Christopher O’Donnell, O.Carm.

It has long been my conviction that the main crisis facing the Church is not a crisis of faith, but a crisis of religious experience. It is not that people do not believe, but they do not see the point of faith. And they drift away. Despite the enormous commitment of the Catholic Church to the renewal of liturgy, there has not been a renewed Church. One may say that the liturgical renewal is patchy and at times very defective. But those of us old enough to remember the pre-Vatican II Mass can only be struck by the contrast today of participation by the congregation, even in the most unrenewed or backward church. In the Tridentine Mass there was no communal participation, except through presence and such movements as kneeling, sitting, standing, and making the sign of the Cross. But where has our renewal brought us? People are wandering off: some to other Churches, a fact that we Catholics do not often admit_; some to cults_; some to New Age manifestations_; some to a cold secularity without any religious dimension.

Yet the sad thing about this modern crisis is that the very thing people are seeking elsewhere is already present in the age-old tradition of the Church. When people seek their deepest self, a power within, a transformation of awareness etc. in New Age offerings, we can answer that what they are looking for, and far more, is already at hand in the Church, but seldom preached and generally ignored, like a trunk containing family treasures reposing in an attic. Amongst the finest riches in the Catholic household are the lives and writings of the Carmelite mystics.

The Carmelite mystics form a group of major spiritual writers in the Church. But as a whole they are more spoken about than known_; they are often misunderstood. If you mention St. John of the Cross, people may immediately think of him as hard and inhuman_; St. Teresa of Avila’s visions and experiences will be thought of as far beyond the ordinary Christian_; St. Thérèse of Lisieux, however_; is felt to be nice, a bit sugary perhaps, but was she really a mystic? Yet these three are only the best known of a whole diverse category of spiritual authors, all of them different, yet still belonging to an identifiable family, the Carmelite Order.

This article attempts to place them briefly in their background and see some common features as well as some of the differences between them.

Mysticism

But first a word about the difficult term “mystic/mysticism.” In a very odd book Matthew Fox gives twenty-one definitions of mysticism, and more or less agrees with them all (The Coming of the Cosmic Christ. The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance. San Francisco, 47-67); I would not. A surer guide is the Jesuit, Harvey Egan, who devotes the first chapter of his fine book Christian Mysticism: The Future of a Tradition (New York, 1984) to a discussion of the meaning of the word “mysticism.” He and all main-line scholars are agreed that mysticism is not primarily about peak experiences, or extraordinary graces such as visions, ecstasy or levitation. It is the Christianity lived to the full, pursued to its ultimate and all-satisfying fulfilment. Mysticism is a way of living, and not a set of transient or isolated experiences. Mysticism is the result of an unconditional response to unconditional love. The mystic wants and finds God alone, and in God finds and values everything else. What most characterizes mysticism therefore is love.

Christian love is not a simply acquired possession, even though its foundation in the habit of charity is given at baptism. Love is a journey, a search, a pilgrimage. It is also a struggle. Love is not a feeling, for feelings can be present or absent in genuine love. Love is primarily a decision, a commitment to another, in the case of the mystic to God, sought as the All Holy, the Totally Other, the Supreme Good. But total love does not come easy. We all know the three enemies of the world, the flesh and the devil. Powerful forces both inside ourselves and from outside tend to turn us away from the path of total love. So the mystical road is a road of purification. If we are to be united with the All Holy God, then everything that is of sin and selfishness must be surrendered and healed.

When we speak of mysticism, then, we are concerned with the consequences of people falling totally in love with God. Mysticism is a living contact with the living God. But it is a contact ultimately beyond our unaided efforts. The most we can hope to achieve by our own efforts assisted by grace is a well-ordered life in which sin is overcome and virtue seriously cultivated. This corresponds to St. Teresa’s Third Mansions and the active nights of St. John of the Cross. Beyond that we cannot go, unless God intervenes and carries us up to a state in which we can experience his deep presence in our lives and above all in our hearts. This experience of God’s working within us, of drawing us into himself as Father Creator, Redeeming Son and Abiding and Strengthening Spirit is in turn a still more profound healing of our selfishness which allows God to give still greater blessings.

Pope Pius XII

To the Most Reverend Fathers

Prior General of the Order of the Brothers

of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (O.Carm.)

&

Prepositus General of the Order of the Discalced Brothers

of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (O.C.D.)

Christ is the way; Mary reflects the way; her Scapular is our keepsake on the way.

There is no one who is not aware how greatly a love for the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, contributes to the enlivening of the Catholic faith and to the raising of the moral standard. These effects are especially secured by means of those devotions which, more than others, are seen to enlighten the mind with celestial doctrine and to excite souls to the practise of the Christian life. In the first rank of the most favoured of those devotions, that of the Holy Carmelite Scapular must be placed — a devotion which, adapted to the minds of all by its very simplicity, has become so universally widespread among the faithful and has produced so many and such salutary fruits.

Therefore it has pleased Us greatly to learn of the decision of our Carmelite Brethren both Calced and Discalced; namely, to take all pains to pay homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary in as solemn a manner as possible on the occasion of the Seventh Centenary of the Institution of the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Prompted therefore by Our constant love for the tender Mother of God and mindful also of Our own enrolment from boyhood in the Confraternity of this same Scapular, most willingly do We commend so pious an undertaking and We are certain that upon it will fall an abundance of divine blessings. For not with a light or passing matter are We here concerned, but with the obtaining of eternal life itself which is the substance of that Promise of the Most Blessed Virgin that has been handed down to us. We are concerned, namely, with that which is of supreme importance to all and with the manner of achieving it safely. For the Holy Scapular, which may be called the Habit or Garment of Mary, is a Sign and a Pledge of the protection of the Mother of God. But not for this reason, however, may they who wear the Scapular think that they can gain eternal salvation while remaining slothful and negligent of spirit, for the Apostle warns us: “In fear and trembling shall you work out your salvation.” —Phil. 2:12.

Therefore all Carmelites, whether they live in the cloisters of the First and Second Orders or are members of the Third Order Regular or Secular or of the Confraternities, belong to the same Family of Our Most Blessed Mother and are attached to it by a special bond of love. May they all see in this Keepsake of the Virgin herself a Mirror of humility and purity; may they read in the very simplicity of the Garment a concise lesson in modesty and simplicity; above all, may they behold in this same Garment, which they wear day and night, the eloquently expressive symbol of their prayers for the divine assistance; finally, may it be to them a Sign of their Consecration to the Most Sacred heart of the Immaculate Virgin, a consecration which in recent times We have so strongly recommended.

And certainly this gentle Mother will not delay to open as soon as possible, through her intercession with God, the gates of Heaven for her children who are expiating their faults in Purgatory - a trust based on that Promise known as the Sabbatine Privilege.

Now, therefore, as a pledge of the divine protection and help, and as an assurance of Our own special predilection We most lovingly impart to you, Beloved Sons, and to the whole Carmelite Order, the Apostolic Benediction.

Given In Rome At The See Of Peter

On The Eleventh Day Of February,

On The Feast Of The Apparition Of The Immaculate Virgin Mary,

In The Year 1950,

And The Eleventh Of Our Pontificate.

Pius PP XII

During the Provincial Chapter of the Province of Pernambuco held on 13-17 January 2014 were elected:

• Prior Provincial:  Fr. Altamiro Ternorio da Paz, O.Carm.
• First Councilor:   Fr. Luiz Nunes Pereira, O.Carm.
• Second Councilor: Fr. Alberto Bezerra da Costa, O.Carm.
• Third Councilor:  Fr. Aloísio Saturnino da Silva Primo, O.Carm.
• Fourth Councilor:  Fr. José Cláudio de Alencar Batista, O.Carm.

The Elective Chapter of the Carmelite Monastery of Tanay, Philippines, was held 9 January 2014. The following were elected:

• Prioress:  Sr. M. Rebecca Valdez, O.Carm.
• 1st Councilor:   Sr. Maria de los Angeles de Jesus Perez, O.Carm.
• 2nd Councilor:  Sr. M. Esperanza Cecilio, O.Carm.
• Director of Novices:  Sr. M. Esperanza Cecilio, O.Carm.
• Treasurer:  Sr. Mary Grace Bruno, O.Carm.
• Sacristan:  Sr. M. Alma Jesusa Santos, O.Carm.

On account of the celebration of the 400 years since the death of Fray Jerónimo Gracián (Valladolid, 1545 – Brussels, 1614), the General Councils of the Carmelites and the Discalced Carmelites have put together a programme of commemorative events. On the 20th of September, a solemn celebration of the Eucharist will be held in Brussels, to be led by the General Superior of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr. Saverio Cannistrà, O.C.D. On the 12th and 13th of November, a congress will take place in Madrid, on the biography and spiritual profile of Fr. Gracián. On Friday, the 14th of November, also in Madrid, a solemn celebration of the Eucharist will be held, led by the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm. This celebration will mark the closure of the centenary.

At the same time, the two Generals are writing a joint letter, to be addressed to the Carmelite Family, to commemorate this important figure in the history of Carmel. More information about all these events will be given in later bulletins.

Wilfrid Mc Greal O.Carm.

When people ask us, “Who are you? What do you do?” we reply “We are friars - we are mendicants.” Being mendicant is an integral part of our calling as Carmelites; it recalls our origins and also has serious implications for our work for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.

Carmelites are part of that Renewed Energy that touched the Church and society in the latter part of the 12th century. Twelfth century Europe experienced a significant growth in prosperity and, flowing from that, cities grew and culture flourished. Literacy was no longer the preserve of a clerical elite, a growing merchant and professional class had access to learning while vernacular languages began to flourish.

This newly confident society began to ask questions and the Church found itself challenged and to some extent outmanoeuvred. A desire grew for religious teaching that would help people encounter Christ in his humanity and, above all, bring the basic tenets of Christianity to the people where they were.

An awareness began to grow that the Christian calling was not meant to be a withdrawal from the world, but rather an involvement. Allied to this viewpoint was rediscovery of the energy behind the origins of Christianity, namely the early Church and in particular the apostolic community at Jerusalem. The notion of a vigorous, generous community where people shared their personal gifts and possessions was allied to a commitment to evangelism. The perspective emerged of an active engagement with society as preachers who lived gospel values, especially poverty.

As people gained access to the scriptures through a growth in literacy, first hand study of the gospels enabled fresh and radical interpretations to be proclaimed. The earthly life of Jesus, his humanity and above all his poverty was the inspiration - something to be imitated. People began to see the possibility of embracing a life of poverty so that they could devote themselves to a life of service, prayer and mission to their neighbours and those hungry for such teaching. It was seen as possible to live a life of commitment without withdrawing to some lonely place. However, the leaders of the Church were not quick to see the value and virtuality of these new perspectives.

The reason for a lukewarm reaction to the new movements lay in the strictures of the Church and the lack of education among many of the clergy. A rural world was still envisaged and too many clergy were barely literate - there was no formal programme for training clergy.

What was happening was eventually to be grasped by Pope Innocent III - an articulate laity from the new urban society was wanting to live the fullness of the gospel message. The radical living of the Gospel, which involved a voluntary embracing of poverty, was given shape by the Waldensians and the Humiliati. These late 12th century laity who began to live the ideals of the Jerusalem Church were the forerunners of the friars, they created a context for the mendicant movement in the Church.

