The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations
with Matthew Fox |
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video meditation — now appearing every Monday! Don't miss Matthew's exciting interviews, webinars and courses, listed at the bottom of this DM (you may need to click the ... to see them). |
Letter of Humanity
to Welcome Brother LeoBy Gianluigi Gugliermetto 5/10/2025 |
Dear brother Leo, welcome!
You are one of us, a man in flesh and blood so you are entitled to a warm welcome. Just as on the day your mother gave you to the world, and today again because of the task to you entrusted. It must be indeed like a second or third birth to you. |
Taking a new name is not a light choice to make and a person can only do that a few times in life. Most of us don’t even do it, although we hope you know that some do, for very good reasons, when entering a completely new life. Nuns do it (not all), monks do it (not all), transgender people do it (not all). Today, you are in deep communion with them all. You are also in communion with all who seek justice and peace on Earth, not just in heaven or in their small circles, but everywhere, in the vast expanse of land and ocean and mountains that we all continue to pollute and use to feed our egos, while we keep justifying the killing of thousands of people, where we dwell |
St. Francis and his companion and disciple, Brother Leo. Painting by El Greco. Wikimedia Commons. |
mostly unaware of the beauty that surrounds us. |
You said “peace” and “all are welcome” and “bridges”— we heard in that pope Francis’s cry “Build bridges, not walls!” —and, in a recent interview, you spoke of the church as a community not an institution. Good luck with that! We are not going to stand in the way of your dreams, but you know that this is quite a huge one, don’t you? I think we would all be happier if you dropped the word “mission” which has done too much harm to us in the past, and that you seem to like instead. If you attach a different meaning to it, if you want to talk about your communion with the poor people living in the lost corners of the earth — lost only to that smaller portion of us who thinks to be living in the center — that’s great, but please specify. |
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| We all
liked your shy smile, and your tears in the corner of your eye. Forgive us for prying, but you knew this would happen when you accepted the job. You are one of us, and we think you know that, but we and you know also that your responsibility now largely exceeds that of most of us. You can be a voice for peace and
reconciliation, or you can drop your prophetic call. You can be a listener and a convener in the Catholic Church, or you can just |
pretend to be that. You can choose new beautiful ideas and polish old beautiful ideas and create a tapestry of hope with all that, or you can try to bury creativity under a stone. |
Augustine’s obsessions with sin and sexuality, we truly hope that you let them be just what they are: historically relevant yet faulty steps in our tortuous journey towards the truth of who we are, in communion with other bodies and souls.
We think that your heart is in the right place— which is a lot to say these days when looking at the world’s leaders —so we are thankful for your
election and your acceptance of it and your re-naming yourself with strength. |
The
events of these days may have been caused by Providence or just by Serendipity. We hope that Wisdom also had a great part. But what matters the most for us is that you can represent decency in front of the powerful who have lost it completely, who walk like shells of human beings in their gilded rooms where they concoct our nightmares. |
“Pope Leo XIV’s longtime friend describes his qualities, personality: He’s ‘one who builds bridges.'” CBS News |
We
don’t presume to speak for other species but we think that those seagulls on the roof were a clear indication that they too welcome you, as their new brother with a new name and with a new job for the good of the whole.
Amen. |
SIGN THE PLEDGE: Boycott pro-Trump corporations. Faithful America. EngageForDemocracy offers curated trustworthy reporting, educational resources, and action campaigns to hold government accountable to the Constitution and democratic norms. See Matthew Fox, A New Reformation. See also Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ. And Fox, A Spirituality Named
Compassion. And Fox, Letters to St. Francis. Banner image: “Pope Leo XIV on the loggia after his election.” Wikimedia Commons |
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Queries for Contemplation |
How do you feel about the new pope? Does he foster in you a sense of hope? |
A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality & The Transformation of Christianity
A modern-day theologian’s call for the radical transformation of
Christianity that will allow us to move once again from the hollow trappings of organized religion to genuine spirituality. A New Reformation echoes the Reformation initiated by Martin Luther in 1517 and offers a new vision of Christianity that values the Earth, honors the feminine, and respects science and deep ecumenism.
