The Irish Catholic Hermit

The Brief Rule of St. Romuald “Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms — never leave it. If you have just come to the monastery, and in spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want, take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with your mind. And if your mind wanders as you read, do not give up; hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more. Realize above all that you are in God’s presence, and stand there with the attitude of one who stands before the emperor. Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God, like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him.” Summary of the Rule: In summary, Saint Romuald ’s seven-step Brief Rule for novice-hermits comprises a surprisingly rich set of exercises for training in contemplation w...

T he Priest is the common father, as it were, of all the world; it is proper therefore that he should care for all, even as  God , whom he serves. F or this reason, he says ,  I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.   F rom this, two advantages result. F irst,  hatred  towards those who are without is done away; for no one can feel  hatred  towards those for whom he  prays : and they again are made better by the  prayers  that are offered for them, and by losing their ferocious disposition towards us. F or nothing is so apt to draw men under teaching, as to  love , and be loved. T hink what it was for those who  persecuted , scourged, banished, and slaughtered the  Christians , to hear that those whom they treated so barbarously offered fervent  prayers  to God for them. O bserve how he wishes a  Christian ...