CHAPTER 15 – GENEROUS DISTRIBUTORS OF GOD’S GRACE “Do not despise those faithful who come to you seeking hospitality. Receive them, put them up, and set them on their way with kindness, treating them as one of yourselves.“ -St. Cuthbert “The man to whom little is not enough will not benefit from more.” -St. Columbanus … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 14 – CARRY EACH OTHER’S BURDENS “Even though he has possession of the unsavory world, he should not love its treasures. Let him cultivate and share the fruits of the earth. He should not be cruel since that will not bring him to bright heaven.” -From the Monastic Rule of St. Ailbe “Blessed is … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 13 – BEING IN FULL ACCORD AND OF ONE MIND “He [the monk] should not speak evil of, or harshly reproach, another, nor should he put anyone to the blush. Never should he violently rebuke anyone or carry on a conversation with a boorish person, and his speech at all times should be noted … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 12 – LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT “Do not ever think yourselves better than the rest of your companions who share the same faith.” -St. Cuthbert “Do not be deceived by those who seem to seek perfection, yet do not keep the basic commandments of God. There are people who eat little, who live … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 11 – THE FOUNDATION LAID UPON ROCK “O God, you created us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.” -St. Augustine of Hippo “God is near to all those who call on Him. The kingdom of heaven can be reached from any land.” -St. Samthann “For human … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 10 – FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION “God has left sin in the world in order that there may be forgiveness: not only the secret forgiveness by which He Himself cleanses our souls, but the manifest forgiveness by which we have mercy on one another and so give expression to the fact that He is living, … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 9 – CHASTITY AND POVERTY “Our vow of chastity is nothing but our undivided love for Christ in chastity, then we proceed to the freedom of poverty-poverty is nothing but freedom. And that total surrender is obedience. If I belong to God, if I belong to Christ, then he must be able to use … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 8 – PENANCE AND OBEDIENCE “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer In the Coworkers of Christ, the spiritual discipline of penance is understood not as mere self-punishment, but as a transformative process of acknowledging our brokenness and turning towards healing and reconciliation. It is a … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 7 – THROUGH THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE The Sacramental Community of the Coworkers of Christ is built upon a foundation of three core Christ-centered practices: penance-obedience, chastity-poverty, and forgiveness-reconciliation. These interwoven spiritual practices guide the lives of individual members and shape the character of the Community as a whole. Penance and obedience are … [Read more…]
CHAPTER 6 – MINISTRY AND APOSTOLIC SERVICE “The important thing is to do charity, not to talk about charity. We must understand the work with very poor people as God’s chosen mission.” -St. Dulce of the Poor The basis of the apostolic work of the members of the Coworkers of Christ is to live the … [Read more…]