FRONTIERS • CAPUCHIN POOR CLARES

CONTEMPLATION AND MYSTICISM IN AN AFRICAN CONTEXT

Contemplation, far from leading or preventing the psychological growth of a person into what is called maturity, actually enhances it

BY Fr Christopher Neville OFM | Melville, KwaZulu Natal

Joyous Spirit

Union with Christ is sought at the Monastery at Melville in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. It is a joyous experience for the nuns and for those who enter the environs of the Monastery as day visitors, approaching their Repository, or coming to pray or stay over in the Guest house for Retreats or holidays.

The Capuchin Poor Clares focus their lives on the Paschal Mystery of the Lord; submerging themselves into the Passion and Death of Jesus, they joyously move to celebrate the lived experience of His glorious Resurrection.

They choose to be immersed in Christ and allow Him to infuse them with Himself. During Days of Recollection or Desert Days they ask themselves, questions along the lines of:

• what belongs to the heart of our charism?
• what depends on the changing conditions of time?

Due to this ‘introspection,’ the community is alive and vibrant and the nuns can proclaim the Gospel through their daily lives to individuals or groups who come seeking advice on how to handle their challenges of daily living and to find Christ within themselves and others as well as the situation itself.

Due to South Africa being fairly young in Christian lived experience—the Monastery is only 91 years old—the Nuns don’t carry the baggage of a long history as in a European context. Here, they are full of life and joy as they live their daily lives of prayer and work within the Monastery in a simple, child-like and trusting way.

Ubuntu and a Franciscan blend

I am not a person unless I am connected to other people, says the African Proverb. In Zulu: “umuntu, Umuntu ngabantu.” This coupled with the Franciscan spirituality coming through Saint Clare as these nuns bask in the Presence of the Lord, enables them to be the real people they are.

What stands out, and everybody who visits the Monastery mentions it, is the experience of pulsating peace already at the grounds. The charism of the Poor Clares is clearly alive and well experienced here. The joy of the Gospel truly fills the hearts and minds of all who find Jesus and this is evidenced here.

As Mandy, one of the friends of the Monastery put it, having brought a beautiful pottery item placed in front of St John’s Hall: “The nuns have found their pot of gold, it is up to us to find ours”.

“The nuns have joy which flows out of their selflessness”, as one of the men from the group of Christ the King Parish, Wentworth, Durban who came for a weekend Retreat about a month ago mentioned.

Eucharistic life and devotion

The nuns’ lives are rooted in the Eucharist, the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Adoration of our Lord in the Sacred Host. What do they do during their hours spent before the Blessed Sacrament? Basically, nothing!

They begin by lifting to our Lord a ‘prayer note’ from the pile in the ‘prayer basket’ left by visitors to the Monastery or requested via WhatsApp or email.

“The nuns have found their pot of gold, it is
up to us to find ours”

Then they use a word from the Sacred Scripture or from the writings of Clare, Francis or some other spiritual or Theological work which feeds their minds and souls and enables them to ‘rest’ in the Lord.

The experience can be dry or fertile. It doesn’t matter. They pitch up for their meeting with their Beloved Spouse. This takes place night and day. It is not seen by them as a duty or obligation, but an act of pure love. It is no wonder that people who come here as guests or retreatants comment on the selflessness of the nuns.

Daily Rhythm

The day is punctuated by common prayer; from Lauds and Office of Readings at 06h00, after praying the Angelus, to Hora Tercia after Eucharist which is celebrated at 07h30 during the week and at 08h00 on Sundays. Hora Sexta is prayed at midday after the Angelus and followed by the Rosary.

Hora Nona is prayed at 15h00 followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet which is sometimes sung. Benediction is at 17h00 followed by Angelus and Vespers which, as Lauds, is usually sung. Then, the proclamation of the following day’s Gospel, reflected upon using Lectio Divina, can lead into Centring Prayer.

A light supper is enjoyed around 19h00 and if it is a Thursday, feast day or Sunday, recreation follows supper; the community gathers for Compline at 20h00 which is followed by the Mother Abbess giving the blessing of St Clare.

Reverence for the Eucharistic Presence: The world at their heart

After the final blessing of St Clare there is a grand silence during which the Nuns take turns to be with the Blessed Sacrament; continuing to bring the needs and gratitude of the world to the Lord.

It is no wonder that they are filled with respect for one another and the world in which they live. All who come to the Monastery are amazed at their great joy.

