Jim Morin, Talca, Chile

INTRODUCTION

The Prophetic Circle: Modern Discernment Rooted in the 1960s

Every three weeks, a core group of eight close associates meets via Zoom to engage in faith development and reflection. Rooted in friendships dating back to the 1960s, this circle represents a model for progressive Catholics today.

Bound by a shared commitment to Catholic faith, lifestyle, and prophetic ministry within the Roman Catholic framework, they bring a strong social justice perspective to their discussions. The group is coordinated by Montreal-based theologian Christine Jamieson and occasionally welcomes guest participants.

Core Members & Backgrounds

Christine Jamieson (Coordinator) Professor at Concordia University specializing in First Nations spirituality. Richard Renshaw: Retired Holy Cross missionary priest, living in Welland, with extensive experience in Peru. Len Desroches: Lifetime Catholic peace activist and author based in Toronto. Walter Hughes: Retired Canadian Foreign Service officer living in Ottawa. Hugh Williams: Philosopher residing in rural New Brunswick. Jim Morin: Professor of educational practice and theory based in Talca, Chile. Lori Dueck: Administrator of the Island Catholic News in Victoria. Patrick Jamieson: Journalist of Religion, as well as founder and editor of the Island Catholic News.

The theme of the June 30, 2026 meeting focused on the experiential relationship between mystical prayer practice and prophetic social justice ministry. While Father Renshaw was absent for this session—with a guest named Paul filling in—his legacy anchored the discussion.

In the 1960s, Father Renshaw served as the original inspiration for this faith attitude while the group congregated during their studies at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. Later, in the mid-1970s, he lived in a Christian intentional community in Toronto with many of these same individuals before departing for his missionary work in Peru.

Summarizing the circle’s recent deliberations, Jim Morin highlighted the group’s foundational ethos: “The community represented in these conversations is characterized by a profound integration of contemplative depth and public witness, where mysticism is never an escape from the world but the very source of prophetic engagement. This community understands that the mystical experience of one’s faith does not remain private but necessarily overflows into a commitment to justice, non-violence, and solidarity with the poor and marginalized. At the same time, this community is marked by its remarkable openness to diverse perspectives.”

The following presents an analytical summary of the transcript of the Zoom encounter. The document presents a summary of the contributions of each participant experience and understanding of the intimate relationship between mysticism and prophecy. Drawing on personal experiences, theological traditions, psychological insights, and Indigenous worldviews, the participants reflect on how a deep, contemplative encounter with the divine, what one member calls a “spiritual aha”, inevitably leads to a prophetic stance of dissent and commitment to justice.

The conversation ranges from the life of St. Francis, the theology of Schillebeeckx, the example of Bishop Remi De Roo, to the practical challenges of maintaining a prophetic voice in journalism and the broader cultural crisis of institutional legitimacy. These summaries capture the distinctive role each person plays in the dialogue, as well as the specific contributions they bring to the group’s shared exploration of what it means to be both mystical and prophetic in a fragmented and conflicted world.

Jim serves as the group’s initiator and facilitator, setting the thematic direction for each conversation and guiding the dialogue with theological depth. He proposes the central theme of the meeting: how a “mystic descent into interiority” necessarily leads to a “prophetic ascent and dissent,” arguing that one cannot exist without the other. He uses the musician and activist Bob Carty as a concrete example of someone who combined a deep, contemplative faith with a committed engagement in social justice, illustrating how the mystical life naturally overflows into political action. Jim emphasizes that the mystical-prophetic experience is not merely individual but inherently communal, requiring a supportive community to nurture and express that sensibility. He recalls an experience of “mystical prophetic tension” during the early 1980s in Canada, within his Solidaridad liturgical community, regarding conflicts around lay and female participation in the Eucharist, tensions that raised questions about the legitimacy of their litugies. The group drew on the theology of Schillebeeckx, whose framework helped them discern dissent not as a rejection of tradition but as a life-giving act essential for the Church’s ongoing renewal. For Jim, this faithful dissent, rooted in outrage at suffering and injustice, creates vital spaces for new consciousness within critical communities, fostering the dialogue that helps the Church navigate historical “breaks” and move toward a more authentic future.

