Carthusians in the open world

  • Are there any papers or works/studies or documentation/history or research on the subject of the exclaustrated - praxis customs - of carthusians living in the open world (starting with Saint Bruno himself - called by the Pope in Rome for example ) and its relationship with the claustrated statutory customs focused praxis of carthusian monks and nuns ?
  • There are of course also historically documented former carthusians who left and who kept and maybe adapted "some" of the "spirit" of Saint Bruno to their open world life ?
  • Others who were attracted to the Carthusian life like Saint Thomas Moore for example, who borrowed certain ascetic practices from the Carthusians; for many years he wore a hair shirt next his skin, and followed the rules of Church discipline for Fridays and vigils; every day he assisted at a Mass and recited the Little Office of Our Lady.?
  • Any research/reflexions on this, or references/bibliography would be helpful to understand distill the "sacred space" of Saint Bruno's charism through customs/life - as tried to be lived by the claustrated carthusians, and as in power (to be tried) to be lived also by exclaustrated carthusians, but also and this is what is interesting to SBPCLC: by Lay persons, like us, in the open world, married, with children, working, or celibate, etc..
  • There is a stunning modern day inspired commitment by the Carthusians through a manifestation of the Holy Spirit definitely, otherwise the Carthusians would not commit themselves, to proposing "guidelines" to Lay Faithful - RE: the 11 guidelines, Selignac project.
    • Is this revolutionary for the carthusians ? but is being  similar to efforts by other orders to have had third orders or lay associates or oblates, etc.
  • The carthusians statutes are a collection of customs, the 11 guidelines (April 26, 2003) give points of reference grounded in carthusian values - of which are the principle of developing through experience "lay or open world customs" ( for Lay Faithful in the open world) to live in this "sacred central space" as much as is possible also and to develop and live daily (and propose to the Church) a "Saint Bruno" spirituality in the open world.
  • How did exclaustrated and former carthusians best maintain/develop/balance their "praxis" to dwell (while in the open world) in "this eremus which is so uninhabitable to worldlings"?
  • Do we have specific anecdotal references to Brother Gregory's praxis-horarium concrete life - outside the cloister - and/or other historically providentially exclaustrated Carthusians - (like Hugh of Lincoln and all special "open world" carthusians) in the applied Spirit of Saint Bruno - outside the structuring cloister praxis-horarium.
  • How do anecdotal historic praxis references about exclaustrated missioned carthusians deal with what - Krijn Pansters describes/develops/qualifies as an "essentially reactionary" Saint Bruno/carthusian charism/spirituality: 'From a spiritual point of view the sacred space of the Carthusian community can be said to comprise three concentric circles: the eremus (charterhouse), the cella (cel), and the sinus (inner self). This ‘topography of solitude and introversion’ reflects a centripetal dynamics, a movement directed inward and towards the centre'. (The Carthusians in the Low Countries, p. 24, forthcoming). 'Denys the Carthusian always refers to mundus. He presents it – in true medieval fashion – as the place of mortal, carnal (as opposed to spiritual) human beings, a world fraught with corruption and hazards where the devil holds sway. To Carthusians this world, which should be spurned, not loved , is uninhabitable. They have left it behind and sought the solitude and seclusion of the charterhouse, the eremus, which is so uninhabitable to worldlings' (The Carthusians in the Low Countries, p. 62, forthcoming).
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