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Joe Colletti, Ph.D.

   - List of Articles Concerning
      Experiences Related to
      The Dark Night of the Soul

   - Brief Biography

   - Contact

Links:

   - Urban Monk
   - Carmelite Studies
   - Lectio Divina
   - The Pluralism Project
   - Treasury of Latin Prayers
   - Creeds of Christendom
   - Christian History
   - Liturgical Studies
   - Retreats Online

Biography:

Joseph Colletti, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Institute for Urban Research and Development. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Urban Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. Much of his experience focuses around the issues of housing, economic development, homelessness and fair housing. He has written numerous reports for local government and local organizations concerning the above issues. He is also a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and has written several reports concerning social issues for the Diocese as well.
 

Dark Night Of The Soul

"God Reveals Deep Things of Darkness and Brings Deep Shadows Into The Light" (Job 12.22)

     The purpose of this web site is to provide some thoughts and experiences that are outcomes of a journey called the Dark Night of the Soul. St. John of the Cross has forever etched these descriptive words into the spiritual heart of our world. The Dark Night of the Soul is an on-going experience of divine revelation. The Dark Night is a place, as St. John notes, where God "nurtures and caresses (our) soul". That place, he also notes, is "lengthy periods at prayer" or an "entire night" of awakening--experiences that we all too often avoid. That place is also filled with daily encounters with others--the homeless person, the victim of domestic violence, the mentally ill person, the substance abuser, and others--all of which we all too often avoid as well.
     The following list of articles provides some thoughts and experiences that are outcomes of the journey called the Dark Night of the Soul. The journey is filled with constant experiences of darkness and death. Encounters with darkness are experiences of spiritual purgation. St. John calls them "rays of darkness". Darkness occurs when we are blinded by a brilliant light of divine opportunity such as encountering someone who is in need. Darkness also occurs when we are blinded by a brilliant light of divine illumination that reveals our own imperfections.
     Death can occur daily if we allow it to happen. Dying to our own avoidance and shortcomings helps us purge our own habitual ignorance and imperfections and helps us to move beyond our self to the self which lives eternally in God both in time and beyond time.
     To enter into the dark night is simply to embrace the daily experiences that we so often avoid and to purposely practice prayerful experiences that are both described within the list below. Click on the list to gain access to articles that describe such related experiences. 

List of Articles Concerning Experiences Related to The Dark Night of the Soul