The Waldenses or the poor men of Lyons were inspired by Waldes, a banker who took the gospel injunction of “sell everything and give to the poor” literally. Having settled his possessions on his wife Waldes became a wandering preacher supporting himself by begging. Soon he attracted disciples who all vowed themselves to absolute poverty .

Waldes and his followers were dismissed as illiterate but that only meant they could not read the Latin of the schools. They did have Provencal translations of the Gospels and the langue d’oc was spoken in northern Spain, southern France and north Italy. The fact that Waldes and his followers insisted on preaching incurred the wrath of the Church authorities and no amount of protestation of orthodoxy could protect them from the charge of heresy. Pope Lucius III, influenced by the Archbishop of Lyons, condemned the Waldensians driving many of them into conflict with the Church. However, some of the “poor men” remained in the Church and they gradually allied themselves with the Humiliati. This movement, that was strongest in Northern Italy, was given support by the new Pope Innocent III who was motivated by shrewd intelligence and pragmatism. Again poverty, simplicity and penitential practices marked this movement which anticipated many features of the friars. The group attracted recruits from the aristocracy and the new middle classes with communities ranging from Milan to Verona. Some of the Humiliati were married, pursuing trades or professions but living a penitential ‘life’; others lived in community and devoted themselves to preaching. The clergy condemned these lay preachers but the Pope recognised the value of what they were doing. His decision was revolutionary but also pragmatic. The Humiliati were orthodox in their teaching and provided a counter balance to the teachings of the Cathars whose dualism and what was at bottom anti-life teaching was perceived as a threat not just to the Church but to society itself.

The other group of poor Christians were the hermits and pilgrims who made their way to the Holy Land. Again they were inspired by their reading of the Gospels, wanting to experience the places where Jesus had lived his mission. Such pilgrims were often hermits and again ready to preach, sharing their experiences with the people they encountered. Renunciation, penance were again the energy. that inspired such pilgrims. As Carmelites we can recognise in these poor men, enthused by the Gospel, the profile of those who were to live on Mt. Carmel, pilgrims who put down roots in the Holy Land, no longer anxious to return to Europe.

It was at this stage out of the religious turbulence and growing prosperity of Western Europe that the movement known as the friars was to emerge. At the heart of that movement was a layman with a powerful but simple vision, Francis of Assisi. He wanted, along with his followers, to live evangelical perfection and perfection that would be aided by complete destitution. What interests us today is the influence of that vision and how far its essence can still touch the life of the Church and society today.

Francis was visionary and charismatic; how his vision, his deal was eventually lived out has been seen either as a betrayal or the necessary condition for the development of a permanent organisation. Francis is famous for his voluntary act of renunciation giving up wealth for a solitary life of prayer, penance and poverty. He was undoubtedly influenced by the Waldensians and Humiliati but he saw radical poverty as an aid to his work of proclaiming the Gospel. He envisaged a fraternity based on the life of Christ and the disciples as depicted in the Gospels. He wanted a literal following of Christ’s life on earth and this is expressed in the First Rule:

The brothers shall appropriate nothing to themselves, neither a place nor anything, but as pilgrims and strangers in this world, serving God in poverty and humility, they shall with confidence go seeking alms. Nor need they be ashamed, for the Lord made himself poor for us in this world This is that summit of most lofty poverty which has made you, my most beloved brothers, heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven.

Francis asked his followers to renounce not just personal property but also corporate property. He wanted to live in total dependence on the providence of God “naked to follow the naked Christ” (St Jerome).

The Pope authorised Francis’s initiative and soon his little brothers included men from all walks of life - aristocrats, academics and artisans. Francis preached repentance, moving away from feuds and hatred and building peace. For Francis nature was the great picture book of God’s love and abundance. Francis never wavered in his belief in absolute poverty but after his death as his followers became a universal missionary enterprise, compromise was realised as churches were built and priories founded. However the friars lived on the edges of the new towns and cities dependent on the generosity of the people for survival, but also close to those they wanted to evangelize

While Francis was inspiring a new way of living the Gospel in Italy, Dominic was creating an order of preachers who were organised and’ educated but also committed to poverty. For Dominic the mission of preaching and a democratically constituted community mattered but his way of living again valued radical poverty.

Dominicans in their missions were ordered to travel on foot which meant they kept contact with the people. The communities of brothers - friars - caught the popular imagination and while the church establishment viewed their arrival with misgiving they never wanted for patrons. Land was available in the new suburbs while royal patronage was also forthcoming.

The size of the churches built for the friars was not meant to indicate power or prestige but rather a large space to accommodate the crowds who carne to hear the friars preach. The friars preached peace and reconciliation and gave the people a sense of hope and purpose. Holiness was something that could be achieved in married life and being involved in society, it did not entail withdrawal from life into some remote place. Such preaching moved people to repentance and as a result people turned to the friars as confessors who would provide understanding. The idealism and simplicity of the early friars made them popular teachers, as they were perceived as being sensitive to people’s needs.

The commitment to preaching and helping people in their spiritual journey prompted an awareness among the friars of the need for learning for education. The friars soon became involved in the universities, some in pursuit of learning and others who had come from academic backgrounds returning to the schools.

However the friars did not see university life as a profession or a career path, they saw the disinterested pursuit of truth as a high Christian value. Teaching was not a step on the road to benefice, but rather- a service to the community; Friars were happy to go from one place to another teaching and sharing their experience. Because they were free from purely material considerations they had the freedom to pioneer Greek and Hebrew studies and be open to innovations. The great schoolmen of the 13th Century Aquinas, Bonaventure and Albert were as much mystics as academics and others like Tauler and Eckhart were as happy preaching in the market place as they were researching in a library.

