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Connie Rossini's Blog, page 2
August 11, 2020
Praying in a Contemplative Manner
Remember the analogy from previous posts of prayer as a race? A runner who does not know where the finish line lies is unlikely to win the race. Similarly, a Christian who does not understand the goal of prayer is not likely to attain it. Prayer is meant to draw us into an intimate communion with Christ that transforms our whole life. We begin fostering this communion by praying well and trying to follow God’s will. God completes it by drawing us into a deeper union than our efforts alone could ever yield. He does this through the prayer called infused contemplation.
The Carmelite saints who are the pre-eminent teachers on prayer (Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross) reserve the word contemplation to this “infused,” poured-in-by-God, type of prayer. God normally saves this gift for those who have been praying faithfully and practicing virtue for many years, to the point of overcoming deliberate sin. It is a long, slow process to prepare ourselves to meet God. When we have done all that we can to prepare ourselves for him, he comes to us, because he desires union with us even more than we desire union with him.
Beginners in prayer should not expect to experience contemplation quickly. Prayer is not a sprint. It is a marathon. But we can start praying in a contemplative manner today. Praying in a contemplative manner involves praying with loving attention to God.
Love, not methods
This is what we have been practicing, using the sign of the cross. Last time, we learned to make the sign of the cross slowly and reverently, thinking about the Holy Trinity or the Crucifixion as we do so. Practicing vocal prayer with reverent attention is the beginning of the race toward contemplation.
Some people erroneously believe that all they need to grow in prayer is the right method. They seek a secret, a formula that will make them contemplatives. Prayer growth is not a matter of method, however. It is a matter of love. Only love can unite us with Jesus. The more we love him, both during our prayer time and outside of it, the closer we will come to him. It’s that simple.
We don’t need a mantra. We don’t need to empty our minds or turn away from pious thoughts. We don’t need the latest fad prayer “discovered” in the Bible or other ancient text.
We need to love.
Every time we say a prayer, no matter how short or simple, we should interiorly cast a loving glance at Jesus. Our minds tend to run all over during prayer, because we have not formed good habits.
It is easier to focus on God for ten seconds than for ten minutes. That is why we started practicing reverent prayer with the sign of the cross. Once we have formed the habit of praying the sign of the cross well, we can try praying one Hail Mary with loving attention. Then perhaps one Our Father. Then the Creed or a somewhat longer prayer.
Spiritual writers often talk about the need for silence and solitude in prayer. It is possible to pray in a noisy, crowded subway (I have done it many times!) but it is not optimal. Seeking a place to be alone in the quiet minimizes exterior distractions. Living our lives in accordance with God’s will helps minimize interior noise and distractions.
But the most important element of prayer is love. Love will do the work necessary to be united with the beloved. Love will persevere. And love makes even the simplest prayer rewarding.
Pray in such a way as to prepare for the pure gift of infused contemplation. Pray in a contemplative manner. Pray with loving attention.
Connie Rossini
Are You Living a Contemplative Life?
This article was originally published in The Catholic Voice, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha. This is the third in a series that I am posting from past newspaper columns, every other Tuesday. I have 3 years’ worth of columns to share with you! I wrote these columns in a logical order, so that they could serve as a written course on mental prayer. For more in-depth study, follow the links to read blog posts that you may have missed or forgotten. If you have not subscribed to my blog, do so now so that you don’t miss a post.
July 28, 2020
Reverent, Loving Vocal Prayer
This article was originally published in The Catholic Voice, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha. This is the second in a series that I am posting from past newspaper columns, every other Tuesday. I have 3 years’ worth of columns to share with you! I wrote these columns in a logical order, so that they could serve as a written course on mental prayer. For more in-depth study, follow the links to read blog posts that you may have missed or forgotten. If you have not subscribed, do so now so that you don’t miss a post.
In my last blog post, we defined prayer as a loving conversation with God. We saw that vocal prayer uses words composed by others. Today we will examine how to say a familiar vocal prayer in a manner that ensures we are truly praying. We will use one of the simplest prayers imaginable, so simple that you may not even think of it as a prayer: the sign of the cross.
The sign of the cross was one of the first prayers we learned, likely when we were small children. If you are like me, you never spent much time thinking about this prayer itself, or how to pray it lovingly and reverently. You probably thought of it as more of an introduction to prayer than a prayer itself.
Most of us developed bad habits in making the sign of the cross, and unless someone has pointed this out to us, still practice those bad habits today. We mutter “Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Amen,” instead of the complete prayer. We make the gesture quickly, unthinkingly, and if in public might refrain from making it at all.
