Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Contemplative

Catholicism

Select a Category Activism Announcements Art Books Catholicism Celtic Christianity Christian mysticism Christianity Contemplation Current events Etc. Family humor interfaith dialogue Interfaith Wisdom Interspirituality Lay Cistercians Living the Faith Meditation movies Mysticism Mystics nature Poetry Reviews Scripture silence Spirituality Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 June 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 May 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 March 2012 December 2011 September 2011 October 2010 August 2010 March 2010 September 2009 July 2008 January 2008 December 2007 September 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2004

December 2021

December 28, 2021

A Great Mystical Book — With a Surprising Title

I've recently been re-reading one of the most fascinating and unusual books of mystical wisdom...

December 14, 2020

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...

February 2020

February 03, 2020

Less than 12% of the Catholic Catechism is devoted to spirituality. That, in a nutshell, is what’s wrong with the church today.

Over the years I have discovered that there are three types of people interested in...

December 2019

December 27, 2019

The Goodness of Gray, the Holy Innocents, and the Kairos (Time) of God

Today's Guest Post is by Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA. It’s a gray day, one of...

July 2019

July 12, 2019

Appreciating the Rosary as a Method for Contemplative Prayer

Nothing says "Catholic" quite as much as a rosary. But anyone — Catholic or Orthodox,...

June 2019

June 29, 2019

Our Common Call to Contemplation, Communion and Creativity

Today's Guest Post is by Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA. Sr. Julia is a Franciscan Sister of...

December 2018

December 07, 2018

Christianity is a Myth — and I say that as a faithful Catholic

I lost a follower on Facebook today. I'm sure it happens all the time, but...

August 2018

August 27, 2018

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...

May 2018

May 02, 2018

What’s the difference between Ignatian Spirituality and Centering Prayer?

What is the difference between centering prayer and Ignatian spirituality? To answer this question, let's...

April 2018

April 25, 2018

A Conversation with Richard Rohr, OFM

Richard Rohr — author of numerous books on the contemplative dimension of spirituality, including Everything Belongs and The...

March 2018

March 23, 2018

On the Contemplative Role of the Ear… and the Tongue (Lectio Divina Diligens for Palm Sunday)

Here is the final installment of my Lenten series on Lectio Divina I'm calling Lectio Divina...

March 08, 2018

God’s Love is a Gift (Lectio Divina Diligens for the Fourth Sunday of Lent)

We continue our journey through Lent with a twist on Lectio Divina I'm calling Lectio Divina...

February 2018

February 16, 2018

What Does It Take To Follow God’s Path? (Lectio Divina Diligens for the First Sunday of Lent)

I am using the Psalm selection for the first Sunday of Lent (Psalm 25:4-9) for...

February 13, 2018

How Lent is All About Love (Lectio Divina Diligens for Ash Wednesday)

I am using the Ash Wednesday Gospel reading (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) for my Lectio Divina Diligens...

February 01, 2018

The Ethics of Sharing Mystical Knowledge: Meister Eckhart and the Cloud Author

Pick up any edition of The Cloud of Unknowing, and you are likely to find...

December 2017

December 19, 2017

Into Safe Hands: A Meditation On Dying for Advent and Christmas (by Ronald Rolheiser)

Note: Today's post, by guest contributor Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, is an excerpt from his new...

October 2017

October 05, 2017

Why Experience Is Not the Foundation of (All) Spirituality

Why it's dangerous to say that experience should be the necessary foundation for spiritual growth.

September 2017

September 27, 2017

When the Pope Talked to the Trappists

You don't have to be a monk to learn from the monks, and I think...

September 24, 2017

Is It Okay for Catholics to Read Richard Rohr?

A reader of this blog, who is currently the member of a Protestant church but is...

September 04, 2017

Imagine Thomas Merton Teaching You a Class on Christian Mysticism…

Wouldn't it be great if you could have access to the lecture notes of a...

August 2017

August 30, 2017

The Church Says One Thing. My Conscience Disagrees. So What Do I Do?

For anyone who is trying to discern whether or not to become a Catholic, the...

August 23, 2017

What I learned from the Solar Eclipse

I don't remember much about the spring of 1970, when I was in the third...

May 2017

May 02, 2017

Essential Writings from Two Important Living Catholic Authors

Orbis Books has a long-standing collection of books called the "Modern Spiritual Masters Series." With over...

April 2017

April 27, 2017

When a Jesuit talked to a Franciscan (Video)

Check out this video, where two of my favorite living Catholic authors — Fr. James...

March 2017

March 17, 2017

A Closer Look at the Scrutinies: How an Ancient Rite Remains Relevant Today

On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, Catholic Churches with adults preparing to be...

March 10, 2017

What is Contemplation? (Video)

So what is contemplation? In this video I talk about contemplation, beginning with the definition...

March 08, 2017

Sharing Your Faith with Someone Who is “Spiritual But Not Religious”

This post may get me in trouble with a few folks. Well, so be it. I...

March 06, 2017

A Prayer for Observing a Holy Lent

Let us pray... God, we ask for your blessing during this Holy Season of Lent....

February 2017

February 15, 2017

Seven Important Bible Verses About Silence

Catholics (and other Christians) can be a noisy bunch. I'm always a bit surprised when I...

February 10, 2017

Seven Essential Books on the Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

The headwaters of the Christian contemplative and mystical tradition — aside from the Bible, of...