Coming to the Font
Coming to the Font is a monthly gathering for those wanting to deepen their experience of Carmelite Spirituality in prayer and also by learning about the Order, the Tradition and Saints of the Carmelite Orders.
Typically, this kind of gathering takes place with a Third Order, group of lay associates who maintain a formal relationship to the Order, there is presently no Third Order Carmelite chapter in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. While not carrying the spiritual and formal benefits of belonging to the Third Order, Coming to the Font seeks to provide that common walk of pilgrimage in Carmelite Spirituality.
Class Outline
Week 1
Week 1: Spiritual Warfare and Discernment in the Tradition
Spiritual warfare is not only about Rosaries and prayers to St. Michael. While these are some of its most potent weapons, as Cassian reminds his monks: without the use of discretion, even the holiest and stoutest of monks can be brought down. More than a pitched battle, spiritual warfare is about listening and being attentive to the presence of God and His angels, and identifying the attempts of the evil spirits to draw us from the path our Father created for us. We will begin opening this world of discernment and the spiritual life looking at the Church Fathers and our long standing tradition in discerning God’s presence and Will.
Week 2
Week 2: The Basic Principles of Discernment
God is speaking to us in every moment and is attentive to even the smallest details of our life. Once we turn our attention toward the Discernment of Spirits, we quickly find that almost everything we’ve been taught and have done in discernment is wrong. The first part in re-shifting our attention is to recall the key ingredients:
- Identifying consolations and desolations
- Using and being guided by virtue
- Discerning along the way through God’s Blessings and our companions
- Being confident that God is speaking in every moment
Week 3
Week 3: Rules 1-4: Identifying Desolation and Consolation
In our third week, we begin to look closely at St. Ignatius’ Rules of Discernment. In the beginning, the focus lies in identifying desolations and consolations, and choosing to flee desolation while pursuing consolation.
Week 4
Week 4: Rules 5-9: Responding to Desolation
In rules five thru nine, St. Ignatius focuses his attention on the challenge of responding to desolation. While the basic advice is to avoid making decisions while we are in desolation, St. Ignatius and others, offer practical insight in how to actually respond and how these desolations can help one move closer to God.
Week 5
Week 5: Rules 10-14: Strengthening and Growing in Discernment
In the final session, we look at the final rules that St. Ignatius gives us, as well as how this discernment also helps us in our relationships, responding in day-to-day situations, and in deepening our spiritual life all together.