Comments on Thin Places: Richard Rohr - The Celts Didn't Invent Thin Places...

You are still missing the point and why don't ...

2011-03-23T02:43:58.086-05:00

You are still missing the point and why don't you learn Irish. It might lend some veracity to your 'research'. I too wonder why I follow this blog.

Louise - A. All the people I mentioned are not fr...

2011-03-22T22:08:40.620-05:00

Louise -
A. All the people I mentioned are not from religious orders. Dolores Whelan is secular. I didn't mention Caitlin Mathews, who has also taught me a great deal. She is not with a religious order.

B. Reread my comment about Mary DeMuth. You only skimmed it to see what you wanted. I end the comment with "I think that's a beautiful definition." Read it within the entire context of the comment. I'm commending Mary.

C. I also indicated that I liked and respected Richard Rohr very much and have followed him for years. It is my familiarity with Richard that gives me a basis for disappointment on this matter.

D. The north is very familiar to me. Have visited every county and have included the northern counties in many of the dozens of trips I've made to Ireland. Have been to Belfast many times. My father's people are from Derry.

I'm not so sure we really disagree about thin places. And I'm not sure why you follow this blog.

All the people you mention who shared the term are...

2011-03-22T21:40:06.267-05:00

All the people you mention who shared the term are from religious orders and I have read several of their works especially John O' Donohue R.I.P - yet you seemed to be annoyed that the highly esteemed Fr Rohr used the term to illustrate his vision of living 'on the spiritual edge'.Mary de Muth's definition didn't suit you either it seems being not linked to a specific geographic location. But really I think you are missing the point. There are many places of great power in Ireland - thin places is one term, sacred is another and they have great significance to many,many people. They go there to experience ' God as they understand Him', to experience 'The Spirit of the Place' and other terminology and believe me it is not ephemeral or trite or sappy. I suggest on your visit to Ireland you visit Belfast especially the North and West of the city where there has been an epidemic of suicide among young people in the last few years. They lived in a very 'thin place' indeed

Louise - I first heard the term thin places from a...

2011-03-22T20:32:51.920-05:00

Louise - I first heard the term thin places from an Irishman - Fr. Dara Molloy, born in Dublin and now living on Inis Mor. I heard it many times from other great spiritual people - all from Irish - including Dolores Whelen, Sr. Mary Minihan (Kildare), Fr. Sean O'Duinn (Glenstal Abbey), Fr. Marcus Losack (Glendalough). I learned the most about the term from Fr. John O'Donohue, though I never met him personally, but I learned through his books. In fact, Fr. O'Donohue gave the old Irish term for thin places which I dare not attempt to spell here... but the phonetic sound is similar to fitz-e-fut-a meaning knitted together.

So the Irish did have a term for thin places in their own language - the term "thin places" was translated from the Irish by Irish people.

By the way, I know few Americans who are familiar with the term until I bring it up. Yet I have interviewed hundreds of Irish over the last twelve years specifically about thin places. Many knew the term - and if not the term, knew the concept. Up until your two posts on this blog, I have never had anyone criticize or berate me for my interest in the concept or my writing about it.

I appreciate your sharing of your knowledge about Newgrange and taking the time to offer you opinion. I'm always interested in others' views on the concept.

Where exactly is your definition of 'thin'...

2011-03-22T19:46:15.962-05:00

Where exactly is your definition of 'thin' places from ? These pre-christian, pre-celtic peoples ? Did they speak English then 5000+ years ago ? As dieterk says above....your post sounds like you have ownership of the term.... I have been to many of the places you mention in your blog but few Irish people would recognise this newly trendy term. I have walked in the Newgrange passage and felt the power. Whilst at Newgrange people working at the site said that many feel Newgrange is much older than the present calculation. Others even put forward the theory that it was built with instruction from an extra-terrestial civilisation. Who knows ? What Fr Rohr was talking about was 'the spiritual edge' where indeed the whole world is heading. You don't need to come expensively to Ireland. Be here now .

dieterk, thanks so much for taking the time to com...

2011-03-21T19:20:33.075-05:00

dieterk, thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

Perhaps I did sound to harsh. It's just that I expected more from Richard who is very educated and well traveled.

It's not that I feel I own the term (sorry it sounded that way). There are many definitions for thin places. Mary DeMuth has a book out entitled Thin Places, and her meaning for the term is that of a spiritual place - a place of awakening when God is especially close. Her definition has no link to a geographic place. I think that's a beautiful definition. But Mary isn't attributing her definition is to pre-Christian Ireland and Britain.

Because I visit and write so much about thin places, I feel compelled to keep the original definition - as it relates to pre-Christian Ireland - clearly defined for what it is. That's what I was attempting to do in this post.

Perhaps I was a little too personally hard on Richard and for that I'm sorry. Glad you read through it and am very glad you took the time to comment constructively.

And .... I looked up your blog. It looks very interesting. Hope to see more writing from you.

Best regards.

mb

Mindie- I think you need to lighten up...give him ...

2011-03-21T17:17:03.713-05:00

Mindie-
I think you need to lighten up...give him some literary leeway...your post sounds like you have ownership of the term...

This is a very thin place indeed - positively flak...

2011-03-21T17:00:06.208-05:00

This is a very thin place indeed - positively flakey !
Louise Mitchell