Cistercian Spirituality
An Ashram Perspective
Cistercian Spirituality
An Ashram Perspective
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Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780879070267
Number of Pages: 136
Published: 01/04/2011
Width: 14 cm
Height: 21.6 cm
Cistercian Spirituality: An Ashram Perspective is a spiritual directory written by Fr. Francis Acharya for the monastic community that he founded at Kurisumala (Kerala, India). As the editor, Fr. Michael Casey, relates in the introduction:
This book is offered to a wider world in the hope that it will serve as a means of making and deepening contact with the spirit of the Cistercian tradition not so much as it is written but as it has been lived for over six decades by a deeply spiritual man. To those who know of Kurisumala Ashram or who have read the biography of Fr. Francis, it will provide a gateway to an understanding of the interior life of this remarkable monk. In particular, his description of the stages of the experience of prayer will certainly be helpful to many who, like him, are lifelong seekers of the unseen God."
Francis Acharya, OCSO, (1912-2002) left the Belgian monastery of Scourmont in 1955, after twenty years as a Trappist, to live his monastic life in India. His experiences put him in contact with such other pioneering spirits as Henri Le Saux (Abishiktananda), Jules Monchanin (In Quest of the Absolute), and Bede Griffiths (Return to the Centre, The Golden String), and led to an uncommonly successful inculturation of Christian monasticism within Indian culture and spirituality at Kurisumala, where he served as Acharya, teacher, until his death in 2001. His biography, Kurisumala: Francis Mahieu Acharya, A Pioneer of Christian Monasticism in India, is also published by Cistercian Publications.
CONTENTS
Introduction by Fr. Michael Casey, ocso xi
Prologue xv
PART ONE:
MONASTIC TRADITION AND CISTERCIAN LIFE
Chapter 1: The Root Vocation of Christian Dedicated Life 3
1. The Fullness of Christian Life 3
2. Monastic Life and Contemplative Life 5
3. The Various Forms of Monastic Life 6
4. Models of the Monastic Life 8
5. The Monk in the Church 13
Chapter 2: Benedictine Monasticism 15
1. The Monopoly of the Benedictine Rule in the West 15
2. Saint Benedict and the Monastic Tradition 15
3. The Benedictine Tradition 17
Chapter 3: Cîteaux 19
1. The Spirit of Early Cîteaux 19
2. The Reforms of the Order of Cîteaux 22
3. Tradition and Renewal 24
4. Conclusion 26
5. A View of Benedictine History 27
PART TWO: THE SCHOOL OF THE LORD’S SERVICE LEADING TO PERFECT LOVE
Chapter 4: The Great Renunciation 31
1. Compunction of Heart, Conversion, Renunciation 31
2. Dedicated Chastity 33
3. Evangelical Poverty 34
4. Humility and Monastic Obedience 38
5. Solitude and Silence, with Universal Brotherly Love 41
6. Stability 44
7. The Monastic Habit: Symbol of Renunciation 45
Chapter 5: The Monastery, School of the Lord’s Service 47
1. The Spiritual Fatherhood of the Abbot 47
2. The Abbot and His Collaborators 50
3. Fraternal Life 52
Chapter 6: Bodily Asceticism 56
1. The Meaning of Bodily Asceticism 56
2. The Great Laws of Asceticism 57
3. Bodily Exercises and Manual Work 58
Chapter 7: The Monk’s Prayer 61
1. Essence and Dimensions of Christian Prayer 61
2. Stages of the Life of Prayer 62
3. Liturgical Prayer and Private Prayer 64
4. The Component Parts of Liturgical and Private Prayer 65
5. The Guard over the Heart and Unceasing Prayer 70
PART THREE: THEOLOGY OF THE MONASTIC LIFE
Chapter 8: The Deification of the Christian 79
1. The Holiness and Nearness of God 79
2. Supernatural, Mystical Anthropology 83
3. The Redeeming Economy 87
4. Sacramental Grace and Personal Effort 89
5. The Word of God and Spiritual Life 91
Chapter 9: The Growth of the Life in Christ 93
1. The Active Stage of the Spiritual Life 93
2. Purity of Heart, Aim of the “Active Life” 95
3. Contemplation and Spiritual Sobriety 96
4. The First Manifestation of Contemplation 97
5. Pure Prayer and Unceasing Prayer 98
6. The Law of Unceasing Progress 99
Epilogue 100
Appendix: The History of the Monks in Egypt 109
Introduction by Fr. Michael Casey, ocso xi
Prologue xv
PART ONE:
MONASTIC TRADITION AND CISTERCIAN LIFE
Chapter 1: The Root Vocation of Christian Dedicated Life 3
1. The Fullness of Christian Life 3
2. Monastic Life and Contemplative Life 5
3. The Various Forms of Monastic Life 6
4. Models of the Monastic Life 8
5. The Monk in the Church 13
Chapter 2: Benedictine Monasticism 15
1. The Monopoly of the Benedictine Rule in the West 15
2. Saint Benedict and the Monastic Tradition 15
3. The Benedictine Tradition 17
Chapter 3: Cîteaux 19
1. The Spirit of Early Cîteaux 19
2. The Reforms of the Order of Cîteaux 22
3. Tradition and Renewal 24
4. Conclusion 26
5. A View of Benedictine History 27
PART TWO: THE SCHOOL OF THE LORD’S SERVICE LEADING TO PERFECT LOVE
Chapter 4: The Great Renunciation 31
1. Compunction of Heart, Conversion, Renunciation 31
2. Dedicated Chastity 33
3. Evangelical Poverty 34
4. Humility and Monastic Obedience 38
5. Solitude and Silence, with Universal Brotherly Love 41
6. Stability 44
7. The Monastic Habit: Symbol of Renunciation 45
Chapter 5: The Monastery, School of the Lord’s Service 47
1. The Spiritual Fatherhood of the Abbot 47
2. The Abbot and His Collaborators 50
3. Fraternal Life 52
Chapter 6: Bodily Asceticism 56
1. The Meaning of Bodily Asceticism 56
2. The Great Laws of Asceticism 57
3. Bodily Exercises and Manual Work 58
Chapter 7: The Monk’s Prayer 61
1. Essence and Dimensions of Christian Prayer 61
2. Stages of the Life of Prayer 62
3. Liturgical Prayer and Private Prayer 64
4. The Component Parts of Liturgical and Private Prayer 65
5. The Guard over the Heart and Unceasing Prayer 70
PART THREE: THEOLOGY OF THE MONASTIC LIFE
Chapter 8: The Deification of the Christian 79
1. The Holiness and Nearness of God 79
2. Supernatural, Mystical Anthropology 83
3. The Redeeming Economy 87
4. Sacramental Grace and Personal Effort 89
5. The Word of God and Spiritual Life 91
Chapter 9: The Growth of the Life in Christ 93
1. The Active Stage of the Spiritual Life 93
2. Purity of Heart, Aim of the “Active Life” 95
3. Contemplation and Spiritual Sobriety 96
4. The First Manifestation of Contemplation 97
5. Pure Prayer and Unceasing Prayer 98
6. The Law of Unceasing Progress 99
Epilogue 100
Appendix: The History of the Monks in Egypt 109
