How very sad for the dear Mother! After all these years she has not really detached herself from the silver screen. I think she could do much spiritual good for the Hollywood crowd if she remained hidden and unknown in her monastery; there making much reparation for the great religious and moral damage which the film industry has wreaked upon society; and for its attacks on the Church. Bro. Augustine
I think her presence will be a sign of contradiction and will be edifying for some and for others perhaps a call to conversion or even a vocation. I'm not sure anyone can judge Mother's level of detachment. She is a cloistered Benedictine after all, and not a prisoner, nor is she a Carmelite or Carthusian.
Mother appears to have lived a faithful and fervent life within the same community - remaining faithful to the Benedictine notion of stability - while practicing a hidden, spiritual apostolate to not a few more worldly Hollywood types - for decades - in and through her contemplative life and Benedictine hospitality.
Bro. Augustine, are you serious? Mother Delores will go to Hollywood, showing young women how happy she is with her life, inspiring them to listen for the voice of God and see where it leads them, perhaps garnering benefactors for her Order. This is a valuable service to our selfish society.
Can't wait to see the documentary which is out 4/5/12 on HBO. I am sure that she has received permission to leave the monastery. And, I suspect, that this is not being done without reason. The Abbey of Regina Laudis, where she is Prioress, is presently in great need. They are trying to raise 2 million dollars to restore their buildings. What better way than the documentary and a trip to Hollywood. God love her. These women, their chant, and the bio of Lady Abbess Benedict Duss, now deceased, played a big role in my conversion. I would bet money that vocations will emerge. One thing about the Benedictines--no aspect of life is left untended. All gifts are for His glory, right?
I met Mother Dolores last spring; a few friends of mine and I visited Regina Laudis. We had just a brief opportunity to speak with Mother; Br. Augustine is wrong.
When Mother Hart returns to California, I believe it will be more painful than enjoyable for her. Nothing will look the same as it had looked decades ago and most of the people who she loved are now gone. She will be confronted with the way things are today, and that alone can be distressing. She will probably be made fun of to some degree for wearing her habit and I have no doubt that she's going to have to endure some really stupid or hurtful comments from her peers (But mostly the Catholic ones). Ultimately she will grow closer to Christ through this event which I believe was why God had sent her in the first place. The world calls it "Closure."
She's going to come home with an ever more solid conviction that she had done the right thing.
I'm with Terry. Her presence will indeed be a sign of contradiction and I think that is why she goes.
"I was invited to go and I said, “No I couldn’t do that,” because of my situation. But the mother abbess [of Regina Laudis\] considered it and said she thought I should because of the continuity of the mission [to portray what contemplative life is like\]. So I will go."
See my post (and click the photo link to see more pics of her I took when she came to a Lenten symposium in 2009). A young brother had written a very comical parody about her life and sung it while playing piano. The place erupted in laughter and she whistled with approval. That is what I caught in that pic. Also pictured is Fr. Leo Pat... [I can't spell his last name - the chef priest!]
It was not until she visited Washington in 2010 and met with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, then the apostolic nuncio to the United States, that the idea of making a film about monastic life was introduced. *** He wanted to make a film about consecrated life, she said, because he thought that people needed to understand it better.
“I said to him, ‘Archbishop, it’s been 50 years since I was in Hollywood,’ ” she said. “ ‘All my contacts are dead or gone.’ ”
“Have no worries, Dolores,” she recalled him saying. “The Lord will find a way.” NY Times
Two days after she returned to the abbey, HBO called. Call it sheer coincidence or heavenly intervention, but Sheila Nevins, an executive director at HBO, who has a weekend home near Bethlehem, had suggested to Ms. Cammisa that the abbey and its Mother Prioress might make an interesting subject for a documentary.
Always best to try and afford situations like this the best interpretation.
Please comment with charity and avoid ad hominem attacks. I exercise the right to delete comments I find inappropriate. If you use your real name there is a better chance your comment will stay put.
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ReplyDeleteHow very sad for the dear Mother! After all these years she has not really detached herself from the silver screen. I think she could do much spiritual good for the Hollywood crowd if she remained hidden and unknown in her monastery; there making much reparation for the great religious and moral damage which the film industry has wreaked upon society; and for its attacks on the Church.
