How could I forget Catherine de Hueck Doherty and her Madonna House community in my earlier posting about authentically Catholic resources? The reminder came as I glimpsed through Giselle's thread discussing how to be a better Catholic parent after leaving LC/RC (click here). I cannot speak within the context of the LC/RC, but I know several Catholic parents who found Catherine's books most helpful after their families left one of several schismatic manifestations of Catholic tridentinism. As a Russian Orthodox baroness who converted to Catholicism after fleeing the communist persecution in Russia, and who subsequently dedicated her life to serving Christ and the poor, she brings some deep spiritual insights when explaining the connection between Catholic Tradition, Catholic spirituality, and our daily lives as Catholics.
Unfortunately, it appears that Catherine's Dear Parents book is out-of-print. However, here are several other excellent selections for parents seeking to rediscover their Catholic spirituality in family life:
- Living the Gospel Without Compromise
- Welcome, Pilgrim (scroll down to backlist, must be ordered by phone)
- Poustinia
- Sobornost
- On the Cross of Rejection
And written by other affiliates of her apostolate:
- Mothering
- The Power of Love
One of the things that distinguished Catherine early on among new religious movements is that she always preached submission not only to the Holy Father, but to the diocesan bishop as well. You can read about her cause for canonization here.
Catherine de Huek Doherty has been an influence in my own spirituality and in the founding of our Association (her Nazareth spirituality and Poustinia, especially).
May she be raised to the altars, soon.
I have one thought, maybe a question, that if is not suitable to this particular post, may be discussed at some point in another.
Now with the facts of Fr. Maciel and all the evil he perpetrated, how are we to discern when and if the Holy Spirit is, in fact, the source of an association, movement, or community?
Numbers? External orthodoxy? The support of many high ranking prelates, even the Pope?
The reason I ask this, if you may excuse my random thoughts, is that so often I find that Catholics who are orthodox, traditional, whatever you want to call it, are simply mesmerized by the sight of countless young people (men or women), externally living a traditional Catholic religious life, receiving all kinds of support and "kudos" from the Catholic media(that is sympathetic to traditional Catholic life) and bishops, even in the early stages of their foundation. Numerous people have indicated to me that all you have to be as a new foundation is loyal to the Pope, devoted to Mary and the Holy Eucharist, and you will have droves of vocations.
But I wonder...is there a 'magical formula' for all of this?
Blessed Charles de Foucauld was a seeming "loser"
according to this mentality; and yet, the fruitfulness of his consecrated life was only to be seen after his death.
Are new communities, associations, etc. to be held to this (in my opinion) worldly view of succcess, prominence, acclaim? What if only a few respond faithfully, joyfully, sacrificially and seem to bear no visible fruit (according to this criteria) in this generation?
With the chaos, denial, and scandal of the "successful Legion/RC" at this point in time, how do we assess, in the true discernment of charisms, what is real and what is not?
Just a question I have been pondering for years.