Vaughn Fayle, OFM, will discuss "Sophia - The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton," a new book by Xavier University (Ohio) Professor Christopher Pramuk, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, in the Rectory Assembly of Immaculate Conception Parish, 7211 W. Talcott, Chicago.

Below is a description of the book from amazon.com, and two reviews:

While numerous studies have celebrated Thomas Merton's witness as an interfaith pioneer, poet, and peacemaker, there have been few systematic treatments of his Christology as such, and no sustained exploration to date of his relationship to the Russian "Sophia" tradition. This book looks to Thomas Merton as a "classic" theologian of the Christian tradition from East to West, and offers an interpretation of his mature Christology, with special attention to his remarkable prose poem of 1962, Hagia Sophia. Bringing Merton's mystical-prophetic vision fully into dialogue with contemporary Christology, Russian sophiology, and Zen, as well as figures such as John Henry Newman and Abraham Joshua Heschel, the author carefully but boldly builds the case that Sophia, the same theological eros that animated Merton's religious imagination in a period of tremendous fragmentation and violence, might infuse new vitality into our own. A study of uncommon depth and scope, inspired throughout by Merton's extraordinary catholicity.

Reviews:
"Pramuk's work is, far and away, the most sophisticated theological study ever done on the writings of Thomas Merton. It sets a very high bar for anyone else who intends to comment on the writings of the monk whose writings, nearly a half century after his death, still exert such a powerful influence on contemporary religious seekers." --Lawrence S. Cunningham, John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology, The University of Notre Dame

Christopher Pramuk's Sophia: the Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton is, dare it be said, a gorgeous book. Its beautifully crafted pages are full of insight about Merton and his "sapiential" theological method, the poetical and mystical manner in which he lived into the rich symbolic matrix of faith and drew from it living wisdom, made luminous by his engagement with non-western religions, Eastern Orthodox thought and the kataphatic and apophatic modes of knowing of his own tradition. Moreover, Sophia invites the reader into a compelling meditation on the doing of theology in the contemporary world. It affirms the need for a bold theological imagination and a faith intensely aware of Sophia, the divine presence alive in the world. --Wendy M. Wright, Professor of Theology, John C. Kenefick Faculty Chair in the Humanities, Creighton University

About the speaker:
Franciscan Fr. Vaughn Fayle was born in South Africa in 1960 into a musical and literary family: his father was a pipe organ builder, his aunt a concert pianist and his uncle on his mother’s side, Denis Brutus, an international poet and activist who was imprisoned with Nelson Mandela, who died Dec. 26, 2009.

Vaughn began music studies at the age of five, studying piano and later on pipe organ and harpsichord. After high school he studied music at Rhodes University with John Birch, Rupert Mayr, Christine Lucia and private studies in orchestration and composition and completed his LRMS degree from the Royal School of Music, London. Poor eye sight due to juvenile glaucoma forced him to turn from music performance to composition, musicology and philosophy. He completed graduate studies in philosophy and theology in Europe and came to the USA in 1990 to direct a department of undergraduate philosophy of religion in Texas. He taught both religion and philosophy at Our Lady of the Lake University.

In 1997 he studied the use of music and the lives of composers in the concentration camps in Europe and composed a set of Three Hebrew Chanukah Songs for orchestral harp and choir, which was premiered by the San Antonio Choral Society under the direction of Dr. Gary Mabry at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has since composed works for choir and for various small instrumental ensembles including incidental music for Provision Theater Company’s 2004 production of A Christmas Carol, Actor’s Workshop Theater’s 2006 production of Proof.

At the suggestion of his uncle, exiled South African poet Dennis Brutus he began setting Brutus’ Robben Island poetry to music and then began studying the poetry of the American poet and spiritual writer, Thomas Merton. In July 2007, the International Thomas Merton Society awarded him the 2007-2008 Shannon Fellowship for his setting of the poetry of Thomas Merton.

Since 1999, Vaughn has served as director of philosophy studies and adjunct professor of the philosophy of religion at Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park, where he has taught courses on Thomas Merton’s political philosophy. He is a member of the American Composers Forum, the American Guild of Organists and the American Philosophical Association.

Vaughn has been a frequent presenter for the Chicago Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society, and participated in the 2009 ITMS conference in Rochester, NY. He serves on the ITMS 2011 program committee.

Chicago Chapter - ITMS 2010 Meetings

Sunday Speaker Meetings are held in the Immaculate Conception Parish Rectory Assembly, 7211 W. Talcott, Chicago, from 2 to 4 p.m.

MondayReading Group Meetings are held in the Passionist Monastery Library, 5700 N. Harlem, Chicago, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 17: Suzanne Zuercher, OSB: "Living and Loving: Merton's Last Task, Revisited"

Monday, Jan. 25: (Note New Date) Reading Group: Seven Storey Mountain, part 3, section 1 & 2.

Sunday, Feb. 21: Vaughn Fayle, OFM: "Sophia - The Hidden Christ of Thomas Merton," a discussion of Christopher Pramuk's new book.

Monday, Feb. 22: Reading Group: Seven Storey Mountain, contined.

