carthusian s

7/29/2019 Carthusian s

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/carthusian-s 1/8

255

T R A D I T I O N S O F S P I R I T U A L

G U I D A N C E

T h e C a r t h u s i a n s

T o t h e p o o r o f th e w o r l d w e g i v e b r e a d o r w h a t e v e r e l se o u r re so u rc es a f f o r d o r

g o o d w i l l s u g g e s ts : w e r a re l y r ec ei ve t h e m u n d e r o u r r o o f b u t i n s t e a d s e n d t h e m t o

f i n d l o d g in g s i n t h e vi l la g e . F o r i t i s n o t f o r t h e t e m p o r a l c a re o f th e b o di es o f o u r

n e i g h b o u r s t h a t w e h a v e f l e d to t h i s d e s er t, b u t f o r t h e e t e r n a l s a l v a t i o n o f o u r s o u ls .

T h e r e fo r e i t i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g i f w e g i v e m o r e f r i e n d s h i p a n d a s s is t a nc e t o t h o se w h oc o m e h e re f o r t h e s a k e o f th e i r so u l s t h a n to t h o se w h o c o m e f o r t h e s a k e o f t h e ir

bodies. 1

T HIS EXTRACT FROM the earliest Carthusian customary (c.1125), the

C o n s u e t u d i n e s C a r t u s i a e of Prior Gu igo I, may appear somewhat chilly

to those acquainted with St Benedict's injunction to receive the poor as

though receiving Christ himself (though in fact, as Guigo subsequently

points out, the monks did give generously of what little they had to be

distributed in nearby villages). Bu, it underlines one of the most striking

features of the early Carthusians, the 'unworthy and useless poor men of

Chris t who dwell in the desert of the Chartreuse for love of the name of

Jes us' , as another early prior of the Grande Chartreuse put it: 2 the careful

and coherent way in which, from the very start, they set about creating

a mann er of life that would be appropriate in every particular to the

vocation they had embraced. The first charterhouses were, like the

Chartreuse itself, in distinctly inhospitable (though not always

uninhabited) places; the monks sought to be self-sufficient as far as theypossibly could; and one of the distinctive features of the early communities

was the way they set about clearing or purchasing the land around the

monastery (within the t e r m i n i they themselves specified) in order to

guarantee the solitude they needed. This might seem to imply that the

'po or men of Christ' had little to do with the poor men and women of

this world.

Yet the contradict ion is more apparent than real. One of the striking

features of the early Carthusians , as with the Cistercians and others, was

the way in which, even from their mountainous retreats, they took part

in the affairs of the world outside. Like St Bernard (with who m he

corresponded), Prior Guigo I did not hesitate to tell the Church how to

behave itself, and to usa his influence to espouse the principles of the

Gregorian reform; 3 and the early monks of the nearby monastery of

Portes, one of the first to affiliate to the fledgling order in the early



256 T R A D I T I O N S O F S P I R I T U A L G U I D A N C E

t w e l ft h c e n t u r y , w r o t e a n u m b e r o f l et te r s o f f e r i n g d e t a il e d s p i ri tu a l

g u i d a n c e b o t h t o r e l ig i o u s a n d l a y p e o p l e . 4

F o r a ll t h e r i g o u r o f t h e i r a s c e ti c is m , t h e n , t h e e a r l y C a r t h u s i a n s d i d

n o t s ee th e m s e l v e s a s e n t i r e ly c u t o f f f r o m t h e n e e d s o f t h e C h u r c h a s a

w h o l e : i n d e e d t h e y s a w t h e i r v o c a t i o n n o t s o m u c h a s a fl ig h t f r o m t h e

w o r l d a s a f l ig h t f o r t h e w o r l d , a n d t h e i r w a y o f l if e, c e n t r e d u p o n w h a t

G u i g o I c a l l e d t h e 'quasi bina di lect io ' ( a lm o s t t w o f o l d lo v e, o f G o d a n d o f

n e i g h b o u r ) , a s a c h a l l e n g e a n d e v e n a w i t n e ss t o t h e i r c o n t e m p o r a r i e s .

T h e r e l u c t a n c e t o h e l p t h e p h y s i c a ll y p o o r w a s p a r t o f t h is a s c et ic i sm ,

p a r t o f a m e a n s t o a g r e a t e r e n d : t h o s e w h o s o u g h t t o l iv e w i t h t h e u t m o s t

s i m p l i c i t y a n d i n t h e u t m o s t p o v e r t y t h e m s e l v e s w o u l d h a v e l i t t l e m a t e r i a l

w e a l t h o r p r o p e r t y t o s h ar e w i t h o th e r s. W h a t t h e y c o u l d s h a r e w a s

s o m e t h i n g a l t o g e t h e r d e e p e r : a phi Iosophia , o r ' l iv e d w i s d o m ' , t h a t m i g h tt o u c h h e a r t s a n d c h a n g e l iv e s f a r b e y o n d t h e b l e ak t ermini o f t h e c h a r t e r -

h o u s e .

