Carthusian Desire

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Carthusian Desire WRITING SAMPLE Excerpt from: Carthusian Desire Thesis 2014 BA Religion, Reed College _____ Citation McCarty, Joshua. Carthusian Desire (Portland, OR: Reed College, 2014), 1-18. Introduction “The goal of Carthusian life is union with God in Love.”1 - A Carthusian A singular dictum pronounced in concert by the Carthusians inaugurates and defines their life.2 It also provides the directional vector for this thesis: time and again, this desire, a singular goal of uniting with God in Love, emerges as constitutional of the Carthusian form- of-life.3 Indeed, the argument put forth here is that the Carthusian is defined by desire, a central axis around which their lives are constructed. But what this desire means and how it influences their life is yet to be established. In particular, this thesis will pursue two successive questions about the Carthusian subject, all fundamentally answered in regards to this desire: What is the Carthusian body and what is Carthusian time? This inquiry pursues an understanding of Carthusian desire, manifest in their literature and architecture, as it relates to practices, conceptualizations, and goals. Although these monastics almost completely forbid access to their spaces, they do permit a few entry points we can pursue. Using their Statutes, letters written by their Priors, maps, ethnographies, documentaries, historical accounts, and, the texts of primary focus here, a series of anonymously written “reflections,” one can draw a blueprint of the Carthusian body. In conjunction with philosophical writings, ascetical studies, and historical contexts, the image begins to sharpen. But we must first survey the lay of the land, coming to an 1 A Carthusian, First Initiation into Carthusian Life (Herefordshire: Gracewing, 2010). 2 Indeed, the terms monastic and monk derive their etymology from the Ancient Greek monos (µόνος) meaning single, solitary, or alone. For a Carthusian treatment of monk, and the corresponding importance of simplicity, see (ibid., 75). 3 A term I adopt from Giorgio Agamben, without his political agenda however, as his “attempt—by means of an investigation of the exemplary case of monasticism—to construct a form-of-life, that is to say, a life that is linked so closely to its form that it proves to be inseparable from it,” lies outside the scope of this project (The Highest Poverty: Monastic Rules and Form-of-Life, 2013, xi). Nonetheless, this observation of the consistency between a life lived and its form is useful when considering the Carthusians. For a more developed exploration of the Carthusian relationship between actual and ideal selves, see “Rhythm” in Ch. 2. 2 understanding of the term Carthusian and its relationship to broader scholarly concepts, such as monk, monastery, and asceticism. To do so, this introduction will firstly pursue historical lines, of both the Carthusians and Christian monasticism more broadly; and then, after a deepened understanding of this project’s goal, we will review the available methodologies within the field of religious studies to pursue the question before us; namely: What is the Carthusian body in its relationship to this goal of union with God? Coalescence, a history of the Carthusians Take the idea of coalescence – multiple substances coming together to form a whole, almost unintentionally, or at least without a directing agent with an explicit goal. It is in this sense that we can say the Carthusians coalesce since it was not (the man we now know as) Saint Bruno’s goal to start a new monastic Order. Indeed this idea of coalescence returns throughout their history as the structural architecture (of buildings, but also of individuals, rules, practices, and narratives) slowly begins to sediment, change, and stabilize. As their history reflects, the opaque catalyst for Carthusian coalescence is desire. In 1084 CE, after renouncing a life in the world he experienced as flawed, broken, and obstructive,4 St. Bruno began La Grande Chartreuse5 monastery in the Alps of present-day 4 Indeed, he left his prestigious position of chancellor of the Reims cathedral because of the new archbishop Manasses, who took power by way of simony, criticized, and abused his position. These offences were sacrilege in the eyes of Bruno as, for example, singing Mass is one of the few times Bruno would later, as a monastic, permit himself to speak while Manasses complained about its requisite as archbishop. Cf. Abbot of Nogent-sous-Coucy Guibert, A Monk’s Confession : The Memoirs of Guibert of Nogent (University Park, Pa: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1996). It should also be noted that, although there is incentive to see Bruno’s exodus (1069-1070) solely as political defeat, there is evidence against that limited view. As André Louf argues, Bruno’s contemporaries expected him to fill the archbishop’s seat, rather than Manasses “who stripped Bruno of his