They have left the world but not fled from it but have a great love for it and its people.

They sacrifice an active life of ministry for something deeper and better, not for themselves to gain benefit, but for others.

As one of the members of the Catholic Men’s Movement from Durban said:” The world is in bad shape, but if it was not for people like these Nuns, it would be much worse shape than it is.” The rest of the group agreed saying that he had expressed their own sentiment too.

Simplicity

When there is load-shedding during recreation time, it is a source of delight to hear the Nuns groan and their joyous laughter when power is restored.

They are truly childlike so this is a further reason for them being so full of our Lord.

As Jesus said, ‘Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God’ (Mt 18:3).

Sweet fragrance of their holiness

What struck me deeply during the Easter Triduum as the people staying here from Chatsworth commented also, is that the Nuns pray deeply with no rush, really talking to and listening to God. 

They are people of prayer. Beautiful liturgies e.g., Eucharist, Divine Office, Benediction, Rosary, Divine Mercy.  The hymns are spot-on regarding the different themes of the word of God in the Eucharist. 

They have left the world but not fled from it but have a great love for
it and its people

They sing like angels. I am not the only one noticing this and commenting on it. Sometimes they thrum, i.e., cause the very air to vibrate as the Celestial Host does in Heaven. Their praying with singing goes out to the broken world. 

I remain and grow in awareness that this is holy ground.

Grounded in the Lord

Like anyone, they are probably sinners, but certainly repentant sinners, so they don’t stay down but get up again and try again.

They listen to one another. Every time I have needed to be in conversation with any of them, I have noticed it. This comes from listening to God in prayer in daily life.

This has challenged me and others too as it is so easy to hear somebody, using physical ears and the brain, but genuine listening to another person involves the heart and the spirit. This ability surely flows out of their time spent with our Lord listening to Him, their True Love, their Spouse. They support one another e.g., a faltering in a hymn etc. Others have also commented that they love the way the nuns walk; gently and recollected, except when there is great need.

Care and compassion for any weakness of another

I have been asking myself since I got here: Where does this care come from?

Their time spent alone before the Blessed Sacrament certainly, is fed by their celebrating the Eucharist, Divine Office and community life. I take delight in hearing their chattering and laughter when they recreate together and I am walking past. This too goes out into the world. A bigger privilege is joining them for recreation and having meals together. Vibrantly but gently chattering and conversing.

Holy Ground

I know that I am living with genuine, real human beings. This all takes me back to their time spent personally in the Presence of our Lord in His Eucharistic Presence.

What happens there? What do they do? It is very personal and deep for certain.

Does their mind wander as mine does? Perhaps. Do they doze a little sometimes, as I do? Perhaps. Do they enter into moments of darkness as they allow our Lord’s Light to shine into them? Perhaps. Or even entering into darkness through the awareness that Love is not being loved. The important thing is that they are faithful.

Women-religious can teach us male-religious a lot; they are impacting the world.

They are making a difference. They are bringing God to the world and the world to God. St Therese of Lisieux never left her convent but she is the Patroness of Missionary work.

Personal bliss in their midst

Here I am well. I have never felt so well in my adult life for such a prolonged period. I came to them pretty washed out and look what they have done for me already. My wish to our Lord is that I end my days here as long as I do not become a burden to them. I would not wish to be the reason for an interruption to their beautiful rhythm of daily life. 

Everybody who has come to see me has told me how well I look and that I am glowing. Some pains I have but it doesn’t matter. We are deeply linked in praying for one another’s intentions and therefore for the people we have promised to pray for. Their rhythm of daily life is affecting me very positively and I pray that I remain open to it.

Liturgy which uplifts souls

Drumming for Consecration in the Eucharistic prayer is acceptable in the Church and is beautifully carried out here. Also, during the fourfold blessing at Benediction which is a Poor Clare tradition here in Africa, it is acceptable and beautifully done.

They are bringing God to the world and the world to God

Flower arrangements during a week of Anglican Retreat in the Monastery part of the Church were beautifully done in the shape of stars; with flowers brightly nestling in the middle of them. Lifting minds and hearts to celestial heights. The way they are all so calm and peaceful. Radiating our Lord. The Anglican clergy commented on this too. Purity and joy shine out of them all. They have no idea how they radiate our Lord with their humility too. I grow more and more in the awareness that this is holy ground for sure.