When we think of Celtic spirituality in our day, we might think of nature mysticism, or of poetry and storytelling, or even of a holistic spirituality that embodies the best of both paganism and Christianity. But what we often forget is how important monasteries were to the ancient Celts. St. Brigid was the abbess of a great monastery. So was St. Kevin, and St. Brendan, and St. Columcille. The sites we think of as great Celtic Holy Sites: Kildare, Glendalough,... Read more
Christian spirituality is dedicated to growing in intimacy with God. Both the prayer of silence and praying with words are necessary. Read more
To you, silence is praise, O God in Zion: and unto You shall the vow be fulfilled. ~ Psalm 65; Stone/Artscroll Translation Everyone knows that nuances and shades of meaning get lost in translation. This is why Muslims insist on praying and reading the Quran in Arabic, and why up until about forty years ago, the Catholic mass was always prayed in Latin. Even the most artful and scholarly of translators will face countless challenges when attempting to render idioms,... Read more
Friends, I’d like to invite you to join me at a special event called “Wisdom Camp” which takes place in western North Carolina this coming July 13 — the first day of the 2017 Wild Goose Festival. For that matter, I’d like to invite you to the Wild Goose Festival as well. Let me tell you about both events. Wisdom Camp asks the question “Is there a higher, deeper, or more joyful way to pursue the healing of our world?”... Read more
Here are two verses from the New Testament for your consideration. First: For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. — I Corinthians 2:10 And: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. — Romans 5:5 Please join with me in reflecting on these two verses. First, the Holy Spirit of God is a gift, given to us. This is... Read more
In my last post I made several references to Holy Wells as thin places. From the Chalice Well in western England, to Tobernault in northwest Ireland, to countless wells throughout the Celtic lands dedicated to St. Brigid or other much loved saints — Holy Wells (water sources that serve as places of prayer and veneration) are icons of the Celtic spirit. There is no “standard” Holy Well — they come in many forms. Some are wells are in the traditional sense, complete... Read more
I first heard of the notion of Thin Places the first time I visited Glendalough, the ancient monastery nestled in a glacial valley south of Dublin. We were there on a crisp October day, the forest filled with hardwoods dancing with autumn colors. Even as I stood in the carpark after first arriving, I could sense something special about the place; and when our tourguide told us about “thin places,” my eyes danced with the gleam of recognition. “Glendalough is... Read more
Friends, I am in the process of writing a book about Celtic spirituality. This will be the first book on Celtic wisdom that I have written since becoming a Catholic in 2005. Over the next few weeks I hope to post excerpts from the manuscript to this blog, both to share with you what’s on my mind these days but also to garner any comments or feedback you’d like to share. Please remember that this is “unvarnished” writing — the book... Read more
Julian of Norwich, the author of Revelations of Divine Love, had a series of visions on May 8, 1373. Or maybe May 13, we’re not entirely sure.[1] Nevertheless, today is a day that people around the world honor as a memorial of Julian’s extraordinary encounter with Divine Love. And it was 33 years ago on this date — May 8, 1984 — that I attended a one-woman play about Julian of Norwich, at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. I... Read more
The sheep obey Jesus not because they’re stupid, not because they’ve been trained the right way, but because they know his voice. They trust him. Read more
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