position and banished him from the diocese.” But, as Louf also rightly points out, Bruno had made a resolution at an earlier time to become a monastic. (André Louf and Demetrio S. Yocum (translator), “Saint Bruno,” Cistercian Studies Quarterly 48, no. 2 [2013]). Cf. “St. Bruno’s Letter to Raoul le Verd” in A Carthusian, The Wound of Love: A Carthusian Miscellany. (England: Gracewing Ltd, 2006). Moreover, in 1080 during Manasses’s deposition, Bruno, a potential candidate for archbishop, instead decided to renounce everything. (Carthusian, The Call of Silent Love: Vocation and Discernment (Leominster, Herefordshire: Gracewing, 2006), 1.) For a Carthusian treatment of this history, see “Notes on a Carthusian Order” in (Carthusians, The Way of Silent Love: The Beatitudes [Herefordshire: Gracewing, 2006], 125–131). 3 Savoy, France. Bruno ordered his life in a particular way, such that others wanted to do the same; his goal and practice in pursuit of God produced an allure6 that drew others to him, and so the Carthusians begin to coalesce.7 Only twenty years later in 1104 CE, we receive the first account of the Carthusians, now an established community imitating the form-of-life put forth by Bruno (although he had already departed).8 From a Benedictine monastery nearby, Abbot Guibert of Nogent tells the origin story: … once [Bruno] had left the city he decided to renounce the world. Fleeing all contact with his friends he made his way to the region of Grenoble. There he chose to live on the promontory of a steep and truly terrifying mountain that one could reach only by way of a rugged and rarely used path. Beneath this path opened the abyss of a deep valley. It was there that Bruno established a way of life that I am about to describe. His followers pursue it to this day. The church is not far from the foot of the mountain, within a fold of its downward slope. Thirteen monks live there. They have a cloister that is well suited for the cenobitic life, but they do not live cloistered 5 This monastery is named after the mountain upon which it was founded. Chartreuse is French for the Latin Cart(h)usia. The alcoholic beverage “Chartreuse” is produced by the Carthusians from herbs growing on the mountain. These terms (Carthusian, Chartreuse, etc.) along with others such as Charterhouse derive from the Latin name for this mountain. 6 When discussing the importance of architecture for human orientation (and, hence, understanding/ constitution) in space, Lindsay Jones asserts, moreover, that the “initial presentation of unity, harmony, and order, which is characteristic of so much sacred architecture, most often functions as the strategy that allures ritual participants from their ‘spoilsport’ status into the religio-architectural game” (Lindsay Jones, Harvard University, and Center for the Study of World Religions, The Hermeneutics of Sacred Architecture: Experience, Interpretation, Comparison. Vol. 2, Hermeneutical Calisthenics : A Morphology of Ritual-Architectural Priorities (Cambridge, Mass.: Distributed by Harvard University Press for the Harvard University Center for the Study of World Religions, 2000). It is in this sense that allure is used here; St. Bruno’s architecture of life, a focused life structured by certain practices and ideas, not only orients a Carthusian in the world, but also incites them further into the practices. 7 His “excellent reputation among the churches in Gaul at this time” (Guibert, A Monk’s Confession.) surely did not hurt, and most likely contributed to, his growing following. He did have six companions upon the foundation on Chartreuse. Together they were four clerics, one priest, and two converse brothers (Carthusian, The Call of Silent Love, 2). 8 Urban II had called him away to Rome as a counselor. He would never to return to Chartreuse. For an overview of what the Carthusians consider the major events and epochs of his life, see The Call of Silent Love, 1–2. He left without leaving behind any guidelines, a Rule, not even a book or sermon: evidence that he did not intend to start a lasting Order. 4 as do other monks. Rather, each has his own cell around the perimeter of the cloister, in which he works, sleeps, and eats.9 As a Benedictine, another form of Catholic monasticism, Guibert cannot help but note some differences between the lives of these men and those of his own community. Not only does the remoteness of this community come across in Guibert’s portrayal, but also its size and unique structure. Guibert seems to have been particularly struck by the remoteness of location, the difficulty of reaching this “abyss” in which the Carthusians made their home. There was something ancient and otherworldly about the situation of these monks. According to literary relics describing the early monastic enterprises, Christian monasticism was born in the deserts of Egypt around 300 CE, and defined by its renunciation of the inhabited world, both in its geographic location and its ideals and practices.