F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e n , w h a t t h e C a r t h u s i a n s h a d t o o f fe r w a s n o t

m a t e r i a l w e a l t h ( t h e y h a v e s u c c e e d e d , p e r h a p s t o a g r e a t e r e x t e n t t h a n

a n y o t h e r m o n a s t i c o r d e r , i n a v o i d i n g th a t a l to g e t h e r) , n o r e v e n g e m s o f

i n d i v i d u a l g u i d a n c e , b u t th e w i t n es s o f t h e i r l iv e s. T h e G r a n d e C h a r t r e u s e

i ts e lf w a s f o u n d e d b y S t B r u n o , f o r m e r l y c h a n c e l l o r o f t h e c a t h e d r a l a t

P , h e i m s , i n 1 0 8 4 ; a n d i t is c l e a r t h a t t h e d i s ti n c ti v e l i n e a m e n t s a n d r h y t h m

o f t h e C a r t h u s i a n l if e o w e t h e i r o r i g i n s t o h i m , e v e n t h o u g h i t w a s t h ef if th p r i o r , G u i g o I , w h o ( a s w e h a v e s e en ) f ir st c o m m i t t e d t h e i r c u s t o m s

t o w r i t in g . T h e l if e w a s a c o h e r e n t a n d c a r e f u ll y w o r k e d o u t b l e n d o f t h e

c e n o b i t i c a n d e r e m i t i c , e a c h f u lf il li n g t h e o t h e r ; a n d i t w a s m a d e p o s s ib l e

b y t h e i n s ti t u ti o n o f convers i w h o w e r e n o t s o m u c h s e rv a n t s a s l a y m o n k s ,

a n d w h o s e li ve s i n v o l v e d m o r e m a n u a l l a b o u r t h a n t h a t o f t h e c h o i r

m o n k s , y e t w h o f r o m t h e s t a rt w e r e c l e a r ly s e en t o b e i n t e g r a l a n d f u ll

m e m b e r s o f t he w h o le c o m m u n i t y .

T h e r e w e r e n o n o v i ce m a s t e r s i n t h e e a r l y c h a r t e rh o u s e s ; a n d m o n a s t i c

f o r m a t i o n t o o k p l a c e i n th e c e ll : G u i g o I s a y s t h a t o n e o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e d

m o n k s ( a s w e l l a s t h e p r i o r ) w o u l d b e d e p u t e d t o v i s i t t h e n o v i c e t h e r e

' t o i n s t r u c t h i m i n n e c e s s a r y t h i n g s ' . 4 T h e lif e o f a C a r t h u s i a n c h o i r -

m o n k w a s m i n u t e l y p r es c r ib e d , a n d w i t h g o o d re a s o n : t he b a la n c e o f

s o li tu d e a n d c o m m u n i t y , t h e b l e n d o f p r a y e r , p h y s ic a l w o r k , r e c r e a t i o n

a n d s t u d y w a s c a re f u ll y s t r u c tu r e d a n d m a i n t a i n e d . F r o m t h e st ar t, t h e n ,

s p i ri tu a l g u i d a n c e i n th e c h a r t e r h o u s e w a s p r i m a r i l y a g r o u p a f fa ir , n o t

a n i n d i v id u a l o n e : t h e w h o l e c o m m u n i t y , i n t h e ir c o r p o r a t e l i tu r g y ,

c h a p t e r m e e t i n g s a n d r e c r e a t i o n a s w e ll a s i n th e i r l o n g h o u r s i n s o l i tu d e ,

t o o k r e s p o n s ib i l it y f o r o n e a n o t h e r ; a n d t h e i r f o u n d e r d e s c r i b e d t h e ir lif e

a s ' H i s [ C h r i s t ' s ] s c h o o l , u n d e r t h e d i sc i pl in e o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t ' .6 T i l d e n

E d w a r d s h a s p o i n t e d o u t ~ t h a t g r o u p s p i ri tu a l d i r e c t io n is i n f a c t t h e

s t a n d a r d f o r m o f g u i d a n c e i n th e C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n ; a n d t h e C a r t h u s i a n s

w e r e a n d s ti ll a r e a m o n g i ts e x e m p l a r s . W h a t t h i s m e a n t i n p r a c ti c e is

t h e s u b j e c t o f m o s t o f t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t hi s a r ti cl e.



T R A D I T I O N S O F S P I R I T U A L G U I D A N C E 257

F i r s t a n d f o r e m o s t , a n d n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e e m p h a s i s o n th e c o m m u n i t y

a l r e a d y n o t e d , t h e C a r t h u s i a n m o n k o r n u n s h a d t o d e v e l o p a c o n s i d e r a b l e

c a p a c i t y f o r s e l f -k n o w l e d g e a n d a w a r e n e s s . I n a r e m a r k a b l e s e t o f

m e d i t a t i o n s , w r i t t e n in a b o u t 1 11 5, G u i g o I r e fl e c te d c o n s t a n t l y a n d

c r i t i c a l ly o n h i s o w n e x p e r i e n c e a n d r e a c t i o n s . T h i s i s w h a t h e w r o t e

a b o u t a d i s a s t e r a t V e s p e r s :

