I have to return Consummata to the library soon, and I will not have time to write the posts I want to about her for a little while yet. So I had the book scanned and am making it available here as a downloadable pdf. It works in iBooks and Kindle.
The English translation from 1931 is out of print and I can’t find news of anyone planning to reissue it. I am no expert on copyright law, but the book contains no U.S. copyright markings that I can recognize. MA has been dead over 100 years, and my understanding is that for created written works it’s typically life of the author plus 70 years. It’s also a translation of a foreign work, which makes things even murkier. But if someone does have a copyright claim, leave a comment explaining your rights and I will take it down.
Why am I doing this? Marie-Antoinette was a mystic. De Lubac said in his book Paradoxes: “Potential mystics, or mystics in a primitive state, are scattered in the world. These, above all, are the ones who must be reached.” Saints and mystics are the Old Testament prophets for the times of the Church. Because they listen to and obey the Lord they prompt reforms, elucidate elements of the Truth that have not yet come into focus, and provide new models of holiness. Consummata is particularly relevant in these times when the Laity need to pursue even greater holiness and draw closer to the Lord.
This post is primarily for other lay people who read the religious writings of the Catholic Adrienne von Speyr (1902-1967). Adrienne was a Swiss citizen, a medical doctor by profession, and an adult convert to the Roman Catholic Church. I have read just about everything she wrote that is available in English.
I recently learned that the Church had opened an investigation into Adrienne’s cause for canonization in March of this year. Specifically, it was opened at the local level in Switzerland, on account of a life of heroic virtue.
There was almost nothing in the media about this, which is why I stumbled across it only by noticing the update to her Wikipedia page. And there was no commentary from religious scholars or theologians in the English-speaking world that I could find.
The title “Servant of God” is applied to someone at the earliest stage of the canonization process. My understanding is that the matter now goes to Rome for a review by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. If the Church makes a finding of “nihil obstat“, which is Latin for meaning that there is nothing objectionable about the candidate, the process will proceed through formal review by the whole Church. If the Church finds that the candidate is worthy of recognition for their virtue and worthy of further review, they will be declared “Venerable.” After that they need to have at least two miracles attributed to their intercession for the cause to advance:the first results in a declaration of “Blessed,” and the second, “Saint.”
The silence is probably quite deliberate. Because I am a layperson with no position in the Church or academia, I am free to write about this (which may be foolish). Adrienne wrote and had published a large volume of scriptural commentaries and spiritual reflections. Perhaps more than any other non-academic Catholic layperson in the 20th century (I don’t include self-help or advice books in this, no slight intended). So the Church will have quite a lot to review and consider before providing a Nihil Obstat. Much of her work remains unpublished, and much remains unavailable in English. I think the delay in publication is because those who could publish have been waiting for this process to commence.
It is no coincidence that an initial review was also opened in March into the Cause of Canonization of her spiritual director and friend, Catholic theologian and Cardinal-Elect Hans Urs Von Balthasar. Von Balthasar personally edited and arranged for the publishing of many of her books, and said on multiple occasions that he drew heavily on her in developing his theological insights, and that his work should not be separated from hers.
There have been some events that, in retrospect, may have pointed to the opening of her cause. There were several conferences about Adrienne’s life and work in the last few years, and Ignatius Press published second editions of a number of her better known works.
This blog would not exist without Adrienne, as I like to think she personally interceded for me three years ago so I could go back to confession after a long hiatus. I have attended mass and receive the sacraments quite regularly since then, and am active in parish ministry. My poor efforts to take advantage of the gift I have given may not reflect well on my belief of her help, but I usually ask her to help me make a good confession when I go. I am still going regularly, even though I continue to fail quite frequently.
There are certain things in her and Von Balthasar’s writings that some scholars and theologians find to be seriously objectionable, so this may be a very long review process. I will write more about that in a future post. If she is canonized, I think it will be very consequential for the Church.
In follow up to last week’s post, this post highlights the other new Carmelite community in the Diocese of Harrisburg.