Pat serves as the group’s cultural and historical commentator, connecting abstract theological themes to concrete symbolic figures and his own practical experience in journalism and social activism. He mentions Bob Dylan as an exemplar of the mystic and prophet, highlighting his “poetry of salvation” and his capacity to transform both folk and pop music through a prophetic voice. Pat shares his profound experience with Bishop Remi De Roo, who embodied the prophetic tradition through his unwavering commitment to social justice, never flinching in his public witness and dedicating two hours each morning to deep, contemplative prayer. Pat also discusses his own newspaper, where he experiences firsthand the challenge of maintaining a prophetic voice that can scare away more moderate, liberal readers, reflecting the broader societal resistance to radical truth-telling. He often bridges the conversation to psychology, particularly Carl Jung’s ideas about challenging God and the need for a divine feminine dimension, which he sees as essential for restoring balance in both individual spirituality and institutional structures. Pat provides a slightly critical or paradoxical perspective, such as noting how controversial political figures might unintentionally spark positive social shifts, and he insists that the mystical-prophetic dynamic is best understood through the lives and legacies of the symbolic figures who have shaped his own spiritual journey.

Len offers his spiritual and theological understanding grounded in his deep study of St. Francis and his own lived experience to illustrate the intimate connection between mysticism and prophecy. He defines mysticism as a “spiritual aha”, a foundational insight that is not merely intellectual but deeply personal and transformative. He shares his own epiphany about the “mystery of love of enemy,” which has oriented his entire life and work. Len sees this insight as a “tiny seed” that the Church must nurture, arguing that the mystical call often requires a personal price, as exemplified by St. Francis’s decision to leave his father and his inherited wealth. He draws a parallel between his own need for meditative spaces (like a café, where he observes the energy of human life) and the necessity of daily prayer, suggesting that each person must find their own way to remain open to divine inspiration. Len agrees with Jim’s paper and suggests important distinctions regarding “power,” insisting that we must understand power as a good thing (as the Holy Spirit is power) rather than merely domination or control. He concludes that once a person fully realizes they are deeply loved by God, they “automatically become prophetic” because they can no longer remain silent in the face of abuse or injustice, a conviction that resonates throughout his contributions.

Paul contributes a perspective rooted in universal interconnectedness, blending ancient spiritual intuitions with insights from contemporary science to provide a broad, integrative foundation for the conversation. He grounds the discussion in “the ancient intuition that everything is connected and everything is one,” an idea now being validated by quantum physics, which reveals the deep unity underlying apparent separation. For Paul, mysticism is the awakening to this unity that already exists, not as a goal to be achieved but a reality to be recognized and embodied. He reinterprets the Golden Rule across different traditions (Hebrew, Christian, Buddhist), suggesting that the traditional formulation can now be completed: we should love our neighbours because they are ourselves, a recognition that dissolves the illusion of separation. Paul emphasizes that this awareness leads directly to love, justice, and nonviolence, as it transforms our fundamental understanding of self and other. Paul’s journey, which has included living in a Trappist monastery, working with homeless people in a detox centre, and promoting interfaith dialogue through his Golden Rule project with Scarboro Missions, shows how his intellectual framework has been tested and refined through concrete, lived experience.

Walter offers a grounded, inclusive theological perspective on the duality of the human condition, introducing the concept of “saints in training” to articulate his understanding of the mystical life. He argues that everyone is both sinner and saint simultaneously, noting that even the “saints” St. Paul wrote to were flawed individuals, like the Corinthians, who struggled with division and exclusion. For Walter, mysticism begins with the understanding that God is not a “creature” and therefore cannot be confined to human categories like gender; God is better understood as the perfection of values like justice and love, which we find both within ourselves and within others. He emphasizes the “mystical body of Christ,” insisting that the faithful are not passive recipients of grace but active participants in Christ’s presence on earth: the assembly itself is essential for the Eucharist to be effective. Most notably, Walter advocates for a radical lack of hatred, arguing that we must see the potential for Christ and goodness even in divisive figures like Donald Trump, who may unintentionally bring about positive change despite their flaws. This “paradox”, which he discusses with Pat, challenges the group to move beyond binary thinking and to recognize the mysterious workings of grace even in unexpected places.