Recommended publications
  • Emmanuel D'alzon
    Gaétan Bernoville EMMANUEL D’ALZON 1810-1880 A Champion of the XIXth Century Catholic Renaissance in France Translated by Claire Quintal, docteur de l’Université de Paris, and Alexis Babineau, A.A. Bayard, Inc. For additional information about the Assumptionists contact Fr. Peter Precourt at (508) 767-7520 or visit the website: www.assumptionists.org © Copyright 2003 Bayard, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the publisher. Write to the Permissions Editor. ISBN: 1-58595-296-6 Printed in Canada Contents Contents Preface ................................................................................................. 5 Foreword .............................................................................................. 7 Historical Introduction ......................................................................... 13 I. The Child and the Student (1810-1830) .................................. 27 II. From Lavagnac to the Seminary of Montpellier and on to Rome (1830-1833).................................................................... 43 III. The Years in Rome (1833-1835) ............................................... 61 IV. The Vicar-General (1835-1844) ................................................ 81 V. Foundation of the Congregation of the Assumption (1844-1851) .............................................................................. 99 VI. The Great Trial in the Heat of Action (1851-1857) .................. 121 VII. From the Defense
    [Show full text]
  • The Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret
    Saint Anthony Mary Claret AUTOBIOGRAPHY Edited by JOSÉ MARIA VIÑAS, CMF Director Studium Claretianum Rome Forward by ALFRED ESPOSITO, CMF Claretian Publications Chicago, 1976 FOREWORD The General Prefecture for Religious Life has for some time wanted to bring out a pocket edition of the Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret to enable all Claretians to enjoy the benefit of personal contact with the most authentic source of our charism and spirit. Without discounting the value of consulting other editions, it was felt there was a real need to make this basic text fully available to all Claretians. The need seemed all the more pressing in view of the assessment of the General Chapter of 1973: "Although, on the one hand, the essential elements and rationale of our charism are sufficiently explicit and well defined in the declarations 'On the Charism of our Founder' and 'On the Spiritual Heritage of the Congregation' (1967), on the other hand, they do not seem to have been sufficiently assimilated personally or communitarily, or fully integrated into our life" (cf. RL, 7, a and b). Our Claretian family's inner need to become vitally aware of its own charism is a matter that concerns the whole Church. Pope Paul's motu proprio "Ecclesiae Sanctae" prescribes that "for the betterment of the Church itself, religious institutes should strive to achieve an authentic understanding of their original spirit, so that adhering to it faithfully in their decisions for adaptation, religious life may be purified of elements that are foreign to it and freed from whatever is outdated" (II, 16, 3).
    [Show full text]
  • The Charterhouse of Nonenque: a Discussion of an Existing Medieval Nunnery in the Context of Carthusian Architecture
    The charterhouse of Nonenque: a discussion of an existing medieval nunnery in the context of Carthusian architecture Carol Steyn Research fellow, Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology, University of South Africa E-mail: [email protected] The Charterhouse of Nonenque is one of the few remaining charterhouses for nuns in the world. It was built in the 12th century as a Cistercian Abbey and adapted in the early 20th century as a Carthusian charterhouse. In this article the buildings of Nonenque are described according to the plans of the layout after a brief history of the abbey. The structure of the buildings is discussed in the context of Carthusian architecture and also in the context of the Carthusian way of life. Carthusian architecture is shown to be unique in monastic architecture since the Carthusian way of life demands greater solitude than those of the other orders and buildings are constructed to make provision for this. Since Nonenque was adapted from a Cistercian building the measures needed to adapt buildings of other orders to Carthusian needs are discussed. These adaptations are more radical in the case of Charterhouses for monks than in those for nuns. Works of art at Nonenque are discussed briefly. This article on Nonenque follows on a visit of a few days which I was allowed to make to the nunnery in 2004. Die Kartuisiese klooster van Nonenque: 'n bespreking van 'n bestaande middeleeuse nonneklooster in die verband van Kartuisiese argitektuur Die Kartuisiese klooster van Nonenque is een van die min oorblywende Kartuisiese kloosters vir nonne in die wêreld.
