Life of the Beloved: The Legacy of Henri Nouwen
Simone Weil once said: “It is not enough today to be merely a saint; we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment.”
We have such a saint for our time, Henri Nouwen. He helped us to pray while not knowing how to pray, to rest while feeling restless, to be at peace while tempted, to feel safe while still anxious, to be surrounded by light while still in darkness, and to love while still in doubt. He calls us beyond ourselves, even as he respects how complex and difficult that journey is. He shows us how to move towards God, even as we are still torn by our own earthly attachments.
Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, a lifelong admirer and student of Nouwen, will guide us through reflecting on his work and the wisdom it offers to us in the present moment. Likewise, Andrew Harrison will perform The Beloved Son, a one-man play about Nouwen’s life written by Murray Watts. The performance explores hope and longing, family dynamics, and the profound insights of a man who became one of the greatest spiritual writers of the twentieth century.