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PAGE 4—THE BULLETIN, October 18, 1958
Cloister Sealed
A Layman Looks At Carmel
Early in August I heard that
the Discalced Carmelite Nuns
had established a Monastery at
Coffee Bluff and that until their
Papal enclosure early in Octob
er, all visitors could meet the
Sisters personally and be taken
on a tour of the entire premises,
including the cloistered areas.
Motivated more by curiosity
than religious fervor I drove
out the following Sunday to
that section of Savannah known
for its pristine beauty.
I had visited Carmels before
on a few occasions but had little
or no knowledge of them; my
visits had been limited, as is al
ways the case, to the turn room
or speak room and the public
Chapel. That their lives were
devoted to sacrifice, penance,
poverty and prayer was under
stood but I had never met one
face to face. They are complete
ly hidden from view at the turn
by the turn itself, and by dense
black veils in the speak room.
This, then, would be my first,
and perhaps, last opportunity to
learn about and see one of the
most ancient contemplative Or
ders of the Church.
During the half-hour drive
from town my mind dwelt on
the Carmelites and, what was
generally considered, their un
usual vocations. I thought of
what a priest once said about vo
cations — we all have one in
this life and it is through this
vocation or “calling” with its
incidentals and accidentals that
we accomplish the sole purpose
of our existence, our eternal sal
vation; unfortunately most of us
regard vocations as limited to
the religious life, and secular
vocations we refer to as “fields,”
“professions” or “trades.” These
later categories often carry with
them the implication of chance,
devoid of reasoned selection
which is frequently but unfor
tunately the case; that many a
lost religious vocation and many
a misplaced secular vocation is
the result of failing to pray, in
our youth, for Divine guidance.
Perhaps, after all, I thought
there isn’t anything unusual
about the Carmelite vocation; it
is just that they have had the
fortitude to accept and use to
the fullest extent the grace that
was given them. Surely this
would be an interesting visit.
As I drove down the drive
way, lined with azalea bushes
and overhung with Spanish
Moss, I faced a wide, two-story
brick building (built, I heard
later, on this acre and one-half
of landscaped property by a pri
vate family in the early forties),
with the new public chapel of St.
Theresa so integral a part of it
as to be the original construc
tion.
Carmel was indeed news in
Savannah. The driveway and
lawns were filled with cars. I
parked mine and went immedi
ately to the trunk. Visitors to
Carmelites don’t come empty-
handed; they know that the
Nuns live exclusively on the
alms and charity of their fellow
men to whom they refer as ben
efactors. Let me say here, w?
might be material benefactors
but what security and consol
ation to have these Sisters as our
spiritual benefactors!
At the main door, just a few
yards to the left of the Chapel
of St. Theresa, I was greeted by
one of the six Nuns who had
come here from the Philadel
phia Foundation. (That heavy
woolen habit on such a swelter
ing day, and yet she was so
pleasant and composed. Since
everything in Carmel is “ours,”
I will speak of the Nuns as a
spiritual family later on.
We toured the entire convent
(used interchangeably here
with the Monastery), the far
greater part of which is clois
tered. Of necessity and on pur
pose my- description of the phy
sical proporties is limited. It is
the absence of the tangible and
temporal, rather than its pres
ence which is newsworthy; fur
thermore, it is the effect of the
little that is there, rather than
the plenty that isn’t there which
will forever be associated with
Coffee Bluff Carmel in my
mind.
The Turn and Speak-room
area occupy about fifteen feet
length-wise with a four foot
depth on either side-—public and
cloister. The turn is a large au
ditorium, circular, revolving
cupboard built in a small cubi
cal with door which may be
closed during conversation with
the turn Sister in the cloister.
On its shelves may be placed
items being given to the Sisters
or by them. Outside the Sacristy
turn (used for all public chapel
vestments and altar pieces), this
is the only manner in which
supplies, mail, contributions, etc.
may be sent into the cloister.
Neither party can be seen
through the turn but both can
be heard clearly. The adjacent
speakroom area, also used for
communicating with the Nuns,
is different. It is separated from
the cloister by double iron
grilles which are covered by
dense black veils, making it im
possible for the parties to be
seen by each other; but they can
be heard distinctly. During my
brief stay here I was indelibly
impressed with the complete
and final separation from the
outside world, even from par
ents and loved ones. (The Nuns
will never leave here except to
be hospitalized or to establish a
new Foundation). Even for a
deeply spiritual person this
would seem to be the most diffi
cult penance of all.