N o t i c e h o w , w h e n y o u r e c e n t l y t r i p p e d u p i n fr o n t o f t h e b r e t h r e n

b y s a y i n g on e a n t i p h o n i n s te a d o f a n o t h e r , y o u r m i n d t r ie d to

t h in k o f a w a y o f p u t t i n g t h e b l a m e o n s o m e t h i n g e l s e - - e i t h e r o n

t h e b o o k i ts e lf , o r o n s o m e o t h e r t h in g . F o r y o u r h e a r t w a s

r e l u c t a n t t o s e e i ts e l f a s i t r e a l l y is , a n d s o i t p r e t e n d e d t o i t se l f

t h a t i t w a s d i f f e r e n t , i n c l i n i n g i ts e l f t o e v i l w o r d s t o e x c u s e i ts s in .T h e L o r d w i l l r e p r o v e y o u , a n d s e t b e f o re y o u w h a t y o u h a v e

d o n e : y o u w o n ' t b e a b l e to h id e f r o m y o u r s e l f a n y l o n g e r , o r t o

e s c a p e f r o m y o u r s e lf . 9

S o m e o f t he m e d i t a t io n s a r e e x t r e m e l y s ho r t , s u c h a s t he p i t h y M e d i t a t i o n

8 7 : ' I n s u l t a n y h a r l o t y o u l i k e - - i f y o u d a r e ' . I n v a r i a b l y , h o w e v e r , t h e

e m p h a s i s i s u p o n s e l f -s c r u t i n y :

T h e r e a r e c e r t a i n t a s t e s , l ik e t h a t o f h o n e y ; a n d t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n

t e m p e r a m e n t s a n d p a s s i o n s , l i k e t h o s e o f t h e f le sh . W h e n t h e s e

t h i n g s a r e e i th e r ta k e n a w a y o r d a m a g e d , n o t i c e h o w t h is is f o r

y o u ( q u o r n o d o s i t t i b i v i d e ) . 1 °

I t i s a l so w o r t h n o t i n g t h a t t h i s s e l f -s c r u t i n y i n v o l v e s a g e n u i n e l y p a s t o r a l

c o n c e r n f o r o t h e r s :

N o t i c e h o w y o u c a n , i n th e h o p e o f w h a t i s t o c o m e , l o v e t h eh a r v e s t in th e y o u n g s h o o t , a n d t h e t w i s t e d t r e e - t r u n k . I n t h e

s a m e w a y y o u m u s t l o v e t h o s e w h o a r e n o t y e t g o o d . . .

N o t m u c h i s g a i n e d i f y o u t a k e a w a y f r o m a p e r s o n s o m e t h i n g

t h a t h e h o l d s o n t o w r o n g l y ; b u t i t is i f , b y o u r w o r d s o f e n c o u r a g e -

m e n t a n d b y y o u r e x a m p l e , y o u g e t h i m t o l e t i t g o o f h i s o w n

a c c o r d . . . 1 1

T h i s is n o t u n h e a l t h y s e l f - a b s o r p t io n , b u t t h e i n d i s p e n s a b l e p r e c o n -

d i t io n , n o t o n l y f o r t h e C a r t h u s i a n l i fe , b u t f o r a n y l if e c e n t r e d u p o n l o ve :

i n d e e d t h e p s y c h o lo g i c a l a c u t en e s s o f G u i g o ' s e m p h a s i s o n u n d e r s t a n d i n g

y o u r s e l f a n d r e f l e c t i n g o n y o u r r e a c t i o n s to a l l t h a t h a p p e n s t o y o u i s

r e m a r k a b l e . T o k n o w o u r se l v es , a s G u i g o m a k e s c l e a r t h r o u g h o u t h i s

4 76 m e d i t a t i o n s , i s t o b e c o m e a w a r e b o t h o f o u r i n h e r e n t p r e d i s p o s i t i o n

t o r u n a w a y f r o m t h e t r u t h , a n d o f t h e d i v in e lo v e e x i s t i n g d e e p w i t h i n




u s . Y e t to f a c e th i s t r u t h w i l l i n v a r i a b l y b e p a i n f u l : f o r i t i s n o t j u s t t h e

t r u t h , b u t t h e t r u t h c r u c i f i e d , t h a t w e a r e c a l l e d t o w o r s h i p ( ' S i n e a s p e c t u e t

d e c o r e c r u c i q u e a f f i x a , a d o r a n d a e s t v e r i t a s ' ) ; 1 2 a n d b y d i s c o v e r i n g w h a t i t

m e a n s t o l o v e G o d w i t h o u t c o n d i t i o n o r s t r i n g s a t t a c h e d , w e a r e f r e e d

f r o m t h e d e p e n d e n c e o n ( o r p o s s e s s i v e n e s s o f ) o t h e r s i n o r d e r t o l o v e

t h e m a s w e s h o u l d d o - - t o s e ek t h e i r t r u e g o o d , n o t s i m p l y w h a t w e t h i n k

is g o o d fo r t h e m . T h e t h e o lo g y o f l o ve u n d e r p i n s t h e w h o l e o f S t B r u n o ' s

a n d G u i g o ' s c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e C a r t h u s i a n lif e, a n d i n f o r m s its m o s t

p r a c t i c a l p r e s c r i p t io n s ; a n d t h i s c o n s t a n t a n d r i g o r o u s p r o b i n g o f o n e ' s

o w n i n t e r i o r i n t e n t i o n s a n d r e a c t i o n s i s i t s m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l p r e r e q u i -

site . 13

S e c o n d l y , t h e C a r t h u s i a n l if e w a s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y t h e c o h e r e n t i n t e r -

w e a v i n g o f t h e o l o g y a n d l if e st y le , o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l a n d c o r p o r a t e , t h a t i se m b o d i e d b y t h e L a t i n w o r d u t i l i t a s . I n h is m e d i t a t i o n s G u i g o I w r o te :

