The Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph are launching a new podcast, Contemplata, A Podcast for Contemplative Souls, with Fr. James Dominic Brent, O.P.. It was an idea that came to Fr. Brent several years ago during the Christmas Octave. “It simply dawned on me that God wants to raise up contemplative souls in the Church—people who have truly heard and take seriously the universal call to contemplative prayer.” That epiphany was confirmed a few months later when he gave a talk on this topic through the lens of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. People were hungry for more on contemplative prayer.

Fr. Brent notes that Fr. Donald Haggerty has proposed there is a “contemplative revolution” underway right now in the Church, and points to the popularity of the writings of Fathers Thomas Dubay, Jacques Phillippe, and Timothy Gallagher as evidence of this deep hunger for prayer. “In a world of scientism, the human heart still thirsts for a drink from the fountain of Light on high,” said Fr. Brent.

The term “contemplata” is at the heart of our Dominican life and mission of preaching, he said. “Our motto is ‘contemplata aliis tradere’ – normally translated as ‘to give to others the fruits of contemplation.’ Contemplata are things contemplated deeply, the mysteries of God pondered with love and understanding in divine light, and are now ready to be put into words for others to receive.” 

The purpose of this podcast is to provide food for contemplative souls. But it means, first, letting people know there is a universal call to contemplative prayer.  Once they hear the call, people need practical instruction on how to proceed. “They need to learn the pathways to the top of Mount Tabor, so to speak, so that by walking them they might come to behold the radiant face of Christ with the eyes of their hearts.” Second, people need actual food for meditation and prayer. “People need to hear the mysteries of faith all over again, and hear them more deeply than on the level of catechetics or common homilies, and hear them in a manner suitable to contemplative prayer.”

Contemplata, A Podcast for Contemplative Souls will launch March 7. You can watch on Dominican Friars Media at dominicanfriars.org/contemplata or listen wherever you get your podcasts.