Pat Donlevy, MA, BSN
Pat Donlevy founded Lectio Carolina, with a mission to share her passion for lectio Divina Prayer Practice: reading the Word, reflecting on, responding to, and resting in God.
She received a MAPS from St. Joseph's College of Standish, Maine in 2004, with a concentration in Spiritual Direction. Pat has been a spiritual director for over11 years in Charlotte, North Carolina and blessed with children and grand-children.
Acts 4:33 “ With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.”
St .Thomas a Kempis states, "There are many who ,though frequently hear the gospel, feel little longing for I, because they do not have the mind of Christ."__page 9 ,"Imitation of Christ."
What is Lectio Divina ?
Lectio Divina meaning "Divine Reading" in Latin, is an ancient prayer practice of reading and reflection on Scripture. Persons such as St. Benedict, Pope Gregory I, Pope Benedict the XVI, Guigo II, and Origen are associated with the evolution of this practice of making time for prayer and immersion in the words of the Holy Bible. It was Guigo II, a Carthusian monk in the 12th century, who first described the four moments of this prayer (Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, and Contemplatio).
To describe each moment of prayer in simple terms, Lectio -reading, Meditatio- reflecting, Oratio- praying/responding, and Contemplatio-contemplating (resting in God).
Lectio is practiced in a unique way by each individual according to his/her background and level of understanding. It is also an experience that can be shared with others and can be practiced in a group setting for 20-30 minutes.