|
Published: July 13, 2007
New Age nuns calling it quits
“Earth spirituality” retreat center in Alpine to close this fall
 La Providencia, an “earth spirituality” retreat center run by two Catholic nuns in the San Diego suburb of Alpine and known locally for its large outdoor labyrinth, is closing its doors after nearly 30 years. Sister Millicent Peaslee, OLVM and Sister Pat Hanson, CSJO say they plan to retire this fall. The retreat center property, owned by a doctor and his wife, will be taken over by a new mission named Samarpan.
“Through much prayer and discernment Sisters Pat and Millie have decided that it is time to close La Providencia this Fall, Sept. 30th,” says a statement on La Providencia’s web site. “After 29 years with this particular ministry they will begin a new chapter in their lives... They hope to find a small house to rent in Alpine and continue to be part of this parish [Queen of Angels in Alpine]. There will be a transition with another similar non-profit Catholic organization called ‘Samarpan’ meaning ‘unconditional service’ which will carry on the spirit of their ministry.”
The statement continues, “As we prepare for our celebration and transition, we have been going through hundreds of photographs taken over the last 28 years. There are several characteristics that are evident: the spirit of prayer, awareness of the issues of the entire world, promoting women’s issues, working with the poor and homeless, aiding in the work of ecological justice, and helping to build communities of faith and spiritual support. In the pictures we see the practical ways we have accomplished this with a variety of people. The main identifying element is the JOY that is evident hi [sic] the people as they have participated in the Ministry of La Providencia, which is the ministry of Christ.”
Many of the activities offered at La Providencia, however, were anything but the “ministry of Christ.” A sampling of “happenings” from several La Providencia newsletters from the late 1990s through 2003 includes:
Reiki massage classes and certification programs; Labyrinth walks and workshops; “Women’s Herbal Intensive” retreat; Summer and winter solstice and spring and fall equinox celebrations; “Global spirituality” talks given by Sister Carol Zinn, SSJ; “Harvest Blessings” and “Greening of Spring” festivals; “Integrating the New Cosmology with Faith and Scripture” courses; Prayer remembrances during the “High Holy Days” of Yom Kippur, and Ramadan “Earth Charter Book Study.”
“La Providencia is an evolving spiritual movement that meets the needs of the time for physical well being, emotional balance and inner wholeness leading to spiritual transformation,” said the sisters’ mission statement. “The goal is to invite persons to a heightened spiritual awareness, where they may participate more responsibly in the creating of a world order for justice and peace. La Providencia’s healing environment offers opportunities for quiet reflection and processes of spirituality and integrates the needs and blessing of the individual with those of Mother Earth.”
La Providencia’s lending library offered visitors “all kinds of wonderful environmental, ecological and cosmic creation videos, books and tapes,” according to a flier, including such titles as Cosmic Voyage by Morgan Freeman, The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos by Brian Swimme, and an audio tape by Julia Butterfly Hill, who spent two years living in a tree.
In 1999, San Diego News Notes published a firsthand account of one person’s experience attending a La Providencia “spring equinox celebration.” To read the story, Click Here.
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 5:28 AM By stlouisix
The title of this article here is oxymoronic in that you can't be a nun in the traditional sense of the word, which is the only authentic Catholic sense, and also be new-age, which is a violation of the principle of non-contradiction in that "Something cannot 'be' and 'not be' at the same time in the same respect." I had three great aunts, God rest their souls, who were all Sisters of Saint Joseph, genuine brides of Christs, wearing their beautiful black habits, before their order was destroyed, thereby ensuring that they could not be mistaken for Wal-Mart greeters post the influence of Vatican II. Make no mistake about it, they are rolling over in their graves at the description of the principals in this article being described as "nuns." I would have liked to have seen these new-age clowns being lectured, or more to the point, "dressed down" by the likes of Sister Mary Isadore, Sister Mary Anna Marie, and Sister Mary Eusebius on what it means to be a Catholic in more than name only. I can guarantee you that these three very holy women would have had no patience with disciples of the devil leading souls to eternal perdition.
