Four Elements of Catholic Spirituality That Will Bring You Fulfillment

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Key to Catholic Spirituality

Once you have started getting control of your time, you are ready to work on the second foundational Key to Spiritual Growth – developing a habit of spirituality.

While I have been a Catholic my whole life, I really rediscovered Catholic spirituality when I took my master’s degree in theology. The Institute for Pastoral Theology (at the time it was called the Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies) was not only a great education in the faith, but a great experience as well. I encountered a spirit for the faith in my teachers and fellow students that really drove home what it means to live as a disciple of Christ and have an active spiritual life.

What is Catholic spirituality?

The term “spirituality” has become so vague. It has almost lost its meaning in our culture. But we cannot let it lose its meaning in our faith. So what is Catholic spirituality?

The aspect of our life with Christ that deals most directly with having a relationship with God

  • Constituted of conversion (an so it overlaps with morality) and prayer.
  • Centered on the Divine Person of Jesus, aided by the Holy Spirit

But from these common roots of spirituality spring a variety of “flowers.”Spirituality has many forms.

  • Meditation & contemplation in isolation from the world, but also intercession for the world
  • Private prayer, but also public liturgy
  • Quiet reflection, but also active love within the world (part of evangelization & acts of charity that focuses on unity with Jesus)
  • Formula set by the Church and the saints, but also creative and personal expressions of love
  • Recognition of created goods as signs of God’s love, but also giving up those goods for the sake of loving God

Take a quick quiz to find out your spirituality type

 

 

So what was it that attracted me so much to Catholic spirituality as I went through the master’s program?

An overwhelming sense of centeredness and peace

The learning community was firmly centered on Christ. There was a shared sense of purpose mixed with a great humility. Teachers and students alike recognized that they were participating in the work and teachings of Jesus, not in our own glory. Therefore we were free to peacefully cooperate and to build each other up rather than competing against each other.

A joyful celebration of the truth

You might expect a master’s degree to have an intellectual atmosphere. However, the atmosphere of a learning community centered on Jesus cannot be compared to any other intellectual community. Curiosity turned into awe. Academic success turned into joy. There was a sense that we were coming to know God while we were learning more about him. Anti-intellectualism (which even pops up in secular advanced degree programs) didn’t stand a chance in the face of the overwhelming sense of joy and fulfillment.

A great community of love

Like any group of people, this group was filled with individuals. Some of us really liked each other. Some of us annoyed each other. But through it all, we loved each other. The love of Christ permeated our group and helped us to overcome (not just overlook) our differences. Each person in the community came to consider the needs of others more important than than their own needs. We looked for ways to serve each other and to build community.

A sense of excitement for living the adventure of faith

Most strongly felt by all of us was the sense of excitement for living the adventure of faith. Our teachers saw their mission of teaching and their vocations (most were married lay teachers, some were ordained priests) as an exciting adventure. This was not just something they told us in the context of the classroom. It was evident from their very lives. And it was contagious. A number of students discerned their vocation – some to marriage (that was me!), some to raising larger families, some to religious life. Even ten years later, most of us are still living the adventure within our vocation. We are excited and active. We are constantly awaiting what God has in store for us next.

An Awesome Life Available to All of Us!

Now, before you come to the conclusion that I am just describing an experience in a really good advanced Catholic degree program, let me explain the source of this joy. First of all, I have to say that the Institute for Pastoral Theology is an excellent Catholic degree program. I highly recommend it. But the source of the wonderful qualities I described above was not unique to the program. The reason the program had these qualities was because it was firmly grounded in Catholic spirituality.

And that means that these qualities could be part of anyone’s life.

Brought to you by Jeffrey S. Arrowood at From the Abbey, dedicated to helping you rediscover the JOY of learning and living your faith so you can grow in intimacy with God.

In this series of articles, we will explore how to grow in Catholic spirituality. In the next article in this series we’ll begin with the most foundational habit of spirituality – prayer.

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2 Comments

  1. […] principles of Catholic spirituality begin with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It seems obvious, but when you begin to ask […]

  2. […] you have a great desire for spiritual growth. You want a stronger relationship with God that brings meaning and significance to your life. You want a life centered on love. But you struggle. You can't bring yourself to pray as you know […]

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