Mystagogy

To kick off our summer series, we will reflect on some writings that go way back to the third century of Christendom.  While the Church was suffering under the Roman persecutions, hundreds of thousands of Christians fled into the desert first to survive, but then to encounter the Lord in simplicity, silence, Scripture, and prayer.  What they learned in the desert became the foundation for Christian spiritual practice, and the keynotes of the Desert Fathers are still very much the essence of what it means to grow in holiness as a Catholic.Program syllabusSayings of the Desert FathersThe music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

This week, we consider the nature and elements of Catholic prayer from The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), and also a short passage on the four ways to God from the book Psychology and Spirituality by Fr Benedict Groeschel, OFM.The readings are: CCC #31-35,  #2623-2643 and #2697-2719Psychology and Spirituality, pages 6-11The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

This week we launch a month in the company of the Church’s great Doctor of Prayer, St. Teresa of Avila.  We will begin by reading the famous metaphor of the soul as a garden from her autobiography. With Don Quixote, The Book of Her Life is still considered to be the greatest work of Spanish letters. You can prepare for the discussion by reading Chapters 11-15 of her autobiography.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We continue our consideration of the spiritual metaphors of Saint Teresa of Avila, the Church’s Doctor of Prayer.  We turn to her most famous spiritual work, The Interior Castle, and discuss the levels of prayer.  In this session, we look at the first three rooms of the castle.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We complete our brief introduction to Saint Teresa of Avila's writings on prayer, picking up with the Third Mansion in The Interior Castle and continuing on to the Seventh Mansion.The Interior Castle  by St. Teresa of AvilaThe music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

This session provides a consideration of Catholic spirituality in the contemporary moment by discussing chapters 6, 7 and 8 of the book Spiritual Passages by Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

This talk is the first part of a two-part consideration of the spirituality of the Mass and Holy Eucharist.  Our primary text for discussion of the Mass is the 20th century classic Meditations Before Mass by Father Romano Guardini, servant of God.  Guardini is a favorite author of both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, among many others.  This talk focuses especially on the following sections:2. I - Stillness2.XVIII - The Congregation and the Church3. XXIV - The Memorial of the New Covenant3.XXVIII - Christ's Offering of Self3.XXXI - The Mass of the New CovenantBy way of a catechetical refresher on the Mass, here is a video to watch: https://www.goodcatholic.com/catholic-mass-described-by-st-justin-martyr/ The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We continue our spiritual tour through the Holy Mass and give particular emphasis to Jesus’ gift of Himself in the Blessed Sacrament. Our primary text for discussion is a work by the wonderful 19th-century saint of the Eucharist, Saint Peter Julian Eymard.  You can find the work here. We also consider some ideas from Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist: Sacramentum Caritatis. Specifically, we cover Part III, “The Eucharist: a Mystery to Be Lived,” sections 70, 77, 84, 85, 89 and 90.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We will be considering Saint Thomas Aquinas’s teaching on suffering from his Literal Exposition of the Book of Job. All-but-forgotten today, this monumental text was considered the greatest work of biblical exegesis in its time. For 200 years, it was the definitive interpretation of Job’s story and a template for scholarly commentary on Scripture. We will discover that St. Thomas Aquinas believed a life story could tell us more about the meaning of suffering than a rational argument (as you would find in the Summa Theologica). He also believed (contrary to popular belief) that Job’s story is not about patience in suffering, but rather, about God’s teaching through His Divine Providence and Job’s response. Tonight's presentation will be given by Dr. Cynthia Nicolosi, PhD.  Here is a snip from her professional bio: Dr. Nicolosi began her academic career with a bachelor’s degree in the Great Books from Magdalen College in New Hampshire. She went on to receive a master’s degree in philosophy from Boston College and then the PhD from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. Dr. Nicolosi’s specialty in philosophy is the narrative quality of human experience: we tell stories because we live stories. In addition to her work in philosophy, Dr. Nicolosi holds a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from Holy Cross and a bachelor’s in biology from University of New Hampshire. She also has a master’s in forensic psychology from Southern New Hampshire University and graduate studies in both music and creative writing. Dr. Nicolosi has been teaching at the university level for thirty-seven years. In 2017, she received the Teaching Excellence Award from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a three-time recipient of the Catholic Press Award. Of the fifteen years she lived in Europe, eight were spent in Italy, five in France, and two in Ireland. Having made the move to Virginia in 2020 to help care for her parents, Dr. Nicolosi is now teaching at Regent University. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We conclude our summer spirituality series with the work that has arguably meant more to more people than any other written work in human history, except only the Scriptures.  In his Confessions, St. Augustine – "the Doctor of Grace" –  takes us intimately into his confidence, holding nothing back about all the ways that he fled from God until he finally surrendered to Divine Love and Providence.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We continue exploring the Confessions of Saint Augustine – "the Doctor of Grace" – by discussing Books 3 and 4. You can find the text online by clicking here.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We continue exploring the Confessions of Saint Augustine – "the Doctor of Grace" – by discussing Books 5, 6 and 7. You can find the text online by clicking here.  The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We examine the conversion of Saint Augustine as he describes it in Books 8 and 9 of his Confessions.You can find the text online by clicking here. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We begin our fall series with the work that G.K. Chesterton called, "the greatest poem ever written in modern English," namely, Francis Thompson's devastating piece, "The Hound of Heaven."  J.R.R. Tolkien credited this work with having a significant influence on his masterpiece trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, noting that the poem is "one of the most profound expressions of mature spiritual experience."  Dorothy Day was also strongly impacted by Thompson's poem writing: "It is one of those poems that awakens the soul, and recalls to it the fact that God is its destiny."Here is a copy of the poem to read.Or, you may prefer listening to it in audio version.Also, here is a modern, animated adaptation that might help you into the work.Slide presentationThe music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We continue our consideration of the wonderful spiritual poem and testimony by Francis Thompson, "The Hound of Heaven."Here is a copy of the poem to read.Or, you may prefer listening to it in audio version.Also, here is a modern, animated adaptation that might help you into the work. Slide presentationThe music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We will be reading and discussing together the classic work that National Review called, "The greatest 20th century work on time and grace."  Brideshead Revisited is that rare novel that marries style and substance powerfully.  The prose is engaging and loaded with memorable lines and phrases.  All this is in service to a serious attempt to lay out in a narrative all the ways that the Sacramental life "ruins" a person for mere worldliness. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

