New Blog

The Holy Ghost works on attraction, and I discerned the pull to blogspot.

So, what's a married woman with two teen boys doing with a blog with "hermitage" in it? Particularly, why such a peculiar name for the hermitage?

I will answer that, but please keep in mind that I was 16 when I entered the Roman Catholic Church. This is important.

When I was about 12 (and a Baptist), my sister and brother-in-law, and some of their friends, took me to an art show on the grounds of historic Spalding Hall in my hometown of Bardstown, KY. After touring the tents out in the front yard, we went indoors, looking for more displays. We found them in the chapel of the former boarding school.

All I can say is that I was "touched by grace" there, and when I returned home, I wanted to be a monk in my own home. I didn't want to wear what the nuns wore, I wanted what the monks wore. There was just something about that hood.

Fastforward thirty-something years, and here I am in the process of founding an eremitic religious organization (known in lay terms as "an order"). During this process, I was to live as eremitic a life as possible within my primary vocation of wife and mother so that I could discern the future hermits' plan of life. And it was during this process that I remembered my life-changing incident at Spalding Hall.

I'm already a Lay Passionist, and since I no longer homeschool, everybody is out of the house until around mid-afternoon. From 7am on, there is plenty of time for prayer, etc.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that there are indeed faithful who are called to live an eremitical life, and many of these may or may not feel led to seek out official recognition from the Church. In that light, I can say that in the course of my discernment of the hermits' rule, I have also deepened my own Passionist spirituality, and am tapping into spiritual resources I never knew existed.

Why "JIVi," though?

That's the anacronym for the patrons of the Spalding Hall chapel--Sts. Joseph; Ignatius; and Vincent de Paul. My "second mom" used to be a curator at Spalding Hall's two museums, and despite the volumes of information on the building, nobody had made note of the chapel's patrons. That is, until I came on the scene, insisting on knowing whose patronage it had enjoyed. I only felt it right to name my hermitage for them, since that's where I'd felt the call.

So, now you know.

And what about the Cloisterite Hermits?

We're on foundational hiatus until I can retain a spiritual director. I'm getting close, but it's not the easiest process in the world. Please pray for this. I hope to have everything running again by the date of the Pro Orantibus--"For those who pray." It's the international day of praying for cloisters and their vocations. It's also a fundraiser. And it's also the day before my birthday.

If you've never heard of the Pro Orantibus, google it. Some dioceses create lists of nuns and monks within their boundaries. In the course of learning about the Pro Orantibus, I learned that Spain walks off with the distinction of having the largest number of monasteries in the world--911.

Italy is not too far behind--they have 700+.

I'll leave you with those mind-boggling statistics. And don't forget to pray!

Blessings,
Gemma