Wanted to share this email with you (with permission from Matthew). Please check out Matthew's site to see what he is working on. I copied the text of the latest newsletter below but the lovely images did not copy. His newsletters can also be found on the site.
I have been praying that the Lay Fraternity might grow in North America and realize now that it is a shortsighted prayer. I will pray that the spirituality of Charles may become more widely known and many more Foucauld groups will spring up. And Charles would say it's the spirituality of Jesus - Cry the Gospel. I'm also hoping that the cause for canonization of Br. Charles will appear on Pope Francis' desk.
Peace and Caritas, Lorraine
From: matthew.manint@gmail.com
Sent: 6/12/2013 3:02:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Newsletter for June
Hello all,
Attached you will find my newsletter for June.
Have a blessed summer,
Matthew
Sent: 6/12/2013 3:02:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Newsletter for June
Hello all,
Attached you will find my newsletter for June.
Have a blessed summer,
Matthew
Please visit coastcaritas.wordpress.com for resources and updates on what
I'm doing!
Love your neighbor as yourself
-Jesus
I want to accustom all the inhabitants ...to look on me as their brother
-Jesus
I want to accustom all the inhabitants ...to look on me as their brother
-Br. Charles de Foucauld
June 2013
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray all is well with you. Things here in Biloxi are progressing normally—hurricane season is upon us, and the Least Terns have set up their nesting spots on the beach. I love to watch the development of their chicks. When an adult lands with a fish in its mouth, all the little chicks come streaming out from their hiding places in the grass, running towards the adult. The adult bird then hops about, trying to figure out which one belongs to it. It’s quite comical.
In other news, I preached my first retreat this past May for The Apostles of the Interior
Life at the monastery at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. The Apostles’ charism is
spiritual direction, and in 2003 I had spent 5 months with them in Rome. Needless to say, I was pretty nervous about what to say, as they are all very holy women. Also on the retreat were a consecrated laywoman and a woman who is seeking to become a consecrated virgin for the archdiocese of Kansas City.
The Holy Spirit must have had pity on me, for they all said that they enjoyed the retreat.
It was a beautiful experience for me, too. Have a wonderful summer, and pray for me!
In peace and love,
Matthew
Meditation for June 2013
The Agony and Necessity of Change
One of my favorite stories about the spiritual life is The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. It is a parable about souls in Hell drawing near to Heaven and given one last chance to enter. Hell is portrayed as a dismal, gray city where people live as far apart from each other as possible. When they visit the green fields outside Heaven, they appear as wispy ghosts compared to the solid, brilliant bodies of the holy ones.
A detail of the story that has always remained with me is how the very grass is unyielding to their feet. Indeed, walking upon the grass is horribly painful. One ghost gets his thumb caught between the rustling stems of a bush, and it is pinched horribly. Yet, those from Heaven who are speaking with the ghosts assure them that, with time, they will grow stronger and the pain will lessen. How appropriate an image to ponder after being on retreat! For me, retreats always highlight the areas that I need to change.
There is a mix of gratefulness to God for revealing these areas, but also a fear that I will not be able to go through with it. Whenever a change is made, there is a pain, a wrenching, that occurs. The part of us that was attached to our former ways cries out in protest. But we can also be assured that, if our reason for change is good, then the pain will diminish. The graces poured out upon us will strengthen us, and we will be more capable of walking upon this substantial road with solid feet.
Some might ask why we should even bother with giving up little attachments to sin that we enjoy? What’s the harm? CS Lewis writes, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.” We hear the wisps from Hell justifying their pet sins and behaviors when those from Heaven ask them to simply give them up. The effect is simultaneously comic and tragic, for they stubbornly choose the smallest, stupidest things to cling to. Isn’t that just like us?
And so, there must always be a turning away, a going back, a repentance. We clear away the weeds, yet must always be on the watch for new ones. Lewis beautifully sums this up: “I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A sum can be put right: but only by going back til you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on.”
Where are the errors in our lives? Let’s go back, find the errors, and confidently walk forward on the correct road. Sure, it will be painful at first, but we will always find the strength that is needed.
June 2013
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray all is well with you. Things here in Biloxi are progressing normally—hurricane season is upon us, and the Least Terns have set up their nesting spots on the beach. I love to watch the development of their chicks. When an adult lands with a fish in its mouth, all the little chicks come streaming out from their hiding places in the grass, running towards the adult. The adult bird then hops about, trying to figure out which one belongs to it. It’s quite comical.
In other news, I preached my first retreat this past May for The Apostles of the Interior
Life at the monastery at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. The Apostles’ charism is
spiritual direction, and in 2003 I had spent 5 months with them in Rome. Needless to say, I was pretty nervous about what to say, as they are all very holy women. Also on the retreat were a consecrated laywoman and a woman who is seeking to become a consecrated virgin for the archdiocese of Kansas City.
The Holy Spirit must have had pity on me, for they all said that they enjoyed the retreat.
It was a beautiful experience for me, too. Have a wonderful summer, and pray for me!
In peace and love,
Matthew
Meditation for June 2013
The Agony and Necessity of Change
One of my favorite stories about the spiritual life is The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. It is a parable about souls in Hell drawing near to Heaven and given one last chance to enter. Hell is portrayed as a dismal, gray city where people live as far apart from each other as possible. When they visit the green fields outside Heaven, they appear as wispy ghosts compared to the solid, brilliant bodies of the holy ones.
A detail of the story that has always remained with me is how the very grass is unyielding to their feet. Indeed, walking upon the grass is horribly painful. One ghost gets his thumb caught between the rustling stems of a bush, and it is pinched horribly. Yet, those from Heaven who are speaking with the ghosts assure them that, with time, they will grow stronger and the pain will lessen. How appropriate an image to ponder after being on retreat! For me, retreats always highlight the areas that I need to change.
There is a mix of gratefulness to God for revealing these areas, but also a fear that I will not be able to go through with it. Whenever a change is made, there is a pain, a wrenching, that occurs. The part of us that was attached to our former ways cries out in protest. But we can also be assured that, if our reason for change is good, then the pain will diminish. The graces poured out upon us will strengthen us, and we will be more capable of walking upon this substantial road with solid feet.
Some might ask why we should even bother with giving up little attachments to sin that we enjoy? What’s the harm? CS Lewis writes, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.” We hear the wisps from Hell justifying their pet sins and behaviors when those from Heaven ask them to simply give them up. The effect is simultaneously comic and tragic, for they stubbornly choose the smallest, stupidest things to cling to. Isn’t that just like us?
And so, there must always be a turning away, a going back, a repentance. We clear away the weeds, yet must always be on the watch for new ones. Lewis beautifully sums this up: “I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A sum can be put right: but only by going back til you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on.”
Where are the errors in our lives? Let’s go back, find the errors, and confidently walk forward on the correct road. Sure, it will be painful at first, but we will always find the strength that is needed.
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