In 2007, a group of Discalced Carmelites moved into a vacated monastery in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Its formal name is the Carmel Of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Due to a significant increase in vocations, the Carmel requested permission to branch out, which was granted by Bishop Gainer. Land was purchased in Fairfield, Pennsylvania, which is located in Adams County near Gettysburg.
The community is constructing a new monastery using traditional methods that relies on heavy stones and wood timbers. It is intended to be self-sustaining community that will last many years.
They broke ground earlier this summer, and Bishop Gainer presided over a special mass and ceremony of enclosure in July. Nine nuns are on site now, living in trailers. It has been a very hot and rainy summer in these parts, so I am sure it has not been very comfortable. The Hermits referenced in my prior post are located nearby and offer Mass for the nuns and hear their confessions, I believe.
Like the Hermits in the prior post, this community embraces the traditional rule and charism of the Carmelites. The nuns are enclosed, wear the habit, pray and fast regularly, and perform manual labor. They do not run any profit-making business, and are dependent on donations.
They have a very nice website here, and there are opportunities to donate time, money or skilled or (unskilled) labor.
Here is a link to another website where you can donate your time or supplies to help the nuns or the hermits.
First walls going up. From the Fairfield Carmelite website.
Pennsylvania is now at the center of the scandal of clerical child abuse in the Catholic Church. A grand jury recently released a report on credible abuse allegations going back as far as 1947. More information has also come to light about abuse in other regions, including the sexual abuse of seminarians, and the unchaste behavior of bishops and cardinals.
In these times of trial it is worth remembering that there are healthy, growing branches of the Church. And they need our help. In the Diocese of Harrisburg, we are blessed to have two relatively new Carmelite communities near Gettysburg, Pa. Carmelites, in brief, are members of a religious order who live apart from the world and devote their lives to prayer. It is a very simple life. No luxuries, no idleness. They wear the habit, fast regularly, and take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
This post spotlights The Hermits of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, which was recognized by the local Bishop earlier this year. This is a community of men who apparently observe the original Carmelite tradition, which is usually referred to as The Ancient Order of Mt. Carmel. They follow the Rule of St. Albert, which means a heavily structured day of prayer, worship, fasting and manual labor. Unlike some monasteries, they do not run any businesses, and are dependent on alms or donations. They will be praying and fasting in reparation for the many sins of the clergy.
This post is especially for those who may be involved with music or divine worship at their church.
A few weeks ago, I heard a new hymn sung during the offertory at the Palm Sunday mass I attended. I am not sure I got chills, but it was close. As I was listening to the organ I could tell that the arrangement was based on the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. I tracked down the director of our music program and he told me the hymn was called “Song of Sorrow.”
I learned that it was composed by the American Patrick Liebergen, and apparently published in 2011. The sheet music can be obtained at:
It can be described as a dirge, and our director said its only appropriate for use during Holy Week, which I would agree with. I found a few videos on Youtube I thought I would share.
I am not a musician or artist but, in all vanity, I think I have very good aesthetic judgment. I think this is a great hymn to be added for Holy Week services, probably either for a Palm Sunday or Good Friday service.
The first clip is from a church that has a fairly large choir. I completely agree with all the comments of the music director, particularly when he described it as “unique” in some ways.
The second clip is from a church with a smaller choir. I am including it to show that I think the hymn can be effective whether you have a big or large church.
I do think it works better with male and female voices singing different parts, as suggested by the gentleman in the first clip.
I have never posted before on music, but I did for this one. Why? I believe that Beauty is an important element of our worship and adoration. Beauty is one of the three Transcendentals, and points to the other two: Truth and Goodness. I tried to express this in a poem I wrote a while back.
There is evidence, and even data, that beauty, particularly beautiful churches, attract people to explore the faith. If you are in a diocese or other region where your church is considering consolidating churches, maybe you need to think hard about keeping the more beautiful ones.
“Song of Sorrow” is unusual in that I think the lyrics and the power of Beethoven brings home the pathos of the Passion, which is sometimes overlooked in our Joy about the Resurrection.
In the above clips the choir is accompanied by piano. I think it works better with an organ (which is how I heard it at mass).
The Prince of Serendip 
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