THE FEAST OF THE UNKNOWN SAINT - Hindu Spiritual Practices' compatibility with Christianity

Me and my spiritual sisters

sitting with the swami

about 1985

Just before I joined the Vedanta convent in California, I was made the producer of a yearly celebration called "All Saints Day." It used to be "All Guru's Day," but the Western world doesn't typically use that term for holy people, so it had been changed, years before.

That year, I decided the theme would be "the Unknown Saint," with the underlying meaning being that each of us can be that unknown saint if we quietly, steadily make progress in purification, study and practice of the faith (which consisted mainly of meditation.) Of course, there was also a code of conduct similar to that of Catholicism, especially in the sexual arena, because it was perceived that sexuality was an area of human experience that holds great potential for either "God realization" or spiritual destruction.

It would be a surprise to many that the Vedantic Hindu version of sexual restraint is much more stringent than even the Catholics propose. The primary "Saint" of the Vedanta Societies was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and he frequently advised that a man and wife should "live as brother and sister" after the birth of one or two children (a principle echoed in many ancient strains of that religion.) Yes, that is to mean that they were no longer to have sex after that time - not for the purpose of reducing births, mind you, but to allow for more time to devote to meditation and other spiritual disciplines. Also, and probably more important in that theological construct, is that the restraint of the sex urge is a key component in rallying one's spiritual energies in a mystical way.

Hindu saint Ramakrishna (1836-1886)

Prior to the mystical path of the Hindu monastic tradition - the sadhus, swamis and their female counterparts - householders had a well defined path of gradual approach to that monastic lifestyle. The standard used to be for man and wife to take to the forest toward the end of their lives, to live a rigorous monastic existence so that they may attain to the heights of spiritual experience. Later, it became possible for younger people to bypass the householder state entirely and take directly to the ocher cloth, without marrying or having children at all.

My spiritual teacher, Swami Swahananda, allowed me to take to the Hindu monastic life in a special ceremony that permanently altered the arc of my existence as one that is dedicated to the realization of God as its primary focus. My artistic ventures, my writing, and the other incidental activities, are a pale remnant of my previous life.

Me and Swami Swahananda

Just prior to my sannyas vows

Swamiji named me Sannyasini Kaliprana. "Sannyasini" is actually a title denoting that style of Hindu monasticism. The name "Kaliprana" has something to do with my energies being informed by the spirit of the Divine Mother of the Universe (a concept that reverberates with Catholicism's respect for Mary, the Mother of God.)

Sannyasini Kaliprana, on the day of Sannyas vows

(That's "Duffy" on my lap - obviously prior to my losing some weight!)

Subsequent conversion to Catholicism did not delete my commitment to living a monastic life for God alone. In fact, when I discovered Catholic mystic Bede Griffiths (1906-1993) , I had a wonderful "ah ha!" moment of realization of the complementarity of Catholicism and the Vedantic mystical method.  I'd previously read the works of many Catholic mystics that dovetailed with the stories of Hindu saints and sages. I experience all of this as a marvelous harmony of past and present yearnings that arose from corresponding teachings.

Catholic monk, Bede Griffiths (1906-1993)

Catholic mass, with an East Indian flavor

The similarities of Vedanta with the other major religious traditions would be surprising to some Christians who have placed other religions in an "enemy of the faith" category, which they really are not. Religious education isn't complete, in my mind, without a comparative religions class or two.

While Bede Griffiths was a Catholic monk who gradually moved into an East Indian expression of the faith, my journey was the opposite. Also unlike Bede, I am not a member of any Catholic monastic institution, primarily because I am disabled and of no use to them. I suppose if I had money or was physically vigorous, there may be more interest in supporting my spiritual life, but there doesn't seem to be any, so I really AM left to my own devices, except that the life of a hermit is not typical of either religious tradition, though it exists. There are usually fellow monastics in the general vicinity. I sometimes wonder if my current hermit state is a detriment to me, but I can only hope that my faith in God is protecting me in that regard.

Divine Mother Kali of the Hindu faith

This morning, when I was researching the Catholic saints of the day and found yet another female Catholic martyr for whom we have a name but little else, the memory of that celebration, years ago, of "the unknown saint" came back to me with sweet recollection. It was during THAT time when I experienced the feeling of being saved from an otherwise pointless life. It grew to fruition in my Catholic conversion, many years later, so that every time I research one of these "unknown" Catholic saints (and most of the little known are female, by the way), I feel a renewed pull toward the Divine.

Saint Albina of Caesarea

Martyr who died in the year 250

Today's unknown saint is Saint Albina. All we know about her is that she was very young when she was martyred for the faith under Emperor Trajanus Decius in the year 250 in Caesarea, where she was born. (She could have been martyred in Formiea, according to some sources.) Anyway, she is listed in the Roman martyrology, and nothing is known of her life before her execution during the persecutions of the early church.

It is my hope to become one of that massive number of unknown saints who lived and died for God alone, without fame or fanfare. We come. We go.

May you go with God also.

Silver Rose

SAINT ALBERT OF TRAPANI - CARMELITE PATRON

Saint Albert of Trapani

( Albert degli Abbati )

Feast Day - August 7

I was delighted to learn about today's saint, since my love of the Carmelite Order began as a young girl (long story) and I further took Teresa of Avila as my patron saint when I was baptized at age 38 by the Episcopalians (again, a long story.)  Saint Teresa, a doctor of the church and another Carmelite, was very devoted to Albert of Trapani, and I am surprised that I had not recalled learning anything of him before today.  He is one of those saints that had a profound effect on the Church as a whole, as well as the Carmelite Order of which he was a part, but whose public popularity is somewhat dimmed in this country.  I do not know why.