H a p p y is t he p e r s o n w h o c h oo se s s o m e w h e r e h e m a y w o r k w i th o u t

a n x i e t y . N o w t h i s i s a s u r e c h o i c e a n d w o r t h w h i l e t h i n g t o w o r k

a t ( la b o r u t i l i s ) - - t h e d e s i re t o d o g o o d t o a l l, s o t h a t y o u w a n t t h e m

t o b e p e o p l e w h o d o n o t n e e d y o u r h e lp . F o r t h e m o r e p e o p l e

s e e m t o b e c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e i r o w n i n t e r e s t s ( p r o p r i i s u t i l i l a t i b u s ) ,

t h e l e s s t h e y a r e d o i n g w h a t i s g o o d f o r t h e m . F o r t h i s i s t h e

d i s t i n c t i v e g o o d ( p r o p r i a u t i I i t a s ) o f e a c h i n d i v i d u a l - - t o w a n t t o d o

g o o d t o a l l . B u t w h o u n d e r s t a n d s t h i s ?

W h o e v e r , t h e r e f o r e , s e ek s t o w o r k f o r h i s o w n g o o d , n o t o n l y

d o e s n o t f i n d i t , b u t a l s o i n c u r s g r e a t h a r m t o h i s s o u l . F o r w h i l e

h e s e e k s h i s o w n g o o d , w h i c h c a n n o t b e s o u g h t a t a l l , h e i s r e j e c t e d

b y t h e c o m m o n g o o d , t h a t is , b y G o d . F o r j u s t a s th e r e is o n e ~

n a t u r e f o r e v e r y o n e , s o a ls o t h e re is o n e c o m m o n g o o d ( i r a e tu t i l i t a s ) . 1 4

I t i s w o r t h n o t i n g i n p a s s i n g G u i g o ' s p s y c h o l o g i c a l p e r c e p t i o n h e r e t o o :

t h e e m p h a s i s u p o n s e e k i n g t o s e t p e o p l e f r e e f r o m b e i n g d e p e n d e n t o n

y o u r h e l p is a f u n d a m e n t a l a s p e c t o f a ll s p i r it u a l d i r e c ti o n . T h e e m p h a s i s

o n t h e c o m m o n g o o d , o n t h e e s s e n ti a ll y c o r p o r a t e a s p e c t o f C a r t h u s i a n

s p i r it u a l it y , i s e v e n m o r e i m p o r t a n t h o w e v e r , a n d u n d e r l i n e s t h e s t r es s

o n g r o u p s u p p o r t a n d g u i d a n c e r e f e r re d to a b o v e . A n d t h e i n t e g r a t e d

n a t u r e o f t h e i r li v es w e n t f u r t h e r t h a n t h a t: b o t h G u i g o I a n d t h e

C a r t h u s i a n s o f P o r t e s , w r i t in g l e t te r s o f s p i r it u a l g u i d a n c e , s t re s s e d th e

i n t e r w e a v i n g o f w h a t w a s t r a d i t io n a l l y c a l le d ' s p i r i t u a l e x e r c i s e ' ( t h e

f o u rf o ld m o n a s t i c p a t t e r n o f r e a d i n g , m e d i t a t io n , p r a y e r a n d c o n t e m -

p l a t i o n ) w i t h p u b l i c l i t u r g i c a l w o r s h i p , p h y s i c a l e x e r c i s e , s t u d y a n d o t h e r

a s p e c t s o f t h e c o m m o n l if e. T h i s a c r u c i a l p o in t : w h e t h e r l a t e r C a r t h u s i a n

( a n d o t h e r ) w r i t e r s , s u c h a s G u i g o I I , ( w h o s e S c a l a d a u s t r d i u m o r ' L a d d e r

o f M o n k s ' b e c a m e v e r y p o p u l a r a f t e r h is d e a t h i n c.1 19 01 5) e x p l o r e d i n



TRADITIONS OF SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE 259

great detail the relationship between the four different ingredients of

'spiritual exercise', Guigo I shows no interest in that at all, instead

concentra ting on emphasiz ing the relationship between all of them and

the other, more corporate, aspects of the Carthusian life, as well as to

the heart of the monastic vocation itself.16 Love of God, and of ne ig hb ou r- -

the two parts of the q u a s i b i n a d i l e c t i o belong together: by devoting his life

to those exercises which, in the context of solitude and poverty , dispose

him to receive and be transformed by the love of God, the monk who

has apparently renounced his neighbour discovers instead the surest

possible means of loving him.