Correcting bad habits
Why begin practicing prayer with something so simple? Please do not dismiss this subject as beneath you. Praying even these simple words with the right disposition can prepare us for an intimate relationship with God through contemplation. On the other hand, if we do not pay attention when we make the sign of the cross, we will likely practice bad habits with more complex prayers as well. Bad habits are difficult to break and good habits are difficult to establish. We need to begin simply.
Let’s return to the analogy of prayer as running a race. No one gets up one morning and decides to run a marathon before he has run shorter distances. He builds up to it slowly. Pushing himself too hard at the beginning can backfire. If he starts with running one mile and slowly adds to it, he builds muscle and endurance until he is ready for the race.
Making the sign of the cross with loving reverence helps us form the habit of thinking about God when we pray. St. Teresa of Avila, who was named a Doctor of the Church for her teaching on prayer, says, “If a person neither considers to Whom he is addressing himself, what he asks, nor what he is who ventures to speak to God, although his lips may utter many words, I do not call it prayer” (Interior Castle, 1.1.9).
A conversation requires attention. If another person speaks to us but we do not listen, we are not conversing. Likewise, if we answer him absent-mindedly, we make no connection with him.
A powerful prayer
Early Christians considered the sign of the cross to be one of the most powerful prayers. It is the sign of our salvation, the sign with which we were marked at Baptism, the sign by which we are blessed at the end of each Mass. It invokes all three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
Over the next couple of weeks, I challenge you to correct any sloppiness you have allowed to creep into this practice. Say all the words, slowly and clearly: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Make the full gesture. Imagine the Crucifixion as you pray it. Thank the Lord for saving you from sin. Or reflect on the doctrine of the Trinity. It only takes a few seconds of loving attention to start down the way of true prayer.
Connie Rossini
For more on how praying vocal prayer well can deepen your intimacy with God, see Praying The Contemplative Rosary.
July 14, 2020
What is Prayer?
[image error]Virgin Praying. Anonymous (Wikimedia Commons).
Before we learn how to pray, or learn how to pray better, we should understand what prayer is.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives several definitions of prayer. For example:
“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God” (no. 2559, quoting St. John Damascene).
We are familiar with requesting things from God. But prayer encompasses much more than that. Making requests is often wordy prayer. “The raising of one’s mind and heart to God” may not include any words at all.
The Catechism tells us (nos. 2626-2643) that Christians have practiced many forms of prayer throughout the centuries, including:
Blessing and AdorationPetitionIntercessionThanksgivingPraise
These forms speak about the content of prayer, what we pray.
The Catechism also notes three expressions of prayer (nos. 2700-2719). They explain how we pray:
Vocal PrayerMeditationContemplation
These expressions of prayer are the particular focus of this column, especially meditation. We will begin, however, with vocal prayer, the expression of prayer that even young children are familiar with. Vocal prayer, prayed well, blends into meditation. And meditation prayed well prepares a soul for the gift of infused contemplation. Infused contemplation is a mysterious communion with God that is difficult to talk about concretely. It is the prayer of saints. But it is also what God desires for each of us. The Catechism says about meditation:
“This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.” Christian prayer “should go … to union with him.” We should seek this union with Jesus through prayer.
When a runner competes, he needs to know where the finish line lies. Otherwise, no matter how fast he runs, he will lose the race. He might even run away from his goal rather than toward it. If we want to understand prayer and pray well, we need to know where a life of prayer should lead us. That place, that finish line, is union with Christ.
Even beginners in prayer should know something about contemplation. We need to remember the goal as we practice vocal prayer and meditation, so that we don’t run the wrong direction. True prayer leads toward fuller union with Jesus.
This brings us back to our question: What is prayer?
St. Teresa of Avila called prayer “friendly converse with God.” (To see an introductory post on Teresa’s Interior Castle, click here.) When we are just learning to pray, we recite prayers written by others. We talk to God using the prayers of the Church, the saints or our parents and teachers. This is vocal prayer. After embracing vocal prayer, we desire to converse with God in our own words. The Catechism calls this prayer meditation to emphasize that it is not mere chatting with Jesus, but listening to him in the Scriptures, pondering his words, and speaking to him about them. Contemplation is a conversation with God that goes beyond words, images, and concepts. It is a loving gaze between God and the soul.
Without friendly converse between God and the soul there is no true prayer. And every loving conversation with God is prayer, whether we use many words, few, or none.
How do we make sure we are conversing with God when we attempt to pray? We will consider that question next time, by looking at a simple (and familiar) vocal prayer.
Connie Rossini
May 20, 2020
Reopening Detachment Course
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of you are confined to your homes much of the time and are looking for good content to read or view. I’ve decided to help you with both by re-opening my course Nothing Shall I Want: Peace Through Detachment.
