Video – Retreat – 1 of 5 Intro “Journey of the Mind to God”

Ave Maria!

Fr. James Dominic Rooney, O.P. gives the first of five talks for the retreat on St. Bonaventure's "The Journey of the Mind to God" which relates St. Francis' ascent up Mt. Alverna where he encountered the Crucified Christ to our own journey to God. In this talk he introduces St. Bonaventure and his times, relating him to St. Thomas, St. Francis, and the Franciscan Order. He explains the purpose and goal of "The Journey of the Mind to God" and how it will be used during the retreat for our own spiritual encounter with Christ.

- CONF 389

More notes below.

For the other talks in the conference:

https://airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/journey-to-god-2017/

E-text of "Journey of the Mind to God" (different translation than Fr. Rooney uses):

http://web.sbu.edu/theology/bychkov/itinerarium_oleg.pdf

Mother of Redeemer Retreat Center:

http://www.maryschildren.com/

Rough notes taken during the talk:

Journey of the mind to God

5:00 Francis’ journey to Mt. Alverna

7:20 Who was Saint Bonaventure and how does he differ from St. Francis? St Francis great saint but not so good administrator Near end of life when problems in the order where getting worse, Goes to Mt. Alverna and encounters Christ and received the stigmata Life of St Bonaventure

13:00 Relation to Alexander of Hales Controversy over the mendicants Thomas and Bonaventure made tenure at same time

15:20 Bonaventure became Minister General when the Franciscans had the problems with two parties the Relaxed and the Spirituals regarding the rule. Bonaventure holds the middle course, reconciling both positions as a peacemaker

18:45 Even Bonaventure having a position as a teacher was a problem for the Spirituals His theology is a Clarity of love Was made a cardinal and so that distracted him from theology Despite being so busy it is during this time that he put out “The Journey of the Mind to God”

21:15 He was put in charge of the Council of Leon goal of which was to reconcile the Catholics with the Orthodox He was recognized as being the Great reconciler but because of his success in this he was probably poisoned Died soon after the council

22:22 Not very opinionated and was very open to and listened to other people’s opinions Alexander of Hales and also St. Thomas considered him a saint

24:40 Bonaventure gets carried away, and engrossed in the love of God. This become the very methodology of his theology, is struck by the big picture

Saint Thomas was doing synthetic Theology, reconciling what the Muslim philosophers were doing with Christian Philosphers.

Thomas extended the kingdom of God out of a love of Theology and Bonaventure by a Theology of love

Bonaventure gets the title of seraphic doctor

27:50 About the book "Journey of the Mind to God" Bonaventure saw many problems in the order and needed to regain the spirit of St. Francis. Goes on Retreat to Mt. Alverna To get a spark of St. Francis' seraphic spirit

29:00 Introduction to the journey of the mind to God reads from the book Six wings of the Seraph is like six ways to God, 6 ascending steps to God starting with the creatures and leading to God. This is done through Christ. Blessed is he who is washed in the blood of Christ the lamb. The book has seven chapters.

We are going to ascend the mountain together. Each of the next three talks will have two steps (two wings) in the ascent to God. A journey from outside to to the inside

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