Back at the mother house in suburban Boston. (The retreat house is over by Lexington and Concord, just downriver from the original battlefield.) We had a community party, sponsored by the junior professed sisters who just finished their annual retreat and formation encounter. It was such a fun gathering! There were homemade desserts like Kenyan beignet (I forget the African name for them, but they tasted just like New Orleans beignet--and no, I don't know if I'm spelling even that correctly), flan made by a Costa Rican sister, "coffee delight" from Sr. Grace (my successor as editor of My Friend magazine), Sr. Clare's homemade cream puffs, and other delicacies, along with (why did we have supper before this party?) Sr. Irene's chili and chili-cheese nachos. Music was mostly Latin, since Sr. Maria Ruth loves to offer her Colombian dances. There were also board games (mostly ignored) and a Ping-Pong tournament in which I took a very interested part. We don't keep score, we just try to keep it going! Tomorrow most of the junior professed will be returning to their assigned communities, and the others of us who were here for retreat will also begin filtering back. I head back to Chi-town on Saturday.
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3 comments:
oh what a fun time spending it with your fellow Sisters. the food ounds yummy but I was kinda feeling abit sick jsut reading your entry!!! It must be very wonderful to have the SIsters tot alk to everyday and to spend time with in prayer and as a community. I cant wait until I can experience all of that!!!!! Sadly I have been in the need for some community life!!!! after work I have been thinking about the community I hope to enter into soon and just wish I was there with them. at times i get to the point I have tears running down my face. It seems that i am getting home sick but I'm not sure what to do or how to control these breakdowns so to speak!!!!!!! got any ideas?? Enjoy the rest of the time in Boston and have a safe trip back to chicago!!!!!
These moments are high points, and very much appreciated. But the reality of community life day in and day out can be extremely burdensome. You encounter--dozens of times each day--ways of evaluating things, approaches, sets of priorities and needs that may bewilder, provoke or unnerve you. While this also happens (and how!) in the world of work, in community you have no home or family to return to after hours. And when there is mental illness involved as well, it can wear you down like nothing else.
If your hopes for community are for constant support, friendship and fun, you will be disappointed and maybe even bitter. These things are all part of community life, but they are not constant, and many times you will be the one God is calling to GIVE support, friendship and a bit of fun to others, not seek them for yourself. Remember what the Gospel says, "the one who seeks his life will lose it; the one who loses it for my sake will find it."
If you are a person who needs a lot of encouragement and affirmation, community life may not be for you. Your sisters will never be able to meet your needs.
The ancient monastic hymn reminds us that "the one love of Christ has gathered us into one." Jesus is the center of it all.
Thanks Sister for the words of wisdom, I understadn what you are saying!!!! All my life I have wanted to do somethig different and inspiring from the rest of my family. 3 yrs ago religious life eems so wonderful and spiritualy and highly inpsiring!!!! I've been to come and see weekends and talked to many sisters throughout the yrs, to the point that i would love and I desire to be apart of it!!! I know soooo much about the life that you could even quiz me and be surprised as many sisters are. You talked about the not comming home to a family and even to a home, but I work so much that i barely see my family anyways and I found through out it is the people aound you that makes life specail!!!!!!! i would like to talk more about this, btu i have to go to work now!!!!! if you want you may call me on my cell!!!! I will email it to you witht the subject, my cell number!!! God bless!!!!!
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