    [Show full text]
  • TOWARDS a NEW IDENTITY the Vocation and Mission of Lay Brother in the Order Rome 2002
    Order of the Discalced Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel P. Camilo Maccise TOWARDS A NEW IDENTITY The vocation and mission of Lay Brother in the Order Rome 2002 INTRODUCTION A present day topic 1. For some years now I have wanted to propose to the Order a reflection on the vocation and mission of the brothers in our religious family. Various circumstances obliged me to delay its preparation, especially the expectation for the last seven years of the publication of a document from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on the topic, which was requested by the Synod on consecrated life(1). Since my second sexennium as Superior General is coming to a close I decided to turn this desire into reality. In effect, I consider it urgent and topical to offer some considerations on the theme in the light of history, present-day challenges and future prospects for this form of vocation within the Teresian Carmel. Even though it is true we are juridically a clerical Institute(2), at Carmel's beginnings there was no distinction between cleric and lay members. All were simply "Brothers"(3). As late as 1253, the Prior General of the Order was a lay brother. The Order came to know, like other religious families, the phenomenon of clericalization, which became a char- acteristic of religious life in the West. Our senior members know how much the distinction be- tween “Brothers” and "Fathers" had its effect on mentalities, customs and ways of living. 2.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Address Priests and Religious: Titles and Signs of Respect
    How to Address Priests and Religious: Titles and Signs of Respect Marian Therese Horvat, Ph.D. Before me are several interesting questions on how we should address priests and religious men and women sent to my desk recently by a lady. I will answer them today on the TIA website, since I think that my correspondent is not the only one with similar queries. In times past every Catholic used to know some of the simple rules that have been set aside from disuse. The general protocol was taught by sisters in grade school, but more often was learned as in osmosis from everyday practice. No one dreamed of calling Father O’Reilly by the nickname “Bill,” or, addressing Sister Margaret Mary as “Maggie.” Everyone knew you rose as a sign of respect when a priest or religious entered the room. Speaking before a gathering that included clergy or religious, a Catholic speaker as habit addressed them solemnly first. The dignified sisters inspired respect. Above, a sister teaches protocol in a pre-Vatican II Catholic classroom. But then came the tumultuous and leveling aftermath of Vatican II that spelled a death to formalities in the religious sphere. Priests, monks and sisters began to adopt the ways of a world that were becoming increasingly vulgar and egalitarian. Distinguishing titles and marks of respect were considered alienating and only for old- fashioned “establishment” people who were afraid to embrace the “signs of the times.” In the spirit of adaptation to the world, the cassock and habit were abandoned, along with the formal signs of respect paid to the persons who wore them.
    [Show full text]
  • Carmel: the Construction of a Discalced Identity in John of the Cross Thomas J
    Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2008 Return to Carmel: The Construction of a Discalced Identity in John of the Cross Thomas J. Neal Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES RETURN TO CARMEL: THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DISCALCED IDENTITY IN JOHN OF THE CROSS By THOMAS NEAL A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Religion in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2008 Copyright © 2009 Thomas Neal All Rights Reserved The members of the Committee approve the Dissertation of Thomas Neal defended on December 12, 2008. _______________________________ John Corrigan Professor Directing Dissertation _______________________________ Nancy Warren Outside Committee Member _______________________________ Amanda Porterfield Committee Member _______________________________ John Kelsay Committee Member The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS John Donne once wrote, “No man is an Island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.” The journey toward a Ph.D uniquely evidences this fact, and the cloud of humanity that has carried me to the successful completion of this dissertation project is truly a vast and lovely cloud. So I begin with the disclaimer that the procession of names I list here in no way reflects the entirety of those to whom justice demands my offerings of gratitude. First, to the man Juan de Yepes, later known in religion as Juan de la Cruz, I gratefully acknowledge the numberless acts of wonder his life and writings awakened in me.
