Catholic Volunteers Winter Retreat in St. Augustine

We were together once again at Villa Flora, run by the Sisters of St Joseph. The Mother House is across the street from the guest  house/retreat center.  Both buildings were built in the early eighteen hundreds.  St. Augustine is layer upon layer of history; first settled by the French, then the Spanish, who were conquered by the English, whereas the colony was won back by the Spanish before being ceded to America.

The theme of the retreat was social justice.  Friday evening the Catholic Chaplin for Death Row prisoners in Florida's state prisons gave a very spirited talk on the conditions of most prisons (no air conditioning in summer, overcrowding, you've heard it all).  Florida has the greatest number of men on Death Row.  Only Texas has actually executed more.  More and more states are overturning their death penalty law; ironically, only those in the Bible Belt continue to hang on. 

Think of this, there is no constitutional right to not be executed if you are innocent.  Statistically, we all know that black on black murder might get you the electric chair, as well as white on white.  However, white on black murder rarely sends one to death row, but black on white murder will definitely get you there.  

The following day, we drove out to Our Lady of Hope/Communita Cenacolo, a movement started in Italy.  The young men, who live in community, have an abundance of fruit trees, grow their own vegetables and raise pigs for slaughter. They have recently begun wood working, making beautiful bowls and refinishing old furniture.  They also have an outdoor oven for making pizza. We were served lunch of pasta and garlic, home made bread and fresh squeezed orange juice.  While eating one fellow reads from his journal to the rest.  I thought it took great courage to open up his most intimate feelings before strangers. 

After detoxing, these young men come to Hope and pick up their lives without any medicines or professional support. They rely on one another and the Holy Spirit.  Mass is said every morning by a visiting priest and rosary four times a day.  They are some of the sweetest souls you'll ever meet.

One evening we had dinner with the Sisters, another time the women went out to Stogies (a beer and a cigar for $4.99), later the younger among us found live music to dance to.

A couple of us skipped the March for Life and visited the lighthouse, and crazy Chelsea went swimming in the 52 degree ocean water.  Another great retreat!

Epiphany

L'Arche celebrates the Christmas Season right through to Epiphany, when the entire community exchanges gifts in remembrance of the three wise men.  After prayer, dinner and singing, each person sat in the 'stable' to receive his/her gift from their 'secret Santa'.  We are big here, in affirmation, so the giver tells the receiver how he/she sees Jesus in them.  I had drawn Larry's name.  He lives in Sunflower House, and for a very large man, he is so very gentle (certainly God-like).  I admire Larry for his curiosity.  He is very tech savy on computer, and has an extensive selection of CD's and vinyl records, which he is always eager to share.

Profile Sketches

Thought I might introduce the lovely people I live with:

Everyone's favorite is Dino, always accommodating and willing to join in whatever is suggested.  He loves to dance, even though he is stiff kneed and loses balance easily, and at the bowling alley, he is a superstar.  Dino is very good at puzzles and his paintings are big sellers at Rainbow House, where Dino goes every workday for fun and creativity.  His answer to every situation is, "Be happy!"

Kathy will be celebrating her 70th birthday this month.  The dinner table is always hilarious with her quick whit and pithy sayings.  She is a very picky eater, but she relishes her glass of wine.  Kathy loves to sing, and sing LOUD, mostly off-key, but you have never heard anything so heartfelt.

Chris is our newest core member.  A gentle giant of a man, he brightens the room when he enters and is always full of compliments. Chris is pretty independent, and has worked at McDonald's for many years.  He is very sports savey, and keeps us up to date on what's happening in the playoffs.

Pam is non-verbal and wheelchair bound, but we make sure she is included in all our activities.  As a child, she lived in Belgium and understands French.  She also loves good music.  If she is displeased, she pinches like hell.

Stacy is our most independent core member.  She works at Publix Supermarket several days a week.  As she grew up in the area, she has many friends, with whom she socializes.  Even people she doesn't know soon become acquaintances, as Stacy is very outgoing and often initiates conversations with total strangers.  Because Stacy is so independent, she is also most problematic.

This all sounds very ideal, however, all these people have their demons, moods and problems.  It is easy to touch their hearts at times, but almost impossible to get inside their heads and know where they are coming from and what they are truly feeling.