Recently I have slowly, almost accidentally, begun a relationship with the nuns who live around the corner. Assumption Sisters it says on their door and it turns out they are of the Augustinian Order, not that I know what that means. Sister Clare, or Clare, as it seems she would like to be addressed is the leader and I have had the most dealings with her. She must be 10 or 12 years older than me, gray-haired, but not elderly in any way. They have a community room which is available to neighborhood groups for free and twice our Quaker worship group has met there.
A few days ago I approached them about using the community room and their rather large DVD/video player for a film series I want to make happen. Sister Clare seemed quite enthusiastic in her way and immediately said yes. I intend to call the film and discussion series "We are TURNING THE TIDE", and hope to inspire, deeper understanding, community and action. The sort of wide focus is women and men transforming the culture of domination and saving the Earth using non-violent direct action. Some films I own, others I hope to own in the near future and some I will rent or get from the Library. Such films as TAKING ROOT, the story of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan founder of the Greenbelt Movement and recipient of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, DIRT, featuring Vandana Shiva and others, ENTERTAINING ANGELS, the story of Dorothy Day and the beginning of the Catholic Worker Movement, Brian Swimme's THE HIDDEN HEART OF THE COSMOS and several others.
While discussing this with Sister Clare, I found out that there are prayer times every morning and some once a month groups that interest me sponsored by or in association with the Assumption Sisters. She told me that there is a Centering Prayer group that consists mostly of Mennonites, and a Taize Chant group that is quite ecumenical. I am exploring using their beautiful new chapel (with a green roof) for my own silent prayer in the morning and then joining them for their morning programmed prayer at 7:30 AM. So far, its been a comedy of errors and misunderstandings (mostly on my part), which I think have been cleared up.
One result was that on Monday when I went at 6:15 and the chapel wasn't open, I eventually wandered across the street to St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, and sat in silent worship there for about 15 minutes. (I now, know that Mass is at 7:00 AM, which the nuns attend, and that if I want to worship silently in their chapel I have to get there between 6:15 and 6:54 to be let in. Actually, this morning I was given the door lock code to let myself in!) As I was leaving the church some literature caught my eye and I took a few pamphlets home with me. One especially speaks to me. It is an invitation to join a Catholic lay women's group, but has a universal message:
Find God at the heart of the world.
Drink from the well of goodness and blessing.
Look deeply at Creation with the eyes of love.
Walk with Jesus in companionship with other women.
Be the Good News.
A few days ago I approached them about using the community room and their rather large DVD/video player for a film series I want to make happen. Sister Clare seemed quite enthusiastic in her way and immediately said yes. I intend to call the film and discussion series "We are TURNING THE TIDE", and hope to inspire, deeper understanding, community and action. The sort of wide focus is women and men transforming the culture of domination and saving the Earth using non-violent direct action. Some films I own, others I hope to own in the near future and some I will rent or get from the Library. Such films as TAKING ROOT, the story of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan founder of the Greenbelt Movement and recipient of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, DIRT, featuring Vandana Shiva and others, ENTERTAINING ANGELS, the story of Dorothy Day and the beginning of the Catholic Worker Movement, Brian Swimme's THE HIDDEN HEART OF THE COSMOS and several others.
While discussing this with Sister Clare, I found out that there are prayer times every morning and some once a month groups that interest me sponsored by or in association with the Assumption Sisters. She told me that there is a Centering Prayer group that consists mostly of Mennonites, and a Taize Chant group that is quite ecumenical. I am exploring using their beautiful new chapel (with a green roof) for my own silent prayer in the morning and then joining them for their morning programmed prayer at 7:30 AM. So far, its been a comedy of errors and misunderstandings (mostly on my part), which I think have been cleared up.
One result was that on Monday when I went at 6:15 and the chapel wasn't open, I eventually wandered across the street to St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, and sat in silent worship there for about 15 minutes. (I now, know that Mass is at 7:00 AM, which the nuns attend, and that if I want to worship silently in their chapel I have to get there between 6:15 and 6:54 to be let in. Actually, this morning I was given the door lock code to let myself in!) As I was leaving the church some literature caught my eye and I took a few pamphlets home with me. One especially speaks to me. It is an invitation to join a Catholic lay women's group, but has a universal message:
Find God at the heart of the world.
Drink from the well of goodness and blessing.
Look deeply at Creation with the eyes of love.
Walk with Jesus in companionship with other women.
Be the Good News.
