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Silence is the best medicine
by Christopher Anadale
Silence is a key spiritual practice at Conception. Monks observe frequent periods of silence in the monastery. Seminarians are silent during their monthly day of reflection. And many pilgrims come to the Abbey Guest Center for silent retreats.
Now, an alumnus of Conception Seminary College has self-published a book of reflections on silence. Silence: A Lost Treasure in a Noisy World, by Fr. John H. Kappe, was published in 2005 through ACW Press.
Fr. Kappe attended Conception Seminary College in the 1960s, and was ordained a priest in 1971 for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. He is currently pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Hitchcock, Texas.
Silence is nearly two hundred pages of short reflections, whimsically illustrated, on the virtue and practice of silence amid the noise and bustle of contemporary life.
Each page expresses one thought about silence, appropriate for reflection and meditation. For example:
- “In the secular world, silence is often our enemy. In the spiritual world, silence is always our friend.”
- “Silence is the vehicle that drives us into a deeper relationship with God.”
- “When we are speaking, we can only express one thought at a time. When we are silent, we can entertain a thousand thoughts all at once.”
- “Any attempt at being silent has the potential to lead us to solitude, and it is in the silence and solitude of our lives that we are most likely to encounter God and our true selves.”
Fr. Kappe believes his interest in silence is rooted in his time at Conception with the Benedictine monks. “My seminary formation there has been a blessing and a lasting memory of some extraordinary experiences in my life, both spiritual and social,” he says.
The book itself grew out of Fr. Kappe's pastoral work at a Houston parish. He explains: “The idea for my book came to me when I took my pastoral staff from St. Clare of Assissi Parish on a day of prayer. Our day of prayer was held at the Villa de Matel Convent in Houston. As I sat in the choir loft of the beautiful chapel, that resembles the Chapel at Clyde, Missouri, I began to reflect on how important silence is in our busy lives, and the quotations I used in my book began to flood my mind. Much of the writing that appears in my book is the result of the reflective time I spent on that day. I continued to reflect on and write the remainder of the manuscript over the next three or four years, while also creating the illustrations that appear on each page of the book.”
Fr. Kappe hopes that the book will help readers to appreciate the value of taking time for silence in their own lives. “I simply wrote it with the hope that people would enjoy it, learn from it, and that it would help them realize that silence can be a blessing,” he says.
The book has been well received by readers, who have shared many positive reactions. “I received phone calls from people who live outside of my home state of Texas, telling me that my book has been a blessing and a great comfort to relatives who are terminally ill or who are anxious about many things in their lives. That is my greatest compliment,” Fr. Kappe says.
“As a priest and pastor, it is always a joy for me to know that my words, simple as they may be, have touched someone's life and given them a new appreciation for silence that may lead them to listen to their heart and hopefully find God there.”
In December 2005, Silence was featured on the “Live with Regis and Kelly Show.” Fr. Kappe had sent a courtesy copy to the show months earlier, but was surprised to receive a phone call from his sister one morning telling him to turn on his television––Regis Philbin was talking about his book! Following the show, he received orders for the book from across the country.
Tony Cordaro, a fellow Conception Seminary College alumnus and a good friend of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, is enthusiastic about Silence. He describes it as “fun and thought provoking, witty and serious, light and heavy. You can read it completely in one sitting or read a page a day. You can re-read the same anecdote twice in a row and see something entirely different. It is like a good cup of coffee to be sipped and savored to kick-start you beyond the noise of the world.”
Silence: A Lost Treasure in a Noisy World is available for purchase from Fr. Kappe for $20, tax included. Shipping is $3 for one book and $1 for each additional book. Fr. Kappe may be reached at 713-829-5094 or Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 10114 Hwy. 6, Hitchcock, TX 77563.
We welcome your comments:
communications@conception.edu
www.conceptionabbey.org
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