St. John of the Cross can be difficult to understand, especially when he speaks of detachment and the dark night. In this CarmelCast conversation, we offer a guide to his Ascent of Mount Carmel, exploring the attachments that shape our desires and the ways our attention becomes caught in the past or future. We consider how an experience of deprivation can accompany God’s deeper gift of himself—and how letting go opens our hearts to find their rest in him.

Join us Friday, 11/13/2026, in-person or online, for a lecture by Fr. Juan Antonio Marcos, OCD, on St. John's poetry. This event is sponsored by ICS and the Harvard Catholic Forum. Register here: https://www.harvardcatholicforum.org/event/john-of-the-cross-poetry-born-of-mystical-experience

For more information:
http://www.icspublications.org
http://www.discalcedcarmel.org
http://ocdfriarsvocation.org

Contact us with comments, questions, and suggestions at [email protected]