Of "detachment" and other jargon.

There is so much wrong thinking about the terms that become jargon in "religion"...

Especially where religious life is concerned.

Because when it is seen from the outside? Then false ideas form and aspirants etc or those who make almost a hobby out of "religion" think that by adopting these  diluted and distorted ideas they can become more "holy".

One of these is "detachment"...

It is taken wrongly to mean that you form no attachments to anything earthly. Oneof the basics of a Monastic Rule is that you make no "particular friendships' in the order. Something that cannot and must not be emulated if  you live in the world as a lay person.

Because it related to celibacy; we are not speaking of sexuality here for that triviality is barely relevant to Monastic Celibacy.

Monastic celibacy is a life given to Jesus in every aspect, physical , emotional, spiritual.

Whereas sexual purity is something for every Christian to live; love not lust, lov within the laws of God. Within marriage between a man and a woman.

Celibacy means utter faithfulness to Jesus - period. So loving anything or anyone more than you love Jesus is as adultery.

Many take this wrongly to mean that thus you do not love anything or anyone - period.

The opposite is true.

It means that we love as Jesus loves; selflessly and utterly. Whatever or whoever He gives us to care for.

Like the babies our Sisters hold to themselves in the few hours of life they have; for their care, not for ours.

Watching a baby die is painful.

In Celibacy and in Poverty we own nothing; and we care for all.

Regardless of feelings.

We are formed as givers; as servants in real terms.

This is true for contemplative Nuns also; and we have many within the order. We serve each other's needs. No ivory tower for Nuns.

Thus with the animals we rescue.

The deep concern now is for a dog so abused that her needs are great. For her safety and welfare now.

We miss her; there is  a huge hole here now and a grief.

But for her needs and her terror and her hunger and bewilderment.

Many who live on the fringes, seeking status and not commitment in real terms of utter life giving , see "detachment" as an excuse not to involve.

Hence the fad for the status of  "hermit"' but more on that another day..

They need to read the words and see the life of Jesus.

Blessings this day

Missing collie still missing

Until three years ago, this Nun had never had a dog.

Always cats.

Until this week, I had never known how a dog becomes a part of your life, especially such a needy one as this beautiful girl.

So much utter love she has.

Not to know where she is; it is like losing an arm.  A huge empty space.

The door here is always open now. In case she finds her way home.

These rescue dogs are a sacred trust.  Many can never be healed or recovered. But we try; oh how we try...

Sometimes people seem to think that some pursuits and activities are more "holy " than others.

Surely not so?

Jesus lived a physical life; as we do.

His words are full of everyday images.

Because all is holy if we are given to Him and if we give all to Him.

Very few seem to know this.

So our vigil for this lost creature and the pain we feel are holy; remember Jesus speaking of the lost coin and the lost sheeep?

Parables and realities.. inseparably intertwined.

Blessings this night....  

For love, simply.  

Missing collie

As we know that there are readers of this weblog in Ireland...

Our rescued collie went missing in the thunderstorms here on Saturday. She was badly abused before we took her in and is traumatised by thunder.

This is a breed characteristic with collies; several others went missing also.

She is wearing a new pink collar.

If you are in the area and see her, please message me

at anchoresscj at yahoo dot com 

We are in wild country here and she will be totally disoriented out there.

They panic and run and when they come to themselves have no idea where rthey are.

And if they are alone when the storm hits, they will break out of anywhere to try to find their people; the damage to the door here is incredible.

The weather has been very bad since with so much thunder.

We have notified all that is needful, so now we wait and pray.

Blessings this day....  and thank you.

Job's Tears Rosaries...

We are constantly adding to our craft works.

Today, we offer single decade rosaries made from Job's Tear seeds.

The spacers are of mango wood, and the Cross is of Olive Wood from the Holy Land....

And a wee wooden bell reminds of the call to Prayer.

Only a few of these are available...

E12, plus shipping..  

Blessings this day from humid, dark Ireland.

Ireland; Church.. added factors

It is never mentioned that the status of religious and priests in Ireland has been high, and wealth wide.

When historians write of Ireland, the Penal years are mentioned, the Famine, the harsh rule.

But always in modern times, there has been no persecution of the Church.

They have enjoyed - in every sense of the word - wealth and ease.

Sometimes here we have posted photos of the typical priest's Houses.  Spacious and gracious, while those they serve have lived in slums and hovels.

One day a few years ago, the housekeeper of one such huge house, pushing the priest's wheelie bin out to the street, "gave out" as they say here about the accommodation the curate had within the house.

So many rooms for one man; yet he complained about it.

The expectation was of space and comfort.

Any social record of the last 70 years will show that while many starved, the Church ate well.

The film, "Magdalen Sisters" correctly shows the Sisters eating ham at breakfast and butter, while the girls, some of them pregnant, had thin porridge.

When the Orders now speak of their old ones, they speak of those who will be well cared for to their last days. No poverty or hardship there.

And many will have joined for what is known as "Three hots and a cot."

So it comes hard now, this fall from all grace.

But there will be no hardship in real terms.

The orders are so rich that the words "holy poverty" have become meaningless, in monetary as well as spiritual terms.

So we continue our own work, as the heat and high humidity continue. Thankful for skills we can use gladly to feed our babies.

Creative pleasure in colour and form... to delight eye and hands.

And the summer soft fruit is coming in from the continent now; peaches and nectarines in abundance.

Folk are asking for gooseberry jam so next week we are hoping to call at a grower and stock up on them. Our two tiny bushes have an even tinier handful of course....

Oh we are all so rich in the ways that matter; rich in love, rich in the utter joy of giving.

Blessings this warm, damp evening.