CLOISTER OF THE HEART tells the story of the Association of Contemplative Sisters: its gestation, its inception in 1969, and what has transpired since then. In those forty years ACS has developed from an organization which served only monastic communities into an Association of women, both religious and lay, who live in a diversity of ways a life of prayer. Its three sections include a narrative history, followed by eleven essays written by individual members, describing their experience of ACS. It concludes with an appendix of important data.
"Tells the story of the Association of Contemplative Sisters: its gestation, its inception in 1969, and what has transpired since then. In those 40 years, ACS has developed from an organization which served only monastic communities into an Association of women, both religious and lay, who live in a diversity of ways a life of prayer. Its three sections include a narrative history, followed by eleven essays written by individual members, describing their experience of ACS. It concludes with an appendix of important data."--P. [4] of cover.
This book offers a comprehensive examination of the generations of women who entered religious life in the United States after 1965. It provides up-to-date demographics for women's religious institutes; a summary of canon law locating religious life within the various forms of life in the Church; an analysis of Church documents on religious life; and data on the views of post-Vatican II entrants regarding ministry, identity, prayer, spirituality, the vows, and community. Beginning each chapter with an engaging narrative, the authors explore how different generations of Catholic women first became attracted to vowed religious life and what kinds of religious institutes they were seeking. By analyzing the results of extensive national surveys, the authors systematically examine how the new generations of Sisters differ from previous ones, and what those changes suggest about the future. The book concludes with recommendations for further understanding of generations within religious life and within the Church and society. Because of its breadth and depth, this book will be regarded by scholars, the media, and practitioners as an essential resource for the sociological study of religious life for women in the United States.
For some decades, the work of Carmelite theologian Constance FitzGerald, OCD, has been a well-known secret, not only among students and practitioners of Carmelite spirituality, but also among spiritual directors, spiritual writers, retreatants, vowed religious women and men, and Christian theologians. This collection sets out to introduce the work of Sister Constance to a wider and more diverse audience––women and men who seek to strengthen themselves on the spiritual journey, who yearn to deepen personal or scholarly theological and religious reflection, and who want to make sense of the times in which we live. To this end, this volume curates seven of Sister Constance’s articles with probing and responsive essays written by ten theologians. Contributors include: Susie Paulik Babka Colette Ackerman, OCD Roberto S. Goizueta Margaret R. Pfeil Alex Milkulich Andrew Prevot Laurie Cassidy Maria Teresa Morgan Bryan N. Massingale M. Catherine Hilkert, OP
This newest volume of Carmelite Studies reflects the remarkable resurgence in Carmelite scholarship, especially throughout the English-speaking world, in recent decades. Several authors in the present volume are among the pioneers who made the latest in Carmelite scholarship available to an ever wider audience. Their voices are joined by those of other recognized scholars and theologians who continue to mine the rich heritage of this ancient tradition. These twelve essays particularly focus on wisdom, hope, and prophecy, especially as understood and practiced in the Carmelite tradition. Weaving rich insights from the theme throughout these essays, the authors show the honored place of wisdom and prophetic hope and action from the Order’s origins on Mount Carmel and the Rule in the 12th century, to the teachings of the saints and Doctors of the Church Teresa of Ávila and John of Cross in the 16th, to the 21st century where Carmelite wisdom speaks prophetically and challenges Carmelites and all women and men of prayer in ever new ways. This volume, tracing the contribution of Carmel’s richness from the hermit life at the prophet Elijah’s wadi to the challenges and invitations of the contemporary world, is an excellent resource for personal study as well as an invaluable tool for Carmelite formation, study groups, and anyone wanting to explore the intersection of Carmelite spirituality, biblical Wisdom, contemplation and prophetic action. Includes a helpful introduction outlining each essay’s focus, notes for each essay, biographical sketches of the contributors, and a fully linked, comprehensive index. MORE INFORMATION A strength of Carmel is its extensive literary tradition, providing rich material for study, reflection, prayer, and apostolic action. From 1983 to 2013, a