Here we are in Bonito, with lots of news to tell you.  But it is hard to do it.  We hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck.  It was windy.  My glasses left my head.  I can find the ñ on the keyborad, so, hopefully, you can read what I write.  But I can't proofread it.

 

I still have a pair of old glasses at the monastery.  When we return, I'll get them out.

 

Now that you have my excuses for bad typing, I'll try to put together what I intended to tell you.

 

The biggest event in August for me was my 8 day silent retreat for end of postulancy.  Then my installation as a novice on Sunday. 

 

Planning a retreat for half of the monastery was no small thing.  Since we live as do most other poor Hondurans, there is a lot of physical work to do.  First item for planning was to decide what work could just be let slide (gardening and sewing).  Second, what work could I do and still be on retreat.  We decided that sorting corn, sorting beans, grinding corn, washing dishes all qualified.  These are all pretty meditative'--and can be done without verbal consultaion.  I also helped with the silent cookwood cutting and hauling one morning.  We had hoped to have enough, but the neighbor who was going to cut a big batch for us couldn't come the day before the retreat as scheduled.  Prairie did all of the meal planning, cooking, etc., etc., etc. 

 

If we look to the tradition of little brother Francis, she would be called the Sister Guardian for me during my retreat.

 

We started and ended the retreat on Thursdays, which are our usual fast days, and we have midweek unprogrammed worship.  We started the retreat with our usual August monthly day'long retreat.  Prairie volunteered to lead it.  She also led the last day closing activities.  It is a great privilege to live in a small monastery with so much spiritual intimacy, and such a privilege to watch this young woman grow before my eyes.

 

Back to the retreat.  I participated in the three programmed worships each day, including reading aloud and singing.  The silence was all of the rest of the time.

 

Novice is usually used in normal conversation to mean beginner.  Well, now I am a beginner.  It has been quite a stress on us poor pre-beginners. 

 

The major work of the postulancy is renunciation.  That's a term used in monastic parlance to mean put behind yourself what is past, to make your life empty so there is room for God and God's will.  Renounce is not the same as denounce.  Denounce implies that there is something bad to be rid of.  Renounce is often of very good things.  An ordinary part of spiritual growth is giving up something good for something better.

 

Much of the time of my retreat was spent in reviewing and then ripping up my journals.  I got through a year and 9 months.  Since I often put the most painful thoughts in the journal, it was not especially an easy spiritual practice.  But that was my job and Idid it.  Hopefully, the struggles and disappointments of those times are now integrated solidly in the past so as not to interfere with the present.

 

We had a lovely ceremony for my novitiate.  Prairie officiated.  She also spoke on behalf of you when it was time for the congregation to promis to support and uphold me. 

 

The scripture readings included Jeremiah 1. 4'8.  I read it.  I am not saying that I read it in a clear, strong voice.  No, the hanky was very handy to have.

 

We read Psalm 100.  One must never miss a chance toremind ourselves that celebrating God is the main thing in prayer.

 

The Gospel was Matthew, The first and most important commandment, and the secondwhich is like unto it. 

 

Then Prairie read as advice from our old friend pseudoPaul in his letter to the Ephesians about putting on the whole armor of God.  A good exhortation.

 

The "sermon" was a ttalk given by Basil Hume to a group of his novices a generation ago.  Very helpful.  It is good to have at least one senior monastic present at scuh a ceremoney.

 

Most of our hymns were from the Spanich hymnal and not available in English.  But we sand the Spanish of Here I am, Lord and Prairie's translation of Trust and Obey, a favorite from my childhood.

 

The creed was the Spanish Creed found in Mil Voces Para Celebrar, our hymnal.  We used a modified order of worship for baptism, renewal of vows.

 

It was all really very cool.  I even put on my new habit.  We have decided that the sleeveless habit is for sojourners, aspirants, and postulants.  Sleeved dress for novices and avowed sisters.  Discernment is a major spiritual practice for us.

 

After our worship and ceremony, we had a reception of sorts.  Prairie had baked snickerdoodles on Saturday afternoon.  I had madelimeade.  Special treats. 

 

I find that my eyes are not terribly useful.  I would have liked to do this better, but here it is as it is.

 

Dios les bendiga,

 

beth