Two cells occupy what we
would consider a standard bed
room. Each cell is furnished
with a plain wooden chair and
small unpainted table, a wood
en rack with straw mattress
and brown woolen bed “linens”;
on the wall above the rack is a
large wooden cross sans the
corpus of Christ, a small relig
ious monotone and a wooden
plaque, the verse of which dif
fers with each cell — one such
plaque reads: “O My Love. All
for Thee. Nothing for me.” For
one who can’t say the Rosary
without being surrounded by
icons of every variety, I was
certainly penetrated, not only
with the complete lack of the
ordinary comforts of life, but
with the almost incomprehensi
ble detachment from even the
sensible objects of a religious
nature.
The refectory is the Mona
stery dining room and it is
about the size of mine at home.
Its decor, however is, to say the
least, different. Except for the
statues of the Blessed Mother,
St. Joseph and St. Theresa of
Avila on the mantle (which is
there only because it was part
of the house when purchased),
the room is wholly devoid of
color by any temporal stand
ards. As I had come to expect
by this time, I found the tables,
chairs and dishware austere in
their simplicity. On the center
wall is a large cross (and again
the corpus of Christ is absent)
with meditative phrases on ei
ther side, in Latin; and on each
of the other walls is a quotation
from scripture printed, al fresco
by the Nuns — one is from St.
Luke (XII 29-32): “And seek not
you what you shall eat . . .”
How often I had read and heard
that. I’ll remember Carmel
when I read it in the future and
it will have much greater sig
nificance for me. At. the risk of
appearing facetious, which, be
lieve me, I am not, I can only
say that this “dining” room gave
me much food for thought —
how much gluttony was being
expiated for each time these
Carmelites sat silently at their
frugal meals in this atmosphere
of holiness and temperance and
denial while they heard the
word of God read to them by
their Prioress.
The Sacristy Kitchen is set
aside exclusively for vestments,
altar linens and sacramentals
used on the Altar, and for the
baking of Communion hosts.
The Nuns make and hand-paint
Priests’ vestments and robes for
the Infant Jesus of Prague; and
what I saw of this work was
delicately beautiful. Here I ex
perienced my first taste of un
stinted color and lavish materi
al — But all laces, brocades,
color and talent were for Christ
the King! It is clear to me that
the Sisters, far from dislike of
the beautiful, have a great ap
preciation for it (some are high
ly talented artists); it is a matter
of placing values, on the here or
the hereafter.
The large porches on each
side of the two floors, lend
themselves to contour chairs,
lounges, refreshment tables and
settees, but their furnishings
comprise a few wooden chairs,
and not too comfortable at that.
Nothing, however, can change
the view of the garden and the
river; nor do the Nuns want to
change it — it was one of the
reasons for the establishment of
the Monastery at Coffee Bluff.
Enclosed by a stained cypress
fence, the garden boasts of large
oak trees, laden with Spanish
moss, palms, holly, azalea bush
es and a variety of other shrubs
and pines. Then there is the ex
panse of the river, the ever-
changing color of the distant
marshes, the sky meeting the
water, the song of the birds, the
seagulls. But this garden con
veys more to the Sisters, and to
me after it is explained, than
the sensuous satisfaction which
it seems to offer in abundance.
It means silent toil, prayers of
petition and thanksgiving, and.
contemplation, not only on the
glory of God all about but on
His suffering that this beauty
might be possible for us to know
Him better.
The Choir or Nuns Chapel is
about the size of a modern liv
ing room. It is devoid of fur
niture except a few benches
which act as seats for the Sis
ters on the few occasions that
they sit when in Choir (mostly
they kneel upright on the wood
en floor or they stand). In the
main wall is an unadorned re
pository for the Blessed Sacra
ment, and on either side of it
are the Choir grilles. Through
these (identical with the speak
room grilles) the Nuns hear the
Mass. They do not see the altar
of the outside Chapel. As Sister
explained it, Carmelites live
the Mass. They receive Holy
Communion through an aper
ture in one of the grilles (the
Priest can see their mouths
only). There are a few statues in
the Choir and a small crucifix
over the repository on the walls
of which are printed: “Divine
Silence,” “Divine Wisdom.” The
Choir is the center of the Mom
astery and the Carmelite life. It
is here that the Nuns spend
many hours in personal and
community prayer and contem
plation in reparation for the sins
of mankind, for the spiritual
welfare of the Diocese and for
all who seek their holy aid.
