In 1891 Pope Leo XIII wrote in his encyclical Rerum Novarum that all people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families. Every person has the right to receive from the earth what is necessary for life: food, clothing, shelter. It is not God’s will that some of his children live in luxury while others have nothing, nor does the native population of a country have superior rights over the immigrant. As we have seen ...
The fourth guideline of Centering Prayer is, “At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.” At times, it may be tempting to mitigate or even “skip over” this guideline, particularly if we are doing our prayer practices in the midst of an especially busy, frustrating, or exciting moment in our lives. Nevertheless, this guideline ...
The key reason the Contemplative Core Team advocates Centering Prayer and other forms of contemplation is because they allow us to know God heart-to-heart – the only way God can even begin to be truly known! Nevertheless, although no words can fully capture the truth of God, poetry and other works of art can give expression to the Truth that only the heart can really know. In that spirit, we offer you ...
Thank you Thanks to those who have read my thoughts and refrained from throwing them back at me. My hope has been to be enlightened, as to enlighten, to be encouraged, as to encourage, and to be open to see Christ in others, as to have them see the Christ in me. I believe that everything has two explanations. The scientific and the spiritual. I also believe that God intended us to ...
The third Centering Prayer Guideline is, “When engaged with your thoughts [including body sensations, feelings, images, and reflections], return ever so gently to the sacred word.” In examining this guideline, we must recognize that...
Autherine Juanita Lucy (October 5, 1929 – March 2, 2022) After attending public school in Shiloh through grade ten, she attended Linden Academy in Linden, Alabama. She graduated in 1947, and went on to attend Selma University in Selma for two years, after which she studied at...
This week we offer the artwork below for your prayer. This painting was created by French Catholic priest François Vidil in collaboration with the community of the Mafa African tribe. Take some time to sit with the image. How does it speak to your heart? How does it challenge you? How does it bless you? What response does it evoke in you? (Click the title to see the full article with image)