“This is a deep and forceful book….With prophetic insight, Matthew Fox reveals what has
corrupted religion in the West and the therapy for its healing.” ~Bruce Chilton, author of Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography |
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A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew
Fox delivers a profound exploration of the meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our
deepest consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register |
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The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance
In what may be considered the
most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
“This book is a classic.” Thomas Berry, author of The Great Work and The Dream of the Earth. |
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Letters to Pope Francis
Matthew Fox challenges the new Pope to live up to the promise of his namesake St. Francis and reshape a church that has been mired in corruption and bereft of authentic spirituality
and rigorous theological debate. Former Dominican priest Matthew Fox presents a series of heartfelt letters to his brother in Christ about the great challenges facing the church today, drawing from the deep spiritual and theological sources that have been suppressed since Vatican II, and implores him to restore the sensus fidelium (the sense of the faithful) and reshape a church with justice and compassion. |
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Prayer: A Radical Response to Life How do prayer and mysticism relate to the struggle for social and ecological justice? Fox defines prayer as a radical
response to life that includes our “Yes” to life (mysticism) and our “No” to forces that combat life (prophecy). How do we define adult prayer? And how—if at all—do prayer and mysticism relate to the struggle for social and ecological justice? One of Matthew Fox’s earliest books, originally published under the title On Becoming a Musical, Mystical Bear: Spirituality American Style, Prayer introduces a mystical/prophetic spirituality and a mature conception of how to
pray. Called a “classic” when it first appeared, it lays out the difference between the creation spirituality tradition and the fall/redemption tradition that has so dominated Western theology since Augustine. A practical and theoretical book, it lays the groundwork for Fox’s later works. “One of the finest books I have read on contemporary spirituality.” – Rabbi Sholom A. Singer |
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Matthew Fox comments on Pope Francis' legacy of environmentalism and support for migrants, amidst more controversial aspects of his papacy, KPFA Pacifica Evening
News. |
UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar HERE |
Join Matthew Fox in a new 6-month program of mystical wisdom for a new world: - Activate your spiritual awakening with the mystics
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- Awaken your inner mystic & prophet for deeper awakening
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| Join Matthew Fox in a 6-Class Course: The Great Christian Mystics, exploring some of the richest and most
inspiring mystic-prophets in the Christian lineage, including Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Mechtild of Magdeburg, Thomas Aquinas, and Meister Eckhart. Open-ended course includes six modules of pre-recorded lessons, live community discussions, and live conversations with Matthew Fox. Starts Tuesday, May 20; 10% off discount code: FOX-10 Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book, Wrestling with the Prophets: Essays on Creation Spirituality and Everyday Life, in an online Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. Thursday, May 15, 4:00pm-5:30pm PT. Register HERE. Join Matthew Fox as he offers a lecture and Q&A on “Navigating the Dark Night of Soul, Society, and Our Species,” hosted by the Jung Center of Buffalo, Friday, May 23, 4 pm PT. Learn more HERE. |
MONTHLY: Join Matthew Fox and Skylar Wilson of the Order of the Sacred Earth in a free virtual meeting for connection and networking with other mystic warriors. Last Tuesday of every month, 4:00-5:00pm PT.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88665302478
Meeting ID: 886 6530 2478 Learn more at www.orderofthesacredearth.org |
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
The Christian Mystics: Wisdom for Our
Time
Join renowned theologian and spiritual teacher Matthew Fox in a thought-provoking conversation with Ruby Reed on the lives, work and wisdom of some of The Christian Mystics and their vital role in our time.
In this webinar, we’ll explore how the mystic’s path can empower us to cultivate inner transformation and inspire action in the world by saying "Yes" to life and "No" to injustice, whether through art, contemplation, or activism. Discover how their insights can help us rekindle our spiritual fire and meet the needs of our time with resilience and love. This free video promotes Matthew's upcoming 6-session course with Advaya, that will be released on May 8. |
Inspired by this post? Share your insights on BlueSky, Instagram, Universeodon, or Facebook using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
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