Volume 19, Issue 11-12

One of the Catholic Church’s most powerful communicators, Archbishop Thomas Collins, will be in Melbourne during the Days in the Dioceses to share his inspiration with young people and help young people share in the ancient form of prayer, lectio divina.

Lectio divina, or, literally translated, Divine Reading, is a type of praying, a very ancient divine art, that has been practised by Christians all through the ages. It is a slow, prayerful reading of texts from Holy Scripture, aimed at entering into union with God.

It is not only practised by monks and nuns in monasteries and convents, but has also been practised by numerous Christians throughout the ages, who in their daily life set time aside for this practice.

It is an excellent means of discovering the spiritual breadth of one’s life. Listening to and contemplating God’s words in this way helps us to realise the underlying spiritual dimension of life. It is a listening and ruminating on God’s Word.

It is an art; it is an ability inborn in everyone. It is a possibility that can be developed in all of us, helping us to live in God’s presence and loving embrace.

In Edmonton in 2000, Archbishop Collins initiated monthly lectio divina, prayerful reading and reflection on Scripture. Each month after formal Vespers in the Cathedral, he would lead a 30-45 minute reading of Scripture passages, followed by silent reflection and his own thoughts on the readings.

“It’s prayer. In a sense it’s what I do now when reading Scripture alone,” the Archbishop says. “My hope would be that individuals would take this experience and do it themselves with other Scripture readings.”

Many of Archbishop Collins’ lectio divina sessions can be viewed on the Archdiocese of Toronto website at www.archtoronto.org/events_news/lectio_video_intro.html.

Archbishop Collins, is a native of Guelph, Ontario. After graduating from Waterloo with a bachelor of arts degree, he did a bachelor of theology at St Peter’s Seminary in London, Canada, as well as a master of arts degree in English from the University of Western Ontario. Graduate studies in Rome followed his ordination. Archbishop Collins has had a long interest in Scripture and holds a licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, along with a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University there.

Before being appointed Archbishop of Toronto in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Collins had been Archbishop of Edmonton since 1999.  All can meet and hear Archbishop Collins during DIDO8 at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday 12 July at 2pm.

We are grateful that Archbishop Collins can be with us to teach us about lectio divina and to enrich our lives.