While the friars first and foremost spoke to the growing populations of the new towns their commitment and integrity appealed to the wealthy and even the powerful in society. Benefactors were quick to come forward donating land and paying for the building of churches and community lodgings. The friars obviously made an impact and such practical support enabled them to consolidate their apostolic activities.

Kings were also impressed; Henry III of England and Louis IX of France were both promoters of the new mendicant orders. Friars were in demand as preachers and were often entrusted with delicate diplomatic missions. The friars appealed because they seemed to combine integrity and intelligence. However the friars did not seem beholden to their royal patrons and when outspokenness was called for they could respond with vigour and candour. Adam Marsh, one of the early English Franciscans was candid enough to earn the fury of Henry III who had also been criticised by the Dominican Roger Bacon. King Louis of France who was also faced with tough speaking from friars was more inclined to reflect rather than rant.

The later middle ages saw the friars struggling to live up to their ideals sometimes poverty suffered while often the freedom involved in the lifestyle of mendicant preachers was abused. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales paints a less than flattering picture of a friar, while Langland’s Piers Plowman saw a terrible fall from grace amongst the mendicants. Whenever a reform movement took place among the friars, the emphasis was on a deeper commitment to community life and the living out of poverty. Community and common ownership went hand in hand. Too often friars evaded community life by becoming chaplains to the powerful and losing touch with community living.

When we look at the 16th Century Reformation in Western Europe there was a significant involvement by friars. Many genuinely wanted to reform the Church and not to break up its unity. Such reformers were involved in university life and were caught up in. the ferment of ideas that spread through Europe helped by the recent invention of the printing press The climate was not favourable to any official openness and to new ideas since the Papacy lacked the creative intelligence of an Innocent The popes in the early 16th Century were, in the main, caught up in political struggles and religious uniformity was by and large a concern of Kings, princes and the Emperor. However if anything did contribute to a general malaise in the Church it involved wealth and the flamboyant use of resources.

In the light of this historical background, what does being a mendicant, trying to live a simple life as a friar mean today? Our present century is an age marked by globalisation, consumerism and an emphasis on choice. Our planet is divided, a planet with gross inequalities, increasingly scarce resources and too many people “excluded from the banquet of life.” A culture that extols choice and then excludes most members of society because they have no money is fuelling conflict. Choice becomes a hollow concept in communities where children have to take their turn in having access to a meal.

Some fifty years on it is clear that Vatican II was a watershed for religious life. Its documents on the Church and liturgy allowed a space for renewal that was further helped by renewal in biblical studies and in the reading of history. Marxism and the market were also realities that had significant impact. The Marxist analysis of history brought a critical viewpoint that made many religious challenge the assumptions that shaped social and economic life. Catholic social teaching had also begun to analyse social structures and stressed the role of the worker over the profit motive and capital. In fact the Church’s social teaching came to assert that private property is not an absolute right, but rather an aspect of stewardship. Property brings responsibilities and is not something that is for the exclusive use of an individual.

The renewal of interest in biblical studies and a desire by religious orders to return to the founding spirit had significant consequences. For Carmelites, a deeper reading of the rule helped the vision of the Jerusalem Community come to the forefront as a model for prayer and life. The living of poverty through freedom from possessions and a desire to share gifts and life with others became a new energy and a reality. A deeper awareness of the Scriptures as a living word helped a rediscovery of that more reflective way of reading the Scriptures, which is Lectio Divina. When the word of God is read in a contemplative and ruminative manner it soon leads those involved to making connections with life; with the very context in which they live. This especially for Carmelites has led to an awareness of the way of being a praying community in the midst of the people and helps find a focus which provokes a generous involvement in the needs of the people who live alongside us.

Availability, service of the people, sharing of resources are all ways that poverty can be lived as a Gospel calling and they are also ways that the calling of being mendicants can find expression in the 21st century. The search for meaning, the longing for someone to listen and take one seriously are desperate needs today. Carmelites, if they are to be true to their calling, can respond in a significant way to such needs but the response will cost, the cost will be time, patience and commitment.

Medieval Carmelites were often guides and intimates of kings and other leaders in society. Records show that medieval friars could be forthright in their counsel and like other friars had a vision of society where burdens were shared. ‘Today it is clear that our calling draws us to work for justice and the integrity of creation. The new world order since the fall of communism, has done little to help the poor, in fact inequalities and the AIDS pandemic leave an ever growing number of people vulnerable and exploited.

If we are truly mendicant “we will travel light”. “Travelling light” would imply not just a willingness to give up ownership of goods but also a commitment to taking risks as we work for the disadvantaged. Friars are not part of the hierarchy nor have we any privileges or dependents. This leaves a freedom to be outspoken for justice and a readiness to accept the consequences. Often those who are on the fringe might well be rejected by society or seen to be not worth helping. Again prejudice or “economic” arguments can be adduced to excuse or avoid helping groups of people. Another factor can be the ambiguities of situations.

The challenge for Carmelites, and this is a cause for reflection as we begin to engage as an NGO at the United Nations, is that many issues which relate to justice and the integrity of creation are not clear-cut. A desire to help refugees and asylum seekers runs up against the cries that such people are economic migrants. Some countries operate policies that at heart are racist but can be presented in the light of trying to manage scarce resources. However, the contradiction is that money for weapons and war seems readily available despite whatever pleas of shortages had previously been stated. Working in such areas often means that we alienate many members of the establishment and can also feel alienated. However, the prophetic part of our calling should prompt us to be outspoken and do all we can to help educate people about the realities of the situation and counteract misinformation. The media in developed countries often paint a picture of Europe for example being swamped by refugees when the reality is that most refuges are to be found in Africa.

