FATHER ANTHONY DEMELLO, MODERN BRIDGE TO AUTHENTIC FAITH
Liberal Catholic
FATHER ANTHONY DE MELLO,MODERN BRIDGE TO AUTHENTIC FAITH
There is no East or West regarding TRUTH.TRUTH was, is, and always
will be
universal,catholic.
"A river passes through many countries,and each claims it for its
own.But there
is only one river.
We don't know exactly when the first human being knelt beside that
river and
drank its spiritual waters.
All that we know is that the river stretches back
into the primordial ancestry of the human race and its headwaters have
neverbeen
found.
For thousands of years in every culture, human beings have sat on the
banks of
that river and felt the stir of sacred impulses as the river spoke to
them of mystical worlds and unseen things." (1)
Father Anthony De Mello was proud to be Catholic, and the Jesuit Order
was proud to have him.
He was a particularly receptive,sensitive, and honest human being,
three basic qualities for anyone in pursuit of TRUTH.
Honesty causes us to question normative patterns and values which
inhibit and
restrict access to soul satisfying answers and solutions.
Anthony De Mello was searching for the Authentic Christianity of the
Early Church in contrast to its counterfeit representation we have
today in normative
institutional churchianity.
He frequently stated that the Church today has "ceased to be a true
celebration and has become mere cerebration," words,
intellectualism, rhetoric.
Again and again he prods us to "WAKE UP," come to our senses and
resurrect
ourselves from the tomb of churchianity.
This same impelling quest to preserve the "essential truth" of the
real Deposit of Faith of Ancient Catholic Tradition was also the
motivation of Bishops Leadbeater and J.I. Wedgwood in founding our
unique Rite,The Liberal Catholic Church.
The touchstone of TRUTH enunciated by Anthony De Mello reverberated in
the
hearts of millions of honest people around the world.
This honest response or "Ringing True" is not beholden to normative
values or institutional politics.
We can see why that in August of 1998 the Vatican realized that De
Mello's techings were a threat to its political hegemony over the
minds of people, and
posthumously blacklisted and denounced him.
Father De Mello died in New York in 1987 at the age of 56.
Prior to 1998 most of his published books of spiritual direction
carried the official stamp of approval of the Roman Church, the
"Imprimatur."
It is very strange, isn't it, that the Roman Church, which considers
itself the "sole" bastion of spiritual truth can do the "two-step"and
gerrymander it's stamp of approval when it sees
itself checkmated.
Their fears are well founded because, although they can now denounce
him, they cannot silence him as they did another great Jesuit:
Teilhard de Chardin.
Beyond the grave, Father De Mello is having the last laugh as millions
of honest people around the world ARE waking up.
His booksand teachings have been
translated into many languages and continue to be best sellers.
There is nothing as powerful as TRUTH, and no politician or
institution can
contain it.
Just like Bishops Leadbeater and Wedgwood, Father Anthony DeMello
leads us to
Authentic Catholic Christianity. He is an honest man of faith and a
true son of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Readers will find in the works of Father De Mello a modern bridge of
TRUTH. Not
a bridge between East and West, because with TRUTH there is no East or
West, but a bridge from true Ancient Catholic Faith, to HERE AND NOW
AUTHENTIC
CATHOLICISM.
There are many soul satisfying "Ah Ha" experiences communicated in his
works.
Liberal Catholics trying to get a handle on what Bishops Leadbeater &
Wedgwood were trying to accomplish, and also any Catholic seeking the
Authentic True
Living Waters of Catholic Tradition, can do no better than to
experience Father Anthony De Mello.
+Rev. Fr. William Delahunt
[ Father Delahunt has been associated with the Liberal Catholic Church
for the past 35 years, and is currently Rector of Church of St.
Raphael Archangel,
Liberal Catholic Church--Theosophia
Synod,
Orlando,Florida.]
He has also served as the Director of The School of Theosophy,Orlando
since 1987.
(1) Quotation taken from preface to BEYOND RELIGION, David N. Elkins
Ph.D. Quest
Books 1998, Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton.
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Books in English by and About Anthony De Mello:
Sadhana.....Doubleday Image Books
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Awareness..Doubleday Image Books
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Wellsprings.Doubleday Image Books
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The Way To Love ...Doubleday Image Books
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Walking On Water.....Crossroads Publications
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Mastering Sadhana--On Retreat With Anthony De Mello...by Carlos
Valles S.J.
...Doubleday Image Books.
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This is a small sampling of his prolific writing and teaching inprint.
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