Here, more than in any other
(Continued on Page 5)
Hundreds Witness
Carmel Ceremony
SISTERS OF SAVANNAH CARMEL—Pictured here are the
The Carmel was closed October 5th in ceremonies conducted by
Donough, auxiliary-bishop of Savannah. Inside the cloister the
and contemplation.
Sisters of the Savannah Carmel,
the Most Rev. Thomas J. Mc-
Nuns live a life of prayer, work
Hundreds of Savannahians
turned out Sunday to watch a
solemn and traditional cere
mony which locked six nuns
from the world so that they
might spend their lives praying
for those who don’t pray.
Thus, in Savannah will be
carried on almost two centuries
of prayer and meditation by the
Discalced Carmelite Nuns in this
country.
They will work and pray at
the enclosed monastery at Cof
fee Bluff and have no further
contact with the outside world
with the exception of their fam
ilies, who will be allowed
a monthly visit.
SO LARGE was the turnout
Sunday that most were unable
to get close enough to witness
the ceremony performed by
Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Mc
Donough. Cars seeking entrance
to the grounds were backed up
for miles along White Bluff
road.
The ceremony in which the de
cree of Enclosure was read
marked the end of a three-day
open house which attracted
thousands of visitors to the once
private home overlooking For
est River.
THE NUNS, deeply religious
but worldly in their knowledge,
had had their last cqntact with
the “public” during the final
hours before their austere lives
of work and prayer began in the
enclosure.
• They left Philadelphia in June
to come here led by Mother
Magdelen of Jesus, former
Prioress of the Philadelphia
Carmel and founder of the Sav
annah Carmel.
COMMUNICATION with the
outside world will be made
through a Turn, where people
may go to ask for prayers and
present gifts to assist in main
taining the monastery. Other
support will come from religious
articles made by the nuns and
sold at the monastery.
The Turn will be opened daily
from 9 to 11 a. m. and 1 to 2
p. m. and 3 to 5 p. m.
D. C. C. W.
FALL MEETING OF
AUGUSTA DEANERY
"O SACRAMENT MOST HOLY" CENTER OF CARMELITE LIFE
AUGUSTA — The Augusta
Deanery Council of Catholic
Women held its annual fall
luncheon meeting October 5th,
at the Elks’ Home. Deanery
committee chairmen presented
plans to affiliated organizations
to be incorporated in their pro
grams for the ensuing year.
Highlight of the meeting was
the address of Dr. Claude-Starr
Wright on “The Road to Rome,”
theme of the meeting.
Miss Lucia Scalbonizzi, of
Milan, Italy, an exchange stu
dent under the sponsorship of
the Diocesan Council, was an
honored guest. She. is attending
school at Saint Vincent’s in Sav
annah and was accompanied to
Augusta by Miss Peggy Schano
and Mrs. A. J. Schano. Mrs.
Schano . urged more families to
.open, their-.homes . ,to exchange^
students from other countries.
Youth Week
The observance of Catholic
Youth Week, scheduled for the
last week in October, was dis
cussed by The Rev. Ralph Sei-
kel, Moderator of Aquinas High
School. This will be observed
locally with corporate commun
ion for the youth in their parish
churches, followed by a break
fast for all Catholic Youth of
the City. A dance wil be held
and the price of admission will
be a good article of used cloth
ing to be collected for distribu
tion through the Deanery cloth
ing depot, located in-the Rectory
basement of Sacred Heart
Church.
Individual and group action
was urged in the community
against the sale of indecent and
obscene literature by Mrs. Helen
S. Evans, chairman of the com
mittee of Home and School As
sociation.
Mrs. Stephen Szemscak’s com
mittee on International Rela
tions recommended that the
time each individual pauses at
stop-lights be utilized in pray
er by the recitation of one Hail
Mary of World Peace and the
conversion of Russia/ ; October
24, United Nations Day, will be
Requiem Held
For Reverend
Jerome Finn
SAVANNAH — Funeral serv
ices were held for Rev. Jerome
Finn, O.S.B.,' a priest of the
Benedictine community for
many years in Savannah.
