Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Life Faith Spirituality

Finding silence in the secular setting

byGuest Contributor
26 September 2016 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Silence in the secular

Sounds of silence: “The beauty of silence should not be confined to church. I encourage silence in business.”

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Silence in the secular
Sounds of silence: “The beauty of silence should not be confined to church. I encourage silence in business.”

SATURDAY-morning breakfast writing club was the closest encounter I have had to a “religious experience” at university. 

What made this so special was not what people said, rather, what they did not say – four hours spent with people respecting each others’ silence. 

The purpose of the silence was for each individual to contribute, albeit in a small, possibly miniscule way, toward their thesis be it in business, health, environment or engineering.

As doctoral students are told, none of us will be awarded a Nobel Prize and the best doctorate is a finished one. 

The time spent writing and rewriting is thankless but made easier knowing others are in a similar situation.

I probably need to disclose, or you probably realised, I am an introvert.

I love silence and I enjoy sharing silence with others. 

Our faith tradition has always advocated the beauty of silence; it is a gift, made even more special after Communion.

A number of years ago I developed a preference for silent retreats. This was not because I do not like people – quite the opposite. I found I loved and prayed for people more in silence. 

The beauty of silence should not be confined to church. I encourage silence in business. 

Related Stories

Graced moments in marriage

Greens pushing to scrap Our Father from parliament day

A Mary heart in a Martha world

When facilitating a cultural audit people share historical work events and experiences. 

Once a lot of the history of the organisation has been spoken, I invite people to be silent. This is time for people to reflect. 

Two things often strike me – firstly, for some, silence with others is so foreign they cannot keep silent; secondly, for those who can be comfortably silent together, there is deep sense of collegiality. Respect is due to both responses to silence. 

Any organisation willing to engage in a cultural stocktake of their corporate personhood is to be commended, even if there may be a moment of uncomfortable fidgeting. It is concerning when organisations have no desire to take stock of their culture or their impact on society.

Back to my Saturday-morning silent writing club: I am grateful for this little slice of utopia in a secular setting. 

Hoping your day may be celebrated with pockets of silence and the majesty it offers.

By Clare Burns
Clare BurnsClare Burns is a Brisbane Catholic businesswoman. She has a Masters in Business Administration and is completing a doctorate at a Brisbane university.  

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Author who claims discrimination by printer refusing to print book accepts decision, says he won’t take action

Next Post

Mojgan’s future still uncertain as Australian immigration law threatens possible return to Iran

Guest Contributor

Related Posts

Faith

Graced moments in marriage

2 July 2021 - Updated on 8 July 2021
Australia

Greens pushing to scrap Our Father from parliament day

12 July 2017
mary heart
Saint in Progress

A Mary heart in a Martha world

24 May 2017
Next Post
mojgan in limbo

Mojgan's future still uncertain as Australian immigration law threatens possible return to Iran

Ignite Conference

Too many teenagers: Ignite Conference might outgrow venue as numbers continue to swell

league legends

Windsor students picked to be the face of the 2017 World Cup

Popular News

  • Pregnant woman

    Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Answering God’s invitation to us all

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

by Joe Higgins
20 May 2022
0

BRISBANE grandmother Gwendoline Grant has clocked up 15,000 hours cuddling and caring for sick and premature babies...

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping