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Matching Monastery and Mission
Influences & Suggested Reading, New MonasticismGeorge Lings 'accompanied' the Community during 2005 (as part of 'Building Bridges of Hope') and has written this very helpful exploration of where the Northumbria Community fits into the 'fresh expressions of church' scene today. He examines particularly the Community's balance between the interior life ('monastery') and its outward expression (mission'). George Lings concludes: If the need today is for deep people then here is the portal to inner attentiveness in following Jesus and the painful but liberation process of being transformed by Him.' This booklet is part of the Encounters on the Edge series. A downloadable PDF version of the booklet is also available.£1.00 -
Merton’s Palace of Nowhere
Spiritual Growth, The Inner JourneySpiritual identity is the quest to know who we are, to find meaning in life and to overcome that sense of "is that all there is?" At the heart of this quest are found Thomas Meron's illuminating insights leading from an awareness of the false and illusory self as the way to a realization of the true self. For twenty-five years, Merton's Palace of Nowhere has been the standard for exploring, reflecting on, and understanding this rich vein of Merton's thought.£14.00 -
Course in Desert Spirituality: Fifteen Sessions with the Famous Trappist Monk
Desert Monasticism, Influences & Suggested ReadingThomas Merton's sessions with the young monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani showcase Merton's brilliant ability to survey the key figures and synthesize their writings, inspiring his listeners and readers with what it means for the spiritual life. Like its companion volume, A Course in Christian Mysticism, this book is a collection of fifteen lectures that get to the heart of Merton's belief that monastic wisdom and spirituality are applicable for everyone. This compact volume allows anyone to learn from one of the twentieth century's greatest Catholic spiritual teachers. The study materials at the back of the book, including additional primary source readings and thoughtful questions for reflection and discussion, make this an essential text for any student of Christian desert spirituality.£13.50 -
Oswald: Return of the King
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityThe exiled family of King AEthelfrith of Northumbria arrive, after much hardship, on the island of Iona, where the monastery founded by St Columba has become a centre of worship and learning. Young Oswald becomes firm friends with a novice, Aidan. When Aidan professes his final vows, Oswald and his little brother Oswy are received into the church. As befits a young prince, Oswald learns to fight. However, Aidan's example attacts him and he is on the point of deciding to become a monk when news reaches Iona that his half brother, Eanfrith, has been killed by Cadwallon, the king who defeated Edwin. Oswald sails back to Northumbria and meets Cadwallon in battle, defeating and killing him. Oswald, now undisputed king of Northumbria, gives Aidan the island of Lindisfarne as his base. But Penda, the last great pagan king in England, is raising troops against him ...£9.99 -
Most powerful holy spirit: A5 poster
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Music & Creativity, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThese words are the 'Invocation of the Holy Spirit' in found in Celtic Daily Prayer Book 1: The Journey Begins by the Northumbria Community. This calligraphic design is also available as an A4 poster.£1.50 -
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Into the depths: A Journey of Loss and Vocation
Everyday Life, The Inner JourneyIn January 1984, Sr Mary Margaret Funk, a Benedictine nun from Indiana, paid a visit to Maryknoll missionary nuns working in Bolivia. On what should have been a routine trip to the local town for a convocation ceremony, a flash flood swept away the jeep in which she, three nuns, a priest, and a disabled boy they had adopted were travelling. Only she and the priest survived What happened that night catapulted Sr Meg into twenty-five years of prayer and self-examination. She relentlessly explored her relationship with the transcendent and immanent God, the profundities of her religious tradition, her commitment to spiritual practice, and her very human failings. It was a journey that left her spiritually naked before the terrible love of God; a journey to keep one's heart open to the transforming wounds of suffering. In the great tradition of spiritual confessions from Augustine to Thomas Merton's The Seven-Story Mountain, Into the Depths is a fearlessly honest and simply told account of one woman's struggle to engage at the deeper levels with the most profound questions of faith.Original price was: £12.99.£8.99Current price is: £8.99. -
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Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert: Three Inspirational Saints
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityIn this rousing book, David Adam celebrates the lives and interweaving stories of Aidan, Bede and Cuthbert. Recalling, in a personal introduction, his ordination to the pastoral ministry in Durham Cathedral (the burial place of Bede and Cuthbert) and his thirteen years as Vicar of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne (where Aidan lived), the author communicates clearly his appreciation of these three great saints. They have much to teach us, he believes, about vision – about expanding our spiritual awareness and deepening our love for God.£9.99 -
