Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain, and the Rest of the Story

Can a faithful Catholic benefit from understanding Sufism? Merton thought so. Now you can discover why. In the twentieth century, Thomas Merton, one of Christianity’s great mystics, encountered the ancient Eastern mystical tradition known as Sufism. The result was an outpouring of mystical insight and spiritual wisdom. In these talks, you will discover what first electrified Merton. The Sufi mystics have given us one of the world’s most read poets, Rumi, the beautiful mystical dance of whirling dervishes, interreligious insight, and new forms of contemplation. A visionary who sought to synthesize the best of Eastern and Western spiritualities, Thomas Merton’s profound interest in the Sufi mystics is more relevant today than ever. Merton explores the contemplative wisdom of Sufism to enhance our Christian understanding of mysticism and spiritual practice. In one of his talks to the novices at Gethsemani, he said, “The Sufis are seeking to know God and have ways of seeking to know God, and this should have some success with us...We should be closer to the Sufis.” In these talks, you will watch the development of Merton’s spirituality as he moved towards a greater understanding of interreligious dialogue. Merton believed that the Sufis had much to teach us about prayer, mysticism, and contemplation. Merton will bring you to new and exciting places as he reflects on Sufism and the mystical life. What Merton taught in the mid-twentieth century is prophetic for spiritual seekers in the contemporary world. ***Photographs of Thomas Merton by Sybille Akers and John Howard Griffin. Used with Permission of the Merton Legacy Trust and the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University.

Internationally best-selling author, renowned professor, and the "dean of American Catholic Historians," Fr. John O'Malley presents his monumental course on the papacy. This masterpiece series covers the most fascinating history in the Western world. Now you can trace the amazing history of the papacy, the oldest still-functioning institution of any kind in the Western world, in 36 erudite lectures. By focusing on popes that shaped vital moments in global history, you will gain a deep understanding of the people, issues, and ideas that gave us the Catholic church and our world. The story features both trouble and triumph—and Fr. O'Malley deftly tackles both aspects—but above all, it tells of resilience. You will be enthralled as you listen to Fr. O'Malley explains how pope after pope responded to challenges from barbarians, "Christian" monarchs, disgruntled bishops, and, above all, the faults and failures of human nature in order to guide Peter's bark through the rugged seas of time.

From the best-selling author of "The Return of the Prodigal Son," essential listening for Christians, Catholics, and all spiritual seekers. You are no doubt familiar with beloved spiritual master Henri Nouwen, who published 40 highly influential books during his lifetime. Now you can glean additional insights from three edifying Nouwen works published posthumously. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen's student at Yale Divinity School. Each volume of The Nouwen Trilogy collects Nouwen's unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings. Editing these works into a definitive guide to the Christian life, Drs. Christensen and Laird memorialize his popular teachings.   "Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit" is part of this trilogy. Available for the first time in audio format, these convenient sessions move you through the five stages of spiritual development: awakening, purgation, illumination, dark night, and unification. The audiobook is performed by Joe Abbey-Colborne, a veteran of pastoral ministry who played Nouwen in Gabrielle Earnshaw's presentation "Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life" with the Henri Nouwen Society.   Enhance your spiritual development with Nouwen's wisdom today.

How do you find God? When your soul longs for the spiritual, how do you find the time to turn within? Now, this profound series invites you to look to the contemplative tradition for inspiration and answers. Prayer is one of the most essential acts of the Christian life. In this spiritually edifying 24-lecture series, you will join celebrated author and Pauline sister Kathryn James Hermes, F.S.P., in exploring the tradition of contemplative prayer. Regardless of your level of experience, you will find nourishment in this unique series. Sr. Hermes weaves together various strands of Christian living into a tapestry of spiritual development and Christian maturity. In these presentations, you will find new horizons of contemplative living in today's society. You will explore a variety of practical teachings on contemplative prayer from saints and the Catholic tradition that will help you develop your own spiritual life. You will explore what the ancient mystical tradition of the Church means today in our ever-changing world. You will also learn how to avoid the pitfalls of merely tacking prayer onto your routine, or being too busy for prayer altogether. Instead, you will find paths to inner peace when your heart needs healing. This is a truly essential course for all Christians wishing to live prayerfully.