Still On Track - But It's a Long Haul


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It doesn't help when I forget my login name... *laughs*

I'm still in the game. I love the Franciscan Charism and the *healthy* Community there is at St Clare.

There is another Fraternity, where I know a lot of the members, and they have a vested interest--like publishing and campaigning--in what I would call a charismatic type; that is, she apparently literally speaks to God. She's been to Rome and knocked on a few important doors. Now, since there's a priest involved that I have a lot of respect for (he married TJ and I, that's how much I adore the man), I have to give it the benefit of the doubt. I do believe that she's devout, a woman of God, a model Catholic--no, it's just my native cynicism.

In the delving into more info and reflection on same, at this juncture probably my only reservation is the liberal lean within the Order. Inclusiveness, well, I can live with that. But when they have liturgical dancing at the Casa de Paz y Bien... and Enneagrams... and... and... oh God, just browse the catalog!

*cries*

But I could handle the Spiritual Spa Day of Retreat!

In all seriousness, when we know what Christ really meant, without skewing it to our societal norms, why must the envelope be pushed? It's supposed to be a Catholic Retreat house, for heaven's sake!

Since when is Tai Chi part of Catholic spirituality? Or the Labyrinth? Or finding the meaning in the dark side of dreams? How can one focus on the Holy Trinity and the mysteries of Scripture when there's more emphasis on the me-me-me, touchy-feely crap going on? The catalog reads more like the one at Mesa Community, or Tempe Parks and Rec.

But Franciscanism, much like the Jesuits, leans to that end of the spectrum. I read enough to know that the Jesuits had a collective heart attack when when it was announced Josephum... Cardinalem Ratzinger-- and I know of one friar who was publicly disdainful in a homily abou the blessed and wonderful election of the Holy Father.

That's probably going to be my hardest row to hoe: reconciling the liberalism of the Order with my innate conservatism.