Contemplation in a World of Action
The Inner JourneyThe spiritual and psychological insights of these essays were nurtured in a monastic milieu, but their issues are universally human. Thomas Merton lays a foundation for personal growth and transformation through fidelity to "our own truth and inner being". Our desire and need to attain "a fully human and personal identity" is the focus of Merton's concern.£24.99 -
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
Seasons of Life, The Inner JourneyA compassionate and compelling meditation on discovering your path in life. With wisdom, compassion and gentle humour, Parker J. Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made a difference , he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as fulfilment and joy, illuminating a pathway towards vocation for all who seek the true calling of their lives. Hardback 25th Anniversary Edition with new introduction£18.99 -
The Forgotten Desert Mothers
Desert Monasticism, Monasticism & New MonasticismAn introduction to the sayings, lives and stories of early Christian women. "Written in clear, heartfelt language, this book does two things beautifully. It revives lost memories of women leaders in the early evolution of Christian spirituality, thus filling in one more missing piece of women's history. And it calls the reader to a path of spirituality sorely needed in today's clamorous world: slow down, be quiet, listen for the voice of God deep within your heart. The book's attractiveness is enhanced by a time line, ordination rite, glossary and calendar of feasts in addition to notes and bibliography. Altogether an appealing contribution."£15.99- Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J. Fordham University
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The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Celtic Sites & SaintsDavid Adam has been captivated by the beauty, wonder and holiness of Lindisfarne since first glimpsing its fairytale castle from the train as a young boy. In this absorbing volume, he shows the island's human face, revealing how Lindisfarne and its people have responded to trial, tribulation and triumph in the course of a long and vibrant history. This tiny place witnessed one of the last stands of the 'British' Celtic peoples against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 6th century. It has been the home of saints and scholars, most notably St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert, and famously produced the medieval masterpiece known as the "Lindisfarne Gospels". Less familiar to readers, perhaps, will be that the island experienced the first recorded Viking invasion in 793, and was involved in the 17th century Civil War and the 18th century Jacobite Rebellion. Today its ruined 11th century Priory and 16th century Castle - later redesigned by the great English architect Edwin Lutyens - draw pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. Wherever you walk on Lindisfarne, the past impinges on the present...In relating afresh many of the island's legends and stories, David Adam's lovely volume affords the reader a wonderful sense of all there is to discover, just beneath the surface.£9.99 -
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Contemplative Prayer
Influences & Suggested Reading, Scripture & PrayerThomas Merton's classic study of monastic prayer and contemplation brings a tradition of spirituality alive for the present day. But, as A M Allchin points out in his Introduction to this new edition, Contemplative Prayer also shows us the present day in a new perspective, because we see it in the light of a long and living tradition. Merton stresses that in meditation we should not look for a 'method' or 'system' but cultivate an 'attitude' or 'outlook': faith, openness, attention, reverence, expectation, trust, joy. God is found in the desert of surrender, in giving up any expectation of a particular message and 'waiting on the Word of God in silence'. Merton insists on the humility of faith, which he argues 'will do far more to launch us into the full current of historical reality than the pompous rationalisation of politicians who think they are somehow the directors and manipulators of history'.£9.99 -
Fire of the North: The Life of St Cuthbert
Celtic Sites & SaintsSt Cuthbert, monk and bishop of Lindisfarne, was a man of extraordinary charm and ability. A preacher, teacher and pastor, he was also reputed to have gifts of prophecy and healing. David Adam, one of the most prolific and best-loved writers in the Celtic tradition, vividly relates the story of this central figure in Celtic Christianity. Drawing out the qualities which make Cuthbert so important in our own time, Fire of the North celebrates the saint's ready sense of God's presence and eager response to nature. The narrative is complemented throughout by prayers specially composed to help us experience the direct force of Celtic spirituality for ourselves.£10.99 -