Class starts June 1, 2020. You must register by midnight May 31 in order to join us. As with last time, a limited number of scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the course fee, which is currently $45.
If you took the course previously, please consider sharing this information with family and friends, or donating towards a scholarship for another student. God reward you!
More information, including the video summary of Christian Detachment: What, Why, and How? is available on the Landing Page.
February 6, 2020
Video Course for Lent
A few years ago, I asked subscribers if they’d be interested in a digital retreat. At that time, interest did not seem to warrant the work involved. However, now that my Facebook group Authentic Contemplative Prayer has over 13,000 members, I decided the time was right. Instead of a retreat, I chose to create a course that you can watch on your own time.
For more information on the course and to sign up, click or tap here.
Please share this opportunity with your friends and family. I look forward to getting to know you better as we interact throughout the course.
Connie Rossini
November 26, 2019
The place of silence in prayer
This post is a response to a recent discussion in my Facebook group Authentic Contemplative Prayer about silence. What is the place of silence in mental prayer? The answer is too complex for Facebook comments. Let’s try to tackle it here.
Silencing distractions
Every time we pray, whether vocal or mental prayer, we should gently try to set aside distractions. We do this by taking a few moments to transition from secular pursuits to prayer. How? Here are some suggestions:
Breathe slowly and deeply while focusing the mind on God.Read a short passage from a favorite spiritual book.Slowly recite a vocal prayer.Imagine yourself entering God’s presence and giving Him your distractions.
These are all means of recollecting our thoughts so that we are ready to be receptive to the Holy Spirit.
Notice, we do not just sit in silence once we have recollected ourselves — unless we are in one of the two situations described below.
The prayer of simple gaze
The prayer of simple gaze, also called the prayer of simplicity or acquired recollection, is a simplification of meditation. We start with reading Scripture or looking at sacred art or some other matter that moves the mind and the heart toward God.
People who have practiced mental prayer for a long time no longer need a lot of reflection and other intellectual activity before the heart feels drawn to the Lord. Instead, they feel drawn toward sitting silently in His presence. Usually, after a few minutes they will experience distractions. At that point, they should return to their meditation material. If they feel drawn toward silence again, they should again follow that impulse for as long as the mind and heart are occupied with God.
Many people experience the prayer of simple gaze while at Adoration. When The Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ is before us in sacramental form, elaborate meditation is sometimes unnecessary. Gazing at the Eucharist takes the place of reading the Scriptures. Meditation may be so simple and brief that we do not even realize that the movement of the heart toward God is a result of the senses encountering God in a mysterious way. This too is the prayer of simple gaze. When our minds become distracted, we take up the Scriptures or another book, or begin reflecting on the Blessed Sacrament, or other truths of the faith. We may or may not be led back into silence.
Infused contemplation
John of the Cross cautions that until God gives us the gift of infused contemplation, we should continue to practice meditation, even if the prayer of simple gaze is our daily experience. He writes:
“At the proper time one should abandon this imaginative meditation so that the journey to God may not be hindered, but so that there is no regression, one should not abandon it before the due time… as long as one can make discursive meditation and draw out satisfaction, one must not abandon this method.”
The Ascent of Mt. Carmel, Book 2, Ch. 13.
Notice the word “must.” John of the Cross is the Mystical Doctor of the Church — the number-one expert on this subject, so-designated by the Church. Completely abandoning meditation when one begins experiencing the prayer of simple gaze is misguided. It can lead to self-indulgence in prayer and attachment to consolations.
More troubling are practices like centering prayer that teach people to purposely set aside all thoughts. Spiritual “regression,” if not shipwreck of one’s relationship with God, can result.
Be still and know?
Finally, one of the most often misquoted verses I see regarding prayer is Psam 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This verse is not instructing us on how to pray, but on how to react to crises. Here is the whole Psalm, so you can understand the context:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will help her right early.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has wrought desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
he burns the chariots with fire!
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
The Bible never instructs us to pray by sitting silently and “listening to God.” I cannot think of any saints who instruct us to do so either. (If readers have any quotes from the saints on this matter, please share them.) “Listening to God” without the use of Scripture as a guide often results in listening to our own imaginings. It can also be used by evil spirits (although I would think this is rarer). It cultivates a taste for and attachment to extraordinary phenomena like visions and locutions.
I don’t at all want to discourage you from including silence in prayer, but it should be kept in its proper place. This is one of many areas in which a spiritual director can help you discern what kind of silence God is calling you to at a given time.
Connie Rossini
September 16, 2019
Spain’s Bishops Reject Mindfulness
On September 6, Spain’s Congregation for the Faith published a controversial, but very needed, document on authentic Christian prayer. Echoing the CDF’s On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation — which will be 30 years old in October — they called methods of meditation that stem from Buddhism “incompatible with the faith.” A footnote specifically mentions mindfulness.