In the Old Testament, Elijah attacked the idols of his time and moving from place to place, he tried to speak God’s word, defying the King and risking his life. For friars in the 21st century, there is a calling as we travel light to confront our contemporary idols and the negative consequences of globalisation. The response and the needs will differ according to where we live. Issues of justice in America, Europe and Australia are different from facing the barrel of a gun in Africa. However, the new media make us present to one another as never before. The information about current realities is an agenda we cannot ignore; it is a challenge needing the discernment of prayer and the spirit However, in a world where combating terrorism so often overturns principles of justice and where the wounds of poverty continue to hurt, we as friars are being asked how our praying communities with our mendicant tradition can really serve our brothers and sisters. I believe our traditions do give us a foundation; and our willingness to be open to God’s word will give direction. What is an energy and a freedom is our insertion in and our living out the mendicant way, ­freedom that comes from being ready to. travel light. The poor pilgrims that set out journeying hopefully so many years ago inspire us to continue the journey today in hope and unfettered by unnecessary attachments.

Opus Sanctorum Angelorum

Holy Silence, the right Partner for Progress

Silence is the fifth of the seven character traits in the Work of the Holy Angels, it allies itself closely with the other six traits. Silence is certainly not a finality in itself: we do not practice silence for silence’s sake, but in view of some other good. Thus, silence is an ancillary virtue like humility (2). A loquacious humility were no humility, it would not be inconspicuous, it would not be prompt and ready to serve. Clearly, humility needs to be imbued with a spirit of silence. Silence serves truth and charity (4). Not every truth is to be blurted out, justice and charity must dictate our speech. Charity is often silent out of compassion and consideration.

Holy silence adds simplicity and nobility to obedience (3); by silence we learn to carry out a task according to the original intention of our superiors, without ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, without adding the ‘signature’ of our own likes and dislikes.

Fidelity (1) would quickly lose its strength if it were not assisted by interior silence. In times of trial, self-dialogue wages a wearying battle against fidelity, chipping away at our perseverance. Just as fidelity is lost in a few falls, even so it is with silence.

Silence can only thrive in communion with temperance (6), for nothing is so difficult to restrain as the tongue. "If any one does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. … The tongue is a small member, but it boasts mightily!" (Jas 3,2.5). Now, self-restraint is the formal mark of temperance and all her children.

Finally, if we wish to learn holy silence, we do well to turn to and imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary (7), who kept all things in her heart, to ponder them. By her silence Mary was intimately associated with the holy Angels. How dear silence should be to us, for there can be no habitual communion with the holy Angels in a soul that does not love and practice silence. "Be on guard against many words," explains St. Dorotheus, "for these extinguish completely the holy and most reasonable thoughts as well as the inspirations coming from heaven", which the holy Angels wish to transmit to us. A soul – or even an entire community – which loses its love for silence, loses sight of its eternal goal.

Importance of Silence

"If you wish to make great progress in virtue, if you wish to arrive at perfection, then observe [holy] silence" (Rodriguez, ibid., II,6). How incredibly important silence is! Innumerable saints attest to this by the witness of their lives. Notwithstanding, there is something in us that makes us wish it really wasn’t true, or at least, that silence were really not so indispensable. Silence, you see, has very much the specter of death about it (don’t people speak of ‘dead silence’?), and what we want is life! Ah, the saints tell us, silence is like the very salt of life, both conserving it and giving it genuine savor. His life is certainly insipid, who does not know how to keep silence.

The Origin of Noise

In Paradise there was, in the moral sense of the term, no noise, for all things contributed together to the glorification of God and the edification of man. Created in grace, all man’s faculties were ordered to the good, to God, in a wonderful symphony of love. Man loved God intensely and supremely by nature and even more by the divine gift of friendship. The infused virtues exercised sweet dominion within human nature, for man had also received the preternatural gift of integrity, whereby all the lower faculties of body and soul were wholly docile to his intellect and will. In his own being man was a veritable paradise. Peace and harmony reigned there, the dialogue of love was framed in holy silence, for there was nothing inordinate in Adam and Eve’s own nature, in their contact with God, with one another, or with creation about them.

But then the ‘diabolos’, the effecter of chaos, the father of lies, sowed falsehood in the mind of Eve; she begot the sin of rebellion and induced Adam into the same chaos. Disorder, dissonance (‘noise’), discordance are the afterbirth of Original Sin. Though not destroyed, our nature was damaged by Original Sin. Although the natural inclination and longing for God remain, the Sirens of self-love seek vigorously to install themselves upon the throne in our heart. While continuing to seek ‘good things’ all the faculties clamor in a disordered way, wanting only their own pleasures.

Noise dissipates and fatigues the soul; in silence we gather our forces. Silence restores order and brings peace, which St. Augustine defines as "the tranquility of order". Without discipline of holy silence Christ cannot reign as King in our heart!

Silence begins with Faith, blossoms in Love

"Numquam minus soli quam soli!" – "Never less alone, than when alone!" – exclaimed St. Bernard. Lovers second his sentiments, which they render with this modern quip: "Two’s plenty, three’s a crowd!" Lovers want to be alone, they want to dedicate themselves exclusively to one another.

Since the ‘beloved’ of the devout soul is the Divine Bridegroom dwelling within, should it not follow that this soul too delights to be alone and free to converse interiorly with the beloved. But this love is a mystery of faith. Hence, holy silence presuppose faith, which is its fertile ground.

