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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.