Hugh represents the “analytical” voice of the group, driven by the burning, practical question: “What is to be done?”, a question he carries with him in his walks, his work, and his daily reflection. He is also deeply contemplative, focusing heavily on the “feminine dimension” of the divine, which he explores through his personal devotion to the Rosary and the mysteries, particularly the Assumption of Mary. For Hugh, the dogma of the Assumption (the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven) and her Coronation as Queen of Heaven are not merely pious beliefs but a “secret way” for Catholicism to recognize the feminine within the divine, a dimension that has been repressed but remains essential for spiritual balance. He also points to the Magnificat as a profoundly prophetic text, linking it to the revolutionary tradition of prophetic dissent. Hugh’s prayer has evolved into a simple, meditative breathing practice, which he uses to balance his obsessive-compulsive analytical tendencies, especially when trying to sleep at night. He asks the group whether we are in a “revolutionary situation,” suggesting that the times demand not only reflection but decisive action, and he finds both challenge and solace in the Marian tradition, which he describes as “peasant pastoral belief” that nonetheless carries profound theological significance.

Lori shares her practical and intuitive experiences of mysticism, providing a concrete example of what it means to live a life of openness to divine guidance. She describes a daily practice of prayer before leaving the house, often feeling led to change her plans or go in a different direction, only to discover that she encounters someone in need of comfort, support, or simply a listening ear. For Lori, the prophetic experience is found in being close enough to God to be used as an instrument in daily life, manifesting as an “obsessive concern for the poor” and a deep sensitivity to social injustice. She speaks of finding mystical signs in nature, such as discovering a rock with the number 40 at the beginning of Lent, and receiving prophetic dreams (“Marnie dreams”) that deliver important messages, including, on occasion, dreams that carry meaning for others in the group. Lori emphasizes the importance of a supportive community to explore these mystical-prophetic impulses, noting that she only found such a community after moving to her current location. She describes how her politics have become “pretty radical” as a result of this spiritual openness, and she has little use for structures that fail to address the trauma and horror experienced by low-income people, drawing directly from the group’s shared experiences and causes.

Christine introduces Indigenous perspectives into the dialogue, expanding the conversation beyond a purely Western/Christian framework and offering a powerful alternative worldview rooted in relationality and inclusivity. She emphasizes the concept of “all our relations,” arguing that the recognition of our relationship with everything, human, animal, plant, and land, is both mystical and prophetic, offering a path forward “in a good way.” For Christine, this Indigenous understanding challenges the dominant Western paradigm of separation and domination, inviting instead a deeper experience of interconnectedness that transforms how we live in the world. She describes her community as “AND people” (inclusive and embracing of multiplicity) rather than “OR people” (exclusive and binary), noting that diverse creation stories do not have to conflict but can enrich one another, a lesson that Christian fundamentalists often miss when they insist on a single, literal interpretation of Genesis. Christine sees this worldview as a powerful teaching for the West and a radical form of inclusivity that has the potential to heal the divisions of a fragmented society. She reflects on the privilege of being able to experience this way of walking in the world, and she insists that the mystical-prophetic impulse is not abstract but rooted in concrete relationships and a willingness to embrace multiple, coexisting truths.

Conclusion

The community represented in these conversations is characterized by a profound integration of contemplative depth and public witness, where mysticism is never an escape from the world but the very source of prophetic engagement. Each participant embodies this dynamic in his or her own way. Jim initiates and structures the conversation around the necessary movement from interiority to dissent; Len grounds it in personal epiphany and the example of St. Francis; Paul links it to the universal interconnectedness revealed by both ancient wisdom and modern science; and Pat connects it to symbolic cultural figures and the practical challenges of prophetic journalism. This community understands that the mystical experience, whether encountered through prayer, nature, dreams, or daily life, does not remain private but necessarily overflows into a commitment to justice, nonviolence, and solidarity with the poor and marginalized.

At the same time, this community is marked by its remarkable openness to diverse perspectives, incorporating psychological insights from Carl Jung, the feminine dimension of the divine explored by Hugh, the Indigenous worldview of “all our relations” and the “AND people” introduced by Christine, and the intuitive, lived experiences of Lori and Walter. These participants embody a faith that is both deeply rooted in tradition and critically engaged with the contemporary moment, willing to hold paradox and tension, such as seeing the potential for good even in divisive figures, without abandoning their prophetic convictions. This is a community that fosters the “critical communities” envisioned by Schillebeeckx, spaces where faithful dissent can emerge, dialogue can flourish, and new consciousness can be born. In a time of institutional decline, political fragmentation, and widespread distrust, this group models a way of being that is contemplative, courageous, and consistently oriented toward the healing and renewal of both the Church and the wider world.