So far, there is no official English translation of the text. News reports in English are just beginning to appear. In this post, I wish to analyze what the text says (and doesn’t say) about mindfulness. I will use the English version provided by Google Translate — it is surprisingly good — with a few corrections or clarifications when necessary in brackets [].
The background
In October 1989, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) published the authoritative document Orationis formas, better known as On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation. The CDF, under Cardinal Ratzinger, enumerated problematic assumptions and practices in many new forms of so-called prayer. Rather than list each problematic practice and the names of those who teach them, Orationis formas (OF) laid out general principles of prayer. Bishops and bishops’ conferences throughout the world were expected to apply its teaching to the specific situation in their dioceses.
Unfortunately, most bishops seem to have ignored the document. Archbishop Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City was one who didn’t, producing the only document from a member of the hierarchy that specifically condemns Centering Prayer. The bishops of Argentina issued a document on the New Age, (which you can read in English through Google Translate), but it focuses more on occult practice than on those coming from Eastern religions. South Korea’s bishops later condemned Eastern religious practices such as Ki-gong. In 2015, retired Bishop Bruskewitz warned of the dangers of yoga.
But most of the world’s bishops seem to have ignored the issue.
The bishops of Spain have produced the most eloquent and thorough document on distinguishing between authentic and dangerous spiritual practices since at least Archbishop Carrera. Why Spain? Why now? According to many accounts online, mindfulness practice (among other Hindu and Buddhist techniques) is booming in Spain, while the pews of Catholic churches are emptying. What do the bishops themselves say?
“We are witnessing the resurgence of a spirituality that is presented in response to the growing ‘demand’ for emotional well-being, personal balance, enjoyment of life or [the] serenity [of reconciling opposites] …; a spirituality understood as cultivation of one’s interiority so that man finds himself, and that often does not lead to God. [To this end], many people, even having grown up in a Christian environment, resort to meditation and prayer techniques and methods that have their origin in religious traditions outside Christianity and the rich spiritual heritage of the Church. In some cases this is accompanied by the effective abandonment of the Catholic faith, even without [pretense]. Other times [people] try to incorporate these methods as a ‘complement’ of [their] faith to achieve a more intense experience of it. This assimilation is frequently done without proper discernment about its compatibility with the Christian faith, with the anthropology that derives from it and with the Christian message of salvation.” (No. 2)
Ignorance of Catholic Spirituality
The title of the document is My Soul Thirsts for God, the Living God (Ps 42:3): Doctrinal Guidelines on Christian Prayer. I will abbreviate it as My Soul Thirsts. The heart of every person thirsts for God, but in today’s culture, people seek to slake that thirst outside the Church. Ignorant of the tradition of deep spirituality found in the Church, and having little real conversion of heart, Catholics are turning to other traditions, particularly Buddhism, to find satisfaction.
“[T]he basic challenge is to ‘show’ men the beauty of the face of God manifested in Christ Jesus so that they are attracted to Him. If we want everyone to know and love Jesus Christ and, through Him, [to come to a personal encounter] with God, the Church can not be perceived only as a moral educator or defender of truths, but above all as a teacher of spirituality and [a place in which to come to have a deeply human] experience of the living God.” (My Soul Thirsts, no. 5)
Wow! I could not agree more. Teach people who Jesus is and how much He desires an intimate relationship with them, and the hungry will seek to be filled in Him. Teach them about deep prayer, and that God intends it for them, and they will persevere through difficulties.
Now, of course, we cannot speak the truth about prayer, without also speaking about errors regarding prayer. And this is what the bishops of Spain go on to do.
Buddhist Methodology is Problematic
I wish I had time to analyze the whole document in detail, but I want to move on to the parts that most relate to current debates among Catholics in the US. I too want to speak to the specific needs of our place and time.
We are seeing a resurgence of Eastern (non-Christian) techniques infiltrating the Church. In the 70’s and 80’s, the main culprit was Centering Prayer. Centering Prayer did not catch on with most people who are orthodox Catholics. Although some Catholics mistakenly call their truly Catholic prayer “Centering Prayer,” the practice itself, as taught by those who coined the term, has always been most popular among dissenters and those called “liberal” Catholics (as well as non-Catholics).
In the twenty-first century, the culprit is mindfulness. Mindfulness is being practiced and promoted by the very Catholics who would never consider doing Centering Prayer. Here we have a practice that even many Buddhists refer to as “stealth Buddhism” being marketed as a complement to traditional Catholic spirituality.
