Centre for Applied Carmelite Spirituality launches new online lecture series

The Centre for Applied Carmelite Spirituality (CACS) in Oxford has announced a new online spirituality series — The Vigil Lecture Series  — featuring six exceptional Carmelite Saints – Blessed Marie-Eugène, St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, St Titus Brandsma, St Mariam Baouardy of Jesus Crucified,and St Teresa of Avila and Jerome Gracian.

This series will explore their particular gift in the context of their time as well as a Teresian trait in their spiritual experience. By registering you will be given access to the talk’s recordings for six months. Each session includes two hours of live presentation. You can subscribe to the series, or just individual lectures that are of particular interest.

“Each talk stands alone and may be attended as such, but taken together they weave a common thread of helping us to take a different look and understanding of the legacy left by St Teresa,” said Fr Alexander Ezechukwu, OCD, the Prior of the Oxford Carmelite Priory.

“Whatever the stage of your journey you can meet fellow meditators with whom to reflect and share your thoughts about this series in a safe environment.”

The first in the series of presentations takes place tomorrow (Saturday 3rd February) and its presenter is Cyprian Blarimes OCDS, who will deliver a lecture entitled “Blessed Marie-Eugène: ‘The St John of the Cross of the 20th Century’”.

Blessed Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus (Henri Grialou 1894-1967) is known above all to English readers for his huge synthesis of Carmelite spirituality, published in an English translation in two volumes, I want to see God and I am a daughter of the Church. But this is only the tip of the iceberg of the achievements of this truly extraordinary French Carmelite priest.

It was St John of the Cross who originally drew him to Carmel, but he was to become a powerful and energetic promotor of the cause of Therese of Lisieux, about whom he wrote extensively. (As a retreat-giver he was privileged to address and inspire the nuns in the Lisieux Carmel at a time when Therèse’s own sisters were to be found in their ranks).

Nonetheless, to many who met him, he was the very incarnation of St John of the Cross – whose greatest disciple was of course none other than Therèse herself. A Dominican who met him spoke of him as ‘the St John of the Cross of the 20th century, and that century saw a huge explosion of interest in the collaborator of St Teresa in the work of reform.

If you would like to know more about this lecture, and the Carmelite’s Vigil Lecture Series CLICK HERE

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An English translation of writings by Blessed Marie-Eugène on St John of the Cross has recently been published, which was edited and designed for CACS by The Edit Partnership Ltd. To order your copy of John of the Cross – A Living Flame by Cyprian Blarimes CLICK HERE