Comments for A Great Silence at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Tue, 21 May 2013 13:51:14 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/a-great-silence.html#comment-1920 Once a year I make a three day retreat at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Mass. It is also Trappist. My first retreat was in summer. I remember turning off the main road and driving up to the Abbey Church - I immediately sensed God's peace. As a daily commuter to NYC, I was a bit jealous of these monks. Alas, the monks life is not for me. I am married with two grown children, a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate. May I paste or link your reflection to my blog? Thanks & God bless you! - Brian Tue, 26 May 2009 17:47:42 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/a-great-silence.html#comment-1457 i know in your Divine Office prayers you are praying for all of us & in His generosity, He allows the general to become person specific, so from this very specific person, please receive my sincere gratitude. I need to work more on cultivating an even temper. & thanks staying up thru the wee hours of 4/16-17 to repair this site. prayer of a different kind. one day we will all be Known, we will see Him face to face, & in His face we will find All. Can\'t wait. see you then! - debby Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:04:17 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/a-great-silence.html#comment-1447 You wrote: "[P]lease share your secrets of maintaining the Silence of God within the noise of our daily duty as secular people loaded w/concerns . . ." Well, I do it imperfectly, of course. It helps, though, to say the Divine Office daily--it obliterates time, if not also space. It roots you. It quiets you. And I'm a big believer in restraint and in humor. And, of course, I pray and pray and pray. You know what else? I cultivate an "even temper." - Brad Miner Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:21:08 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/a-great-silence.html#comment-1446 2nd to last para you describe men completely comfortable w/themselves, men who know themselves, who they are in their dignity as both sons of God & beloved of God. So please tell us how are YOU doing this in your secular life? It is hard not to think that the single-hearted life is Easier (which of course it is not, its just different)than our lives. But please share your secrets of maintaining the Silence of God within the noise of our daily duty as secular people loaded w/concerns & people. - debby Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:31:27 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/a-great-silence.html#comment-1444 This wholesome article reminds one of the contibution of monastacism in salvaging Western civilization and the Classics, in addition to preserving Christian culture. On the other hand the consistent Christian quandry of who is better Martha or Mary comes to mind. Is there something a bit selfish about removing onself from his fellow man as the Dessert Fathers did? Is it difficult to give Chritian charity in isolation? How close to eternity was Mother Theresa? Do you suppose we needed both? Yes - William Dennis Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:49:22 +0100