Solitude, Silence, and Recollection
A Talk by Fr. Ermatinger

Carthusian Monk

Outline of Talk

  • Introductions: 0:00-0:11
  • Invitation to Christ’s Kingdom: 0:11-4:11
    • St. Gertrude: 1:12-2:14
    • St. Matilda: 2:14-3:10
    • St. Gertrude’s Conversion Experience at 25: 3:10-4:11
      • Began to Live for Christ
      • Began to Advance in the Spiritual Life
  • Solitude, Silence, and Recollection: 4:11-36:31
    • Needed to Preserve the Recollection of Spirit
    • Remembrance of the Presence of God (Eastern Phrasing)
    • Solitude: 4:46-12:00
      • Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection: 4:59-5:48
        • Book-Practice of the Presence of God
      • On Solitude: 5:48-10:15
        • St. Alphonsus de Liguori: 5:48-5:59
          • Souls that Love God Feel A Strong Attraction for Solitude
          • Shun the Noise and Distractions of the World
        • St. Jerome: 5:59-7:12
        • Scripture
        • Eastern Fathers (Philokalia): 7:12-8:19
          • In Solitude, Virtue Is Easily Preserved and Intercourse with the World is Easily Lost: 8:07-8:19
        • William of St Thierry: Tracts and Letters: 8:19-9:35
        • Desert in Judaism vs. Desert in Christianity: 9:35-10:15
      • Doing God’s Will in Daily Life: 10:15-12:00
        • Giving God Glory In Daily Life
        • Need for Intimate Dialogue with Christ: 11:20-12:00
    • Silence: 12:00-17:27
      • Assumed To Be Burdensome
      • Need to Unburden
      • Filling Ourselves with Other Things: 12:40-13:13
      • Silence of Solitude is Fruitful for Those that Love the Lord: 13:13-13:55
        • Hermitage Within
        • Bridegroom Chamber in the Soul
      • St. Philip Neri: 13:55-14:35
      • The Need for Retreats: 14:35-15:42
      • St. Gregory: 15:42-16:16
        • Exercise Continual Desire for Christ
      • Living in Solitude of Spirit as well as Body: 16:16-17:27
    • Developing Silence: 17:27-30:21
      • Having Christ’s Heart Foremost in Our Heart and Mind: 17:27-18:50
      • Having a Formulated Regimen: 18:50-22:45
        • Attach Our Hearts and Minds to Him: 19:24-21:16
        • Disorders Appear When in Silence: 21:16-22:00
        • All Called to External and Internal Silence: 22:00-22:45
      • Tranquillitas Ordinis: 22:45-30:21
        • Disorders in Conscience Make the Cultivation of Silence Difficult
        • St. Dorotheus: 23:53-24:59
          • Guard Against Much Talking
        • Train One’s Tongue: 24:59-30:21
          • Loss of Silence in Many Parishes: 26:19-29:25
            • Aside: Alexander the Great: 26:48-28:03
          • Thomas à Kempis: 28:03-29:25
            • Speak More with God Than with Men
          • Aside: Disconnecting from the News / World: 29:25-30:21
    • Recollection: 30:21-36:31
      • Allowing the Lord to Fill the Silence: 30:21-35:13
        • Effort of the Will that Becomes a Habit
        • Being Under God’s Loving Gaze and Returning it
        • Would Seldom do Anything Displeasing: 31:44-35:13
          • Aside: The Desert Father and the Prostitute: 32:28-34:03
          • Aside: Jean-Paul Sartre and the Breaking with One’s Conscience: 34:03-35:13
      • God Must Teach One: 35:13-36:31
        • St. Theresa
        • Simplicity of the Spiritual Life
  • Use Advent as a Time of Preparation: 36:31-37:02

— Fr. Ermatinger