This exploration of the practice and theology of the early Carthusians

may appear to have very little to do with the wider subject of spiritual

guidance within the Carthusian tradition as a whole. In fact, however, ithas everything to do with it: the distinctive features of Carthusian spiritual

guidance are not to be found by examining later works which happen to

have been written by Carthusians but which in most cases could as easily

have been written by members of any religious order, but by coming to

see that it was their whole lives, and above all their c o m m o n life, which

was their primary con tribu tion to the lives of others. Wh en Guigo I wrote

his life of St Hugh of Grenoble (and, to a considerable extent, when

Ada m of Eyns ham wrote the life of another early Carthusian, St Hugh

of Lincoln), he was not producing just another work of hushedhagiography, but offering what is in effect the essence of the Carthusian

life as it could be (and was) lived by busy Christians 'in the world': both

Hughs were bishops, both were described as incarnating the theology of

love which lay at the heart of the Car thusian vocation, and as seeking,

in lives unconditionally devoted to God alone, to be free to discern others'

true worth as well as to issue prophetic warnings about social and

ecclesiastical evils. Instead of simply giving the world aims, the Carthus-

ians gave it people: a significant numbe r of bishops and others emerged

during the centuries from the t e r m i n i of the charterhouses. Instead o f

compromis ing their own form of life, they offered its virtues, suitably

adapted, for those living in the world.

Not everyone, then, has to renounce everything and don the white

Carthusian cowl in order to recognize, and live, the distinctive principles

and dynamic which informed and still inform their vocation. The slow

and costly process of reflecting regularly on your own experience and

reactions, and above all on your own motives and intentions; the concern

to foster a thoroughgoing openness, even passivity, towards God in o rder

to be more free to love other people without seeking to dominate or

manipulate them; the willingness to work away at creating (and helping

others to create) a pattern of life that integrates both solitude and common

life in such a way as to fulfil each; and the readiness to seek a genuine

simplicity of life which might help you live in loving and hidden identifi-

cation with the physically poor and deprived--all these are essential



2 6 0 T R A D I T I O N S O F S P I R IT U A L G U I D A N C E

d i m e n s i o n s o f a n y a u t h e n t i c C h r i s t i a n s p i r i tu a l i ty . A n d t o a c h i e v e t h e m

w e w i l l n e e d g u i d a n c e ; n o t o n l y , o r e v e n p r i m a r i l y , t h e o n e - t o - o n e

i n d i v id u a l g u i d a n c e t h a t h a s i n r e c e n t y e a r s b e c o m e p o p u l a r , b u t a ls o

t h e k i n d o f c r it ic a l y e t lo v i n g m u t u a l s u p p o r t a n d e n c o u r a g e m e n t t h a t a

g r o u p , f a m i l y o r C h r i s ti a n p a r i s h c o m m u n i t y c a n o f fe r i ts m e m b e r s , n o t

b y t h e e l o q u e n c e o f i ts s p e e c h o r e v e n b y t h e q u a l i ty o f e a c h p e r s o n ' s

p r i v a t e p i e t y , b u t p r e c i s e ly b y t h e o p e n n e s s a n d a t t e n t i v e lo v e w h i c h

i n f o r m s i ts c o m m o n lif e.

T h e s p i r i tu a l i t y o f t h e C a r t h u s i a n l if e w a s i n f l u e n c e d , l i k e t h a t o f a n y

o t h e r o r d e r , b y th e p r e v a i l i n g in s ig h t s a n d c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e t im e s ;

a n d m o s t o f t h e a u t h o r s a n d t e xt s m e n t i o n e d i n t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t hi s

a r ti c le w r o t e l e tt e rs a n d t r e a ti s e s o n s p i r i tu a l g u i d a n c e w h i c h i n l a r g e p a r t

c o ul d h a v e b e e n w r i tt e n b y m e m b e r s o f a n y c o n t e m p o r a r y e n c lo s ed o r d e r .T h e 1 97 2 S t a t u t e s o f t h e O r d e r c o n t a i n r e s t ri c t io n s i n th i s r e s p e c t w h i c h

n o t a ll f o r m e r C a r t h u s i a n s h a v e o b s e r v e d . T h e S t a t u t e s e x p li c it ly s a y , fo r

e x a m p l e :

W e n e v e r g i v e s p i ri tu a l d i r e c t io n b y l e tt er ; n o r m a y a n y o f u s

p r e a c h i n p u b l i c . I f s e c u l a rs d o n o t b e n e f i t f r o m o u r s i le n c e , m u c h

l es s w i ll t h e y f r o m o u r s p e e c h . 17

F r o m e a r li e st ti m e s , h o w e v e r , t h e C a r t h u s i a n s w e r e a b le to r e a c h p e o p l ew i t h o u t s p e a k i n g : G u i g o I h i m s e l f d e s c r i b e s in d e t a i l t h e d i s t in c t i v e ly

