Conception Abbey Retreat 2012

v The Year of Faith

v The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council

v Re-Reading the Sources of Our Renewal

v An Ecumenical Council Without Anathemas

v Spirituality and Mystical Theology - Theosis

v To contemplate the Other in the Light of Christ

v Edits out Condescending Ridicule of False Monks

v False Monks become Anti-Icons of Monastic Vows

v “Open Your Eyes to the Deifying Light”

v Behold Christ in the Brother

v Behold Christ in the Stranger and Needy

v Gift from our Heritage for the Church and World Today

v Restores Balance of Private and Liturgical Prayer

v Teaches us to Pray the Book of the Heart

v Re-establishes a Rhythm of Silence and Speech – of Self-Offering and Attentive Listening

1. Sacrosanctum Concilium, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 1963.	9. Gravissimum Educationis, Declaration On Christian Education, 1965.
2. Inter Mirifica, Decree On the Means of Social Communication, 1963.	10. Nostra Aetate, Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, 1965.
3. Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution On the Church, 1964. (10-11, 22 Royal Priesthood) (Mary)	11. Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution On Divine Revelation, 1965. (sel on lectio)
4. Orientalium Ecclesiarum, Decree On the Catholic Churches of the Eastern Rite,1964.	12. Apostolicam Actuositatem, Decree On the Apostolate of the Laity, 1965.
5. Unitatis Redintegratio, Decree on Ecumenism, 1964.	13. Dignitatis Humanae, Declaration On Religious Freedom, 1965. (sel on nat.law)
6. Christus Dominus, Decree Concerning the Pastoral Office of Bishops In the Church, 1965.	14. Ad Gentes, Decree On the Mission Activity of the Church, 1965.
7. Perfectae Caritatis, Decree On Renewal of Religious Life, 1965.	15. Presbyterorum Ordinis, Decree On the Ministry and Life of Priests, 1965.
8. Optatam Totius, Decree On Priestly Training, 1965.	16. Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution On the Church In the Modern World,1965.

THE first Ecumenical Council in the History of Christianity to renounce the use of Anathemas represents a positive way of doing theology. Instead of defining faith as “what you are not”, the “other” is perceived - contemplated - in the light of Christ and salvation history.

THE initial response to error and ignorance is not exclusion or condemnation, but rather contemplation and catechesis.

460 The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”: (2 Pet 1:4) “For this is why the Word became man, ^{[1265, 1391]}and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” (St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 3, 19, 1: PG 7/1.939) “For the Son of God became man so that we might BECOME GOD.”(St. Athanasius, De inc., 54, 3: PG 25, 192B) ^[1988] “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might MAKE MEN GODS.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57: 1-4).

1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ's Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, ^[654]branches grafted onto the vine which is himself:(Cf. 1 Cor 12; Jn 15:1-4)

[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine ^[460] nature [...] For this reason, THOSE IN WHOM THE SPIRIT DWELLS ARE DIVINIZED.(St. Athanasius, Ep. Serap. 1, 24: PG 26.585 & 588)

1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the SANCTIFYING or DEIFYING grace received in Baptism. [1966] It is in us the source of the work of sanctification: (Cf. Jn 4:14; 7:38-39) Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.(2 Cor 5:17-18).

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