Insights on Love for the Journey from Father Chet

The Origin of Open Door

In December of 1968, Father Chet was pastor of Holy Comforter Parish in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was his practice to mail the parish bulletin and his messages of reflections to a growing list of interested people. When he received a sizeable monetary gift to be used at his discretion, he formalized the operation and began in earnest to address a “variety of topics which might be of interest and of help in solving the problems, questions, and difficulties facing many of us today.”

This was the beginning of the Open Door publication. Over the next 40-plus years, Father Chet shared his wisdom and insights about spiritual, theological, and psychological topics. In 2020, we began republishing his messages.

The Mystery of Christmas: Finding Love Divine

Father Chet, December 2002 (republished Dec. 8, 2024)

The Incarnation is the mystery of God in human flesh which we celebrate each Christmas. A Christian mystery is not like a brick wall which is impossible to penetrate. Rather our Christian mysteries are bottomless wells of truth. It is impossible to exhaust the infinite truth contained therein. Continue Reading

Learning How to Pray, How to Listen Better

Father Chet, March 1979 (republished Oct. 4, 2024)

Our relationship with God is centered on prayer. Learning how to pray better means entering into a deeper and more personal relationship with God our heavenly Father and with Jesus our Divine Brother and Friend. To feel fulfilled in prayer and establish union with God, we need to silence our wayward thoughts and desires. As we prepare to pray, we should eliminate as far as possible our sense of independence from God. Continue Reading

Growing Greater in all Ways: Signs of Spiritual Progress

Father Chet, 2004 (republished Aug. 2, 2024)

Are we growing greater in our relationship with God? How can we tell? The Holy Spirit leads different souls in different ways. Each person’s journey of faith is unique and somewhat different from every other person. But still, it can be difficult to see ourselves clearly. This is why having a spiritual director, or guide, can help. Continue Reading

The Dark Night Leads to Experiencing the Fullness of Love

Father Chet, 1979 (republished June 12, 2024)

No matter who we are, we are all more or less enslaved to the world, to the flesh, and to the “devil.” Slavery to the world characterizes our excessive attachments to worldly things: money, honors, possessions, power, and position. The slavery to the flesh refers to our enslavement to bodily pleasures: food, drink, sex, comfort, and ease. As for the “devil,” this represents our love of self, which results in rejecting God and others. Continue Reading

The Dark Night: Being Assured We’re on the Right Road

Father Chet, 1979 (republished April 21, 2024)

Probably the most difficult part of the Dark Night of our spiritual journey is our inability to see where we are going and whether we are on the right road. We are asked to believe and trust in God’s infinite mercy and goodness. We also rely on his promises and the proof of his love in the passion and death of Jesus. Continue Reading

The Dark Night: Feeling Lost and Abandoned

Father Chet, 1979 (republished February 4, 2024)

Two of greatest mystics, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, both speak of the Dark Night of the Soul: that feeling of being abandoned by God. Such a time may bring a conviction that God is far away, and we have lost our way on the spiritual journey. This often follows some beautiful spiritual experience like a meaningful retreat. After discovering a sense of clarity of the reality and presence of God, one is inclined to imagine that this new understanding means never going back to the dull days of the past. Yet typically the feeling of closeness to God fades. Continue Reading