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 8:21 AM By Peter
After reading this California Catholic Daily article and the San Diego News Notes account of one person's experience attending a La Providencia "spring equinox celebrating," it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the sole purpose of La Providencia is and was to promote the New Age Movement and practices, throwing in a little bit of the Catholic faith to help give it some credibility to those that are not well grounded and prepared in the Gospel and the Magesterium and teachings of the Catholic Church. We are warned repeatedly in the New Testament to beware of false prophets that will be pervasive especially towards the period preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Scripture also tells us that these false prophets and the doctrines they proclaim would even decieve the Elect if the days were not shortened. Stand firm in the faith proclaimed by the one true Catholic Church, that is the Body of Christ on earth, instituted by Jesus Christ who is God Incarnate, through the Apostle Peter who was the rock that his Holy Catholic Church was built on over two thousand years ago. Pope Benedict XVI is the new Peter, and the Vicar of Christ on earth today. Jesus Christ is the only way and the only truth that will pave the way to God the Father who gave his only begotten son Jesus Christ to be crucified on the Cross for the remission of all man's sins and the salvation of all mankind, and conquering death for ever by ressurecting from the dead on the Third Day. This very same Jesus Christ has promised us and prepared a place in his eternal heavengly kingdom for each of us where Christ will reign for ever and ever.
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 10:44 AM By Puttss
As I was reading this it struck me, for the first time.We Catholics do not seem to be able to give intellectual and emotional permission to our religious figures to provide "neutral" or secular social realities to our fellow himans. We jump all over nuns and priests who "dare" to provide and promote "paraspiritual" exercises to the community. For the first time ever, today, I asked myself if we as a community might be too hard on some of our Catholic Brethren who are not doing what be believe that they should be doing. I know that this is an oversimplicifcation, but I thought I would throw it out there. This from the author of a blog who just wrote a long item about "Yoga and Catholicism; they are incompatible". www.nocryingatmyfuneral.blogger.com I don't know if you allow links to be posted. Sorry if I offended the rules committee.
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 1:43 PM By Anne
This is good news. Let's hope someone bulldozes the labyrinth!
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 1:52 PM By Anne
Puttss, you would be wise to view a program about former new agers, healers, etc. trying to get free from their past. They need almost the equivalent of an exorcism. Then you might not think all of this is "neutral".
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 2:38 PM By Kenneth M. Fisher
Putiss,
For the good of your soul, please read Fr. Mitch Pacwa. S.J.'s "Catholics and the New Age"!
By the way, Fr. Pacwa was at one time a New
Ager!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founder & Chairman
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc.
|
Posted Friday, July 13, 2007 8:54 PM By Karen in AZ
A group of "wiccan witches of the west" are hanging it up. Good, because there is nothing remotely "Catholic" about that place, nor are those two "nuns" who ran it. There is only one Truth, and it comes from Jesus Christ and The Church. Your salvation depends on it. Not from some tree, yoga exercise, nor a shell bowl full or dirt. May God shine perpetual light on stlouisix's three great aunts who were Sisters of St. Joseph nuns of a better day. I wished we still had them like that!
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 5:39 AM By Margaret
It's about time that the scales fell off their eyes and they get back on the straight and narrow. There is no sin too great that God will not forgive. Come back to the fold, welcome.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 7:47 AM By Deacon Petras
The closing of La Providencia is providential indeed! May all the New Age garbage in the Roman Catholic Church go the same way as this satanic retreat center. This also counts for Richard Rohr and his Enneagram empire -- thoroughly denounced by the Jesuit Fr. Mitch Pacwa who fell victim to the Enneagram fascination and taught workshops on it for 12 years, but who know denounces this evil in his books and talks.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 8:20 AM By John L. Sillasen
So called "earth spirituality"! There is nothing natural about that labyrinth garbage, and the sense of nature proposed by those types of pseudo-science/religious practicioners is nothing more or less than fantasy ... with adult participants. I was born and raised in a mega-city; in recent years I've been spending much time and more thought in the real nature beyond the city lights. It is so far beyond the junk anyone would get out of some bunch of circlular bushes and massage parlor activities that it just turns one's stomach to hear of people actually thinking that their bogus "earth spiritulaity" amounts to anything worthwhile, or even natural. When I'm in nature, I do not see bushes in circles, nor do I see animals massaging each other, and I don't see them conjuring up some absurd ideas of religion or of that which is divine. St Paul says in Romans that all nature points to God ... he didn't need a bunch of pruned bushes or people rubbing him with perfumed oil, being told some spellbinding tale to be able to see nature ... these modern people are merely after the money and the public sensuality, and maybe some power if they think that feels good also.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 9:05 AM By Judith
I hope this is the beginning of the end of all "new age" groups of people.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 9:22 AM By Martha H.
Is abhorrent the aberration of this two heretics catholics women, that I will never dare to call them"catholic nuns" .No wonder our Pope Benedict proclaim that to be a smaller faithfull Church is better than a big disoriented Church.Sometimes the truth hurts us but, so be it.Lucia the famous Fatima seer, in an interview to a priest, said that we are going thru a period of diabolical disorientation .Now looking at this strange alien church we have an idea of what she ment.Jesus never walked through a maze to put his ideas together. I'm pretty sure He will be A-MAZED.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 10:25 AM By John
In a document approved by the pope and released Tuesday, the Vatican reasserted its position that Roman Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation and that other Christian denominations suffer from "defects," or are not true churches.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 10:42 AM By Maryanne
Let us pray that these two nuns open their hearts to our Lord and let His grace fill their hearts. We must pray for their conversion. With God, all things are possible. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our prayers bring those who are heretical back into the one true Church!
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 10:46 AM By Philip Saenz
Those poor nuns. Are they just now discerning after thirty years that they can't be successful? I discerned it 30 years ago that they wouldn't succeed. Why didn't they see me 30 years ago, and I could have saved them a lot of trouble. Guess what? The Holy Spirit wasn't helping them because they weren't receiving any graces from the Holy Catholic Church. You split away from the Holy Catholic Church and sure enough you will divide and subdivide until you exist no more. Witness the thousands of splinters in the Protestant community. They, too, will divide and subdivide, and finally disappear. Sisters, do you want spiritual life? Okay. Then join the church that God instituted, the Holy Catholic Church. Remain in the Holy Catholic Church and you will grow and grow. But you'll have to obey the Holy Catholic Church if you want the fullness of spiritual life. But obeying usually isn't some people's cup of tea. Think about it !!!!!
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 11:28 AM By Clem
The Dominican nuns at Our Lady of The Elms, Akron Ohio carry on these same traditions, labrynth, centering, reiki, solstices, and like these 2 nuns, heretics, they cannot for the life of me understand why there are no novices or postulants, while Dominicans of Nashville and Ann Arbor are growing by leaps and bounds. Go Figure, Daaaahhhhh..
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 11:31 AM By Annika
Dear Puttss--I hope you might agree with me that our comments which are "negative" toward New Age practices in the Church need to be given with charity, as yours have been. That being said, I have long pondered the attraction the New Age has had on so many women religious communities in the United States. This phenomena is very widespread. Many of the women religious turned to this spirituality in the post Vatican II years, as a way of finding new identities and ministries. I believe the New Age appeal has its roots in its call to mysticism. Discernment of the mystical is, in my mind, one of the great vulnerabilities of many devout Catholics. In a way, it is a neglected area of pastoral care. So many women religious had charisms of their communities founded on traditional pieties of the Church such as the Sacred Heart or the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Vatican II promoted a re-invisioning of the charism in the form of moderninity. However, little pastoral guidance was given to this modernization. The result was a fracturing of the religious communities that had built much of the Church in America. A subsequent devaluation of the womens religious vocation ensued. What the New Age seems to offer to women religious is a new synthesis of mysticism within a framework of ecology and religious feminism, that is a new, powerful identity for those who are no longer as valued or as powerful as they were prior to Vatican II. The New Age has entered the void Vatican II created within its lack of adequate guidance to women religious.
I view the New Age as extremely destructive. Putting aside the spiritual heresies it embodies, the political aims of the New Age pose a threat to the secular order as well. My own extensive research has led me to believe the end goals of the New Age movement is to transform our attitudes, values and beliefs to so fear the coming collapse of our planet's environment, that we must accept de-population and population control.
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 4:08 PM By Maria-Luisa Lee
Annika, In your "own extensive research", have you read the book: Ungodly Rage, The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism, by Donna Steichen? Ignatius Press, 1992. Ungodly Rage will quickly enlighten your confused thinking. Donna Steichen's brilliant book gives blunt, solid, clear, published facts, dates, and names of dissident "religious" persons with advanced university degrees who willfully and knowingly wanted (in the 1960's--and now) to ruin and undermine the Catholic Church from within--and WHY. The scales fall from the readers' eyes. Ungodly Rage is highly recommended for persons who don't know WHY the U.S. Catholic Church/Seminaries/Convents/Universities slid to the present watered-down, lax condition. Sadly, some "Catholic" people happily think the present lax condition is fine. Or, they just drift off to a "free, nonrigid, nonjudgmental" denomination somewhere else......