Albert degli Abbati was born in Trapani, Sicily in the 13th century.  More than one of my sources claims that his parents dedicated him to the Catholic Church prior to his birth.  It is also said that his parents were unable to have children for the first 26 years of their marriage, until he was born.  There is some evidence that this is a factual account.

A collection of legends that grew up around him appears on the St. Joseph's Carmelite Monastery of Kilmacud website (link at bottom of page.)  The oldest biography was written shortly after 1385, a copy of which is preserved in the Vatican, thus we are fairly sure of the basic facts of his life.

Albert was very young when he entered the Carmelite house in Trapani, which was only one of about fifteen friaries in Sicily at that time.  Later, he transferred to a house in Messina.  His mission was primarily that of preaching to the Sicilian people, and he is known both for his inspired oratory and many miracles and cures, both physical and spiritual, among them exorcisms.  He was known in his time as a "wonder worker," and the miraculous healings attributed to his intercession occurred even after his death.

It is said that Albert had many converts among the Jews that lived near Messina and that he also wrote books, but none are extant.  He spent some time as the provincial superior at the house in Messina, as late as 1297, but lived as a hermit for the last few years of his life, until his death in 1307. By about 1317, his relics were "translated" and there are pieces of that saint all over the place, mostly in Sicily. Trapani has his skull.  In Sicily there are many reminders of the Saint's life.  In Agrigento is a well, the waters of which were purified by the saint.

In the 16th Century, it was established that every Carmelite Church should have an altar dedicated to him.

Ancient Prayer for healing attributed to Saint Albert:

"O my God, you have created the human race by your wonderful power.  It is an act of your clemency that has called us to share your glory and eternal life.  When the first sin condemned us to suffer death, out of your goodness you wished to redeem us through the blood of your Son, to unite us to you through our faith and your great mercy.  You have brought us back from the shame of your sign; you have veiled our dishonour in the brightness of your glory.  Look now and see that what you have created, giving it subtle limbs and joints and made beautiful through its immortal soul, is now subject to the attack of Satan.  Be pleased Lord to reconstitute your work and heal it.  May your power be glorified and may the malice of the enemy be stunned."

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Carmelite Prayer:

"Lord God, you made Saint Albert of Trapani a

model of purity and prayer, and a devoted

servant of Our Lady. May we practice these

same virtues and so be worthy always to share

the banquet of your grace. Grant this through

our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives

and reigns with you and the Holly Spirit, one

God, forever and ever."

The propers for the Carmelite Office of Blesseds and Saints can be found HERE, if you would like to include those in today's prayers.

Having learned a bit about this saint, I plan to add him to my personal "committee" of intercessors I call upon for help.  Perhaps he can help you also.  This blog represents a slight sketch about Saint Albert.  If it has piqued your curiosity, please refer to the source links I have included below my by-line.

In the meantime, please pray for me as I pray for you.


Silver "Rose" Parnell
(c) 2015
All rights reserved

SOURCE LINKS:

ST. JOSEPH'S CARMELITE MONASTERY, KILMACUD

ALBERT OF TRAPANI: a saint of yesterday for today Giovanni Grosso, O.Carm. translated by Paul Chandler, O.Carm.

ORDER OF THE BROTHERS OF THE MOST VIRGIN MARY OF CARMEL

MEDITATIONS FROM CARMEL

SAINT WHAT'S-HER-NAME

Saint Ealhswith, wife of King Alfred the Great of Wessex

"The True and Beloved Lady of the English

Saint Ealhswith is one of a large number of saints about whom we know very little.  There are umpteen different versions of her name, which is rather typical for some of these folks during that era.  Etheidwitha is one.  Ealswitha another.  She was a Mercian princess, the daughter of Aethelred Mucil and a female scholar named Eadburgh, who was prominent at court.  Ealhswith was married to a very famous person (King Alfred the Great); we know that she established a convent, Nunnaminster at Winchester Cathedral, also known as Saint Mary's Abbey; and that her children and other descendants were illustrious, William the Conqueror being one of them.  Many of her descendants live in America, and I am one of them.

Customarily, I research a saint on their feast day so that I can come to an understanding of the particular gift(s) to be emulated.  In cases such as these, where little is known, an outstanding feature is usually the fact that the person founded a convent, monastic order, or a grand church, giving land and/or monies for this purpose.

Ruins of St. Mary's Abbey at Winchester

I can barely support myself, so making a big splash with a large piece of land and a fine convent is not something I can do, though I would like nothing better and think of little else on the rare occasion I buy a lottery ticket.  It has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and these days I still imagine that I will establish a community of disabled and/or elderly ladies who will pray their little hearts out with their last bit of energy left on earth.

This is where I have to get creative.  How can I emulate this ancestor of mine?  I have to recall the "little way" of the little flower, Saint Therese, and accomplish the essence of what my ancestor did, in a small way.

By holding a space in which people can be supported in a community of prayer, I am doing my very little bit.  I have a Facebook group called CATHOLIC FAITHFUL SANCTUARY, in which I try to post inspiring items and which I try to maintain as a worry-free zone.  In my home, I have two prayer corners, and, although people do not typically come to my house to pray, I hope that the atmosphere and visual image will be taken home with visitors.

Although I may not be able to found a convent or even join one, I can live a convent style of life, something for which many of these saints are valued.

As I work toward this worthy goal, I ask for your prayers of encouragement and support.

God bless us all.

Silver "Rose" Parnell
(c) 2015