Sunday, Mar. 21: Dr. Pauline Viviano, "Can the Warrior God of the Old Testament Be a God of Peace?"

Monday, Mar. 29: Reading Group Sunday, Apr. 18: Mark Boswell, Ph.D. candidate, Garrett Theological Seminary, Talk title TBA

Monday, Apr. 26: Reading Group

Sunday, May 16: TBA

Monday, May 24: Reading Group

There are no speaker meetings in June, July or August

Picnic TBA

Monday, June 28: Reading Group

Monday, July 26: Reading Group

Monday, Aug. 30: Reading Group

Sunday, Sept. 19: Meg Guider, OSF, Talk title TBA

Monday, Sept. 27: Reading Group

Sunday, Oct. 17: Daniel Horan, OFM: Talk title TBA

Monday, Oct. 25: Reading Group

Sunday, Nov. 21: Fr. Albert Haas, OFM: Talk title TBA

Monday, Nov. 29: Reading Group

Wednesday, Dec. 8: Annual Merton Memorial Mass - Passionist Monastery

For more information, contact Chapter Coordinator Mike Brennan: 773-447-3989

John Giannini this Sunday, November 15th.

Jungian analyst John Giannini will be the special guest of the Chicago Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society to discuss “Love is Power: From Peaceful Non-Violence to Intimacy” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at Immaculate Conception Rectory Assembly, 7211 W. Talcott (just west of Harlem Avenue) Chicago. The talk is adapted from a presentation John gave at the North American Conference of Jungian Analysts & Candidates Oct. 1-4 in Washington, D.C. John will comment on how the non-violent approaches of such spiritual giants as Gandhi, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton are critical to addressing and healing the world’s problems.

John has been a Jungian analyst since 1980 in private practice in Chicago and Wilmette. He holds an M.Div. in Religion and Psychology from St. Alberts College and an M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. John has published articles and lectures widely throughout the U.S. and Canada on the wounded child within and narcissistic/addictive behavior. He is the author of Compass of the Soul - Archetypal Guides to a Fuller Life.

There is free parking in the adjacent lot, and signs will be posted directing you to the rectory assembly. We hope you will plan on attending!

Tommie O'Callaghan this Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009

The Chicago Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society is honored to present a close friend of Thomas Merton's and recently retired trustee of the Merton Legacy Trust, Tommie O'Callaghan, as our guest speaker at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, in the rectory assembly of Immaculate Conception Parish, 7211 W. Talcott (just west of Harlem Avenue) Chicago. There is free parking in the adjacent lot, and signs will be posted directing you to the rectory assembly.

This very special visit was arranged by ITMS member Rev. Dr. Marilyn Hendricks, who will lead the discussion.

Tommie is flying in and returning to Louisville the same day, so the meeting will begin promptly at 2 p.m. and conclude about 3:45 p.m. so she can get to Midway Airport for her departing flight. Members are invited to come between 1 and 2 p.m. for fellowship before the discussion gets underway. A brief business meeting will be held at 1:45 p.m. just prior to the discussion. Pastor Hendricks will interview Tommie about her friendship with Thomas Merton, followed by questions from the audience.

The Merton Encyclopedia offers this biography:

Thomasine ("Tommie") O'Callaghan, wife of Frank O'Callaghan, had attended the College of the Sacred Heart at Manhattanville, Purchase, New York, where Daniel Walsh was one of her teachers. It was he who first introduced Thomas Merton to the O'Callaghan family. Merton became a welcome friend and was a frequent visitor at the O'Callaghan residence in Louisville. To the seven children of Tommie and Frank he soon became "Uncle Louie." It was his first experience in many years with any sort of family life. When Merton chose the members of his legacy trust, he wanted someone from Louisville, and Tommie O'Callaghan was the ideal choice. She has continued to be an active member of the Merton Legacy Trust. (She is the one remaining original trustee; the other two Naomi Stone and James Laughlin, have been replaced by Robert Giroux and Anne McCormick, respectively.) WHS (Fr. Wm. Shannon) (Since the encyclopedia's publication in 2002, Robert Giroux has died and was replaced as a trustee by Peggy Fox; and Tommie recently retired and has been replaced by Mary Somerville.)

Marilyn serves as a Lutheran pastor and was among three scholars awarded 2008-2009 Shannon Fellowships for a project on "The Spirituality and Ethics of Thomas Merton." She attended the 11th ITMS conference in Rochester, where she invited Tommie to visit our chapter.

We hope you will be able to attend this very special and rare event, and feel free to bring a friend.

CC-ITMS Annual Picnic - Sunday, August 16, 2009

The CC-ITMS Annual Picnic will be held on the grounds of the Passionist Monastery, 5700 N. Harlem, Chicago, beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Please RSVP to Penny Jaworski at 847-375-9291 by August 14, or reply to this email. The Chapter will provide the meats, and there will be door prizes. Please bring a dish to pass, a lawn chair, and your favorite Merton passage to share. We will move indoors if it rains. Those who attended the ITMS meeting in Rochester will be invited to tell us about their favorite parts of the conference.