verily, pt. 2

Two weekends past I met again my new nun-friend, V, after mass at her monastery. Before I helped move her things into the hermitage behind the main building, where she was to spend the next two weeks for her yearly retreat, she and I shared conversation over scones and coffee.

We sat at the end of a long table that spanned what used to be two rooms divided by a wall and curtain. Until the mid-60's, the Carmelites had been cloistered, and only allowed minimal contact with family on the "outside world." I learned more of their history and contemplative lifestyle, and was absorbed by stories of her own struggles throughout 50 years in the order.

Our first meeting, learning I was from Rochester, NY, she asked if I knew of a Father William Shannon, a friend whom she'd met on retreat, and who had studied under Thomas Merton. Monsignor Shannon happens to lead a nunnery parish where I've attended mass, and with which my grandfather has done much work as funeral director. For Christmas, Grandpa gave me Shannon's Seeking the Face of God (signed by the author) to read and pass along to V, (as I'd told him of our meeting and her question,) so I'm in the midst of studying it.

Exciting for me to find vitality and depth in Catholicism... That spirituality, contemplation and mysticism exist -- and the awareness that signposts toward meaning, taken literally, skew and obscure meaning -- on a path that has long been drab kneel-pew-stand-say-repeat-rote-eat-sing-leave for me.