General

Kees Waaijman 65 years

Wednesday June 20, 2007, Kees Waaijman celibrated his 65th birthday. Kees will stop lecturing as a Theology Professor, but he will continue his work as President of the Titus Brandsma Institute.

You can read the text of the congratulations (PDF in Dutch) from the Theology department by clicking the link above.

Expert meeting biblical spirituality June 19 and 20, 2007

In the very near future there will be a report (with pictures) of the recent expert meeting on biblical spirituality.

2006 Annual Report

The text of the 200 annual report is available on-line. It contains information on scientific developments, lists of publications, an overview of key events in 2006 and items on tuition, disciplinary development, and courses and training.

Download PDF file: jaarverslag 2006  (in Dutch)

The 2005 Annual Report is also still available.

Titus Brandsma Lecture

On Friday June 8, 2007 Prof. Dr. Ulrich Berges delivered the fifteenth Titus Brandsma Lecture.

Every year, the Titus Brandsma Institute invites authorities in specific fields to give their opinion of the field of spirituality. This way the institute wants to illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of the study of spirituality.

Presentation of Spiritual Direction Training diplomas

On Friday May 25, 2007 the presentation of six Spiritual Direction Training diplomas took place. More...

Recently published

On Wednesday May 16, 2007 following title was published: Thomas van Celano, De oudste verhalen van Franciscus van Assisi. Het leven van Sint Franciscus en het gedenkschrift van Franciscus' daden en deugden, vertaling Rijcklof Hofman, Inleiding en toelichting door Gerard Pieter Freeman, Haarlem, Gottmer 2007, 352 pagina's, ISBN 978 90 257 4244 7.

More information (form the Dutch publisher): http://www.gottmer.nl/gottmer/titels/9789025742447.htm

Dutch bishops write letter to speed up canonization Titus Brandsma

At the beginning of April 2007 the Dutch bishops sent a letter to José cardinal Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In this letter the Dutch cardinal Simonis pleads to speed up the canonization of the blessed father carmelite Titus Brandsma.

Source: Katholiek Nederland

4th of May lecture 2007 by Kees Waaijman

Prof. Dr. Kees Waaijman delivered the 4th of May (Dutch Memorial Day) lecture 2007 in the St. Stevenschurch (Nijmegen). The title of the lecture is: "Titus Brandsma over oorlog en vrede" (in Dutch).

Paul Reehuis invested with an order

On April 27 april, Paul Reehuis was invested with the order Member of the Order of Oranje Nassau by Nijmegen mayor Thom de Graaf.

The mayor's speech accompanying the presentation of this royal honour was, of course, in Dutch: text of the speech for Paul Reehuis (there are also a few pictures)

Interview with Kees Waaijman in Reformatorisch Dagblad

On March 30, the Reformatorisch Dagblad published an interview with Kees Waaijman titled Uit de cocon van bezigheden.

The article is in Dutch: Interview Kees Waaijman Reformatorisch Dagblad (PDF)

Mysticism seminar 2007

This year the mysticism seminar was held from July, 2-5. The seminar is held annually in the first full week of July. On four successive days introductions are offered to the work of a mystical author or some mystical theme. This method permits more searching, sustained exploration of the topic. This year Dr. Loet Swart lead the daily introductions and the mystical author was Ruusbroec.

For more information see: Education -> Mysticism Seminar or read the seminar brochure (PDF).

Articles

Frits Mertens wrote a number of articles. His latest article was published in 'Tijdschrift voor Geestelijk Leven'. The theme of the issue is Spiegelen. De kracht van verhalen (2007/1 january february). The title of the article is: Levensverhaal schrijven en levensweg gaan.

He also wrote following articles for the journal 'Zin in Zorg; Tijdschrift van Reliëf over zorg, ethiek en levensbeschouwing':
- Interreligieus: het werkt. Published in volume 8, no. 2, June 2006, page 4
- Het verhaal van je leven. Published in volume 8, no. 3, September 2006, page 4
- Vrijwilligerswerk is verrijkend. Interview met bisschop Muskens. Published in volume 8, no. 3, September 2006, page 8-9
- Niet zomaar een naam. Zin in Zorg. Published in volume 8, no. 4, December 2006, page 4

Translations

Following translations by Rijcklof Hofman were published in the journal 'Franciscaans Leven':

Thomas van Celano en de bekering van Franciscus:

- Celano 17. Published in volume 89, no. 1, February 2006
- Celano 19-20. Published in volume 89, no. 3, June 2006
- Celano 94-95. Published in volume 89, no. 4, August 2006

Newly published Gaesdonck treatise manuscript

On 2 February 2006, at the Constantijn Huygens Institute, the first copy of the Gaesdonck treatise manuscript was presented to Dr R. Th. M. van Dijk Carm.O., member of the Titus Brandsma Institute staff and director of the Dutch Carmelite Institute.

The Gaesdonck treatise manuscript was produced in St Agnes op de Beek monastery in Arnhem in the latter half of the 16th century. It comprises some fifty religious texts and is noted for the remarkable mystical quality of some of these.

The actual manuscript was lost during World War II. Fortunately photographs of it were preserved in the Brandsma Collection, a collection of photographs of Middle Dutch spiritual manuscripts started by Prof. Brandsma in the 1930s.

Information and orders:

Uitgeverij Verloren

Further to the research project, 'Farmer heart and soul': inquiry into the inner motives of farmers conducted the staff of the Titus Brandsma Institute

'Farmer heart and soul' looked for farmers' inner motives. Sitting at a kitchen table, gazing through the window at the world outside, farmers and market gardeners talk about their motivations to persevere. The book has been published, now there is also a card game and a spirituality meter.

Book: In Boer in hart en ziel Frits Mertens and Hein Blommestijn (both associated with the Titus Brandsma Institute) inquire into farmers' inner motives. Sitting at a kitchen table, gazing through the window at the world outside, farmers and market gardeners talk about their motivations to persevere. The image of the kitchen table turned out to be pertinent: farmers are outward-looking, unselfish and enthusiastic. The beauty of nature and outdoor life, professional pride, social engagement, responsibility for feeding people, commitment to God - those are farmers' reasons for working. Twenty beautiful photographs depict some of the interviewees.

Card game: As an aid to dialogue about the value of land, one of the topics in Boer in hart en ziel , a card game was devised. It is meant to stimulate dialogue among farmers and between farmers and town dwellers. The focus is on farmers' and market gardeners' personal motivations. Urbanites' experience of agriculture and market gardening also features.

Discussion: The Friends of the Countryside project, 'The value of land', is meant to trigger discussion of these values between farmers, town dwellers and outsiders. It could lead to the discovery of shared ideals and even greater understanding between farmers and urbanites.

Spirituality meter: Farmers and market gardeners put heart and soul into their work. Their motivation and ideals could also be seen as their spirituality. The spirituality meter enables you to test whether you are as spiritual as a farmer. Tick the alternative accompanying each of the following 20 statements that best describes you. Click on the icon opposite, 'The essence'.

If you want more information, or wish to order the book and/or card game, then click on the photograph opposite.