For Catholics yearning to be better meditators of God’s will and communicators of Christ’s Gospel, Fr. Matthew-Anthony Hysell recommends they look back to the 12th and 13th centuries for inspiration. 

In particular, he suggests turning to St. Dominic de Guzmán (1170-1221) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). 

On Oct. 26, Hysell will spiritually guide the “Dominic our Father, Thomas our Brother” retreat at the Providence Renewal Centre (PRC) in Edmonton. Founded by the Sisters of Providence in 1983, the PRC is now a Christ-centred ecumenical retreat and conference centre. 

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Hysell, pastor of St. Emeric Catholic Hungarian Parish and St. Mark’s Community of the Deaf, will advocate that deep spiritual rumination is not the exclusive province of the clergy. The laity should also embrace the charism of De Guzman’s Dominican Order, later crystalized by Aquinas: “To contemplate and to hand on the fruits of contemplation.”

Ordained as Canada’s first deaf priest in 2012, Hysell will share several approaches to contemplation developed by the Dominican Order — also known as the Order of Preachers — throughout the centuries with retreatants. 

“As for being (communicators) this is where the kerygma comes in, which is the simple (Greek) proclamation that ‘Jesus is the Lord,’ ” wrote Hysell. “I will explain how the name ‘Dominican’ can be a play on the word ‘Lord,’ and how the preaching of Jesus’ Lordship has less to do with moralizing on a soapbox and more to do with the infectious quality of joy that is engendered by God’s reign.”

Hysell will advocate that transmitting this joy and the other spiritual gifts spawned by contemplation can help manifest missionary churches. 

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Locally, the priest considers the Dominican charism as the way to achieve the “Formation for Confident Witness” pastoral priority outlined by the Archdiocese of Edmonton. From a worldwide perspective, he said it will help realize the vision of evangelization outlined in the Second Vatican Council decree Ad Gentes.

Recognizing that “often, ‘religiosity’ gets in the way of the spiritual life,” Hysell, a lecturer in Dogmatic Theology at Edmonton’s Newman Theological College, will share how Aquinas, inspired by St. Paul’s teachings, imparted wisdom about how believers can draw closer to the Holy Spirit. 

“Thomas wrote a lot about the Holy Spirit and articulated for us the Church’s doctrine of the seven gifts — often mentioned only in passing during Confirmation prep — and offers us a road map for the following of Christ that involves a conscious cooperation with the Holy Spirit.”

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.

Hysell added that “many Catholic believers, I am sure, are curious about the person of the Holy Spirit; hopefully, this curiosity will lead them to find some answers in the life and writings of St. Thomas Aquinas.”

Specifically, Hysell will elucidate Aquinas’ writings about “the interplay of the mind, will and the emotions” at work during spiritual contemplation and how grace is “the ultimate factor in Christian discipleship.”

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Also mindful of how “many Christians are rightly concerned about humanity’s treatment of the planet,” Hysell will also share Aquinas’ “specifically Christian vision of care for Creation.”

For more information visit https://providencerenewal.ca/tc-events/fall-retreat-event-15519/.