Association Of Catholic Bloggers

If you want to grow in spirituality, and learn the mystic way, then you will want to get a copy of David Torkington’s  Wisdom from the Western Isles . In this thought provoking book, we meet the main character, Peter Calvay, a mystic in his own right. He acts as a spiritual guide for a young man named James. Torkington does a masterful job at interweaving the stories of the two men’s lives, who are completely different. James is Protestant, searching for meaning in his life. Peter is a middle-aged Catholic, who experienced much spiritual growth and is considered a mystic. Through Peter’s kindness and willingness to share his experiences and knowledge with James, we all get the benefit of Peter’s  Wisdom from the Western Isles . The story is set in Torkington’s native England, thus the reference to the Western Isles. Peter Calvay teaches us how to pray, and why we should pray daily. One of my favorite lines states, “Prayer is a process of continual inner conversion th...

How Often Do We Think to Turn to God for Wisdom? Lord, There are things in this world that clearly perplex me. Illness, Death, Poverty Just to name a few. There are things to surprise and delight me as well. There I need your guidance on which you have for me and to know my limits. Generous are your ways, it is clear you hold nothing back except for that which is not for my best. For YOU know the plans you have alone for me.

Learning Something New My road to sitting with Jesus in Adoration began nearly 10 years ago.  Quite, some might say serendipitously but after spending many hours in His presence, I would say this has the Holy Spirit's finger prints all over it!! My husband and I, along with our children, had just made the transition to this new Church.  It was actually where we met and were eventually married,  but we'd not worshiped there since our wedding nearly 20 years earlier.  We had moved out of town, and spent many years at my childhood Church until circumstances changed and it became clear we had to find a new place to call our Spiritual Home

Every human being is basically blind to their own faults and sin. There are many reasons we cannot seem to die to self and enjoy communion with God – psychological reasons, inherited sin, pride, the tendency to control and other self-defeating behaviours. However, I think the biggest barrier to receiving the Love of God is egocentricity; we are centred on ourselves, on our own efforts to perfect ourselves instead of admitting defeat, taking our eyes off our own efforts, and allowing Christ to work out His salvation in our hearts. continue reading

Cristina Trinidad visits A Seeking Heart with Allison Gingras on BreadboxMedia.com.   We discuss a fabulous new book that I was sent to review  and fell in love with How to Read Your Way to Heaven   by Vicki Burbach (Sophia Institute Press) All Rights Reserved, Allison Gingras 2017

We Christians should laugh at ourselves as we go through the inner transformation because most of our inner anguish is self-inflicted and really quite ridiculous.  Of course dying to self is not all fun and games but a sense of humour helps put our pain in perspective. continue reading

Just a few quotes from the Saints, Scripture and fellow Christians  to remind serious-minded Catholics to laugh.  Somehow the average Catholic does not associate joy with holiness but believes holiness is synonymous with misery and suffering.  However, suffering is not miserable when we are suffused with the love of God and filled with His Spirit. In this post, I will simply overwhelm you with quotes all affirming the fact that joy is at the core of our spirits when we live in, with, and through Christ. St. Ignatius of Loyola understood the power of God's joy when he  invited  believers to, "Laugh and grow strong." He understood, "The joy of the Lord IS our strength." C.S. Lewis had an amusing way of describing Christian joy as the serious business of heaven. continue reading

Are you a night worrier? My mother has never had any trouble falling asleep at night. But once in a while, if she’s unlucky enough to wake up during the night, that’s it for sleeping. She calls them “racing thoughts.” Turning, churning, and tumbling in her mind at a pace that won’t stop. What is it about the middle of the night that things always seem so dire? We awake with a feeling of dread. A worry that seemed small during the day seems to blow up in the dark of our bedroom. Taking on a menacing shape. Like that monster from our childhood, threatening to creep out and grab us in our sleep. Larger problems seem insurmountable, even hopeless.         Read more

Have you written a blog post on Catholic spirituality that your readers loved? Has another blogger's post inspired you to grow closer to Christ? Now is the time to nominate yourself or them for a 2013 Frankie Award. Named in honor of the great spiritual director and patron saint of journalists St. Francis de Sales, the Frankie Award recognizes the best in Catholic spiritual writing. The award winner will receive a special badge to proudly display on his or her blog, along with a $10 gift certificate to Mystic Monk Coffee. Plus, the winning post will be posted in full here at CSBN. I will promote it on social media and encourage CSBN members and our readers to do so as well. Read the rules at Catholic Spirituality Blogs Network.

Some religious people would maintain that only an active Christian can act lovingly. Yet Pope Francis and even Sacred Scriptures disagree with this narrow view. St. Paul explains that God will judge everyone by  much  how truth God has revealed to them. If a tribe hidden in a jungle has never heard the gospel, God will  judge them based on what they know and St. Paul assures us that all men have the basic laws of God carved into their hearts. In modern language, we all have an awareness of good and evil or a conscience.  God has inscribed a moral code on my heart. It is  hidden in my deepest self. Actually, if  as an adult, I can block out my own ego and simply stop to listen, I can live a holy life. In fact Christ  offers an easy way to sanctity, to loving God and each other.  A spirituality that a child understands. A spirituality that St.Thérèse of Liseux understood .  Relax. Give up striving. Surrende...

    Everyone has an idiolect --a collection of personal speech habits that is different from anyone else's. Have you ever thought about your spiritual idiolect ? Since your soul is unique, you have a personal way of speaking to God that no one else completely shares. Today I am announcing the creation of a new blog that will help you find and fine-tune your spiritual idiolect. Catholic Spirituality Blogs Network is a community of Catholic bloggers who have come together to promote growth in Christ. Each of us has his or her own blog on authentic Catholic spirituality. Some of us are Carmelites. Others are Benedictines. Some practice Ignatian spirituality. Others' blog posts are more eclectic. We hope that by sharing our spiritual idiolects, you will find yours. You have a secret name known only to God   Jesus told the Apostle John, "To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name writ...

As a Christian I am bound to follow my conscience, my inner guide to doing good and to avoiding evil.    Every Evening, as the day winds down, I spend about  ten minutes at the beginning of "Night Prayer" to review my day by examining my conscience.  The guide that I have found most helpful lately is called "An Examen." I like this way of reflecting on my day because it is balanced.  It helps me see both the times I practiced virtue as well as the times I sinned.  This is in contrast to other examinations I have used which emphasize only the sinful acts.  Noticing God's goodness and appreciating his providence is another outcome that has helped me.  I feel a strong impulse to give God glory and praise as a result. Read more here .