make, taking into account a candidate’s character, integrity, and ability to influence a given issue (USCCB, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 2023). The candidate must have good moral values and the integrity to pursue them; the intelligence, human relations skills, mastery of policy needed; and the ability to work well with other people, both allies and opponents.
These are important when considering the need to protect our common...
The MMOC Contemplative Core Team will host "Introduction to Contemplative Prayer & The Centering Prayer Practice” on Saturday, September 14, from 8:30 am-12:15 pm:
Workshop Goals:
Provide an understanding of ...
The MMOC Peace and Justice Ministry received a grant from the Archdiocese to present our upcoming program, “The Cost of Violence: Stories Seldom Heard,” on September 28 and October 19. All are invited to attend; use the Signup Genius or ...
Continuing discussion of human and sex trafficking, we’ll address “extortion” and steps being taken to address these appalling crimes made easier by the internet and artificial intelligence.
Extortion is the coercion of child victims into ...
St. Bonaventure continues reflecting on contemplation as a “passing over” into a direct experience of God:
If you ask how [experience of communion with God] can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the longing of the ...
Wisdom from St. Bonaventure, passed along by Paul Schulte:
Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant,and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and...
The COVID pandemic has contributed to the prevalence, creation, and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). As global online activity increased, so did the distribution of CSAM. The number of reported offenses skyrocketed with ...
In their newsletter, “Hidden in Plain Sight”, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in conjunction with Migration and Refugee Services, addresses the role of the internet and artificial intelligence (AI) in the sexual exploitation of...
Writer and spiritual director Caroline Oakes perceives contemplative practice at the heart of Jesus’ rhythm of ministry. His example teaches us to detach from our judgments and expectations so that we can return to Divine presence:
Gospel accounts show us that Jesus himself lived ...
In his book, How Big Is Your God?, Fr. Paul Coutinho, formerly of the Society of Jesus, recounts a lesson he learned in detachment:
When I joined the Jesuits, I brought with me a blazer that I had received on Prize Distribution Day in high school… The blazer was a prize for excellence in sports...