- The spiritual journey of Saint Bruno is characterized by the
search for God in solitude, this God he knows to be
intimately present in his heart. It would be desirable
that the members of the CLC consecrate every day,
according to their possibilities, a few moments to silence for:
prayer of the heart, meditation or reading.
Gd 1
- CLC officials will provide, at the disposal of their members,
a few essential elements to help in the development
of this prayer (texts, life of St. Bruno, order history,
excerpts of the Statutes of the Order). Gd 2
- It is important to encourage a regular sacramental
practice, depending on the possibilities of each one (the
Eucharist and confession), as well as to make an
annual retreat to better be impregnated of silence
and solitude. Gd 3
The cell of a Quies SBPCLC is to
be defined by different canonical, physical, and community
structures than the Carthusian Cloister and Lay Monks cells, but the
Quies SBPCLC exercises as the Carthusian, a continual effort to
be always — as far as human frailty permits — very close to God
he knows to be intimately present in his heart. Let us
dedicate ourselves to the peace and silence of our cells
and strive to offer him unceasing worship, so that, sanctified
in truth, we may be those true worshippers whom the Father
seeks. The personal cell of a Quies SBPCLC is
to be essentially continually informed by the Quies SBPCLC 5 steps
commitment to the 11 guidelines, and can take varied and
unique forms of physical and community implementations.
- What benefit, what divine delight, solitude and the
silence of the desert bring to those who love them, only
those who have experienced them can tell. Here God rewards
his athletes for the exertion of the contest with the
longed-for prize, peace that the world does not know, and
joy in the Holy Spirit.
- If therefore we are truly living in union with God, our
minds and hearts, far from becoming shut in on themselves,
open up to embrace the whole universe and the mystery of
Christ that saves it. Apart from all, to all we are united, so
that it is in the name of all that we stand before the living
God. This continual effort to be always — as far as human
frailty permits — very close to God, unites us in a special
way with the Blessed Virgin Mary,
whom we are accustomed to call the Mother in particular of all
Carthusians.
- Making him who is, the exclusive center of our lives
through our Profession, we testify to a world, excessively
absorbed in earthly things, that there is no God but him. Our
life clearly shows that something of the joys of heaven is
present already here below; it prefigures our risen state and
anticipates in a manner the final renewal of the world.
- How
to get started
- Esprit
Cartusien (français)
Extract
of an article (in french) that develops the
characteristics of the carthusian spirit (of solitude
and silence): spiritual virginity, simplicity,
self-effacement, joy.
- Solitude
- Desert
- The
blessed path of tribulations
- The
Cloistered Heart
- "Work for souls is accomplished, for the most part, in
silence. Its efficiency does not depend upon
occupation, position or popularity. From a humble
cell, hidden away in some cloistered nunnery, there radiates
spiritual power which influences thousands of souls
scattered over the entire world." (From
Sheltering the Divine Outcast by A Religious, Peter Reilly
Co., Philadelphia, 1952, p. 56)
- St. Catherine of Sienna, who did not live in a monastery, “formed
a cell in her own heart and there she remained continually
united with God even when busiest, contemplating Him and
speaking familiarly with Him. Thus she attained to a
stable, uninterrupted union with her Lord.” (Spiritual
Diary, Daughters of St. Paul, 1990).
- "Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and
pray to your Father in private…” (Matthew 6:6)
- "Brother Body is our cell, and our soul is the hermit
living indoors in the cell, in order to pray to God and
meditate on him.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
- "I offer You the cell of my heart; may it be Your little
Bethany. Come rest there…” (Elizabeth of
the Trinity)
- "Our Lord frequently told me that I should keep a
secluded place for Him in my heart, where He would teach me
to love Him." (St. Margaret Mary)
- "I set up a little cell in my heart, where I always kept
company with Jesus." (St. Faustina)
"Within yourself you have made a room... a secluded
place. You have built it by prayer…. You live in the
marketplace and carry the poustinia within you. That
is your vocation… The Lord is calling us to stand still
before him while walking with men.” (Catherine
de Hueck Doherty, Poustinia, Ave Maria Press, 1975)
- "May the God who is all love be your unchanging dwelling
place, your cell, and your cloister in the midst of the
world.” (Elizabeth of the Trinity)
- "Christ is held by the mind knowing Him and the heart
loving Him... what is this room except the inner
secret of your own person? Keep this inner room clean,
so that when it is pure, unstained by sin, your spiritual
home may stand as a priestly temple with the Holy Spirit
dwelling in it. One who seeks and entreats Christ is
never abandoned, but visited by Him frequently, for He stays
always with us." (St. Ambrose)
- Our heart is our cell, and if we live “outside” the cell of
our heart … then our focus reveals in time our spiritual
position of exclaustration. Who isn’t in the guard of
the cell – "is vomited by the cell”.
- Palladius said, "One day when I was suffering from
boredom I went to Abba Macarius and said, "What shall I do?
My thoughts afflict me, saying, you are not making any
progress, go away from here." He said to me, "Tell them, for
Christ's sake, I am guarding the walls."
- One cannot promise to guide, or live himself or herself, the
Lay monastic claustration experience of Saint Bruno’s
path attained by Metanoia,
if we live, ourselves exclaustrated of the cell of our
heart.