Molchanie: The silence of God

by Catherine de Hueck Doherty

Discover the great sea of the silence of God and find yourself plunged into his infinite love.

In language poetic and meditative yet direct and simple, the author invites us to share her own pilgrimage into God's silence. Pilgrimage lasts as long as one's life, and involves purification, union with God, work and suffering, culminating in the almost miraculous experience of the divine silence. Much of Molchanie is in the way of allegory, full of visions and imagination--it is an allegorical pilgrimage.

Catherine distinguishes between silence and solitude, insisting that silence doesn't need solitude. One can remain in the silence of God and leave the door of the heart unlatched to be at the disposal of those in need.

"God offers us many silences--the silence of babyhood, the silence of childhood, the silence of youth and maturity, and finally the silence of old age."

Read about:
-- The Mysteries of Silence
-- The Multicolored Vocation of Silence
-- The Silence of Old Age
-- The End of All Waiting

Genres: Christianity

100 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 1982

About the author

Ekaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine Doherty, better known as Catherine Doherty, CM (1896-1985) was a social activist and foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate. A pioneer of social justice and a renowned national speaker, Catherine was also a prolific writer of hundreds of articles, best-selling author of dozens of books, and a dedicated wife and mother. Her cause for canonization as a saint is under consideration by the Catholic Church.

Reviews

[LuAnn]

I've been inspired by the other books I've read by Doherty, such as Poustinia: Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer and Strannik: The Call to the Pilgrimage of the Heart, but this one is confusing. Written differently than her other books, as if recounting a dream or vision, she doesn't make clear if it's either or simply her imagination. While I do encounter God in silence, this one doesn't move me.

[Anna Jackson]

Tough to follow style of writing for me hence the 4 stars, found myself rereading a lot to understand.
Overall great themes and transfers of thought around the relationship you hold with God, great read for development of your personal relationship with Him if you’re looking to seek understanding to darker feelings

[Rachel Wong]

A beautiful and striking glimpse into Catherine Doherty’s spirituality and prayer life - something that I used to pray with during my times in chapel.