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The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityOswald of Northumbria was the first great English monarch, yet today this legendary figure is all but forgotten. In this panoramic portrait of Dark Age Britain, archaeologist and biographer Max Adams returns the king in the North to his rightful place in history as a charismatic leader, a warrior whose prowess in battle earned him the epithet Whiteblade, and an exiled prince who returned to claim his birthright and become the inspiration for Tolkein's Aragorn.£12.99 -
Hermits of the Inner Farne
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThis booklet has been compiled by Andy Raine, a Companion with the Northumbria Community, as a way of retelling the story of the hermits who lived and prayed on the little island of Inner Farne, just off the north Northumberland coast. It begins with a reprinting of Kathleen Parbury’s manuscript of The Hermits of the House of Farne, which she self-published in 1983, and which is contained here with the permission and blessing of her surviving relatives. It also includes relevant liturgical material taken from Celtic Daily Prayer, and other articles about the hermits.£6.00 -
A Retreat with Thomas Merton
The Inner JourneyThe celebrated spiritual writer Thomas Merton remains one of the most influential voices of our day. His many books have become modern spiritual classics and he opened up the riches of the monastic tradition for many. Here, Esther de Waal devises a seven day personal or group retreat programme using extracts from Thomas Merton's writings and a selection of the photography for which he was also renowned. She creates a retreat that can be made at home, at a centre or on holiday, over a week or a period of weeks. The focus of each of the seven days is: The Call; Response; The Solitary Within; Encounter With Christ; The Demands of Love; Common and Natural and Ordinary; Integration.£14.00 -
Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton
Advent & Christmas, Resources for the Christian YearAdvent and Christmas are special times for all Christians. The spiritual longing of the Advent season can only be satisfied by the joy and celebration of a Christmas focused on Jesus' birth in our hearts. Advent and Christmas Wisdom with Thomas Merton give readers the opportunity to experience Advent and Christmas in a way that unwraps the spiritual joy, allowing it to shine brighter that all the tinsel and trappings that can blind our eyes to the deeper meaning of the season. This book is arranged for use on every day of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Each day's reflection begins with a scriptural quotation, continues with a thought from the writings of Thomas Merton, and concludes with a prayer for the day. Merton's writing capture the familiar themes of the season: the Incarnation, anticipation, angels, giving, and many others - each drawing us closer to the joy of welcoming the Saviour into our lives. An appendix includes a suggested plan for using each day's meditation as part of a morning or evening prayer.£11.99 -
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
Desert MonasticismThe Sayings of the Desert Fathers – The Alphabetical Collection Translated by Benedicta Ward, SLG The fourth-century ascetic flight to the desert indelibly marked Christianity. The faithful who did not embrace the austerity of the desert admired those who did and sought them out for counsel and consolation. The ‘words’ the monks gave were collected and passed around among those too far away or too feeble to make the trek themselves – or lived generations later. Previously available only in fragments, these Sayings of the Desert Fathers are now accessible in its entirety in English for the first time. ‘We have a great deal to learn from their integrity and their unrelenting courage, from their vision of God – so holy, so great, possessed of such a love, that nothing less than one’s whole being could respond to it,’ wrote Archbishop Anthony of Sourzah in the preface. ‘If we wish to understand the sayings of the Fathers, let us approach them with veneration, silencing our judgments and our own thoughts in order to meet them on their own ground and perhaps to partake ultimately – if we prove to emulate their earnestness in the search, their ruthless determination, their infinite compassion – in their own silent communion with God.’£15.99 -
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The Promise of Paradox: a celebration of contradictions in the Christian life
The Inner JourneyFirst published in 1980 - and reissued here with a feisty new introductory essay - The Promise of Paradox launched Parker J. Palmer s career as an author and his ongoing exploration of the contradictions that vex and enrich our lives. In this probing and heartfelt book, the distinguished writer, teacher, and activist examines some of the challenging questions at the core of Christian spirituality. How do we live with the apparent opposition between good and evil, scarcity and abundance, individuality and community, death and new life? We can hold them as paradoxes, not "either/ors", allowing them to open our minds and hearts to new ways of seeing and being. Animated by the insights of the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, The Promise of Paradox explores spiritual questions in the open and generous spirit of Christian mysticism, challenging forms of Christianity that are closed and even cruel. There are no easy answers to these questions, and there may be no answers at all. But with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, Palmer advocates the rich possibilities that emerge when we learn to "live the questions".£15.99 -
