Spirituality Types within the Catholic Tradition
Within the Catholic Church there are many types of spirituality. We speak of “Benedictine spirituality”, “Dominican spirituality”, or “Franciscan spirituality” - to name a few. These spiritualities have their origin in great spiritual leaders after whom they are named; Benedictine spirituality is from St. Benedict and so on. A particular spirituality is a specific system, or schema of beliefs, virtues, ideals and principles which form a particular way to approach God and therefore all life in general.These spiritualities are different, but not contradictory. They all arise from the same Christian heritage and they all aim at the same goal – to love as Jesus loved.
Augustinian Spirituality
The spirituality that is richly expressed in St. Augustine's writings is one of warmth and of love. The heart, which artists have often portrayed Augustine holding, is a key to this spirituality. For Augustine the heart is a metaphor for all that is deepest, truest and personal in one's self. He makes frequent use of the heart to signify the affective aspect of faith in God.
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Benedictine Spirituality
The genius of Benedict’s Rule comes from its simplicity and its call back to the basics of scripture, prayer, solitude, community, and service, which transcend political turmoil and cultural upheaval. The Rule offers guidelines for ordinary people living ordinary lives. In the midst of the frenzy of twenty-first century life, the simplicity of Benedict’s priorities can enable us to center our lives in Christ in the midst of the many responsibilities, priorities and commitments that absorb us.
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Carmelite Spirituality
Carmelite spirituality is characterized by an intense thirst for an immediate and direct experience of God. Reduced to its most fundamental expression, Carmelite spirituality is centered on prayer, understood as loving friendship with God, and contemplation as the free gift of God. Hence, Carmelite spirituality is focused on attention to one’s relationship with Jesus. This is expressed in various ways in the major sources of Carmelite spirituality, such as the Rule of St. Albert, the writings of the founders of Discalced Carmel Sts. Teresa and John of the Cross, and indeed in the writings of all our Carmelite saints.
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Cistercian Spirituality
The Cistercians are a cloistered monastic order, meaning that the monks themselves commit to a life of stability within the enclosure of a particular monastery, seldom traveling or even leaving the monastery grounds without good reason.
So what is Cistercian spirituality? And how can it be adapted to the life of a layperson outside of a monastery? To answer these questions, the concept of charisms is essential. In his book What Makes a Cistercian Monk?, Fr. Anthony Delisi lists a number of characteristic qualities central to Cistercian identity. These are understood as gifts from God—more than just a list of virtues that someone can decide to make their own (although, certainly, anyone could benefit from intentionally seeking to cultivate these values in their own life). Some of the Cistercian charisms include silence, solitude, simplicity, labor, obedience (primarily to Christ, but also to one's abbot or abbess), humility, hospitality, stability, patience, and ongoing conversion.
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Dominican Spirituality
The way in which Dominicans live out their religious life is an expression of what one might call ‘Dominican spirituality’. As fr Paul Murray OP notes, “the primary concern of the early Dominicans was not to announce the arrival of a new spirituality, but rather... to preach the good news of the Gospel.” However, “a number of underlying themes and concerns, ideas and reactions, which recur in the writings of Dominicans” and of course, elements found in the Constitutions and Ordinations of the Order, point towards four ‘pillars’ of Dominican life drawn from a common spirituality. These are
- Preaching - Prayer - Study - Community They are inspired by the example of St Dominic who was said to be always either “talking to God or talking about God.” Read More. |
Many Dominicans would say that Dominican spirituality is hard to define, because we are always seeking new ways to express God’s touch in our lives. Fundamentally, the Order is defined by its preaching mission.
Dominicans would also describe our life in terms of four pillars: prayer, study, community and ministry. Read more. |
Franciscan Spirituality:
St. Francis and Franciscan theologians lived and preached and wrote about the many ways that creation is good and the life we have been given is a joyous opportunity. Learn about Franciscan Spirituality at the Franciscan Earth Corps, A project of Franciscan Action Network. Or From the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota. |
Ignatian Spirituality
Ignatian spirituality reminds us that God pursues us in the routines of our home and work life, and in the hopes and fears of life's challenges. The founder of the Jesuits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, created the Spiritual Exercises to deepen our relationship with Christ and to move our contemplation into service.
Ignatian spirituality is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by keen discernment, and an active life of service to others. Learn More about Ignatian Spirituality. |