The Beginning of the School of Work and Prayer:
Christelle and I are committed to building the School of Work and Prayer. At this time we have a vision in our heads as to what the School of Work and Prayer is (this is the written proposal many of you have seen), but we need to flesh the vision out on paper as the first step to making it happen. We need clarification of thought. That’s where we need your input and help.
We are using a book called HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT to guide us in this initial planning process. This book was written to aid intentional communities in long term effective land management and development. Through this planning process we hope to provide as stable and lasting a foundation, as humanly possible, for the School of Work and Prayer.
So, for our first task in this planning process, we need to write a SHORT statement of purpose, in ten words or less, for the School of Work and Prayer. We have already thought of one and here it is: THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL OF WORK AND PRAYER IS TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION IN CARMELITE CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER AND SANCTIFYING WORK.
What do YOU think the purpose of the School of Work and Prayer is? What do you think of the purpose as we have written it?
There will be a 2 week comment/work period for this task.
posted by Christopher Hagen | 9:00 AM
2 Comments:
By Carmelite prayer, I mean the path of prayer to union with God as outlined by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.
Several of you have raised concerns about limiting our prayer emphasis to Carmelite prayer. Your concerns, as we understand them, are that if we limit ourselves to Carmelite prayer, we will unnecessarily ignore the many other valid types of prayer in the Church. I think some clarification of thought on what we mean by Carmelite prayer would help.
In an earlier comment I wrote, “[b]y Carmelite prayer, I mean the path of prayer to union with God as outlined by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.” I wish to stand behind this definition of Carmelite prayer and to demonstrate why the teaching of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross is essential for a SCHOOL of work and PRAYER.
There are 33 doctors of the Church. Of those 33, only two are doctors of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. Therefore, according to Holy Mother Church, if we would go to school for prayer, St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross are the best teachers.
Far from excluding the various types of prayer found in the Eastern, Franciscan, Ignatian, and other spiritualities, the teaching of these doctors of prayer, encompasses these types of prayer and puts them in the proper context of the soul’s journey to God. As one climbs a mountain, sometimes you need regular walking shoes when the path is smooth. When the path gets a bit uneven and rocky, hiking boots will be most helpul. Going straight up the face of a glacier, crampons are handy. Traversing a snow field requires snowshoes. Various foot wear is appropriate for different stages of the climb. However, what is most helpful is a guide, a person who has climbed this mountain and helped many other people do the same. This guide knows what footwear is appropriate for each stage of the climb. St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross are the best guides when it comes to the journey to God through prayer.
Therefore, all helpful forms of prayer will be welcomed at the School of Work and Prayer. But our guides will be the two Carmelite doctors of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.
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