Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Tag: Dohle

What Christ Jesus is calling us to

If you want something and it is good, you have to open up for it, reach out and move forward. Like in the spiritual life, to grasp God’s love and mercy, conscious acts of love and trust have to be made, often expressed against a current that wants to sweep you the other way. Death… Read More ›

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The Near Death Experience

For the past 30 years the NDE (near-death-experience) has been of great interest to me.  I think it is an important development in our culture due to our medical sophistication that allows many people to be brought back from the brink of death.  Millions actually, in the United States alone 13 million according to P.M.H…. Read More ›

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Assumption

Often when I am saying the Glorious Mysteries’ of the Rosary, when I arrive at the “Assumption of Mary”, my mind often dwells on the mystery of the Holy Trinity dwelling in our souls. For the Christian, God is neither just transcendent nor immanent, but both. Some Christian writers will use the work “Panenthiesm” to… Read More ›

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Everyman (a book review of sorts)

Fiction is a very important genre of literature.  People have told me in the past that they don’t read fiction, because it does not deal with life.  When in fact the opposite is true, for to read fiction is to learn about life, to think deeply on many areas of existence, that may not be… Read More ›

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Those we meet on the way

the most important part of the NDE (Near Death Experience) It is often true that some of the favors or mercies, shown to us by others, those most remembered, are the small instances that may make the biggest impact.  Perhaps this is so because it can be done in such a spontaneous manner, done freely… Read More ›

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Brain laundered or washed or dry-cleaned

People within anyone group will see themselves differently than those who are looking in from outside.  The closer knit the assembly, the more in agreement they are with one another, the greater the criticism that can be thrown at them.  In a secular culture, religious groups will be an easy target and the majority can… Read More ›

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Habits

Some habits are easy to come by and then can become compulsions draining the one chained to them of freedom and unable to have a real life.  Other habits lead to deeper inner freedoms which have a positive affect on life.  Study for instance can be a good habit that will benefit the one who… Read More ›

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The last phase of life

As I was taking care of Luke early this morning I could tell that this was going to be a morning of confusion.  He was in a good mood, but as happens often with the very old, he will soon be 102, his body is awake but his mind is still in some dream.  Luckily… Read More ›

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If we have souls

Old age the final frontier not easy by any means, often painful on many levels that is unknown in youth or middle age. Which I believe is the most important part of our lives, If indeed we do have souls, a heart that grows eternally, and we take our love with us; and all else… Read More ›

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Our mourning

Mourning is ever new and fresh, each time someone lost like it is the first time, its sharpness never dulls as it cuts though all defenses, there is sorrow, anger and deep rage, all pious clichés wasted, though faith and hope remain. We are so civilized in our mourning, no tearing of our robes, or… Read More ›

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