C a r t h u s i a n f o r m ofpraedicat io muta, w h i c h w a s t h e c o p y i n g o f m a n u s c r i p t s ,

a f o r m o f a p o s t o l a t e p e c u l i a r l y w e l l s u i te d t o c o n t e m p l a t i v e m o n k s . T h i s

p r a c t i c e c o n t i n u e d t h e r e a f t e r : M i c h a e l S a r g e n t h a s p o i n t e d o u t t h e w a y

i n w h i c h l at e m e d i e v a l C a r t h u s i a n m o n k s , p a r t ic u l a r l y ( th o u g h n o t o n l y )

i n E n g l a n d , t r a n s l a t e d a n d c o p i e d e a r l i e r s p i r i t u a l t e x t s , p a r t l y i n o r d e r

t o m a k e t h e m a v a i l a b l e t o a w i d e r li t e ra t e ( b u t . n o t L a t i n - r e a d i n g ) l a y

a u d i e n c e , p a r t l y t o c o m b a t t h e s p r e a d o f W y c l if fi te a n d o t h e r f o r m s o f

h e r e s y . 18 T h i s is i m p o r t a n t : t h e C a r t h u s i a n s h a v e n e v e r e n t i r e ly s e p a r a t e dt h e o l o g y f r o m s p i r i t u a l i t y , a n d h a v e n e v e r e n t i r e l y l o s t t h e i r c o n c e r n f o r

t r u t h , e v e n i n p e r i o d s w h e n t h e p r a c t i c e o f p r a y e r w a s a t it s m o s t a f f e c ti v e .

T h e ' M i r r o u r o f t h e B l e ss e d L if e o f J e s u C h r i s t ' b y N i c h o la s L o v e

( c. 14 1 0 ), a C a r t h u s i a n o f M o u n t G r a c e , Y o r k s h i r e , is a g o o d e x a m p l e o f

t h is : i t is a t r a n s l a t i o n o f a n e a r l ie r w o r k b y t h e P s e u d o - B o n a v e n t u r e ,

a n d i t s p o p u l a r i t y s u g g e s t s t h a t i t s e r v e d b o t h a d e v o t i o n a l a n d a

p r o p a g a n d i s t p u r p o s e . 19

T h e w r i t in g s o f s o m e l a t e r C a r t h u s i a n s c e r t a in l y s u g g e st t h a t t h e i r

praedicatio w a s a n y t h i n g b u t m u t a - - a n d ( a s h a s a l r e a d y b e e n s a i d ) m u c ho f i t c o n t a i n s l i tt le t h a t is d i s ti n c t iv e l y C a r t h u s i a n . L u d o l p h o f S a x o n y ,

f o r e x a m p l e , w h o w a s a m o n k o f t h e c h a r t e r h o u s e o f C o b l e n z a n d w h o

l iv e d f r o m 1 29 5 t o 1 3 77 , w r o t e a L i fe o f C h r i s t w h i c h ( to j u d g e b y t h e

n u m b e r o f m a n u s c r i p t c o p ie s a n d p r i n t e d e d i ti o n s) w a s w i d e l y d i ss e m i -

n a t e d : i t s e m p h a s i s o n i rn i ta t io Ch r i s ti w a s t y p i c a l o f t h e a g e , t h o u g h



T R A D I T I O N S O F S P I R I T U A L G U I D A N C E 261

L u d o l p h ' s r e f le c t io n s o n t h e d e li g h ts o f n a t u r a l b e a u t y r e ca l l si m i l a r

p a s s a g e s i n t h e b e a u t i f u l l e t te r o f S t B r u n o t o h is f r i e n d R a o u l le V e r d . 2°

O t h e r s p r o d u c e d w o r k s t h a t w e r e m o r e e x p l i c i t l y c o n c e r n e d w i t h s p i r i t u a l

g u i d a n c e : R o b e r t , a m o n k o f t h e c h a r t e r h o u s e o f L e P a r c - e n - C h a r n i e i nF r a n c e w h o d i e d i n 1 3 88 , w r o t e L e chas t e l per iUeux , a t r e a t i s e w r i t t e n t o

h i s c o u s i n , w h o w a s a B e n e d i c t i n e n u n : i t is f u ll o f p r a c t i c a l a d v i c e a b o u t

c o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a y e r , p r a y i n g i n c o m m o n , t h e s a c r a m e n t a l l ife a n d o t h e r

s u b j e c t s l ik e l y t o b e o f i n t e r e s t t o b o t h r e l i g i o u s a n d l a y r e a d e r s . 2~ O t h e r s

s e e m t o h a v e a c q u i r e d s o m e t h i n g o f a r e p u t a t i o n a s s p i ri tu a l g u i d e s : th e

p r ol if ic D e n y s , a D u t c h C a r t h u s i a n w h o li v e d f r o m 1 4 02 t o 1 4 7 1, w r o t e

i n n u m e r a b l e l e tt e rs o f c o u n s e l , o n l y a fe w o f w h i c h s u r v i v e , a n d a ls o

c o m p l e t e s e q u e n c e s o f s e r m o n s , b o t h f o r re l ig i o u s a n d f o r t h o s e ' i n t h e