    [Show full text]
  • Views from St
    St. Patrick’s Catholic Church THE FIRST PARISH OF THE JOLIET DIOCESE (ESTABLISHED 1838) 710 WEST MARION STREET ~ JOLIET, IL 60436-1598 (815) 727-4746 ~ FAX (815) 727-4798 ~ WWW.STPATSJOLIET.COM December 6-7, 2014: The Second Sunday of Advent REV. PETER G. JANKOWSKI, PASTOR DEACON CHARLES PETERSON JULIE DILLENBURG, DRE [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] DEACON PAUL KOLODZIEJ DEACON DARRELL KELSEY ALICIA TOCWISH, TURKEY CARVER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] JAMES SMITH, MAINTENANCE / [email protected] A vocation to the Consecrated Life is a gift from God the Father to the Church, rooted in the example and teaching of Christ, and given through the power of the Holy Spirit. - Vita Consecrata, §1 OFFICE HOURS THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Monday - Thursday Wednesdays 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. & 7:30 - 8:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturdays 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. or by appointment TH Friday RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (KINDERGARDEN - 8TH GRADE) 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Sunday Early Session 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. THE SACRAMENT OF THE Sunday Late Session 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MOST HOLY EUCHARIST THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM Monday - Friday Please call the Parish Center for more information. English baptisms 7:30 a.m. in English normally are held on the 3rd Saturday of the month at noon. Wednesday THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY MATRIMONY (MARRIAGE) 7:00 p.m. in Spanish Call the office before setting a date for their wedding or other com- Saturday Vigil Mass mitments.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Reviews
    BOOK REVIEWS THE NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY. Edited by J. D. Douglas. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1962. Pp. xvi + 1375. $12.95. The authors of this dictionary are British, except for a few Americans and a scattering of authors from other countries. The list of authors attracts attention because of some notable absences; and this of itself is a clue to the character of the work. The book is attractive: it is well printed and gener­ ously illustrated. Most of the articles have a large bibliographical note with recent references. The listings are numerous and the articles are spacious. As a whole, the dictionary takes positions on OT history and criticism which are extremely conservative. In some instances—as in the articles on Aaron and Abraham—the existence of historical problems is simply ignored. In the article on Acts and related articles no notice is taken of the serious problems concerning Acts, Galatians, and the Council of Jerusalem. Chronicles is treated as equally historical with Kings. Daniel is attributed entirely to Daniel himself in the sixth century B.C. The five separate articles on the books of the Pentateuch maintain the authorship of these books by Moses; it is somewhat surprising to find that the article on Penta­ teuch is much more moderate. Esther is interpreted as strictly historical. A rigidly literal Messianic interpretation of the name Immanuel (Is 7:14) is presented. A strictly verbal theory of biblical inspiration is defended. The entire book of Isaiah is attributed either to Isaiah himself or to a nucleus developed by disciples. An early date for Joel (contemporary with Amos or earlier) is proposed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Original Documents Are Located in Box 16, Folder “6/3/75 - Rome” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R
    The original documents are located in Box 16, folder “6/3/75 - Rome” of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box 16 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library 792 F TO C TATE WA HOC 1233 1 °"'I:::: N ,, I 0 II N ' I . ... ROME 7 480 PA S Ml TE HOUSE l'O, MS • · !? ENFELD E. • lt6~2: AO • E ~4SSIFY 11111~ TA, : ~ IP CFO D, GERALD R~) SJ 1 C I P E 10 NTIA~ VISIT REF& BRU SE 4532 UI INAl.E PAL.ACE U I A PA' ACE, TME FFtCIA~ RESIDENCE OF THE PR!S%D~NT !TA y, T ND 0 1 TH HIGHEST OF THE SEVEN HtL.~S OF ~OME, A CTENT OMA TtM , TH TEMPLES OF QUIRl US AND TME s E E ~oc T 0 ON THIS SITE. I THE CE TER OF THE PR!SENT QU?RINA~ IAZZA OR QUARE A~E ROMAN STATUES OF C~STOR ....