A Requiem Mass was held
October 1st at Belmont Abbey
and burial was in the abbey
cemetery.
Father Jerome, about 80 years
old, was a member of the facul
ty of Benedictine Military
School, formerly Benedictine
College, when the school was
opened here in the early years
of the century. He was in in
structor in the school and as
sistant pastor of Sacred Heart
Church.
The Veteran priest left Sav
annah in 1940 and was station
ed in Richmond. In March, 1953,
he celebrated a solemn high
Mass at St. Benedict’s, Church,
Richmond, marking the golden
jubilee of his priesthood.
observed with Round-the-Clock
prayers for World Peace.
Invocation was delivered by
the Spiritual Moderator The
Rev. Daniel J. Bourke, V.F. The
meeting was conducted by the
president, Mrs. Jack Johannen.
Affiliate organizations repre
sented at the meeting with their
pastors were Saint Patrick’s,
Saint Mary’s, Saint Joseph’s,
Sacred Heart and a group of
guests from North Augusta, Our
Lady of Peace.
Preceding the meeting, the
Rev. John E. O’Donohoe, S. J.,
was celebrant at Dialog Mass at
the Sacred Heart Church with
the Rev. Joseph LeRoy, S. J.
serving as leader.
■ACM DCCW
TO SEW PADS
MACON — A monthly sewing
bee to make pads and dressings
for cancer patients has been set
up as a civic project by the Ma
con Parish Council of D.C.C.W.
The sewing group will meet
in the social hall in the base
ment of St. Joseph’s Catholic
Church and the women of the
D.C.C.W. group hope that other
Macon women will join them.
The first meeting was on Wed
nesday, October 8.
Mrs. Joseph K. Benedetto,
president, stated that there is an
urgent need for the dressings
and they will be distributed
through cancer centers in Ma
con and Atlanta.
Mrs. H. W. Clark is chairman
of the sewing group.
COLUMBUS
DEANERY TO
MEET OCT. 22
MACON — The Fall meei-
ing of the Columbus Dean
ery Council of Catholic Wo
men, will be held in Macon
on October 22nd.
The Dialog Mass will be
celebrated by His Excellency
Bishop Thomas J. McDon
ough at 11:30 a. m., in St.
Joseph's Church.
Luncheon will follow the
Mass, to be served at the
Moose Club and the meeting
will be immediately after
lunch,
SERVICES FOR
MRS. KLANDERS
PORT WENTWORTH — Fu
neral services for Mrs. Margaret
G. Klanders were held October
7th at Our Lady of Lourdes
Church, Rev. Francis J. Dono
hue officiating.
Survivors are four daughters,
Mrs. G. E. Morgan and Mrs.
Lorie Hanna, both of Savannah,
Mrs. J. A. Flannagan of Jack
sonville and Mrs. R. O. Olliff of
Blitchton; a son, Louis Klanders
of Jacksonville; two sisters,
Mrs. Alma Wodcock of Camden,
S. C. and Mrs. Della Wilkerson
of Dillon, South Carolina., 14
grandchildren, three great
grandchildren and several niec
es and nephews.
MSGR. ANDREW J. McDONALD READS DECREE OF ENCLOSURE
HUNDREDS OF CARS JAM ROAD TO MONASTERY
PART OF THE HUGE C$OWD AT "OPEN HOUSE"
K. Of C. Auxiliary
Meets At Albany
ALBANY — The Knights of
Columbus Auxiliary met on
Tuesday evening, September
30th, in the home of Mrs. J. W.
Mock, Jr., with the president,
Mrs. Fred Mills, presiding. Mrs.
J. W. Mock, Sr. was welcomed
as a new member.
The members were reminded
that the Knights of Columbus
are sponsoring a Columbus Day
dance on Saturday, October 11th
at the Elks’ Club and that it is
open to members and their
friends. The Auxiliary agreed
to look after the decorations and
to furnish the refreshments for
the dance.
As there will be a Fourth De
gree exemplification in Albany
on Sunday, October 12t,h, and
Knights from all ■ over Georgia
will be in the city, it is hoped
that many of the wives will ac
company them. It was decided
that the Auxiliary entertain the
wives of the Fourth Degree
members at a coffee to be held
at the home of Mrs. George
Hughey, Jr., 1401 8th Avenue.
The meeting was adjourned
and refreshments were served.