Comments on: Contemplation and Celibacy

By: Hipolito

Hipolito — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:14:58 +0000

Hi,
To Carl, yes, I think an believe that it is possible to lead a contemplative life having a family and/or a very active involvment in bussiness, apostolate or services.
I live in a Spiritual Community of celibate men in upstate New York.
I’m interested in a dialogue on the proces of formation of Spiritual Communities.
I very much appreciate all that has been said in this forum on this topic. I hope I don’t arrive too late with my comment.
Thank you.

By: Dil Egitimi

Dil Egitimi — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:12:30 +0000

does anyone knows if there is any other information about this subject in other languages?

By: Contemplation and Celibacy, part two « The Website of Unknowing

Contemplation and Celibacy, part two « The Website of Unknowing — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:17:27 +0000

[...] and Celibacy, part two Fr. J writes in response to my post Contemplation and Celibacy: Celibacy is itself a mystical reality when well lived such that it is not simply an instrument for [...]

By: Carl McColman

Carl McColman — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:37:00 +0000

I do apologize if this post leaves the impression of criticizing or devaluing the celibate vocation. My point is not to criticize celibacy, but rather to question the longstanding idea that the contemplative life was incompatible, or less compatible, with married and family life. I think you’ve described the vocation of celibacy in a beautiful and lovely way; I hope that all celibates may be given the grace to live out their vocation in a manner similar to what you’ve described.

I’ve written a more detailed response to your comment here. I hope you can see that I’m more interested in unpacking my own inner distortions than in questioning anyone else’s vocation.

By: Fr. J.

Fr. J. — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 06:26:14 +0000

It seems to me that there is a misunderstanding here of celibacy. Celibacy is itself a mystical reality when well lived such that it is not simply an instrument for individual holiness projects. First, for the most part, celibacy is lived in community, within a brotherhood with fraternal correction, charity, shared labors, sorrows, joys as much as any other life. It is not a life centered on raising children or the care for/from a spouse to be sure, but it is still a life centered on a human family as well as spiritual progress. Indeed the second is impossible without the first. And this is all the more true for more apostolic communities.

If you read the best literature on religious life at the moment, it is all focused on the concept of consecration in this world for the sake of the kingdom. It is spirituality that neither diminishes this world nor the pursuit of the divine. One is not counter to the other but serves the other. In other words, even in the most eremetic of religious lives, the religious is not an isolated monad questing after some abstract holiness.

If you investigate the communities that are now growing in the Church they are all ones that preserve rather than reformulate the fundamentals of religious life.

As one who writes on the spiritual life, your straw man set up against religious life is disappointing. This is the kind of analysis I remember reading in the 80’s. It just isn’t working out that way.

By: MikeF

MikeF — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:10:52 +0000

Being a contemplative by both temperament and calling, it seems, and yet someone who has lived a family life for many years, it seems to me that it is simply that, a matter of temperament and calling. Some of us simply cannot be who we were made to be unless we live a celibate life, others a family life. Yet we are all called to be contemplatives, to one degree or another. ‘Contemplation is for all Christians…’ (Michael Ramsey) - yet we are not all called to an equal degree.

I don’t think the existence of married contemplatives in any way devalues or threatens ‘traditional’ monasticism, any more than I think the existence of celibate communities devalues or demeans the married condition. St. Francis saw that, and I believe when he first instituted the Third Order he had in mind both active and contemplative vocations, and any stages between. “We as Tertiaries desire to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, whom we serve in the three ways of Prayer, Study, and Work. In the life of the Order as a whole, these three ways must each find full and balanced expression, but it is not to be expected that all members devote themselves equally to each of them. Each individual’s service varies according to their abilities and circumstances, yet as individual member’s our Personal Rule of Life must include each of the three ways.” (Principles of the Third Order, 13)

By: kylegebhart

kylegebhart — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:51:59 +0000

just thinking in prayer last night about the nature of children and celibacy. children do mirror part of the celibate charism - in their guilelessnes, they love pretty much anyone who comes into their world…at least until they are taught to fear others because of abuse or neglect.

by nature children reflect God’s willingness to offer His gifts in the service of all. in a similar way, the celibate is called to reflect this same characteristic, since celibate love is always non-exclusive (in the eros sense); the consecrated celibate is free to express agape in a childlike way.

i definately think that all people - and perhaps especially those committed to contemplation need to have opportunities to serve children. there is much to be said on this topic i believe.