Hello from Pittsburgh
Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:38 pm
Or I should say north of Pittsburgh. I currently live close to Youngstown (Ohio), but since I grew up in Monroeville (PA ... where Bill Frase is currently), I prefer to say I'm from daBurgh! Jeanne, Al, and Bill have already read this via email, but for everyone else, my backstory is that I'm 60 and have been "spiritual, but not religious" most of my life. I was raised Catholic, but basically left the church in college and spent the next decades dabbling. I spent the bulk of that time in Unitarian Universalist communities and did some experimenting with Buddhist meditation.
My day job is a computer job, so I spend a lot of time online. I had been on a variety of lists for Eastern paths and in 2015, one of them offered a class called the Way of the Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault, an Episcopal minister. Fast forward to today, and I've spent the last couple of years exploring a Christian mysticism path with Bourgeault and others (like Fr Richard Rohr and Fr Thomas Keating) because of my desire to experience felt presence rather than dry doctrine. (Just as an aside, the contemplative practice taught by Keating and Bourgeault -- centering prayer -- is interesting viewed in context with the Divine Love prayer.)
As part of this, I returned to the Catholic Church. But while part of me is completely drawn to Jesus' teachings (especially what's in the Sermon on the Mount), part of me struggles with other church teachings. But I have been persevering with the idea to "seek and ye shall find."
In early January, there was a conference by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) in Indianapolis that had 17K participants. They livestreamed much of it, and one of the sessions was by Fr. Mathias Thelen, a charismatic Catholic priest, on the Holy Spirit ... and the gist was that the Catholic Church was in much need of a second Pentecost ... that too many had done the rote steps, but had not been "set afire" by the presence.
After this session, I googled "divine love" and the Holy Spirit and came across the Padgett messages as one of the first links. Like one of the commenters here, as I read these messages, I thought how much of it resonated. And when I found out that there was going to be a workshop in the town where I grew up, an hour from where I live, I was like 'hmmmmm!'
Since then, I've been privileged to be part of two online circles. I'm still working on opening my soul, but I have a strong sense of comfort that this is the path I'm meant to follow. I am planning to be at the Monroeville retreat for sure and may be in Meyersdale. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you in real life!
Beth
My day job is a computer job, so I spend a lot of time online. I had been on a variety of lists for Eastern paths and in 2015, one of them offered a class called the Way of the Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault, an Episcopal minister. Fast forward to today, and I've spent the last couple of years exploring a Christian mysticism path with Bourgeault and others (like Fr Richard Rohr and Fr Thomas Keating) because of my desire to experience felt presence rather than dry doctrine. (Just as an aside, the contemplative practice taught by Keating and Bourgeault -- centering prayer -- is interesting viewed in context with the Divine Love prayer.)
As part of this, I returned to the Catholic Church. But while part of me is completely drawn to Jesus' teachings (especially what's in the Sermon on the Mount), part of me struggles with other church teachings. But I have been persevering with the idea to "seek and ye shall find."
In early January, there was a conference by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) in Indianapolis that had 17K participants. They livestreamed much of it, and one of the sessions was by Fr. Mathias Thelen, a charismatic Catholic priest, on the Holy Spirit ... and the gist was that the Catholic Church was in much need of a second Pentecost ... that too many had done the rote steps, but had not been "set afire" by the presence.
After this session, I googled "divine love" and the Holy Spirit and came across the Padgett messages as one of the first links. Like one of the commenters here, as I read these messages, I thought how much of it resonated. And when I found out that there was going to be a workshop in the town where I grew up, an hour from where I live, I was like 'hmmmmm!'
Since then, I've been privileged to be part of two online circles. I'm still working on opening my soul, but I have a strong sense of comfort that this is the path I'm meant to follow. I am planning to be at the Monroeville retreat for sure and may be in Meyersdale. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you in real life!
Beth
hugs!