In her Memoirs, Sr. Lucy of Fátima sketches well this reflective trait of Bl. Francisco: "Francisco was a boy of few words. Whenever he prayed or offered sacrifices, he preferred to go apart and hide, even from Jacinta and myself. Quite often, we surprised him hidden behind a wall or a clump of blackberry bushes, whither he had ingeniously slipped away to kneel and pray, or ‘think’ as he said, ‘of Our Lord…’ I asked him: ‘Francisco, why don’t you tell me to pray with you, and Jacinta too?’ ‘I prefer praying by myself,’ he answered, ‘so that I can think and console our Lord,…’

"Sometimes, on our way to school, as soon as we reached Fátima, he would say to me: ‘Listen! You go to school, and I’ll stay here in the church, close to the Hidden Jesus. It’s not worth my while learning to read, as I’ll be going to heaven very soon [the Blessed Mother had promised him as much!]. On your way home, come here and call me.’ … Francisco went [to kneel before the tabernacle]. … and that was where I found him on my return [from school, hours later.]" (Chapter: Francisco, Lover of Solitude and Prayer).

The Realms of Silence

We have four faculties in our soul where virtues take up their residence and work: prudence in the mind, justice in the will, fortitude in the irascible (aggressive) appetite and temperance in the concupiscible (pleasure) appetite. These four are called the cardinal virtues, because the moral live hinges upon them; all the other virtues are grouped around them (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1805).

On the supernatural level, however, charity is the inner form of all virtues, for it orders them to the final goal, God, as St. Paul exclaims: "If I have all prophesy and know all mysteries, … if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, … if I distributed all my goods to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body up to be burned, but have not charity, … I am nothing, … it profits me nothing" (1 Cor 13, 2a-3a.2b-3b).

Now we wish to take a look at the cardinal virtues and see one or other of the contributions that silence offers. We can give but an anecdotal sketch of the areas in which silence plays a significant role.

Silence and Prudence

Prudence is the virtue by which we find and deploy the reasonable means in the pursuit of the right end. "A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth" (Prov 17,24). In its relation to the end, prudence is associated with wisdom, by which we savor the supreme goodness of God, so as to judge the value of all things, as it were, from on high. In this context Cardinal Journet writes: "When anyone is in the state of grace, then there is a dialogue, conversation of friend with friend. So we see that the dissipation of mind which so prevails in the world today is a form of madness. We need times of silence: 'Be silent, and see that I am thy God in thy heart.' In times of difficulty or sadness, in times of suffering, if you frequently call to mind that God is in you to give you His love, you will not be alone, you will find the Guest within you, and He will answer you" (The Meaning of Grace).

Means, of course, are not to be desired for their own sake, but only insofar as they help us to the goal. Among all the means silence enjoys a place of honor. In the Cell of Knowledge we hear this exhortation from Our Lord: "If you wear the habergeon or the hair, fasting bread and water, and if you were to say every day a thousand Pater Nosters, you should not please Me so well as you do when you are in silence, and suffer [allow] Me to speak in your soul" (anonymous,14th C. England).

Writing on recollection, Bl. Titus Brandsma, a Carmelite, observed: "A … point emphasized by the Rule is silence and recollection as a necessary condition for a life of prayer. Active recollection, by which we put ourselves and keep ourselves in the presence of God, has always been regarded as the essential preparation for communion with God in the mystical life. Just as the Prophet did not hear the voice of God in the storm, but in the gentle breeze, so the heart of the spiritual man must not be shaken by the storm but must listen for God's voice in the silence of its own interior. The constitutions of the Order have always stressed this. To recover recollection of spirit has ever been the first step of all reform" (Carmelite Historical Sketches, Lect. 2: The Hermits of Carmel).

A retreat master was accustomed to ask the retreatants if they had difficulties with meditation. From the show of hands and nods, it was evident that they did. Then he would ask if many also had difficulties with distractions. Yes, this too, is seemingly a universal affliction. St. Aloysius’ grace of recollection is not given to everyone. At the end of his novitiate, asked if he had had difficulty with distractions, he responded: "All the distractions of the entire year would not amount to the space of a single Hail Mary!"

Playfully, the retreat master would then point out to the group: "You say that you have difficulty with meditation but facility with distractions. Don’t you realize that distractions are just ever so many mini-meditations?" "Where your treasure is, there too shall your heart be!" (Mt 6:21). Distractions are a loss of silence that comes primarily from a lack of poverty and detachment. Distractions are mostly about the things we want to possess, to enjoy, or whose possession we sense is threatened.

Silence and Justice

The most common fault against justice, gossip, could be overcome by discrete silence. How true are the poet’s words: The only instrument that gets sharper with use is the tongue! "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ... With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor" (Prov 10:11; 11:9). The desert father Hyoperrechios accordingly observed: "It’s better to eat meat and to drink wine than to devour one's brother in a feast of slanderous speech" (Apophthegmata, nr. 921).

St. Francis de Sales comments: "From rash judgments proceed mistrust, contempt for others, pride, and self-sufficiency, and numberless other pernicious results, among which stands forth prominently the sin of slander, which is a veritable pest of society. Oh, wherefore can I not take a live coal from God's Altar, and touch the lips of men, so that their iniquity may be taken away and their sin purged, even as the Seraphim purged the lips of Isaiah (6:2ff). He who could purge the world of slander would cleanse it from a great part of its sinfulness!

He who unjustly takes away his neighbor's good name is guilty of sin, and is bound to make reparation, according to the nature of his evil speaking; since no man can enter into Heaven cumbered with stolen goods, and of all worldly possessions the most precious is a good name. Slander is a kind of murder. … St. Bernard says, the devil has possession both of the slanderer and of those who listen to him, of the tongue of the one, the ear of the other" (Devout Life, III, ch. XXIX).

By the same token, justice, at times, may demand that we speak out; here silence would be false and seven sinful: "If you would be justified in condemning a neighbor's sin, you must be sure that it is needful either for his good or that of others to do so. For instance, if light, unseemly conduct is spoken of before young people in a way calculated to injure their purity, and you pass it over, or excuse it, they may be led to think lightly of evil, and to imitate it; and therefore you are bound to condemn all such things freely and at once, unless it is obvious that by reserving your charitable work of reprehension to a future time, you can do it more profitably" (ibid).