    [Show full text]
  • BONUS QUESTIONS *** 1670 Q: According to the Apocryphal Gospel of James, This Person Lived in the Holy of Holies Until the Age of 12
    RCC Study Questions - Senior Level *** BONUS QUESTIONS *** 1670 Q: According to the apocryphal gospel of James, this person lived in the Holy of Holies until the age of 12. A: Who is Mary? 1671 Q: This Greek word, referring to Mary, means "full of grace." A: What is kecharitomene? 1672 Q: Mary is an archetype of this entity. A: What is the Church? 1673 Q: This privilege of Mary refers to her intercessory co-operation in the bestowal of graces. A: What is mediatrix? 1674 Q: This is the year when the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception was defined. A: What is 1854? 1675 Q: This non-canonical book, chronicles the birth and childhood of Mary. A: What is the Protoevangelium of James? 1676 Q: Christ taught that he would do this if he be lifted up. A: What is "draw all men to myself"? 1677 Q: According to St. Athanasius, this is the reason why God became man. A: What is so that "man may become God"? 1678 Q: Icthus, the Greek word for "fish", is an acronym for this. A: What is "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour"? 1679 Q: This is the reason Jesus descended into Hades? A: What is "to free the just who had already died". 1680 Q: The 3 chief effects of grace received in the sacrament of Matrimony. A: What are: 1. Love faithfully - 2. Bear faults patiently - 3 Bring up children properly? 1681 Q: This name is given to the daily Mass offered publicly in religious communities. A: What is a conventual Mass? 1682 Q: This term is given to the calling down of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Gifts before the Consecration.
    [Show full text]
  • THE STORY of MONASTICISM
    THE STORY of MONASTICISM RETRIEVING an ANCIENT TRADITION for CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALITY GREG PETERS K Greg Peters, The Story of Monasticism Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2015. Used by permission. (Unpublished manuscript—copyright protected Baker Publishing Group) © 2015 by Greg Peters Published by Baker Academic a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516–6287 www.bakeracademic.com Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Peters, Greg, 1971– The story of monasticism : retrieving an ancient tradition for contemporary spirituality / Greg Peters. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8010-4891-3 (pbk.) 1. Monasticism and religious orders. 2. Spirituality—Christianity. I. Title. BX2432.3.P48 2014 271—dc23 2015007081 Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Greg Peters, The Story of Monasticism Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2015. Used by permission. (Unpublished manuscript—copyright protected Baker Publishing Group) To my sons, Brendan and Nathanael, for giving me great hope in the church’s future Greg Peters, The Story of Monasticism Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • Anti Christian Persecutions
    Dowry Winter 2020, Issue N˚44 “O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, look down in mercy upon England thy Dowry.” In this issue: Editorial: Persecution and Resurrection Special issue on For Your Diaries Anti Christian England is Our Lady’s Dowry Persecutions Our ¼ Billion Persecuted Fellow Christians They Did Nothing But Pray Our Lady’s Reconquista Taking Oaths to Ungodly Leaders Meditative Film ‘A Hidden Life’ On Pilgrimage to Italy Concerning Art, Music and Man (Part 1) Support Our Apostolate (N˚41, Spring 2019) Dowry – Catholic periodical by the FSSP in Great Britain & Ireland (N°44, Winter 2020) Editorial: Persecution and Resurrection ur country has left the entrustment. Our personal promise received almost no European Union. It has not brings us closer to Our Lady, the further donations. As explained at O left Europe, though. As first disciple of Christ. In this we the time, our charity now owns two one having lived in five different unite in her joy by following her thirds of Priory Court next door to European countries and stayed in openness to God’s call. Our our Shrine, but we have only eight many more over the past twenty- communal entrustment unites us months left to raise the missing five years, I affirm that I love together as the people of our £140,000.00 needed to buy the last Europe deeply, as a continent and in country in prayer, by renewing the third. Thankfully we use the leased its distinct countries. Europe is vows of dedication made to the premises already, as depicted on the rooted in Christ, but those making Virgin Mary by our ancestors.
    [Show full text]