The Irish Catholic Hermit

L ord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.   The Prayer Rule of the Jesus Prayer Rope. I n the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. G lory to thee, our God, glory to thee. O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things; Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of Life – come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. H oly God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (Thrice) G lory be to the Father  and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, i s now,  and ever shall be,  world without end.   Amen. A ll-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name's sake. L ord, have mercy. (Thrice) G lory be to the Father  and to the Son,  and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, i s now,  and ever shall be,  world w

  Saint Sophrony the Athon ite (+July 11, 1993) is one of the most beloved Orthodox Christian elders of our times. In this rare audio recording he recalls   a wonderful moment when he met a hermit on the seashore. In this meeting it was revealed to him the power of prayer for the whole world. Essex Monastery, December 28th, 1992 Audio source  English translation adapted after the Romanian version of Fr. Rafail Noica, Cuvantari Duhovnicesti I (27). Saint Sophrony: I remember a wonderful moment that is forever imprinted in my mind. It was at the very beginning of my monastic life, in 1925 or 1926. I was walking on the seashore, and there I saw an old man with a long prayer rope of 300 knots. I approached him with the fear of a beginner and I stood silently, watching him pray. And he was sitting on a large stone, moving from knot to knot [with his thumb]. In the end, I dared to ask him, “Father, pray for me!” I asked for it because when I left France in 1925, I was overwhelmed by the spir

St. Anthony visits St. Paul the Hermit The solitary life The purpose of solitary life is, if you will, contemplation. But not contemplation in the pagan sense, of an intellectual, esoteric enlightenment, achieved through an ascetic technique. The contemplation of the solitary Christian is to have our eyes wide open on the divine mercy that transforms and elevates its emptiness and converts it into the concreteness of a perfect love, of a perfect fullness. The call to perfect solitude is a call to suffering, darkness and annihilation. Yet, when a man is called there, he prefers it to any other earthly paradise. The hermit remains there to demonstrate, with his lack of practical usefulness and the apparent sterility of his vocation, that the monks themselves should have little or no importance in the world. His poverty is spiritual. He pervades his soul and body entirely, so that in the end all his heritage is insecurity. Experience the pain and spiritual and intellectual destitution of

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  to be superior to all ill-treatment. A s a father who was struck on the face by a little child whic

                                   A  hermit is to be dead to the world, for by his very vocation he is called to be set apart, living a life in imitation of the angels.  W hether he be praised or offended, a hermit must react as though he were a dead man.  H e must not be disturbed by insults, nor prideful when people praise him.  I n his humility, he finds beauty in a hidden life.

  Life’s lessons: Beatitudes  B lessed is he who is ever filled with spiritual joy and untiringly carries the Lord's good yoke, for he shall be crowned with glory.  B lessed is he who has cleansed himself of all sinful corruption, for boldly can he receive the King of glory, our Lord Jesus Christ, into his house.  B lessed is he who reverently approaches the most pure mysteries of the Savior with fear and trembling, knowing that he receives into his body indestructible life.  B lessed is he who hourly contemplates death and has rendered ineffectual in himself the shameful passions that nest in the hearts of the careless, for such a man will be comforted at the time of his repose.  B lessed is he who ceaselessly recalls the torments of Gehenna and hastens with tears and sighs to repent sincerely before the Lord, for he will be delivered from all sorrow.  B lessed is he who always humbles himself willingly, for he will be crowned by the One Who willingly humbled Himself for us