Oswiu: King of Kings
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityOswald's head is on a spike. Can Oswiu avoid the same fate? The great pagan king Penda set a trap, and when the brothers Oswiu and Oswald walked in, only one came back alive. Rumours abound that the place where Oswald's body is strung up has become sacred ground - a site of healing for those who seek it. Oswald's mother believes he will protect those he loves, even beyond the grave. So she asks the impossible of Oswiu: to journey to the heart of Penda's kingdom and rescue the body that was stolen from them. Will this fateful task allow Oswiu to prove himself worthy of uniting the kingdoms under him as the King of Kings, or will it set him on a path to destruction? Oswiu: King of Kings is the masterful conclusion to The Northumbrian Thrones trilogy.£12.99 -
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How the Irish saved civilisation
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & SpiritualityFrom the fall of Rome to the rise of Charlemagne – the 'dark ages' – learning, scholarship and culture disappeared from the European continent. The great heritage of Western civilisation – from the Greek and Roman classics to Jewish Christian works – would have been utterly lost were it not for the holy men and women of the unconquered Ireland. In this delightful and illuminating look into a crucial but little-known 'hinge' of history, Thomas Cahill takes us to the 'island of saints and scholars', the Ireland of St Patrick and the Book of Kells. Here, far from the barbarian despoliation of the continent, monks and scribes labouriously, lovingly, even playfully preserved the West's written treasury. With the return of stability in Europe, these Irish scholars were instrumental in spreading learning. Thus the Irish not only were conservators of civilisation, but became shapers of the medieval mind, putting their unique stamp on Western civilisation.£10.99 -
Oswald Liturgy Card
Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Daily Prayer & Liturgy, Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingA trifold A4 card containing the Oswald Liturgy from Celtic Daily Prayer Book 1: The Journey Begins. A useful resource for pilgrimages and retreats. 10% discount when buying 5 or more copies.£0.65 -
Availability and Vulnerability: A way for living
Core Teaching, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingThe Rule of the Northumbria Community with an introduction by Trevor Miller, one of the leaders of the Community. A new Way for Living that offers hope in the changed and changing culture of today's world.£4.00 -
A Silent Action: engagements with Thomas Merton
Spiritual GrowthThomas Merton's life, especially once he had become a writer, was to a great extent one of dialogue with people who were distant, both geographically and historically. In these probing and perceptive studies, Rowan Williams looks closely at the key intellectual and spiritual relationships that emerge in Merton's writings, exploring the impact on him of thinkers as diverse as Hannah Arendt, Karl Barth, William Blake, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Olivier Clement, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Paul Evdokimov, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Vladimir Lossky, John Henry Newman, Boris Pasternak and St John of the Cross.£11.99 -
An Introduction to the Wisdom of the Celtic Saints
Celtic Sites & Saints, Celtic Studies, Celtic Studies & Spirituality, Core Teaching, Influences & Suggested Reading, Northumbria Community Resources & TeachingEdward C Sellner has recently published a revised and expanded edition of his important work Wisdom of the Celtic Saints, which presents the stories of 27 of the most important of the Celtic saints from Ireland, Scotland, northern England, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. However, this is currently only available in hardback form and the author has permitted the Northumbria Community to publish his excellent introduction to his book in this booklet form, making it more widely accessible.£4.00 -
Egfroth of Lindisfarne (not a saint!)
Celtic Studies & SpiritualityKate Tristram has written an entertaining and accessible account of the remarkable years of the 7th century Golden Age of Northumbria from the viewpoint of a fictional monk called Egfroth and his cat. She tells the story of Saint Aidan coming to Lindisfarne at the request of King Oswald, the traumatic events of the Synod of Whitby, the ministry of the charismatic Saint Cuthbert, the creation of the Lindisfarne gospels and the emergence of the great historian The Venerable Bede. Like Bede, Kate Tristram is an historian and author; she has lived and worked on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, at the heart of this story, for forty years. Combining her detailed knowledge of the era with a delightfully light touch, she provides a succinct overview of the momentous events that stamped their mark firmly on the religious, cultural and artistic life of our nation.£5.99