St. Teresa of Avila: Why you can't seem to progress in the spiritual life

October 15^th, St. Teresa of Jesus

St. Teresa of Avila is the “Doctor of Prayer”, most especially for her classic work on Christian prayer, “The Interior Castle”. However, while many people desire to grow in the life of prayer, they are often confused as to what must be done. How do I pray well? What method should I use?

Sadly, many modern(ist) Catholics (including even some priests) have turned to eastern forms of meditation – like centering prayer or yoga – rather than to the true tradition of Christian prayer. If we understand St. Teresa’s key insight about prayer and the interior life, we can clearly see how far eastern meditation is from true prayer.

A better way of reading the Catechism, for the Year of Faith

October 11^th, 2012 – Opening of the Year of Faith

In this Year, then, the Catechism of the Catholic Church will serve as a tool providing real support for the faith, especially for those concerned with the formation of Christians, so crucial in our cultural context. (Pope Benedict XVI, Porta Fidei 12)

The Year of Faith, called by Pope Benedict, extends from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013. Beginning on the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and also on the twentieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Year of Faith will conclude with the Feast of Christ the King 2013.

During this Year, the Holy Father desires a renewed study of our faith, especially through a return to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, this Catechism is over five hundred pages long (and nearly three thousand paragraphs) – How, then, might one approach such a large and theologically daunting book?

Three sets of five tips for the Family Rosary

October 7^th, Feast of the Most Holy Rosary

Today is the great feast of our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. This feast commemorates the most important naval battle in human history – a battle which, if lost, would have left Rome as the new Istanbul and St. Peter’s as a second Hagia Sophia.

For the history of this feast, consider a good article from Catholic Culture [here], and the poem of G.K. Chesterton [here].

Our Lady has saved the world through the Rosary, and she desires to do so again. More particularly, in our own day, there can be no doubt that our Lady wants to save the world through the Family Rosary. But how can a family succeed in the practice of the Family Rosary?

Christ was like St. Francis

October 4^th, Feast of St. Francis

The Poor Man of Assisi is often called the Mirror of Christ, for he was as another Christ (alter Christus) present among us. St. Francis was a true Christian, “Christ-like” to the core.

G.K. Chesterton, in his excellent work on the Saint, makes the following observation (very much in his classic, witty fashion): If St. Francis is said to be like Christ, then Christ must necessary be just so much like St. Francis.

The following paragraphs are excerpts from the eighth chapter of G.K. Chesterton’s excellent biography of St. Francis (which can be read online [here]).

Can my guardian angel read my mind?

October 2^nd, Feast of the Guardian Angels

For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways (Psalm 90:11)

“From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’ Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” (CCC 336)

A plethora of questions may well be asked about guardian angels. We have attempted to discuss some of these in a previous article [here].

However, we did neglect to answer one question which is probably most common: Can my guardian angel (or any angel, for that matter) know the secret thoughts of my soul? Does my angel know everything I am thinking? Co-relatively, Does Satan or any of the demons know all that passes within my soul?

Our answer will be derived mostly from the Angelic Thomas, Summa Theologica I, q.57 [here] and q.111 [here].

For October, Promote the Family Rosary!

October is the month of the Rosary, with the feast of our Lady of the Rosary occurring on October 7^th (which also happens to be the first Sunday of the month this year). This coming month is a precious time to grown in our devotion to Mary as the Queen of the Rosary and, through the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary, to come to know and love Christ our Savior.

During the month of May, a number of individuals joined together (through this blog, and that of Stacy Trasancos, Accepting Abundance [here]) in a campaign for the Family Rosary. To promote the Family Rosary, we began by dedicating May as a month of prayer. Every day during May, we offered prayers for the renewal of the Family Rosary and in preparation for an active Family Rosary Campaign in which we will now engage during the month of October.

Now that October is nearly upon us, I will offer a little reminder of some of the active works we may perform to promote the Family Rosary.

Back to blogging!

The sign in front of my new parish

I owe an apology for the past two months of absence from the New Theological Movement blog. I had mentioned earlier [here] that I would be taking on a new parish assignment – Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls, Montana. The first couple of months have been a time of many blessings and great joy, but the period of adjustment caused me to neglect writing for NTM blog.

However, since I am now fairly well moved in and accustomed to the new parish, I will be taking up the blog once again. In fact, as a sign of good faith, I have prepared the next three weeks worth of blog posts in advance (and have already completed the first third) – this way, we can all be sure that the blog will be going as strong as before!