Seven Hopes for the Christian (and Church) of the Future

Last updated on: December 1, 2018 at 7:57 pm By Carl McColman

In his 1981 book Concern for the Church, Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner made his famous prediction, “the Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all.” A third of a century later, has Rahner’s prediction come to pass? The “not exist at all” part seems ominously real, as more and more congregations face declining membership, a shortage of priests, nuns, monks and volunteers, and difficulty raising enough money to pay for clergy salaries or building maintenance.... Read more

When Silence Rings

Last updated on: August 5, 2018 at 9:21 pm By Carl McColman

A reader named Nick writes: I am interested in the subject of meditation and Christian meditation in general, but I have a minor concern. I would like to engage in practices like centering prayer, but in the instructions for these meditations, I often hear an emphasis on finding a silent place to engage in these activities. I don’t have problems finding a silent place, but silence is not something that I carry with me. I have a condition called Tinnitus that causes me to perceive... Read more

Befriending Silence: My Book on Cistercian Spirituality

Last updated on: December 1, 2018 at 7:52 pm By Carl McColman

Dear friends, I’m excited to announce the title and subject of my forthcoming book. In July 2013 I began a conversation with an editor associated with Ave Maria Press about writing a book grounded in Cistercian spirituality. If you’re not familiar with it, this is the spirituality of Cistercian monks and nuns — including mystics like Thomas Merton, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Beatrice of Nazareth. The contemplative prayer movement in Christianity today has its roots at least partially in the Cistercian tradition.... Read more

Flannery O’Connor on the Church and Politics

Last updated on: December 1, 2018 at 7:48 pm By Carl McColman

I don’t care what your political persuasion is, I bet you probably get frustrated from time to time with what Christian leaders have to say (or don’t say) about matters of current concern. Here’s a funny little quote from Flannery O’Connor that reminds us some things never change. It’s from a letter she wrote in August 1959. About the Church’s political actions. God never promised her political infallibility or wisdom and sometimes she doesn’t appear to have even elementary good sense.... Read more

Images from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit

Last updated on: November 26, 2018 at 1:05 pm By Carl McColman

Here is a gallery of photographs taken at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA. The photographers are Fr. James Behrens, OCSO, and Haven Sweet. Enjoy! Enjoy reading this blog? Click here to become a patron. Read more

Seven Essential Thomas Merton Books

Last updated on: November 26, 2018 at 1:03 pm By Carl McColman

Today is the 100th anniversary of Thomas Merton’s birth. To celebrate this day here is a list of seven books I would recommend to anyone who wants a grounding in Merton’s life and wisdom, without having to read all of his many books. With over seventy titles to his name, it can be daunting to approach his work, especially for the first time. I hope this list will help readers to find the key themes and insights of his body... Read more

Following the Ancient Path Today

Last updated on: November 26, 2018 at 1:02 pm By Carl McColman

If you’re anything like me, the first thing you’ll notice about The Ancient Path: Old Lessons from the Church Fathers for a New Life Today is how beautifully designed the book is. The dust jacket features a fifteenth century fresco by Giovanni Pietro da Cemmo, of Saints Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Jerome. It is simultaneously elegant and inviting. The book itself presents a polite and at times engaging story in which a popular Catholic musician tells the story of his... Read more

How to Stay in Touch

Last updated on: December 1, 2018 at 7:41 pm By Carl McColman

I recently received a very nice email from a reader in Canada, who ended her message like this: “So thank you Carl and I look to somehow stay in touch with you?” Here’s how I replied: Thanks for this lovely message. Briefly put, the best ways to stay in touch are: Keep reading my blog, and comment on posts when you feel like doing so; Sign up for my email list — and get a free gift; Follow me on Facebook or... Read more

Christian Mystics to Celebrate in 2015

Last updated on: November 26, 2018 at 12:57 pm By Carl McColman

2015 is something of a red-letter year for Christian contemplatives. This is the 100th anniversary of the birth year of Thomas Merton, who was born on January 31, 1915. Merton lived until 1968, and in his short life wrote over fifty books, published both before and after his accidental death at age 53. Merton entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in 1941, and became world-renowned after his spiritual memoir, The Seven Storey Mountain, became a surprise bestseller in 1948. Merton is... Read more

Do Contemplatives Need Bible Software?

Last updated on: February 8, 2018 at 2:40 pm By Carl McColman

Is the Bible a textbook, or a legal code, or a love letter? I suppose one could argue that it is all three. But it seems that, for much of Christian history, our theologians have tended to lock themselves away in an ivory tower, reading the Bible like a textbook, while church authorities (and their secular counterparts) have too often seen the book as merely a juridical text, meant to enforce morality and good order. Lost in the shuffle is... Read more