w o r l d ' : h i s c o m p l e t e w o r k s fill o v e r f o r t y s u b s t a n t i a l v o l u m e s . F i n a l l y ,R i c h a r d M e t h l e y (1 4 5 1 - 15 2 8 ) , a lso o f M o u n t G r a c e , w r o t e a n u m b e r o f

t re a ti se s o n t h e m o n a s t i c a n d s p i ri tu a l l if e, a n d a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n i n

s o m e d e m a n d a s a d ir e c t o r . 22

A s ti m e p a s s e d , t h e n , t h e C a r t h u s i a n s b e c a m e i n v o l v e d i n t h e p r a c t i c e

o f s p i ri tu a l g u i d a n c e t o a d e g r e e f a r g r e a t e r t h a n w a s e n v i s a g e d e i t h e r b y

t h e i r f o u n d e r s o r b y t h e i r m o d e r n s u c ce s s or s . A n d y e t t h e pr imary c o n c e r n

o f t h e C a r t h u s i a n s h a s n e v e r b e e n s p ir it u al g u i d a n c e , b u t t h e w a y o f

l i v i n g w h i c h , a s w e h a v e s e e n , w a s t h e i r m o s t d i s t i n c t iv e a c t o f w i t n e s s .

T h e e s t a b l is h i n g i n 1 9 8 4 o f t h e fi rs t C a r t h u s i a n m o n a s t e r y i n th e T h i r d

W o r l d , i n s o u t h e r n B r a z i l , i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s p o i n t : t h e i r p r i n c i p a l c o n t r i -

b u t i o n t o t h e p o o r a m o n g w h o m t h e y n o w l i v e i s l i k e l y t o b e t h i s h i d d e n

a n d l o v i n g i d e n t i f i c a t io n , i n t h e c r u c i f i e d pauper Chris tus , t h a t i s a r t i c u l a t e d

i n t h e C a r t h u s i a n v o c a t i o n , r a th e r t h a n a n y c o m m i t m e n t t o a n a c ti v e

a p o s t o l a te . A n d t o a s o c i e ty le ss c o m m i t t e d t h a n o u r s t o t h e p u r s u i t o f

p r i v a t i z e d p e r f e c t i o n , s u c h a n a p o s t o l a t e m i g h t b e i n f i n i t e l y m o r e f r u i t f u l

t h a n w e su p p o s e . W h y ? B e c a u s e , b e t t e r t h a n a n y f r a n ti c a c ti v is t , it m a y

h e l p u s a ll t o r e t h i n k o u r v a l u e s : i n t h e d e s e r t , w a i t i n g a n d p a s s i v i t y a n ds il e nc e a r e i n h e r e n t l y c r e a t i v e , n o t u s el e ss ; a p p a r e n t r e d u n d a n c e i n t h e

w o r l d ' s e y e s a n d y o u r o w n c a n a ll ow G o d t o u s e y o u f o r h is p u r p o s e s;

i n a n d t h r o u g h t h e p o o r , t h e s o l i t a r y a n d t h e p o w e r l e s s , G o d u s h e r s i n

t h e k i n g d o m o f h e a v e n . T h e m o s t r e c e n t S ta t u te s o f t h e O r d e r e x p r e s s

t h i s w i t h s i m p l e e l o q u e n c e :

I n c h o o s i n g t h is , t h e ' b e s t p a r t ' , i t is n o t o u r a d v a n t a g e a l o n e t h a t

w e h a v e i n v ie w ; i n e m b r a c i n g a h i d d e n life w e d o n o t a b a n d o n

t h e g r e a t f a m i l y o f o u r f e ll ow m e n ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , b y d e v o t i n g

o u r s e l v e s e x c l u s i v e l y t o G o d w e e x e r c i s e a s p e c i a l f u n c t i o n i n t h e

C h u r c h w h e r e t h i n g s se e n a re o r d e r e d t o t h i n g s u n s e e n , e x t e r i o r

a c t i v i t y t o c o n t e m p l a t i o n . . .

I f, t h e r e f o r e , w e a r e t r u l y l i v in g in u n i o n w i t h G o d , o u r m i n d s

a n d h e a r t s , f a r f r o m b e c o m i n g s h u t u p i n t h e m s e l v e s , o p e n u p t o




e m b r a c e t h e w h o l e u n i v e r s e a n d t h e m y s t e r y o f C h r i s t t h a t s a v e s

i t . S e t a p a r t f r o m a l l , to a l l w e a r e u n i t e d , s o t h a t i t i s i n t h e

n a m e o f a l l t h a t w e s t a n d b e f o r e t h e l i v i n g G o d . 23

G o r d o n M u r s e l l

N O T E S

i G u i g o I , Consuetudines Cartusiae ( h e r e a f t e r C C ) 2 0 : 1 ; ( L a t i n t e x t w i t h F r e n c h t r a n s l a t i o n i n

Sources Chrdtiennes v o l 3 1 3 ( 1 9 8 4 ) , p 2 0 6 .

2 P r i o r B a s i l , i n a c h a r t e r d a t e d 1 1 5 6 .

3 S e e h i s l e tt e r s , w i t h F r e n c h t r a n s l a t i o n , i n Sources Chrdtiennes v o l 8 8 ( 1 9 8 2 ) , e sp ec ia l ly

n o s 2 - 6 .