Thank God, the bishops of Spain noted and addressed this danger! Let’s explore how they did so.
Footnotes Matter
Read the main text of My Soul Thirsts and you will not see the word “mindfulness.” So does that mean that the bishops have nothing to say about it? Not at all!
As anyone who has followed the Amoris Laeititia discussion knows, footnotes matter. Similarly, the first footnote of OF defines the scope of the document. The importance of footnotes is often emphasized in discussions on the documents of Vatican II and earlier councils.
The Spanish bishops write of Buddhist methodology:
“We cannot enter here in[to] an analysis of the differences between different currents. We will refer, rather, to some common elements.” (My Soul Thirsts, no. 11)
This is similar to the CDF’s teaching. However, just as the CDF mentioned Zen, TM, and Yoga in the first footnote of OF, My Soul Thirsts mentions one (and only one) specific practice in a footnote: mindfulness. Here is what it says:
“Many times these meditation techniques, such as mindfulness, try to hide their religious origin and spread in movements that could be gathered under the New Age denomination, [inasmuchas] they are proposed [as an] alternative to the Christian faith.” (My Soul Thirsts, footnote 8)
So, even though mindfulness is often presented as “secular,” or as some would have it, “merely brain exercises,” the roots of mindfulness are Buddhist. Mindfulness is thus included in the warnings given in My Soul Thirsts, particularly those that speak of Buddhist methodology.
But it’s Not Proposed as Prayer!
I can hear this criticism coming. If one does not propose mindfulness as an “alternative to the Christian faith,” but merely as a psychological foundation upon which one can then add the Catholic faith, where is the problem?
Let’s be clear and honest: the Church has never said, nor have the Spanish bishops, that merely doing exercises, whether physical (as in Yoga) or mental (as in mindfulness), stripped of all their religious elements and intents, is opposed to the Catholic faith. The Church is most concerned about these practices being used as prayer. So that means we can engage in them without danger, as long as we don’t confuse them for prayer, right?
Not so fast! The lack of a specific condemnation is not the same as a green light. I have written before of how some people take sections of Nostra Aetate and OF out of context to make it appear that the green light has been given. Such interpretations distort Church teaching.
Here is a passage on this question from my most recent book, The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer:
“In the document On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) addressed the use of bodily positions and physical exercise in prayer:
“‘Some physical exercises automatically produce a feeling of quiet and relaxation, pleasing sensations, perhaps even phenomena of light and of warmth, which resemble spiritual well-being. To take such feelings for the authentic consolations of the Holy Spirit would be a totally erroneous way of conceiving the spiritual life. Giving them a symbolic significance typical of the mystical experience, when the moral condition of the person concerned does not correspond to such an experience, would represent a kind of mental schizophrenia which could also lead to psychic disturbance and, at times, to moral deviations.’ [On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation no. 28.]
“The Church here notes that practices like Yoga, presumably even if they are done purely for exercise, can lead you to think that God is somehow touching you. The danger is real. According to an article in Psychology Today, more than 90 percent of those who take up Yoga do so simply for exercise. Two-thirds of them change their motive after beginning Yoga, most often continuing for the sake of ‘spiritual benefit or self-actualization.’ In Catholic circles, one author styles herself as the Catholic Yogi, seeing her Yoga practice as prayer. Others teach or promote ‘Ignatian Yoga,’ in which groups are led through Yoga poses in front of the Tabernacle. Needless to say, Yoga is not in line with the teaching of Saint Ignatius, and Yoga is not Christian prayer.
“The CDF reminds us that the Christian life is one of conversion. Yoga and similar practices can make you feel spiritual, even as if you are experiencing deep prayer, when you may actually be living a life of sin. That’s because these practices are geared toward the feeling of oneness with God or the universe.” (The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer, Question 81)
Applying this Principle to Mindfulness
Taking their cue from the CDF’s note about the dangers of Yoga, the Spanish bishops make a move that I have also made in recent discussions on mindfulness. They start with teaching about physical exercise and apply it to mental exercise:
“the goal of Zen meditation is that state of stillness and peace that is achieved by accepting events and circumstances as they come, giving up any commitment to change the world and reality. Therefore, if with this method the person is satisfied only with a certain inner serenity and confuses it with the peace that only God can give, it would become an obstacle to the authentic practice of Christian prayer and to the encounter with God.” (My Soul Thirsts, no. 12)
Just as Yoga stretches can produce a euphoria, Buddhist meditation practices can produce a “serenity” that is easily confused with the peace of Christ. In fact, some mindfulness practitioners have shown this confusion in their conversations with me. They believe that if they feel peace, the practice that produces it necessarily comes from God and draws them closer to Him. Jesus said, however,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (Jn 14:27)
Merely secular (which literally means of the world) exercises, whether mental or otherwise, simply cannot impart the peace of Christ. Saying otherwise is directly contradicting Jesus. The peace of Jesus lies in placing our trust completely in Him, knowing that He is love and that He will use every circumstance for our ultimate good if we surrender to Him. This peace is thus a by-product of supernatural hope. It deepens as conversion deepens. Mental exercises cannot grant it.
