A reader of this blog named Pawel writes: Hi Carl, What would be your advice for someone returning to Catholic faith through a practice like Centering Prayer (having been immersed…
Catholicism
Catholic Spirituality versus the Institutional Church: Navigating the Choppy Waters
A friend on Instagram wrote this to me recently: Hello, Carl! I have become so drawn to the Catholic Church and I don’t know what to do. I am an…
How do I choose a contemplative lay order? And do I have to be Catholic to do so?
A reader recently wrote to me: Dear Carl, I grew up as a Protestant, but as I’ve journeyed into Contemplative Christianity over the last while I’ve become more amenable to Roman…
What’s the Best Church for Contemplative Christians?
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….
Between Shambhala and the Catholic Church: On Being a Contemplative in Imperfect Institutions
I sure know how to pick them (he says, ruefully). The two organizations that I have turned to for contemplative formation over the past decade — the Catholic Church and Shambhala Buddhism — have both been rocked by abuse and cover-up scandals. Since 2004 the Catholic Church has been my…… Read more at Patheos
Why Experience Is Not the Foundation of (All) Spirituality
I’ve been reading a book by William A. Barry, a Jesuit priest who is an authority on spiritual direction. The book, Finding God in All Things, is a companion to the Spiritual…
How Should A Christian Respond When a Friend Becomes Interested in Witchcraft and Magic?
As long-standing readers of this blog know, I have not always been a Catholic; I embraced Catholicism in 2004 after a Protestant upbringing and then about a seven-year stint in…
“You Wrote Books About Paganism?!?”
The late Kenneth Leech used to tell the story about giving a lecture at a seminary in America on the topic of race relations, and afterwards a seminarian seemed surprised to…
Thoughts are to Contemplative Silence like a Monstrance is to the Host
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines contemplation like this: A form of wordless prayer in which mind and heart focus on God’s greatness and goodness in affective, loving adoration;…
John Cassian: The Leap Year Contemplative
February 29 is the feast day of St. John Cassian — who, in addition to being a “leap year saint” is also one of the most important early contemplatives in…
Seven Blessings of Silent Prayer
Silent prayer — contemplative prayer, what the Catholic Catechism calls “wordless prayer in which mind and heart focus on God’s greatness and goodness in affective, loving adoration” — is an…
The Contemplative Story of Dear Prudence
I love the Beatles, and like many Beatles fans, I think The White Album is one of their great masterpieces. And one of the best songs on The White Album…