The Carmelites

The Carmelite novices and me

For almost a week now, I have been enjoying the hospitality of the Carmelites, the “O.Carms” to be exact.  They have a house that is their headquarters here in Malang, and they were willing, and I was told, “waiting” to take me in here, even though I am no longer teaching at the Catholic seminary.  Since I have been here, I have felt so embraced and included in much of their life.  From the first day when the Provincial showed me all around the house, my presence here has not seemed intrusive but welcome.  Two of the other guests are priests who usually live in Rome, in the “Curia,” the vast bureaucracy run by the Vatican to administer the various orders around the world.  Conversations that occur around or after the dinner table or during my weekend stay at a villa in the nice, cool city of Batu have allowed me a glimpse of political-religious realities in countries such as the Phillipines and China.  Everyone is so forthcoming and open! 

One day I had the chance to help one of the priests with his Powerpoint presentation for the conference that begins this week.  I was introduced to meditative dance, not just in the abstract, but we did the dance together, mirroring each other’s slow, meditative movements!  Through conversations with him, I have learned about the importance of the body in any real transformation.  He takes candid pictures of the novices when they first come in to begin their journey to priesthood, and you can read on their faces worry, skepticism, doubt, fear, sadness, the negative emotions and thoughts.  They are taken when people are unaware of what their faces are projecting.  Then he showed me pictures of the same men years later, after their formation, and better, transformation as priests.  Their faces reflected happiness, lightness, peace. 

This week, I am privileged to attend the Carmelite Formators’ international course with priests and brothers, and a woman from Holland who belongs to the first order of priests (hmm. . .) coming together from all over the world.  The theme is “Walk with Us: ‘Growing in the Contemplative Dimensions of one’s Life.”  It is comforting for me to see that even as Carmelites they struggle with how to convey the meaning of contemplation in the 21^st century world.  And yet they seem to know that it is exactly what is needed—the silence that enables a person to listen and be present, especially to listen within, and to respond with love.  The best definition of contemplation came from the presenter, Fr. Anthony Pereira, a biblical scholar and teacher, now fifty years a priest, who said, “joy is the essence of contemplation.”  That is what I experience here with these priests—joy.   And a comment that someone in our small group discussion made to him about the Carmelites:  “you are real.”

Today in the New York Times, David Brooks talks about Martin Buber’s “I-Thou” relationship.  He tells us that Buber’s writing reminds us to be “intentional and brave about relationships.”  That is a reminder I have been given all through my stay in Indonesia--in Yogyakarta, in Bali, and in Malang.  I am amazed that this is who I have become in relationships with so many I have met, and what I have been given here.  This has been and continues to be a wonderful way to wrap up my stay here in Indonesia.