Silence and Fortitude

Fortitude strengthens us in the face of death; in daily life it makes its presence felt through its children: patience, meekness, constancy, etc. The practice of interior silence in the face of our neighbor’s character faults (perhaps only apparent) challenges our patience and the constancy of love. Outward silence is not sufficient for virtue; we must also attain to a silence of heart. Patience and meekness cannot exist in separation from holy silence. "Consider," says St. Catherine, "that Divine Charity is so closely joined in the soul with patience, that neither can leave without the other" (Dialogues, Divine Providence). The desert father Hyperrechios exclaimed categorically: "He who does not bridle his tongue at the moment of anger will not overcome the other passions either" (Apophtegmata, nr. 921). The desert father Poemen observed: "There is an individual who seems to practice silence, but his heart condemns others. In reality, such a person is talking constantly" (ibid., nr.601). In the same vein he counseled: "The victory over everything that afflicts you is holy silence" (ibid., nr. 611). For holy silence includes peace of heart.

Silence and Temperance

How naturally we are inclined to pleasure, particularly to those of the palate. Greater than our appetite for food and drink is pleasure in words. For the belly – even of the fool is quickly satiated – but his mouth never grows tired of words. "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, … the mouths of fools feed on folly" (Prov 10:19; 15:14).

The desert father Sisoes confessed: "Behold, now it’s been thirty years that I have no longer prayed to God because of a [certain] sin; but for this I pray: ‘Lord Jesus, protect me against my tongue – and nevertheless, I still fall daily on account of it and sin’" (Apophthegmata, nr. 808).

Whereas the desert fathers did well to practice near total silence in their isolated hermitages, this hardly serves as a model for us in our family or community situations. St. Francis de Sales counsels the right measure in conversation: "The silence, so much commended by wise men of old, does not refer so much to a literal use of few words, as to not using many useless words. On this score, we must look less to the quantity than the quality, and, as it seems to me, our aim should be to avoid both extremes. An excessive reserve and stiffness, which stands aloof from familiar friendly conversation, is untrusting, and implies a certain sort of contemptuous pride; while an incessant chatter and babble, leaving no opportunity for others to put in their word, is frivolous and troublesome" (loc. cit., ch. XXX).

Curiosity

Insatiable is the appetite for news! Coheleth was certainly speaking of curiosity when he affirmed: "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. … the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing" (Ecc 1,7.8b). The soul that gorges itself on newspapers, magazines, radio and television can never come to rest. To this list computer games and surfing must be added. Recent studies show that American youths, for instance, now spend more time before the computer screen and before the television. Formerly, they averaged several hours of TV a day.

False silence out of shame

In the area of temperance one also meets a false kind of silence, used to curtain one’s sense of shame. St. Francis advises: "The best remedy against temptations whether great or small, is to open our hearts and make known our suggestions, feelings and affections to our spiritual director. Remember that silence is the first condition the devil makes with a person whom he wishes to seduce like those who wish to lead astray women or young girls. First of all, they forbid them to communicate the evil proposals to their fathers or husbands. On the contrary, God through His inspirations requires above all that we should make them known to our superiors and spiritual directors" (loc.cit., IV, ch. VII).

Music

A principal danger in modern society comes from music which is both ubiquitous and mostly bad. Here a grave misconception reigns in the minds of those who think that the problem is principally one of bad lyrics. Granted the lyrics are often terrible. Ironically, though, this can constitute but a small part of the problem, since the music is generally so loud one cannot hear the words. No, the primary problem has to do with the very kind of music people are listening to; it is truly seductive. Here is the reason why:

It pertains to the nature of all art to imitate nature. Thus, we recognize good art in those works which tastefully reproduce well the original of nature. In the ordered, clear rendering we find art both beautiful and pleasing. This is particularly evident in the case of painting and sculpture.

If people take delight in distorted art, this is a sign of moral degradation. Unconsciously, you see, they perceive themselves as ugly (in consequence of their sins) and find this brokenness depicted ‘well’ in art. In this sense much of modern art is a true self-revelation (cf. Pope John Paul II, Letter to Artists, 2), for it does, in fact, reproduce the decrepitude it finds in its model, the dissolute generation of today. However, the artist is not just a camera, but he has a mission in society: he should present beauty, which is the visible form of the good (cf. ibid., 3), and so spiritually uplift the viewer.

The case with music is quite distinct and unique. Music does not imitate some extrinsic reality, but rather music imitates the interior passions (emotions) of the soul. Music excites emotions. You do not have to tell a child, "This is happy music" or "This is sad music!" In songs, the medium, that is, the music itself, is the essential message, not the words, and the emotions of our soul are the strings upon which this message is played.

Today’s forms of music aim largely at stimulating sensuality, at provoking a passionate state of soul, whereby the passions are given more and more dominion over reason and will. Whoever understands this, sees immediately the absurdity of speaking of Christian Rock: Behind pious lyrics, the music is constantly and pursuasively caressing the sensual chords of the heart.

Silence is the only effective remedy to sensual, inordinate music: refuse to listen to it! Even good music is to be taken in moderation. Best of all is sacred chant, where the music truly accompanies the spiritual content of the text, such that we not only intellectually believe and adhere to God, but believe in Him more firmly and love Him more intensely with our heart, as well. Sacred music uses the emotions and orders them harmoniously in the life of soul under the worthy direction of intellect and will. In this well-ordered integrity, man is more fit to morally meet the challenge of life. Moreover, he will be more receptive to beauty and joy in life and know how to order all things to the supreme goal.

