When we say that a certain saint was a “mystic” we think of special visions, divine favors, and extraordinary signs.

Like St. Francis of Assisi who received the stigmata, or St. Faustina Kowalska whose visions of Christ led to the Divine Mercy devotion.

However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says everyone has a vocation to the mystical life.

Paragraph 2014 says: “God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all.”

St. Joseph’s Seminary hosted a Contemplative Symposium this weekend on one of the Church’s great mystics, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, a French Discalced Carmelite nun who died in 1906.

Over 100 people came from all over the country to attend the 4-day event.