Wednesday Discernment Link: Lectio Devina

Lectio Devina, “a slow contemplative praying of the scriptures”.

The Sisters of St. Clare in Saginaw, Michigan, have a wonderfully instructive page on the art of Lectio Devina.  Lectio is a wonderful tool for anyone who is discerning.  This ancient practice helps one to hear the voice of God speaking to us in the scriptures.

Lectio isn’t something one learns to do in one sitting.  It takes practice and work, as do most things of value.  The Sisters of St. Clare have provided a great guide to helping you along the way of learning the art of Lectio Devina.

Tuesday Book Review: Divine Intimacy

Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Liturgical Year, by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD.

Steeped in the Carmelite mystical traditions, Divine Intimacy is a tool for drawing closer to God.  If you are just learning to habitualize daily prayer and conversation with God, Divine Intimacy is a tool to help you along the way.

For each day, Divine Intimacy gives two meditations based on the readings for the day, and then provides a colloquy to assist you in beginning your conversation with God.  Divine Intimacy “seeks to arrange meditations in such a way that in the course of one year the most important problems of the spiritual life and all the supernatural realities met with in the interior life will have been reviewed.” (From the Preface)

I spent a year working through Divine Intimacy over a decade ago, but I still keep my copy near and refer to it in times of need.  It’s a beautiful volume that can help you find your voice with God and your path in this life.

I chose to review Divine Intimacy now because the year of meditations starts with the beginning of the liturgical year, which is the first Sunday of Advent.  If you want to begin the Divine Intimacy meditations at the beginning, you only have a couple of weeks to get your copy.

Monday Video: Words from Mother Teresa

In this excerpt from a documentary on her life, Mother Teresa talks about prayer and the fruits of prayer. I love this woman. She speaks so simply about topics of holiness, the inspires holiness in those around her.

What are your thoughts on prayer and holiness? Thoughts on Mother Teresa and her life? Share with those here and help inspire each other.

Video Monday: Maryknoll Sisters

This week, we look at a different kind of order. The Maryknoll Sisters are a missionary order. Maryknoll missionaries will spend most of their religious life in a country other than their country of origin. It is, indeed, a hard life, and requires a special person to live it.

Friday Community Highlight: Sisters of St. Clare

The Sisters of St. Clare in Saginaw, Michigan, are Poor Clare Nuns.  Founded in 1991, this is a relatively new foundation of Poor Clare Nuns.

While the nuns produce and sell blessing oils and cards to help support themselves, like all Poor Clare’s they primarily rely upon alms for their upkeep.  They ouline the reasons for this reliance on alms very beautifully.

As Poor Clare Nuns, their life, of course, revolves primarily around the Liturgy of the Hours.  Five times a day, the nuns come together in prayer, first for the nighttime vigil, then morning, midday, evening, and then night prayer before bed.  They also spend time in the ancient art of Lectio Devina.

Of course, being a Poor Clare means a life of community.

Community life for a Poor Clare means sisterhood. We strive to create a home where charity can flourish by throwing in our lot with other sisters. Each sister must be a team player; her life is not her own. She is called to move away gradually from self-absorption, and learn to love the common good of all

If you think you might have a contemplative vocation, or if you would just like to learn more about being a Poor Clare, visit the Sisters of St. Clare.

Wednesday Discernment Link: Deo est Gloria

This week’s recommended site is Deo est Gloria, a directory of Roman Catholic communities around the world.  While I am quite proud of the collection of sites we have for women’s communities in the United States, I often get requests for similar information for men, and for men and women around the world.  Deo est Gloria has a fairly large collection of men’s and women’s communities.

Video Monday: The Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth

This is a relatively short video (a little over two minutes), and doesn’t really have any information about the sisters, but it’s a beautiful bit of their chant and gives you a feel for the simplicity they live.

Friday Community Highlight: Servants of the Blessed Sacrament

This week we turn our eye to The Servants of the Blessed Sacrament in Waterville, Maine.  Founded in 1858 in France, the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament are devoted to the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

We make each of our houses a Eucharistic Center, Where many people can share in our life of prayer and find helps for their spiritual development and Eucharistic formation (Rule of Life #1)

These sisters are a comtemplative community, but they are not cloistered.

Besides maintaining continuous Adoration, we also do various works that help to make the Eucharist known and loved. We make our houses Centers of Adoration which draw others closer to the Lord and help them to grow spiritually.
(Rule of Life #37)

Working within a parish, the sisters provide services depending on the needs of the parish community and the talents of the sisters.  Preference is given to activities that promote the Eucharistic Mystery.

Take some time and visit the website of The Servants of the Blessed Sacrament.

Wednesday Discernment Link: Benedictine On-line Retreat

If you are pursueing a vocation, one of the primary questions to answer is the type of spirituality that attracts you.  If you want to learn more about Benedictine Spirituality, here’s your chance to go to a retreat without even leaving your home.

God’s Delightful Voice: A Benedictine Spirituality On-Line Retreat

This eight part retreat includes topics such as “Monasticism, It’s Not Just for Monk’s Any More” and “Obedience and Humility, The Paradox of Submission and Freedom”.  At the end of the retreat is a suggested reading list to help you along the journey.

Monday Video: Benedictine Sisters of Clyde, MO

This is one of several videos on YouTube of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri. They are a comtemplative community with constitutional enclosure. If you are attracted to the contemplative lifestyle, check them out.