Retreat Report: Recap

I'm down in the music studio with Sr. Bridget, Sr. Sean and Sr. Maria Kim while two reps from Decca Records visit the various departments of our publishing house here in Jamaica Plain. They really came to audition the choir (I guess you can say that), but there are only three of the actual singers here today. Good thing we have CDs (and YouTube videos) to share! 
The producer, Guy Gilbert, came before noon. He was telling us that they have been to a number of ancient monasteries. "It was like going back a thousand years," he said. He couldn't understand why the nuns in these cloistered communities would not come out from behind their grilles. "Don't they want to get the Word out?" It's certainly not always easy to "get" the idea of the vocation to the strictly contemplative life. It is a life that says, "Even here and now, God is enough." And the whole validity of the life is in that: God is enough. They don't have to point to works, activities, accomplishments. Their "work," their "activity," their "accomplishment" is telling the world "God is enough."
Which is a retreat in itself.
The sisters have been saying many good things about the retreat talks I prepared. (I think they especially appreciate that the conferences didn't last more than 40 minutes a day.) As for me, I am very moved to receive thanks from sisters who actually knew the Founder, whose message I was basing everything on. In fact, only a few of the sisters on retreat were my age or younger; most were older, and many had known the Founder, even made their novitiates in Rome when he used to preach to them every day. So it's good to know I'm on the right track!
Speaking of tracks... let me get back to the control room and set up my little video camera for the arrival of the music people. I want to have something to share with you later in the week!
(I return to Chicago tomorrow.)