4 E d i t e d , w i t h F r e n e h t r a n s l a t i o n , i n Sources Chrdtiennes v o l 2 7 4 ( 1 9 8 0 ) .

5 ' d e n e c e s s a r i i s i n s t r u a t ' , C C 2 2 : 3 .

s L e t t e r t o R a o u l l e V e r d , 1 0 ; te x t w i th F r e n c h t r a n s l a t i o n i n Sources Chrdtiennes v o l 8 8

( 1 9 6 2 ) , p 7 4 .

7 Spiritual friend ( N e w Y o r k : P a u l i s t P r e s s , 1 9 8 0 ), c h a p 7 .

8 T h e f ir st c o m m u n i t y o f w o m e n r e l i g io u s to j o i n t h e G a r t h u s i a n s w a s P r e b a y o n , i n 1 1 4 0.

9 M editations, 2 8 2 ; L a t i n t e x t w i t h F r e n c h t r a n s l a t i o n i n Sources Chrdtiennes v o l 3 0 8 ( 1 9 8 3 ) ,

p p 1 9 0 - 2 . I t i s h o p e d t h a t a n e w E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n w ill a p p e a r i n t h e n o t t oo d i s t a n t

f u t u r e .lo Meditations, 3 0 6 .

11 Meditations , 1 6 7 a n d 2 9 7 .

12 Me ditations, 5.

13 A m u c h f u l le r e x p l o r a t i o n o f t h e t h e o l o g y o f l o v e a n d i ts i m p l i c a t io n s f o r e a c h a s p e c t o f

t h e C a r t h u s i a n l if e w i ll b e f o u n d i n m y The theology of the Carthusian life ( S a l z b u r g : Analecta

Cartusiana s e r i e s , v o l u m e 1 2 7 [ 1 9 8 8 ] ) .

14Meditations, 1 0 6 .

a~ I t i s a v ai la b l e i n E n g l i s h t r a n s la t i o n b y E d m u n d C o l l e d ge a n d J a m e s W a l s h : G u i g o I I,

The ladder of monks and twelve medi tat ions ( L o n d o n : M o w b r a y s , 1 9 7 8 ) .

16 Se e esp ecia l ly Meditations, 3 9 0 , w h e r e G u i g o I e x p l o r e s th e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f l o v e o f G o d

a n d l o v e o f n e i g h b o u r w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o t h e m o n a s t i c li fe i n s o m e d e ta i l.

17 Statute s ( 1 9 7 2 ) c h a p 1 : 6 .

Js M i c h a e l S a r g e n t , ' R u u s b r o e c i n E n g l a n d : T h e c h a s t i s in g o f G o d ' s c h i l d re n a n d r e la t ed

w o r k s ' , i n Historia et Spiritualitas Ca rtusiensis ( A c t a o f t h e 4 t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o l l o q u i u m o n

t h i s t h e m e , B e l g i u m : D e s t e l b e r g e n , 1 9 83 ) p p 3 0 3 - 3 1 2 .

19 F o r N i c h o l a s L o v e , s e e t h e s t u d y b y E l i z a b e t h S a l t e r i n Analecta Cartusiana v o l 1 0 ( 1 9 7 4 ) .

2o F o r S t B r u n o ' s l e tt e r se e n o te 2 a b o v e . F o r L u d o l p h , s e e C h a r l e s A b b o t t C o n w a y J r . ,

' T h e Vita Christi o f L u d o l p h o f S a x o n y a n d l a t e m e d i e v a l d e v o ti o n c e n t r e d o n t h e I n c a r n a t i o n :

a d e s c r i p t i v e a n a l y s i s ' , i n Analecta Cartusiana v o l 3 4 (1 9 76 ); a n d S r M a r y I m m a c u l a t e

B o d e n s t e d t , ' P r a y i n g t h e l ife o f C h r i s t ' ( a t ra n s l a t i o n o f t h e p r a y e r s t h a t c o n c l ud e L u d o l p h ' s

' L i f e ' , m a n y o f w h i c h a r e f u l l o f im p l i c i t s p ir i t u a l g u i d a n c e ) , i n Analecta Cartusiana v o l 1 5( 1 9 7 3 ) .

zl Le cha sm peril leux h a s b e e n e d i te d b y S r M a r i e B r i s s o n w i t h f u ll i n t r o d u c t io n a n d

c o m m e n t a r y , i n Analecta Cartusiana v o l 1 9 ( 1 9 7 4 ) , 2 v o l s .

22 S e e J a m e s H o g g , ' A m y s t i c a l d i a r y : t h e Refectorium salutis o f R i c h a r d M e t h l e y ' , i n

K a r t a f i s e r m y s t i k u n d - M y s t i k e r v o l 1 (Analecta Cartusiana v o l 5 5 , ( 1 9 8 1 ) , p p 2 0 8 - 2 3 8 ) .

23 Statutes o f t h e O r d e r ( 1 97 2 ) , c h a p 3 4 .

carthusian s

Documents