Mystic evenings

Brendan Comerford’s course Insights from the Mystics is drawing crowds eager to know more about a rich Christian tradition. The conference room at Manresa is packed every week. One woman who travels up from Killarney for the lectures has been searching for years for a course on the mystics. Others travel down from Belfast. This year these searchers are being treated to some “tasters” from the Desert Fathers and Mothers, Evagrius, John Cassian, Benedict, Francis of Assisi, Julian of Norwich (statue pictured here), Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux and Thomas Merton. They’re learning that these mystics speak about more mundane and practical subjects (and often with great humour) than clouds of unknowing and dark nights. Brendan hopes to present another set of mystical giants next year.