A Prayer for Catholic Enlightenment by Cardinal Newman

Posted by Censor Librorum on Mar 30, 2012 | Categories: Arts & Letters, Faith, Humor

I found this prayer and commentary on the blog “Enlightended Catholicism.” I have a copy of it pinned near by my desk. Whenever my soul needs a lift I read it and smile.

Prayer For Catholic Enlightenment by Cardinal Newman

Prayer for the Light of Truth

O my God, I confess that You can enlighten my darkness. I confess that You alone can. I wish my darkness to be enlightened.

I do not know whether You will: but that You can and that I wish, are sufficient reasons for me to ask, what You at least have not forbidden my asking.

I hereby promise that by Your grace which I am asking, I will embrace whatever at length feel certain is the truth, if ever I come to be certain.

And by Your grace I will guard against all self-deceit which may lead me to take what nature would have, rather than what reason approves.

Addition by blog author:  Dear God, please help me understand the above prayer. I know you can, if you so will it and haven’t forbidden it. I sort of think so anyway. Seriously.


 

Bookmark and Share
 

7 Responses to “A Prayer for Catholic Enlightenment by Cardinal Newman”

  1. Póló Says:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/photopol/6858229522/

  2. Póló Says:

    Offtopic:

    The Vatican is now in the process of silencing a number of progressive Irish priests in advance of the International Eucharistic Congress which takes place in Dublin at the beginning of June.

    Some of your readers might be interested in the latests posts on this issue on Benny’s blogs:
    http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.com/
    http://bullsxvi.blogspot.com/

  3. Póló Says:

    I would interpret that prayer as a pathway to the informed conscience.

    Incidentally, your readers may be interested in this article from the magazine The Furrow, which was the proximate cause of the silencing of Fr. Owen O’Sullivan, OFM Cap., by the Vatican within the last two years. There are now 7 Irish priests who have been silenced (or restricted) by the Vatican in recent times.
    http://photopol.com/pics/owen_osullivan_furrow_homosexuality.pdf

    These priests have been trying to reclaim the spirit and promise of Vatican II and retain the relevance of their ministry in the modern world. They are firm believers in the Holy Spirit speaking through the people of God and not just through the Curia and the Pope.

    A number of like-minded priests have now established the Association of Catholic Priests, now numbering around 500, and they have their own website.
    http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/

    .

  4. Póló Says:

    Missing your posts.

    Meanwhile, readers might like to join in a bit of light hearted nostalgua.
    http://dominusvobiscuit.blogspot.ie/2012/06/jockey-sheik.html

    Regards

  5. Póló Says:

    Your readers might be interested in this inspiring piece in the NCR and in the movie it describes.
    http://ncronline.org/blogs/grace-margins/new-documentary-depicts-jesuits-struggle-lgbt-rights
    .

  6. Póló Says:

    Hope you are keeping well. Miss your postings.

  7. Karen Says:

    Finally back for good! A post a week, and more starting in October. Thank you so much for your patience and encouragement.

Leave a Reply