In this session, we continue our tour through Evelyn Waugh's stunning literary classic, Brideshead Revisited, making our way through the cast of characters by considering Julia, Cordelia, Bridey, and Charles. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

We will be breaking open the classic Academy Award-winning film, Babette's Feast.  The National Catholic Register wrote that the film is "a quiet celebration of the divine grace that meets us at every turn, and even redeems our ways not taken, our sacrifices and losses."You also may want to read the original short story on which the film is based.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

Gregorian Chant has been called "one of the richest and most subtle art forms in music - indeed in the music of any culture." (Catholiceducation.org)  Pope Francis has exhorted the People of God, "Together, devote yourselves better to song as an integral part of the Liturgy, with Gregorian chant inspiring you as the first model." (Address to Society of St. Cecilia, 9/28/2019)This Mystagogy session provides an in-depth consideration of the history and nature of this ancient but defining aspect of our tradition as Catholics.  To prepare for our discussion, here is a link to some recordings of famous Gregorian chants by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.Our special guest presenter for the discussion is Dr. Cynthia Nicolosi.  Dr. Nicolosi has a PhD in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. She studied music composition for two years at the Claremont Graduate School in California and completed the certificate program in Gregorian Chant at Catholic University in Washington, DC.  She was the director of the college choir at Magdalen College in Warner NH for seven years. Dr. Nicolosi is now teaching music history and honors courses at Regent University. The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show

Today's episode is a presentation on Polyphony as a development from the tradition of Gregorian chant.Our guest presenter is Dr. Cynthia Nicolosi.  Dr. Nicolosi has a PhD in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy. She studied music composition for two years at the Claremont Graduate School in California and completed the certificate program in Gregorian Chant at Catholic University in Washington, DC.  After directing the college choir at Magdalen College in Warner, NH for seven years, Dr. Nicolosi now teaches music history and honors courses at Regent University.The music in the introduction and close of this podcast is provided by George Sarah.This program of mystagogy is hosted by the Adult Faith Programs at Saint Stephen Martyr Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.Support the show