[RivCompanions] Gillian and Susan

Thu Aug 2 22:10:05 UTC 2012

I like the reply options this way, Susie.  If you "replyall" it goes to the person and the list; if you reply you send only to the person.  It may help us avoid some of the mistakes we all make when meaning to send to a person.  Others may prefer it to be different though.

It was good to have updates on each of the postulants, and I am looking forward to working with those who remain active.  It is very important for us to do some prayerful discernment as people think they may want to become postulants.  When in major transition places of our lives, taking on the commitment of postulancy is not the best option. Both Susan and Gillian are experiencing significant changes in their lives at this time, and they may find that another time frame works better for them.

The section of the study book that I would like to work on is hospitality/community.

Peace,
Noel

-----Original Message-----
From: susanna601 <susanna601 at aol.com>
To: rivcompanions <rivcompanions at justus.anglican.org>
Sent: Wed, Aug 1, 2012 11:41 pm
Subject: [RivCompanions] Gillian and Susan

Dear Companions,

Susan Smith's postulancy has been put on hold. She has not done anything at all since being accepted nearly 18 months ago and there is little chance that she will find time to do any of the work in the forseeable future. I know that she would like to remain friends not only of the Community but with many of you who are her friends. Please do not fail to continue those friendships! If she comes to a point where she can actually engage the study guide, she can take it up then, As it is, we have a 2 year limit to postulancy, and she has now no chance at all of meeting that (reasonable) deadline. In this situaiton, putting her process on hold seemed to Virginia and to me to be the wisest option. She is no longer on the Rivendell mailing list, but she will still need and desire your support as she moves into so many new areas of ministry and life - 

Gillian Klee has withdrawn from the process. She also has had many significant stresses recently and multiple areas of responsibility including dealing with for her mother's estate. 

David has taken up LOR seriously - and is reading it straight through and commenting to me as he reads. This is excellent - When he completes it, we will assign him a mentor or a couple of you to work through that section on how LOR defines and expresses our community ethos - If there are those of you who particularly would enjoy mentoring him through that unit, please let me know. He is abslutely a joy to work with! Pray for him as he reads - and then as he contiues to write and think and discuss these materials. He is definitely engaged - deeply. 

As is Lisa - who has now completed all units of the postulancy materials with grace and intelligence and passion - She is also in the middle of her own vocational discernment and study for priesthood - She cannot be received as a novice until next General Chapter in any case, so we are giving her space to get settled in her new routines - Then, as V suggested, we may begin having her work on Inside Stories - the new and revised version - which will be part of the novitiate process - So again, although this may not begin for awhile, I would like to have names of any of you who would enjoy going through that material with her when she is ready to take it up - Please pray for her as she continues to discern whether she is called to professed membership in Rivendell - She would be a temendous asset to us - and I htink we can be a strength to her as well.   

Chandler is something of a mystery! He has recently completed a unit of study with Joanne, but he has also more or less disappeeared! He was supposed to have arrived in Missouri this past week, but no one at Rivendell has heard from him since Chapter - so we are not at all sure what he is up to - or whether he will continue the process or not. Apparently he has a new fiancee and was moving here (where?!)  with his 19 year old son - When he surfaces we will let you know - but if he continues, he will also need a mentor for the next unit - preferably a very strong personality who will keep him on track and try to get him to engage the material more significantly and more deeply than he has been doing so far. Any volunteers would be welcome to let me know!  Joanne did her very best - that is obvious - but she had trouble too - getting him to do more than speak superficially and write in "pat" phrases - 

There is a potential postulant at Rivendell. This is a married man in Bolivar who has known us for some time. Susie wisely told him to a) read LOR and b) to spend a good deal more time with us informally BEFORE even considering the process itself in a formal way. I strongly agree that it is best to ask inquirers to do both of thse things - 

Also - when it is possible, it is generally best NOT to encourage someone who is in the midst of a personal transition (new marriage, new or impending divorce, engagement, some new move, new job, etc.) to apply at that time,
What we have seen is that those persons are not usually prepared to do the work of discernment of their vocaton to a religious community when they are already discerning how to live with another person, or how to leave one, or how to fit into a new job or other new identity - It is difficult enough to do THOSE things honorably andin Christ - so what they really need from us THEN is our support, love, encouragement, informal companionship, even spiritual direction - but NOT an application! 

I hope you all celebrated the Jesuits yesterday - since Pep sent his "short history " -  best University teachers I ever had - except for the one brilliant and passionate Scot at Seminary, who would have been a Jesuit had he been a RC!   

Cathy

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