“The criterion of authenticity of Christian prayer is filial trust in God, to accept that His will always be done, never doubting Him, and putting [oneself] at the service of his plan of salvation.” (My Soul Thirsts, no. 23)
If most people who take up mindfulness do so for mental well-being, not religious reasons, that does not mean that their practice is free of danger. Perhaps like Yoga practitioners their views and motives will change. Are they well-enough formed in the faith to refrain from seeing their mindfulness practice as something that draws them closer to God? Do they already have a practice of daily mental prayer? If not, how likely are they to start one, once they experience the “benefits” of mindfulness?
At this point, we don’t know how “secular” mindfulness practices may affect religious practice. As far as I know, no scientific study on the subject has been conducted. But it is reasonable to think that for some at least, mindfulness could “become an obstacle to the authentic practice of Christian prayer and to the encounter with God.” In fact, in her book A Catholic Guide to Mindfulness, Susan Brinkmann mentions a case where this has actually happened — a Catholic father who gave up praying the family Rosary because he perceived more benefit from his practice of mindfulness.
Using “part” of mindfulness practice
But what if one were to remove all the Buddhist elements from mindfulness practice? Would it then be okay?
One problem with this approach is discerning which elements are intrinsically Buddhist. Some maintain that if you just remove teaching about Buddhist non-dualism from mindfulness instruction, the practice of mindfulness can be incorporated wholesale into a Catholic’s routine. As I showed in my post on misinterpretations of Nostra Aetate and OF, that is not at all clear based on Catholic teaching. We must ask: Is mindfulness practice so intertwined with the Buddhist worldview and Buddhist goals that the two cannot be separated without a result that can no longer be called mindfulness?
What does My Soul Thirsts say?
“Sometimes Zen meditation is practiced by Christian groups and church organizations. Some even speak of a so-called Christian Zen. In principle, this would not represent an obstacle if it were limited to incorporating certain techniques into the pedagogy of Christian prayer that predispose the body and spirit to the silence necessary for prayer, but often times it goes beyond this, having no little impact on the understanding of what prayer is. As a rule of discernment, it is good to differentiate between particular techniques and the method. The method, considered as a complete itinerary of meditation, is inseparable from the goal to be achieved and from the anthropological, religious and theological assumptions from which it is born and that sustain it. On the other hand, concrete techniques to help reach a certain disposition prior to prayer could be separated from the whole method and its foundations. It is not possible, however, to have true Christian prayer that assumes a method in its entirety that does not originate in, or departs from, the content of faith.” (No. 14; this paragraph translated by Veronica Salazar)
Both the CDF and the Spanish bishops appear to be speaking about using certain elements found in Eastern meditation as an immediate preparation for prayer, such as concentrating on one’s breath for a few minutes before praying, in order to calm one’s whirling thoughts. Neither is green-lighting, for example, practicing a body scan twice a day for 20 minutes at a time as a means of praying better. Indeed, such an interpretation flies in the face of the bishops’ rejection of making Eastern techniques a “complement” to one’s Catholicism, as I quoted earlier:
“Other times [people] try to incorporate these methods as a ‘complement’ of [their] faith to achieve a more intense experience of it. This assimilation is frequently done without proper discernment about its compatibility with the Christian faith, with the anthropology that derives from it and with the Christian message of salvation.” (My Soul Thirsts, no. 2)
Which parts of mindfulness practice are inseparable from a Buddhist anthropology? The answer to this question still needs to be clarified.
There are certain isolated elements of mindfulness that we know Catholics can use, because Christians in the West have used them all along. They are not essentially Buddhist. They are simply human. Things like noticing when your thoughts and feelings are not in line with God’s will; not being preoccupied with either the past or the future; and really listening when others are speaking. None of these practices — in isolation or combination — equates entirely with what secularists, Buddhists, or the Spanish bishops mean by mindfulness.
We have the practice of the presence of God, the sacrament of the present moment, the discernment of spirits, and the teaching and example of the saints regarding loving our neighbor. No meditation technique (unless we are speaking of meditating on the truths of the faith, which is a different definition of the word) is either taught or practiced by any saint. There is simply not the least bit of evidence for it. Conversion of heart and Christian detachment are what lead to a Christian way of living in the present.
