The Perfect Catholic Philosopher, according to Thomas Merton

Vivificat! - A Catholic Blog of Commentary and Opinion ^ | 27 August 2005 | Teófilo

[Teófilo]

Speaking of his friend Dan Walsh in his bestselling biography, The Seven Storey Mountain, Trappist Monk Thomas Merton draws a composite of what a Catholic philosopher ought to be from Dan Walsh's example:

For [Walsh], like Gilson, had the most rare and admirable virtue of being able to rise above the petty differences of schools and systems and seeing Catholic philosophy in its wholeness, in its variegated unity, and in its true Catholicity. In other words, he was able to study St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure and Duns Scotus side by side, and to see them as complementing and reinforcing one another, as throwing diverse and individual light n the same truths from different points of view, and thus he avoided the vil of narrowing and restricting Catholic philosophy and theology to a single school, to a single attitude, a single system.

You know, this is a true observation. Oftentimes we get mired in so much inane controversy, without exploring how the Church's different schools of theology and of life reinforce one another. Assuming a shared in word and in practice, orthodoxy, it is fair to say that God wants all of them in the Church, because God want to reach us where we are. If a person dislikes Opus Dei, he might go to the Focolare; if Communion and Liberation is not your bailiwick, then perhaps the Schoensttat Apostolic Movement is your thing. Perhaps another person finds the Charismatic Movement incompatible with her rearing or personality; perhaps the San Egidio Community is a better fit.

These are all pretty modern movements, but of course, the injunction also applies to the older ones. Too tired of Franciscan informality? Try the Dominicans. Want the security of a big building and hospitality of monks? Become a Benedictine Oblate, like I want to be—and I've also being a Charismatic, which is a good starting point to start living as a Catholic; and attended Schoensttat while living in Puerto Rico, as well as meditations sponsored by the Opus Dei in their House near the college campus. And I was privy many times how people from some group misunderstood the other: "Pentecostal heretics," some in Schoensttat called the Charismatics; "Mariolaters" the Charismatics sniped in return. These were the same people who sat side by side to pray the Rosary in their home parish, without really knowing the memberships of the others! It was nonsensical, all of it.

God wants all these things, all these movements, all these "tents." He wants you to be full. There's no excuse for Catholics to whine that "there's nothing in the Church that attracts me or that I like." There's plenty of food for the taking at the Church's table, plenty of evangelical ways of living. It is just a matter of asking the Lord to show you where He wants you to be.

[Teófilo]

As always, all typos and like blunders, my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Well, thanks for posting this, Teofilo.

It's something important to remember, especially in a contentious and fractious forum like Free Republic, where even we who are "in Christ" tear at each other with tooth and claw sometimes. Lord have mercy!

God loves us. He wants us to approach Him. As we approach Him, we approach each other.

For Christ to be all in all. That's what we can savor, hope for, live for.