Tom Hoopes writes in the English edition of Aleteia, That Moment When You Start Taking Jesus Seriously:
There are two kinds of people attracted by the truth. First, there are people with highly attuned B.S.-detectors who want to find rock-bottom truth. They come to Christ through philosophy or scientific discovery or apologetics.
But then there are people who are not necessarily intellectuals but who delight in the “Amazing Faith Facts” side of Catholicism. The Shroud of Turin, the Our Lady of Guadalupe tilma or the blood of St. Januarius bring them in. These, too, thrill to the truth. (emphasis mine)
And then there are those of us who …
Do you know Maria Valtorta?
In Viareggio, next Saturday (17 October 2015),
there will be another meeting of studies (and
research) on the familiar figure of Italian
mystic: Maria Valtorta …
Links:
http://www.fondazionemariavaltorta.it/files/image/Conferenze/Conferenza%208%20luglio.jpg
http://www.fondazionemariavaltorta.it/it/conferenze.php
http://www.fondazionemariavaltorta.it/it/news.php?idm=57-14-2015
Her book was placed on the Índex of Prohibited Books by the Holy See. Imagine Jesus dictating to her about his earthly life, to form a fifth gospel!
It is important to remember that there are mystics and “mystics”. Gaddafi acted as though he was a mystic and a true one would be Meister Eckhart, who influenced C. G. Jung.
The Aleteia site to which Dan provided a link brings good news:
The Syrian Catholic priest Father Jacques Mourad was released by the IS this week. He was known to negotiate with other terrorists like the Al Nusra group, who respect him. It looks like the IS did too. Is it charisma? Is he another Francis of Assissi? Look at him:
http://aleteia.org/2015/10/11/syrian-monk-abducted-by-isis-is-free-celebrates-first-mass/
Now to the main topic. Dan says “And there there are for those of us who…”
He is right. I have met people in some cultures who live without thinking about the “whys”, why we are here,to where we will go, what is the meaning of it all. They only think about building a house, eating well, getting married, having children, dividing the property (if possible peacefully) and then preparing to die, not bothering about religion. I have also met one religious person who goes to church every day and told me that life is “family and friends”!
Rock-bottom truth is not easy to find, the faith element is always there. Some have faith, others don’t:
https://www.academia.edu/8424286/Book_Review_The_Future_of_Atheism_Alister_McGrath_and_Daniel_Dennett_in_Dialogue
Others died as agnostics, but encouraged science-theology dialogue:
https://www.academia.edu/14727603/Why_Stephen_Jay_Gould_proposed_the_principle_of_Non-overlapping_Magisteria
Yet others shunned organised religion but were not atheists:
https://www.academia.edu/12851672/The_Historical_Jesus_The_view_of_Professor_Geza_Vermes
Louis,
I am curious about the opinion of
C. G. Jung about “the case of Maria Valtorta”…
I think there is nothing at all about
Maria Valtorta in the papers by Jung.
Isn’t it?
— —
Here the old news:
>… … ISIS published a video consisting of still photos
showing the destruction of the Monastery of Mar Elian,
in the central Syrian town of al-Qaryatain.
>The jihadist group said it destroyed the monastery
because it “is worshiped beside Allah,” according to
the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,
which reported the destruction Aug. 20.
>The video also shows the exhumation of the remains
of St. Elian (pictured), who was killed by his father, a
Roman officer, for refusing to renounce Christianity.
>Militants who carried out the destruction reportedly
took some residents of the town, including Christians,
to their “capital,” the Syrian city of Raqqa, according
to the Observatory.
>Mar Elian Monastery is the home of Father Jacques
Mourad, who was kidnapped there in May.
>Father Mourad worked for reconciliation in the local
community since the beginning of the civil conflict
in Syria. … …
So… on one hand we can be happy for the liberation
of Father Jacques, but on the other we have the
sad ruins and horrific destruction of other
human lives …
Here the other informations (on the same webpage):
>…The Assyrian International News Agency said
that Mar Elian was founded in the 5th century as
a Syriac Orthodox Monastery. In the 17th century
it became Catholic. Ten years ago, it was renovated
by the prior of the ancient Mar Moussa al-Habashi
(St. Moses) monastery, Jesuit Father Paolo Dall’Oglio.
>Father Dall’Oglio was kidnapped by ISIS in July, 2013. …
Piero
Although he was a Catholic in mind and heart C.G. Jung did not bother about Maria Valtorta probably because she was not known. He was also very old at that time, unable to go to England to see his closest friend, the American Dominican monk Father Victor White, who was dying.
Christianity is all but finished in Syria, thanks to Obama and Hilary Clinton.
There is a correction to make;
The Syrian monk Father Jacques Mourad was not freed by the IS. He actually escaped with the help of a Muslim:
http://aleteia.org/2015/10/15/father-jacques-mourad-i-felt-jesus-presence-in-isis-captivity/
He has been helping both Christian and Muslim communities hit by violence in the country.