What if you are under the care of a psychologist who has prescribed mindfulness, complete with daily meditation techniques? Discuss your concerns as a Catholic with him or her, asking if there may be other therapies you could try instead, or if the practice can be substantially modified. Abruptly stopping on your own would be imprudent.
Thank you, bishops!
I wish I had time to go into more detail on My Soul Thirsts. I hope to analyze it in light of Centering Prayer on my other blog. I will probably write about the positive aspects of the document in a future post. But now I have family duties and other projects to attend to.
I cannot thank Spain’s Doctrinal Congregation enough for this beautiful document on what it means to pray as a Christian. Church renewal will not happen unless we see a renewal of personal prayer. As long as we run after Buddhist techniques, we hinder that renewal.
Connie Rossini
Note: This post contain affiliate links.
July 6, 2019
The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer
Wondering what I’ve been doing since I haven’t been blogging? Writing a new book, of course! The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer is now available on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats. It should be available at other online bookstores soon.
The Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer answers 125 questions on how, why, and when to pray, in accordance with the teaching of the Carmelite saints. Most of the questions came from the members of my Facebook group, Authentic Contemplative Prayer (which is where I hang out online these days). I answered them in a conversational tone, defining terms, and quoting from Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Francis de Sales, Ignatius of Loyola, the Catechism, and other sources.
Some of the questions included are:
What is mental prayer?
Is meditation the same thing as contemplation?
Is eastern meditation a help or a hindrance?
What is detachment?
What are the nine grades of prayer?
Do I really need a spiritual director?
How can I find time to pray?
Whether you are just beginning to practice mental prayer or are struggling to advance, you will find plenty of help in this book. It would be a great gift for priests, seminarians, and spiritual directors.
This is my favorite project since Trusting God with St. Therese.
Once again, here is the link to Amazon.
God keep you in His grace,
Connie Rossini
August 26, 2018
To whom shall we go?
Crucifixion by Gabriel Wuger, Wikimedia Commons.
The sexual abuse crisis of 2002 was often called the Long Lent. Have we at last reached Good Friday? If you have not yet read the statement of former Papal Nuncio to the US Vigano, regarding who knew what and when about Cardinal McCarrick, you can find it at the National Catholic Register.
The Lord’s closest companions have betrayed Him and denied Him publicly. The world will soon be mocking Him, beating Him, trying to extinguish at last what it has not been able to extinguish in two millennia.
On social media, many people are confused, shocked, and hurt, to the extent that some are considering leaving the Church or abstaining from the sacraments. My dear friends, my dear, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do not do this! This is not the time to abandon Christ! If we do so, the Devil wins. This was his plan in helping bring unscrupulous men into powerful positions in the Church. But our heavenly Father had another plan, one we could see in today’s Liturgy.
In the first reading, Joshua tells the people:
“decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
And the people answer him,
“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD.”
The Lord addresses all those hurting from the scandals with these words from the psalm:
“The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
“When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.”
St. Paul reminds us that Christ loves the Church:
“and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.”
Can we not trust Him to complete this cleansing?
Finally, the Gospel provides divine wisdom spoken through Peter — yes, the same Peter who would later deny Christ:
“Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.”
Did you listen to today’s collect?
“O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose, grant your people to love what you command and to desire what you promise, that, amid the uncertainties of this world, our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found.”
You see, the Lord knew from all eternity when the latest revelations would come, and He directed His Church to choose these passages and prayers as an immediate response. God is in control, as He has ever been. The renewed crisis — which has actually been ongoing, only hidden — is no surprise to Him. It cannot destroy His divine plan for us, unless we allow it to.
Now, many may ask, “If the Lord knew, why didn’t He prevent it?” This is a mystery we will only understand in Heaven. We must ask instead the question Peter asked, “To whom shall we go?” There is no one else who can grant us salvation. There is no other Church that was founded by Christ. There is nowhere else we can receive the Body and Blood of Christ to nourish us.
To nourish us. If you forsake the Eucharist, you will die.
Shall we leave the Blessed Mother to stand beneath the Cross alone? Shall we abandon Jesus to mockery, with no one left to praise Him? Should we not rather be the faithful apostle John supporting her — representing the faithful priests and bishops? Should we not rather as the laity be Mary Magdalen and the other women, unafraid to share in his suffering and scorn?
Perhaps it is not yet Good Friday. Perhaps more suffering and worse revelations are yet to come. Christ may still be on His way to Jerusalem. In the words of St. Thomas, “Let us go also, that we may die with Him.”
Connie Rossini
Note: For those struggling to trust God in the midst of this crisis or personal troubles, I recommend my book Trusting God with St. Therese.
