Learn more about Edith Stein and Richard of St. Victor!

Note: The following blog was co-written by Sister Paula Damiano, SP, and Sister Jan Craven, SP, who will co-facilitate each of the upcoming “Mystics: a journey of discovery,” sessions, scheduled for Jan. 21 and March 3.

A German Jew, Carmelite nun, atheist, philosopher, martyr and saint!

Edith Stein was all of these and much more. Her writings are evidence of a woman searching deeply for the Divine in her life in ways some would not have expected.

Long before “ecumenism” was spoken of in houses of faith, Edith wrote this:

“It has always been far from me to think that God’s mercy allows itself to be circumscribed by the visible church’s boundaries. God is truth. All who seek truth seek God, whether this is clear to them or not.”

Edith Stein can inspire us to open our hearts and minds to persons who seek truth; to respect the path another might take on this journey.

Interested in knowing more about Edith Stein? Several books are available, including her own writings. Or plan on joining us online or in-person from 1:30-3 p.m., on Sunday, Jan. 21, to learn more about this remarkable woman who left the earth in 1942.

Christian mystics have an elaborate system for classifying contemplative experience.

The 12th century’s Richard of St. Victor proposed a classification of contemplative experience. Richard’s classification is not simply derived from experience, but also relies on hypothetical ideas.

Specifically, he sees the human mind as having three divisions, including:

• A sense of perception and imagination,
• Conversational reasoning, and
• Pure intellect, or sensing experience alone.

He emphasizes that contemplation is something fluid and dynamic. That is, during contemplation the minds moves freely among these levels. He likens things to a hawk that flies higher or lower, sometimes hovering, sometimes diving, sometimes returning for a second look, and so on.

That is what we plan to explore during the Sunday, March 3, mystics session on Richard of St. Victor, as well as his treatise on the Trinity.

Sign up to attend the sessions virtually or in-person here.