Recapitulation

Bl. Titus affirmed, "To recover recollection of spirit has ever been the first step of all reform." Less than to a few particular sins, the general state of dissipation and dissolution of modern Christianity may be traced back to the loss of silence, which is concomitant with the spirit of worldliness, in which most other sins take their roots. The choices that led to this catastrophic state were not in themselves grievous sins, but the cumulative effect of defects in prudence, whereby charity grew cold, whereby the means ceased to be used as means and came to be sought as the gratifying end of peoples’ lives.

Those who wish to cultivate a deep friendship with the holy Angels must needs practice silence. In the beginning this is hard, because so much, it seems, is lost. In the end, there is joy, because silence disposes us for the authentic gifts that come to us through Divine love.

In our modern society, people are bombarded with the constant noise of television, cell phones and iPods that drowns out silence essential for fostering holiness, asserted Susan Muto in her paper presented Nov. 16 at the Carmelite Monastery in Roxbury. Muto is an author and executive director of the Epiphany Association, a nonprofit ecumenical center dedicated to spiritual formation.

“Silence is not to be shunned as empty space. It is to be befriended as fertile ground for intimacy with God. Noise has the opposite effect. It tends to fragment us,” she wrote in her paper entitled “The Relevance of the Rule of Carmel on Silence in a Noisy World.”

The work was presented by Sister Vilma Seelaus of the Carmelite Monastery in Barrington, R.I. Muto, a Catholic, holds a doctorate in English literature from the University of Pittsburgh, where she specialized in the work of post-Reformation spiritual writers, was unable to present the paper personally due to a family emergency.

Muto’s paper continued, saying that rather than being a luxury reserved for monks or mountaintops, silence is a survival measure in a noise-polluted world. It allows people of faith to be centered in God, standing on the firm ground of his unchanging love.

The Rule of Carmel, written by St. Albert of Jerusalem and confirmed by Pope Innocent IV in 1247, requires silence of Carmelites from after evening prayer to lauds the next morning.

Though Carmelites need not observe silence as strictly at other times, St. Albert advises them not to indulge “in a great deal of talk.” Instead, silence should be a “sweet fragrance” that seeps through the walls of the Carmel and purifies the outside air.”

“As Scripture has it, and experience teaches no less, sin will not be wanting where there is much talk,” he wrote.

Avoiding gossip is just as important in the office as it is in the monastery, Muto asserted.

“Working in silence produces positive, productive results,” she said.

Christians are called to restrain their speech, to say what they mean and to mean what they say. They need to understand that their words can affect others around them and even their spiritual community. When they curse others, they are cursing people made in the image and likeness of the Lord, Muto said.

Words can mock, abuse the weak, and inflict pain on others by pointing out their faults. They can also be scathing, vengeful remarks that strip a person of dignity or proud words that make the poor feel forgotten by God, she said.

Spending time in silence allows people to collect their thoughts and keeps them from rash words, she said.

“Everyone needs silence,” she said. “To neglect this need is to risk living a tense, fragmented, spiritless life. If we do not nourish our souls, they atrophy as does a body without food. To maintain any kind of Christ-like presence in the world, we need to seek silence and its fruits.”

Spiritual reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation are aided by silence and give the faithful the opportunity to encounter their Creator, she said.

“The encounter between the soul and God ultimately transcends what language can contain. In many ways, such intimacy is unspeakable. It is beyond words.”

Muto finished by quoting St. John of the Cross who said, “The Father spoke one Word, which was his Son, and this Word he speaks always in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul.”

Sister Vilma, who has lived the Rule of Carmel for over 50 years, gave her reflections and answered audience questions after reading Muto’s paper. Sister Vilma recently published a book entitled “Distractions in Prayer: Blessings or a Curse?”

“I’m not sure if such a presentation leads itself to questions or to mindfulness meditation,” she began.

Sister Vilma said that St. Theresa of Avila affirmed that God is always present, even “in the pots and pans.” It takes practice to learn to feel his presence around us, she added.

Sister Claire Thornton, a Sister of the Holy Cross, said the talk emphasized the importance of silence in a world cluttered with noise.

“When I sit on the subway and I see people with their cell phones and their iPods on, it seems to me that as a culture we’re having an increasingly difficult time being still,” she said.

Young people are creating their own worlds, she added.

Evelyn Morrissey, parishioner at St. John the Baptist Parish in Quincy, agreed, adding that it can be easy to feel invisible to others on public transportation.

Morrissey said she has been the recipient of harsh words and hopes that more people will learn to reflect before they speak. She finds it necessary to at times remain silent and stay in God’s presence in order to not react rashly.

A privileged meeting with The Carmelite Nuns at their home in Addington.

This program was made as part of CTV's 'Up Close and Personal' Series
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December 2013

Initium Novitiatus

• 08-12-13 Mary Lucy Nthule Mumo (MAC), Machakos, Kenya
• 08-12-13 Mary Assumpta Kamene (MAC), Machakos, Kenya
• 14-12-13 Cesaltino Dos Santos (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste
• 14-12-13 David Soares (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste
• 14-12-13 Juliao Dos Santos (Aust), Hera, Timor Leste

Professio Temporanea

• 14-12-13 Mª del Pilar del Espíritu Santo (VAL), Valencia, España
• 14-12-13 Inmaculada de la Stma. Trinidad (VAL), Valencia, España

Ordinatio Sacerdotalis

• 14-12-13 Anthony Trung Nguyen (SEL), Middletown, New York, USA
• 14-12-13 Praween Lawrence (STSA), Vellappilly, India
• 28-12-13 Jijo Augustine Mattappillil (Ind), Sleevamala, India

*foto: Ordinatio Sacerdotalis de Anthony Trung Nguyen (SEL), Middletown, New York, USA