March 29, 2018
Judas and the little things
The Last Supper (Wikimedia Commons, painter unknown)
My first published book was the brief, free Five Lessons from the Carmelite Saints That Will Change Your Life.
Lesson four is:
“Little things matter (a lot).”
This came home to me earlier this week while meditating on Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. How did a friend become an enemy? How could anyone who spent three years in Jesus’ company turn against Him?
Movies such as Jesus of Nazareth often portray Judas as well-meaning, a pseudo-Zealot who thought he could provoke Jesus to overthrow Rome if He was arrested. It’s an interesting take, but there is no indication in Scripture that it is accurate. What we find instead is this:
“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it.” (Jn 12:4-6)
I think we can learn an important lesson if we delve into the reason the Bible indicates Judas fell. If you will humor me, here is my fictionalized account of Judas’s progression from friend to enemy. These are the musings of the betrayer:
I can’t believe Jesus gave me charge of the common purse! How heavy this little bag is. Heavier than any purse I’ve ever owned, that’s for sure.
I wonder what those boys who used to tease me for my shabby clothes would think if they knew how much money I had at my disposal? I’m carrying more now than most of them have probably ever seen. No longer the poor boy. I can lift my head up. Just think how I could strut around in fine clothes with all this money! Of course, I’d never use any for myself, but it’s nice to know I could. I am rich. But I’m too upright to use these riches. They are for Jesus and the apostles. Not for me personally…
I wish sometimes Jesus would acknowledge what I do for Him. I mean, I have a huge responsibility and I’m carrying it out so well. While everyone else is sitting and listening to Jesus, I have to go to the market daily and buy our food. Just a little thanks now and then would be nice. He always takes Peter, James, and John with Him places, but never me. And I know those three look down on me. It’s the poor boy all over again. Only I’m not poor. I have more than any of them. I could show them so easily. What if I came back from the market in gold threads instead of with their dinner? Of course, I never would do it. I’d be kicked out of Jesus’ close circle and be back where I started with nothing. Still, it’s nice to know that I could do it, if I weren’t so righteous…
I wonder if Jesus knows that I saved a day’s wages by my hard bargaining in the market today? If He does, He sure doesn’t show it. Still no invitation to join Him and His three “angels.” I don’t have to bargain so hard, you know. I have saved us a lot of money over time. I could save us more. In fact, if I worked harder in bartering, I could save so much that I would have a little left over for myself. No one would miss it. But it would make up for being constantly overlooked and undervalued. I really deserve it for all my hard work. I wouldn’t even spend it. I would just keep it for myself…
I wonder if He knows? I don’t like the way Peter looks at me. And what are James and John whispering about? It’s not like I’ve deprived them of anything. They’re still getting their stomachs full. I’ve worked hard for that money. They have no idea how hard it has been. I have to make provisions for the future, after all. What if something happened to Jesus? What would we do then? Everyone else could go back to their jobs, but what about me? I’d be destitute again, the laughing stock as always. I haven’t used the smallest coin for myself. I’m just keeping it by, in case something happens to Jesus…
Something could happen to Jesus quite easily. It’s clear the Sanhedrin wants to kill Him. I bet they’d pay well for someone to help them in their plot. It would have to be someone close to Him, of course. I wonder how much they would pay? Not as much as I’ve put by. Or would they? If something happens to Jesus, I’d need enough money for the rest of my life. I don’t have nearly that much. And the way they are plotting against Him, how can His ministry last? Someone is bound to betray Him sooner or later. I wonder how much they’ll get for it. I could ask. Just out of curiosity, of course. I’d never do anything like that to Jesus, even if He has been unjust to me. I’m going to count my money next time I’m alone…
Twenty-nine silver coins. Who would have thought? Think of all I could buy with that! When Jesus is arrested, I’m going to go out and buy everything I’ve ever wanted. Why shouldn’t I? I wonder who will betray Him anyway. Maybe John. I don’t like how John looks at me. I think he knows. He’s always staring at the purse. If I take my eyes off it for a moment, he’ll take it from me. I’m sure of it…
I’ve heard that the Sanhedrin will pay thirty pieces of sliver to the one who betrays Jesus. John is planning on it. I know he is. He hasn’t been able to steal any of my money, so he’s going to try and get the money from the Sanhedrin. What right does he have to get more than I have? I thought of it first! I should have it. I’ll go to them myself. Then they’ll see. John, and his brother and Peter and Jesus Himself. They should have treated me right. It’s their own fault. And Jesus is the most at fault of all…
So we see in this fictional progression, that Judas begins by nursing pride and envy, entertains thoughts of greed, justifies sin, and eventually betrays the Savior.
Yes, little things matter (a lot).
Blessed Triduum!
Connie Rossini