ReplyDeleteBro. Augustine
I think her presence will be a sign of contradiction and will be edifying for some and for others perhaps a call to conversion or even a vocation. I'm not sure anyone can judge Mother's level of detachment. She is a cloistered Benedictine after all, and not a prisoner, nor is she a Carmelite or Carthusian.
ReplyDeleteMother appears to have lived a faithful and fervent life within the same community - remaining faithful to the Benedictine notion of stability - while practicing a hidden, spiritual apostolate to not a few more worldly Hollywood types - for decades - in and through her contemplative life and Benedictine hospitality.
Bro. Augustine, are you serious? Mother Delores will go to Hollywood, showing young women how happy she is with her life, inspiring them to listen for the voice of God and see where it leads them, perhaps garnering benefactors for her Order. This is a valuable service to our selfish society.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the documentary which is out 4/5/12 on HBO. I am sure that she has received permission to leave the monastery. And, I suspect, that this is not being done without reason. The Abbey of Regina Laudis, where she is Prioress, is presently in great need. They are trying to raise 2 million dollars to restore their buildings. What better way than the documentary and a trip to Hollywood. God love her. These women, their chant, and the bio of Lady Abbess Benedict Duss, now deceased, played a big role in my conversion. I would bet money that vocations will emerge. One thing about the Benedictines--no aspect of life is left untended. All gifts are for His glory, right?
ReplyDeleteHi Maria - glad you agree. Their abbey is lovely. God bless!
ReplyDeleteI met Mother Dolores last spring; a few friends of mine and I visited Regina Laudis. We had just a brief opportunity to speak with Mother; Br. Augustine is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI was inspired with the story of the conversion of Patricia Neal through her long friendship with Mother Dolores.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted that she's going! I hope her presence is convicting.
ReplyDeleteWho can say what God calls her to do. God can request some pretty odd things. I'm going to be quick to assume she's obedient.
Hi, Belinda!
ReplyDeleteI think you're right,"Who can say what God calls her to do."
Hi Melody, I've missed you!( and the rest of you too!)
ReplyDeleteWhen Mother Hart returns to California, I believe it will be more painful than enjoyable for her. Nothing will look the same as it had looked decades ago and most of the people who she loved are now gone. She will be confronted with the way things are today, and that alone can be distressing. She will probably be made fun of to some degree for wearing her habit and I have no doubt that she's going to have to endure some really stupid or hurtful comments from her peers (But mostly the Catholic ones). Ultimately she will grow closer to Christ through this event which I believe was why God had sent her in the first place. The world calls it "Closure."
ReplyDeleteShe's going to come home with an ever more solid conviction that she had done the right thing.
I'm with Terry. Her presence will indeed be a sign of contradiction and I think that is why she goes.
ReplyDelete"I was invited to go and I said, “No I couldn’t do that,” because of my situation. But the mother abbess [of Regina Laudis\] considered it and said she thought I should because of the continuity of the mission [to portray what contemplative life is like\]. So I will go."
See my post (and click the photo link to see more pics of her I took when she came to a Lenten symposium in 2009). A young brother had written a very comical parody about her life and sung it while playing piano. The place erupted in laughter and she whistled with approval. That is what I caught in that pic. Also pictured is Fr. Leo Pat... [I can't spell his last name - the chef priest!]
It was not until she visited Washington in 2010 and met with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, then the apostolic nuncio to the United States, that the idea of making a film about monastic life was introduced. *** He wanted to make a film about consecrated life, she said, because he thought that people needed to understand it better.
ReplyDelete“I said to him, ‘Archbishop, it’s been 50 years since I was in Hollywood,’ ” she said. “ ‘All my contacts are dead or gone.’ ”
“Have no worries, Dolores,” she recalled him saying. “The Lord will find a way.”
NY Times
Two days after she returned to the abbey, HBO called. Call it sheer coincidence or heavenly intervention, but Sheila Nevins, an executive director at HBO, who has a weekend home near Bethlehem, had suggested to Ms. Cammisa that the abbey and its Mother Prioress might make an interesting subject for a documentary.
Always best to try and afford situations like this the best interpretation.
Sorry. I meant to provide the link to the NY Times article. Here it is:
ReplyDeletewww.nytimes.com/.../a-preview-of-god-is-the-bigger-elvis-starring-dolores-hart.html?...
Sorry for inoperative link. Try this
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/nyregion/a-preview-of-god-is-the-bigger-elvis-starring-dolores-hart.html