Carl McColman's Blog, page 63
February 11, 2015
Seven Hopes for the Christian (and Church) of the Future
Church buildings will eventually crumble, but Divine Light lasts forever.
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 congregationsface declining membership, a shortage of priests, nuns, monks and volunteers, and difficulty raising eno...
February 5, 2015
My Forthcoming Book on Cistercian Spirituality
Abbot Francis Michael of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Photo by James Behrens, OCSO
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 writinga book grounded in Cistercian spirituality. If you’re not familiar with it, this isthe spirituality of Cistercian monks and nuns — including mystics like Thomas Merton, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Beatrice of Nazareth. The contemplat...
February 2, 2015
Images from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit
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!
Click to view slideshow.
January 22, 2015
How to Stay in Touch
Photo by Fran 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:
1. Keep reading my blog, and comment on posts when you feel like doing so;
2. Sign up for my email list — see the “Subscribe” box below;
3. Follow me onFacebookor onTwitter, if you do those kinds of things;
4. Keep s...
December 4, 2014
Silence Today
Seagrove Beach, FL. Photo by Fran McColman.
Today is a wonderful day to be silent.
If you have never taken time to simply “be still and know God” (Psalm 46:1), then I invite you to do so. Not some day — today. Find some time today to turn off the smartphone, unplug the television and the laptop, silence the iPod and iPad — and simply rest, gently, quietly, in silence before the mystery of God.
It’s the easiest thing to do, and it’s also one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. And that’s becaus...
October 26, 2014
Mary and Martha are Sisters
“Christ in the House of Martha and Mary” by Diego Velázquez (1618)
A sermon preached at First Baptist Church, Springfield, Ohio, onOctober 26, 2014
Scripture: Luke 10:38-42
When I was a little boy, my brother took me to the theater to see my first movie. It was called “The Parent Trap.” While younger members of the congregation may remember the 1998 version starring Lindsey Lohan, those of you who are about my age will, no doubt, agree with me that there really is only one version of this film,...
September 28, 2014
Our Choices Determine Who We Are
A reflection givenat Our Lady of Mercy CatholicChurch,Artane, Dublin, Ireland, on September28, 2014
Scripture:Ezekiel 18:25-28, Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 21:28-32
Our Lady of Mercy Church, Artane, Dublin
It is said that actions speak louder than words. It has also been said that our choices determine who we are, or perhaps, who we shall become. Our lessons today highlight this essential spiritual principle. Ezekiel reminds us that when we blame God for our misfortune, often the real cause of o...
August 9, 2014
Compass Points for the Spiritual Life
The spiritual life encompasses several perspectives. We are ushered into the mystery by sacred questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is love? What is meaning? Meanwhile, an important aspect of discovering who we are is recognizing our gifts. One person makes lovely music, another tells fascinating stories, another is a natural healer, while another effortlessly can comfort the afflicted. Through sacred questions and recognized gifts, we begin to discover who we are.
From there, we gain a mu...
August 8, 2014
A School of Love in Ireland
A friend of mine from Dublin alerted me to this lovely video first broadcast on Irish television in the spring of 2014. It’s a documentary about St. Mary’s Abbey in Glencairn, the only Cistercian monastery for women in Ireland.
It’s a lovely video, filled with beautiful nature imagery and a heartfelt look at the nuns’ lives. The women appear vibrant and very happy with cloistered life. It’s my understanding that St. Mary’s has seen a marked increase in women inquiring about a possible vocation...
August 3, 2014
“The Book That Changed My Life”
A Book for All Time: Why Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism Still Matters
Evelyn Underhill
For pretty much my entire adult life, if anyone would ask me who my favorite authors are, without hesitation I would say Evelyn Underhill and Thomas Merton. To me, the work of Evelyn Underhill represents the call for the revival of mysticism in our time, while Merton anchored the call to mysticism in the urgent political and social concerns that shape life in America over the last fifty years or so. As a woman...
