Father Thomas Keating’s parting wisdom for a divided church and country

On Oct. 26, one of the great spiritual leaders of our time, Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., died at the age of 95 at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Spencer, Mass. Though he was known only to a relatively small circle during his life, his loss is being felt by thousands who like me, met him, studied his thinking and counted him as a gentle guide to our most personal challenges and a soaring guide to the aspirations of the spiritual life. But beyond the impact on those of us who knew and loved him, he left us a powerful but unlikely solution to our current national crisis: centering prayer.

Father Keating was a member of one of the most austere and rigorous Christian religious communities—the Cistercians—and the strictest version of that community, known as the Trappists. Trappists are men and women monks like many others: They dedicate their lives to vigorous physical work, observe a strict schedule of chanting the Psalms, usually six times per day, live mostly in silence apart from others, and believe their vocation to be one that leads to deeper love of God and healing in the world. Father Keating entered the monastery at 21.

“I joined the Trappists,” he once told me, “because they were the most demanding, and that’s what I wanted.”

Father Thomas Keating’s parting wisdom for a divided church and country

Please, no debates !

Centered In Christ Jesus
Jim

zippy2006 said:

Requiescat in Pace!

Working link:

Father Thomas Keating’s parting wisdom for a divided church and country

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Thanks !

I didn't realize the link I provided was broken


In Christ

Jim

I was surprised to learnt that Father Keating was born into a prosperous New York Family, back in 1922.

His father was a lawyer and Fr Keating himself, attended Yale University and his education there led him into the Trappists.

I knew he was also the Abbot at St Joseph's Abby in Spencer, MA and I have spoken to monks and others who knew him personally.

I learned Centering Prayer from Fr Keating's teaching, over 40 years ago, via a priest who learned from Fr Keating on a retreat week-end. Centering Prayer has been part of my daily prayer routine ever since.

RIP Fr Keating !

Jim