Today I want to share with you something I co-wrote with my wife, Fran. For our RCIA program, we often begin or end our meeting with an Examen — a prayer practice inspired by the Daily Examen as promoted by St. Ignatius of Loyola. Think of it as a daily “life review,” an examination not only of conscience but even more so of consciousness — consciousness of God’s presence in our lives and of how we both accept that resist that presence.... Read more
A reader named Brian writes: Being a Lay Cistercian seems to be an important part of your journey. I’m wondering if becoming an oblate is a next step for me? My spiritual director and I have discussed this off and on for over a year now. While I have an established contemplative practice (e.g., Daily Office, Lectio Divina, Examen, Centering Prayer), he and I agree that “scaffolding” helps keep me intentional, accountable, and engaged with community. How to discern which... Read more
In March 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders started to show up at local and state governments across the land, I read somewhere — I don’t remember where — that dolphins had been seen in the canals of Venice. Perhaps it was this tweet: Venice hasn't seen clear canal water in a very long time. Dolphins showing up too. Nature just hit the reset button on us https://t.co/RzqOq8ftCj — Luca (@lucadb) March 17, 2020 Other stories were making their... Read more
It’s been over a month now since the World Health Organization has acknowledged that COVID-19 is a pandemic. As of today (4/13/20), over 22000 Americans and 116,000 people worldwide have died from the virus; and those numbers will certainly rise in the days and months to come. While this is not the plague (which decimated over a third of Europe’s population in one terrible four-year period), it’s far worse than the ordinary flu or even the swine flu. Almost everyone’s... Read more
In my book Unteachable Lessons I talk about Kenneth Leech, the Anglican priest who wrote a variety of books on topics related to both contemplative spirituality and the struggle for social justice (if you’re not familiar with Ken Leech, check out Prayer and Prophecy, an anthology of his most essential writings). I only met Ken on a handful of occasions. When I ran the bookstore in Sewanee (the site of an Episcopal seminary), he came in to the store while he was... Read more
It’s March, and that means St. Patrick’s Day is just a few days away! This year, instead of (or, in addition to) enjoying a pint of green beer, why don’t you observe St. Patrick’s Day by enrolling in a Celtic spirituality e-course through Spirituality and Practice? These courses are available “on demand” — which means you can sign up, and receive the course materials via e-mail at your convenience. Each course includes a dozen “lessons” that cover informative material about Celtic... Read more
A reader writes: Carl, do you think the Catholic Church has more scope to welcome contemplative Christians? I attend an Anglican church and I’m very high Anglican in my thinking. A friend calls me a secret Catholic. I’m growing weary of the evangelical fundamentalist direction of the church… I’m a bit lost to be honest. I’m sorry you feel lost, and I think it’s not unusual, especially when someone discovers contemplative spirituality, to feel a bit out of place if... Read more
One of this blog’s readers wrote to me this past Saturday (February 15, 2020) to ask a question about Richard Rohr’s daily meditation for that day. Here’s the quote (emphasis added): Contemplative prayer always requires hospitality to your deep self, to the deep parts of your self. It demands the openness to receive whatever might arise in you and then gently release it into God’s hands. But in prayer you are not alone as you open yourself to whatever might... Read more
Over the years I have discovered that there are three types of people interested in Christian mysticism and contemplative spirituality: Some are practicing Christians, active in their local parish or church but frustrated by what they see as the lack of spiritual nurture that takes place in such settings; Others are people who may have been raised in the church, but really have no connection to institutional Christianity; they are interested in spirituality but not religion, and while they might... Read more
Dear friends, I’m excited that a new video in which I lead the practice of the Daily Examen is premiering this Saturday, January 18, at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time. If you’re not familiar with the Daily Examen, it’s a traditional practice of reflecting on your day, usually done at the end of the day although you could pray the Examen at any time, just reflecting on the previous 24 hours whenever that might be. Traditionally it was a type... Read more
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