group of Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite men and women gathered to study their shared tradition. This Carmelite Forum sponsored annual summer seminars in Carmelite spirituality at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana. The seminars’ talks and workshops utilized past and present scholarship on the tradition. The title of this newest Carmelite Studies volume is based on the theme of the 2009 Carmelite spirituality seminar, “Carmel’s Search for Wisdom: Prayer and Contemplation.” The study of Wisdom, identified by Christians with the Son of God, confirms Carmel’s perennial commitment to the following of Jesus Christ and demonstrates the centrality of the humanity of Jesus in Carmelite spirituality. Carmelite Wisdom and Prophetic Hope also shows how in recent decades Carmel has become more aware of its prophetic inheritance. The figure of the prophet Elijah, for example, has emerged as a balance to Carmel’s interiority and to an individualized spirituality. Following the church’s own clearer expression of justice as integral to the Gospel, Carmel has become more available and responsive to our contemporary world’s hunger for community, justice, and depth of meaning. Carmelite wisdom recognizes that contemplation is never for its own sake, but should be the deepest source of compassion for our world. The contributors and their respective essays are: Part I: Orientations to Wisdom and Prophetic Hope, Ancient and New Mary Frohlich, RSCJ “Contemplative Wisdom for An Axial Age: The Carmelite Tradition” Keith J. Egan, T.OCarm. “Wisdom: A Many-Splendored Tradition” Constance Fitzgerald, OCD “From Impasse to Prophetic Hope: Crisis of Memory” Kees Waaijman, OCarm “The Wisdom of Work in the Carmelite Rule” Part II: Wisdom and Prophetic Hope in John of the Cross Daniel Chowning, OCD “John of the Cross: A Spirituality of Wisdom” Vilma Seelaus, OCD “Carmelite Mysticism as Theology: John of the Cross’s Theology of the Human Person” Kevin Culligan, OCD “The Wisdom of Emptiness” Edward Howells “O Guiding Night! The Psychology of Hope in John of the Cross’s Dark Night” Part III: Prophetic Intimations from Teresa of Ávila Sandra M. Schneiders, IHM “The Jesus Mysticism of Teresa of Avila: Its Importance for Theology and Contemporary Spirituality” Mary Frohlich, RSCJ “How Love Transforms: Teresa and the Impact of Sanctity” Tara Soughers “Seeking Wisdom in Common Vocal Prayers: Teresa of Ávila’s Response to the Banning of Vernacular Books on Prayer” Gillian T. W. Ahlgren “The Prophetic Charism of the Mystical Life: The Model of Teresa of Jesus”
This is the first in-depth study of post-war female religious life. It draws on archival materials and a remarkable set of eighty interviews to place Catholic sisters and nuns at the heart of the turbulent 1960s, integrating their story of social change into a larger British and international one. Shedding new light on how religious bodies engaged in modernisation, it addresses themes such as the Modern Girl and youth culture, ‘1968’, generational discourse, post-war modernity, the voluntary sector and the women’s movement. Women religious were at the forefront of the Roman Catholic Church’s movement of adaptation and renewal towards the world. This volume tells their stories in their own words.
Throughout the spiritual journey, God’s love engenders within every Christian active, contemplative, and solitary inclinations. Consequently, each person wants to do some good, to have a basic receptivity to God, and at times to be alone with God. As life unfolds, God’s love also calls forth within a person an overriding attraction toward one of those three orientations, which in due course impels the individual toward a corresponding vocational lifestyle: an apostolic life, a contemplative life, or an eremitic life. In this book, the authors identify the core features of those three vocational lifestyles. In light of each vocational core, they then discuss an ensemble of signs and patterns that point to an authentic calling from God. This study offers wisdom and insight to those pondering the mystery of their personal vocations, to those discerning their vocational direction, and to spiritual directors, formation personnel, ecclesial leadership, and Christian educators who accompany them in their quest.
"This is a book about change and about people changing. It is a book abaout women, American Catholic sisters, in passage. It tells of the radical transformation that has been underway among sisters for the past four decades, redefining their identities and their way of life." [Preface].
Prayer is an art that cannot just be taught. It must be experienced, lived, and practiced. In Prayer in the Cave of the Heart, Cyprian Consiglio draws on his experience as a Camaldolese monk to give readers an accessible reflection on prayer that is based on Bede Griffith's universal call to contemplation." In this text, the contemplative traditions of East and West intersect to invite readers into prayer that makes them "present to the Spirit who is already present to us."
