Spirituality for the present -...
Brigitte Proksch
Today, many people's lives are marked by a radical longing for a spiritual, holistic life, for meaning and purpose, on the one hand, and at the same time by a striking loss of transcendence and religion on the other. The growing longing for reliable human relationships is countered by the increasing failure of community. The deep desire for peace and security often remains unfulfilled. People's own lives are often subject to growing uncertainty and precarious circumstances. They are undermined by a lack of prospects for the future and are in danger of being paralysed by exhaustion and hopelessness. Global conditions also appear threatening: the northern and southern halves of the world, the western and eastern parts, are in the process of breaking apart. In this oppressive situation, reliable advice and guidance are in demand. Christian spirituality as a source of quality of life and as a catalyst for renewal in the Church takes on irreplaceable significance. This book offers accessible insight into a spirituality that draws on the rich tradition of Christian teaching. It can help individuals or groups on their journey with insights and suggestions, and accompany everyday life or further education with a number of ideas.
An unexpected discovery in this search for clues is a 19th-century figure who provides relevant insights: Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850). Outwardly unassuming, conventional and traditional at first glance, his prophetic message becomes apparent upon closer inspection. His insights were far ahead of his time. He was a pastor and social worker, a visionary and an organizer. In his everyday life, he proved to be attentive to the demands of the moment, always grateful, alert, and sensitive to everyone and everything. His intention to build a universal and human community, involving everyone and sharing responsibility for the whole, is still forward-looking today. Pallotti is contemplative and profound, worldly and world-loving, convinced of the holiness of the world and of all people. For the Church, he desires both depth and breadth, openness to its own diversity and the unity of all Christians, indeed of all people. He considers a comprehensive council necessary for the Church and already anticipates its coming.
Some of what Vincent Pallotti thought and lived was only recognized and established as the Church's position during the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), while some of it goes beyond that. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII on January 20, 1963. The fact that this took place during the Council, which ushered in a new era in the Catholic Church, is programmatic.
This volume is intended as an inspiration to find inspiration and encouragement for life in Pallotti's legacy. Vincent Pallotti left behind numerous writings, including letters, prayers, occasional writings, a kind of diary, a spiritual explanation of the first part of the Christian creed, instructions for his companions and the members of the community he brought together, the Union of Catholic Apostles, as well as admonitions and reflections of various kinds. His writings are the testimony of a life that was fascinated and moved by God. In this sense, they contain an existential theology, a discourse on God in the original sense of the word, inspired by many personalities, including Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, and many others.
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