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        One of the things I discovered in my research on the saints' writings, throughout history, has been the split in the type of religious literature that was produced. First it began as arguments based on intellectual reasoning and insight, as can be gathered from the early theological traditions of the Church Fathers. From the 7th century on, mystical writings appeared in the Church (and the ones to blame for this were the Irish monks). Sts. Fursey, Columba and Malachy were visionaries (they had intuitions into the truths of the Faith) and did not go through the tiresome process of mental exercises to come to some spiritual knowledge.

Next were the German visionaries (known as the Rhineland mystics) of the 11th and 12th centuries (Sts. Hildegard, Mechtilde and Gertrude). They too saw things rather than reason them out. Following them were the Northern mystics (St. Bridget of Sweden, John of Ruysbroeck and Julian of Norwich of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries) and Italian visionaries (Sts. Nicholas of Tolentino, Angela of Foligno, Frances of Rome, Catherine dei Ricci and Catherine of Genoa). The 17th century witnessed the French mystic, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

Seeing all this, I can somehow understand the gripe and anger that the Protestants have against the Catholic Church. They subconsciously say to us that the only one who validly revealed the Father and the things of the Father was Jesus Christ. We are therefore to go to Him through Jesus, the only valid representative and not some eccentrical visionary. What is this business of all these private revelations pouring out from these doubtful mystics (especially coming from Irish monks, enclosured women whose repressed sex life must have made them mad and delirious, and unlettered spiritual seers)? The things they tell me are never mentioned in the Bible: Popes, purgatory, devotion to the Passion, Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy, etc. They invented all these things and cluttered the Church with them. Now we Protestants must clean and purge her of these strange gods and bring her back to the original Gospel purity.

The attack of the Protestants (as well as some Catholics themselves who are many times suspicious) are really not against the mystics themselves, as much as the adamant opposition to a mystical type of knowledge (which they don't accept nor approve of). They do not believe that a different type of knowing (different from your traditional, masculine, common rational type) could exist. Their misunderstanding is basically one that concerns human nature. To "intuit" or simply "see" something intellectually is more proper to women (though some men can come to it). Since this form of knowing is not admitted nor accepted by society, any mystical knowledge that is had is pooh-poohed, ridiculed, insulted and rejected. If the Catholic Church makes as her own some mystical revelation of her children, then she is accused of and attacked as being intellectually and spiritually dishonest, false, and anti-rational (even from her own theologians). Since the Church herself does not really understand this type of knowledge and is rather embarrassed by it, she simply defends herself by saying that she will not prohibit them, as long as they are not against "Faith and morals" (though she never says practically anything positive about them).

If there is a trend in the Church that wants to cling to rationalism, fine, there are many mansions in the house of God. No one is obligated to lead a devotional life as laid out by the Church's mystics (and no Catholic should make it look that way to others either). A Protestant that returns to the Catholic Church could feel very much at home with the spirituality that he has always lived and felt comfortable with. No Pope will take it away from him. However, he is not to criticize those who feel comfortable with statues, just like Jesus did not reject the woman whose simple faith had her touch his garment. I think the fight between mystics and rationalists should end, and each  try to see the good that  one possesses.

That is why those who had combined mystical with rational knowledge were the greatest saints of the Church and most admired by society: St. Augustine, St. John Climacus, St. Bernard, St. Hildegard, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure, St. Catherine of Siena, St. John of the Cross, and St. Teresa of Avila. They did not go overboard on their knowledge, but knew how to find the right balance and respect between mysticism and the reasoning intellect. They were not dry intellectuals either, but at home in a supernatural state of grace (at the same time normal and natural on God's earth).

Today, we still have crazed mystics (as found in some Catholic and Protestant charismatic circles) and cold, heartless thinkers of our overly sophisticated theological schools. Both have still to find the harmonious balance of an integral knowledge that includes both mysticism and reason, if they are going to convince anyone of anything.

 Father Anthony Mellace