|
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 9:37 PM By Elizabeth
New age is not really new at all it is old as earth itself ie paganism but with a modern mask
people who have not been catechized in the true Faith willl fall for anything that tickles their ears or some other member of their body sad but true fact God help us all
Deepak Chopra and others like him are actually spreading Hinduism with a westernized flavor.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 5:38 AM By mama2451
Heretics is exactly what they are...modern pagans and not REAL Catholics. They can call themselves whatever they want, but it's either black or white...what this was was NOT Catholicism, plain and simple. It's not rocket science.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 7:06 AM By Janet
Many people around the world irrelevant of their founded beliefs often turn to New Age as it is there that they feel God within and not separate of themselves. As long as people show love, feel love and do love towards eachother---what's the problem? let them be catholics or not catholics. New Agers or not New Agers.We all come from the same Father in Heaven and must learn to accept eachothers views-in the Name of God.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:37 AM By Carol
!Pedophile Priests!!--!Witch Nuns!! We have God's assurance that "...the gates of hell shall not prevail aginst..." The Holy Roman Catholic Church & all need to be faithful in Prayer for The Church in America and for our Priests & Religious.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 4:21 PM By Victoria
Obviously the message of the Love of Christ and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit has been lost on most of you. These nuns had to have been operating this retreat center with the permission, and under the protection of, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy; the Oldest of the Old Boy Networks. According to you people, there are loose canons (In The Person of Nuns) rolling around all over this Church. If these nuns were heretical, they would have been declared by now. Now, ALL OF YOU, Down On Your Knees And Beg Our Crucified Lord For His Forgiveness. Remember, When You Insult His Consecrated Brides, You Are Insulting HIM. Go In Peace.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 6:11 PM By Sockee
For Janet.. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light... so if you stray away from what Jesus teaches and away from the Church established by Jesus.. then there is a problem. Authentic love ... all kinds of love are all rooted in Jesus Christ, if not rooted in Christ... then it is not "authentic" love..so just "love" is not enough. New Age belief has no place in the life in any catholic.... there is a document released by the Vatican in regards to New Age... a must to read, the title is "Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life". I hope you read this material.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 6:26 PM By Candace
How many souls did they steal from the church. With their crazy nonsense. People are gullible. These so called nuns should have been stopped and excommunicated by the diocese. I am sure they did a lot of damage in Christ's name. Evil one sure most have been pleased with these two.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 7:47 PM By Jean
Catholic Nuns, who said? All the wonderful nuns that I have come in contact with over the years, followed the Pope, the Magesterium and Sacred tradition. They were obedient. New age is nothing but paganism. May the Lord have mercy on them. In the meantime get Father Mitch Pacwa,SJ book Catholics, the New Age.
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 8:05 PM By Paul
It is sad when legitimate Christian traditions are co-opted by "New Age" and occult groups. This is of course always the case because Satan does not ever create anything - only God creates or inspires right belief. Satan can only twist what is good. This goes to everything in our faith - event to the very heart of our sacred beliefs and sacraments. The Eucharist (Body and Blood of Christ) is twisted in to vampirism and werewolf (the un-holy eating flesh and blood). Groups are know to take our Eucharist to use in their un-holy rituals.
In the article you sent the link on there is a lot of things mixed some of which were originally Christian and Catholic traditions other that never were. One tradition mentioned in this article is the labyrinth. This is an ancient Catholic prayer form that dates back to the great cathedrals of Europe. The Chartres Cathedral has a 40 diameter labyrinth at its center. This path laid out in stone in the floor of the cathedral was a way for people who could not afford to go on a pilgrimage to pray while walking to the center which symbolized our life-long journey toward Christ. This of course is a legitimate and helpful prayer for many people. Like our rosary where we use repetitious praying of the Hail Mary to raise of hearts to God there are many and diverse ways to pray. Some say that we are praying a mantra when we pray the rosary - this is not reason to stop praying the rosary. Nor should misunderstanding or inappropriate use of the Labyrinth be a reason to abandon a Godly use of the this 1000 year old prayer.
Like you I am troubled when I see the misuse of our traditions - but we do not serve our traditions well when we abandon their rightful use because of misuse, fear, and misunderstandings. The best we can do is to better inform ourselves of our traditions and practice them for the good of the faithful.
PAX CHRISTI,
|
Posted Sunday, July 15, 2007 11:23 PM By Jen
Jesus loves Sister Millicent Peaslee and Sister Pat Hanson. Dear Sisters, during all this time Jesus has loved you. The earth spirituality retreat that you have created has come to an end. The Lord knows your hearts and your intentions. Sisters, it is with the love of Christ that I kindly ask you to please consider why eco-spirituality is not the way of God. Your good actions and the care that you have given to people have not gone unnoticed by God. Such work is beautiful. Yet Reiki, equinox celebrations, eco-spirituality, etc, dear Sisters, are to be avoided, and they endanger souls. Please do not be angry that I have mentioned this. Please put away the new age, and be renewed in this new chapter with Jesus. God love you, and may you experience a renewed spirit in Christ as a bride that has been called to Him alone. Peace to you.
|
Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 12:09 AM By RJ
You don't need an intermediary when dealing with God. There is no need for a middle man.
|
Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 12:33 AM By Dawson Gomes
They need to repent and renounce all that they have being doing
|
Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 7:24 AM By Suzanne
Janet, It's important to be educated as to where our 'warm fuzzies' are coming from.
|
Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 10:48 AM By Patrick
A work acquaintance in Seattle is a big devotee of New Age. He is extremely nice and attends week long retreats, etc. So, last week at lunch he starts to tell me about his new insights. He knows that I am a practicing Catholic so he brings up all the new age propaganda about the Catholic Church. He debunks Jesus as a creation of New Testament liars, etc. Well, he tells me at lunch that he is divine, I am divine just like Jesus. We shouldn't be worshiping Jesus, but the god within us. I quickly changed the subject and I realized that the new age is not only on-logical and worse yet, a satanic belief system. I resolved that I will pray for him every day since Jesus says that this is the only thing that will work in a case like this.
|
Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 10:50 AM By RL
The "new" age is as old as Adam and Eve. In the Garden of Eden, Eve was tempted by the slithering Serpent (Satan) who succeeded in convincing her that the real reason God asked them not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was that they would then be "like Gods." This temptation continues today with the New Age Movement, which tries to convince people to deny the divinity of Christ . . . and that they are themselves "divine" . . . that they are "God." This is, of course, the great LIE and can only lead a person to eternal damnation for all of eternity in the next life. (For the best explanation of the history of the New Age Movement, order a copy of "The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow" by Constance Cumbey, a Christian attorney who has devoted the past 25 years to exposing this movement by exposing this lie.) The great SIN from this lie could only be redeemed by Jesus Christ Himself being crucified and dying on the Cross at Calvary for all of mankind. We must pray for all of those involved in the New Age Movement that they be converted back to their traditional beliefs before it is too late.
|
Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:27 AM By Janet
How can you even try to call yourselves followers of Jesus Christ when you are doing exactly what He preached NOT to do--that is JUDGING OTHERS? these new-agers are also on their path towards God and we should leave it at that......God Bless us all
|
Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2007 4:55 PM By ES
Janet never learned that a half-truth is a lie. "Judge not, that you may not be judged, For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:1-2. Catholics are free, even have the duty, to judge objective actions, including statements, against objective Catholic truth, the same objective Catholic truths by which we all will be judged ----the WHOLE TRUTH.
|
Posted Saturday, July 21, 2007 7:29 AM By ES
Janet, "....the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God!"
|
Posted Tuesday, July 24, 2007 6:30 AM By Janet
yeah...go on crucify me......just like they did Jesus. But who was right?
|
Posted Sunday, July 29, 2007 2:35 PM By ES
Jesus was/is right. You are only half-right.
|
Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2007 7:29 PM By Roberto_nulQ
Hi!
Free gymnast porn pics and movies!
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-free-porn-explicit-red-head.html]free free free porn explicit red head[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-full-length-movie-movie-porn.html]free free full length movie movie porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-full-length-movie-porn.html]free free full length movie porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-full-length-porn-video.html]free free full length porn video[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-full-movie-movie-porn.html]free free full movie movie porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-gallery-porn-sex-woman.html]free free gallery porn sex woman[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-game-internet-play-porn.html]free free game internet play porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-gay-porn-clip.html]free free gay porn clip[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-good-new-porn-snakesworld.html]free free good new porn snakesworld[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-hardcore-movie-movie-porn.html]free free hardcore movie movie porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-head-hot-porn-red.html]free free head hot porn red[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-heaven-picture-porn.html]free free heaven picture porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-icemans-movie-picture-porn-sex-sex-tgp.html]free free icemans movie picture porn sex sex tgp[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-look-now-porn-watch.html]free free look now porn watch[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-membership-porn-shaman.html]free free membership porn shaman[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-movie-porn.html]free free movie porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-mpeg-porn-star-vids.html]free free mpeg porn star vids[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-pic-pic-porn-star.html]free free pic pic porn star[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-picture-porn.html]free free picture porn[/url]
[url= http://freeloks.nm.ru/free-free-picture-porn-sex.html]free free picture porn sex[/url]
|
© California Catholic Daily 2007. All Rights Reserved.
|