Christian monasticism

Young Voices: Shut into my home all day except for a brief walking respite, I have come to know these walls and windows well. And I have started to reframe my reality as a temporary monastic calling.

Plans for a proposed debate between liberal Christian leaders and representatives from Liberty University, a theologically conservative evangelical Christian school, have stalled, with participants unable to agree on a topic or a date for the event.

"On the lookout for trace elements of clerical attitudes," the Oregon seminary's formation program emphasizes collegiality, collaboration, self-awareness and bridge-building.

I had a glimpse of Thomas Merton's "open heart" when I was researching an article for NCR that would run on Dec. 13, 1967. Not long after my piece ran, Merton let his dislike be known.

As the anniversary of Merton's death is being marked by events around the world, his prophetic take on spirituality and social justice is still relevant today, say his admirers.

Before he left for a Trappist abbey, Merton spent three terms at St. Bonaventure, whose campus stretches to the Allegheny foothills, where he climbed frequently to find silence and prayer.

With over 3 million people landing annually on Mont-Saint-Michel, the site provides a magnet for pilgrims seeking a link with those Christian roots, as well as an opportunity for quiet contemplation away from the rush of contemporary life.

Book Review: As a universal phenomenon, accessible to young and old, gratefulness connects each person to all living things and helps one to live in the present and face life with trust and joy. For Benedictine Br. David Steindl-Rast, gratefulness is a prelude to happiness, not vice versa.