The Jesuits have a way with words. They have coined a well known phrase that some of you might have come across when speaking about an experience in life that is more than one expects or anticipated. To ‘be ruined for life’ is the phrase, and it aptly sums up my two week immersion at Boston College with Professor James Nickoloff and Gustavo Gutierrez learning the way of the Spirituality of Liberation.
As many of you are aware, our Minneapolis Visitation arose from the impetus of expressing a desire to be Visitation with the marginalized in the inner city:
“The Option for the poor must lead us to friendship with the poor. It is an option for concrete persons, not just a social class. Friendship means equality and dignity – with friends we share our lives. Without friendship there is no option for the poor. Without equality, we have no love.” –Gustavo Gutierrez.
The learning experience of being with close to 100 people from seven different continents provided a breadth of different cultural, social, economic and global perspectives that called each of us out of our comfort zones and to reflect on our call to discipleship in the light of Gustavo’s message.
For me personally I had internalized from listening to my Community why they came here to North Minneapolis. Now I realize that this was only half the story. I was not ‘ruined’ enough. Following two weeks of intense immersion, I see that I had to make my own journey of head and heart to realize for myself what this means, and why living ‘The God of Life’ in our neighborhood is so important.
I see that I had to make my own journey of head and heart to realize for myself … why living ‘The God of Life’ in our neighborhood is so important. – Sr. Joanna O’Meara, VHS
Gustavo ended his time with us by giving us a blessing of ‘Hope’. I know that being present here means transmitting hope in tangible ways – in community – ‘one with’ our neighbors.
5 Comments
Cindy Boggs · July 20, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Oh, Sr. Joanna! What a wonderful experience for you! To actually listen to and be in the presence of Gustavo Gutierrez, as well as to be in the company of 100 like-minded, like-souled people from around the world – I’m in awe! I’d love to visit and hear more about your time at Boston College. Thank you for sharing. Peace & blessing!
elizabeth sullivan · July 20, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Without hope there can be no friendship. Thank you for sharing and for bringing me back to center. That class centered me and made so much come alive! Love and can’t wait to see you in person and talk.
Melissa · July 20, 2010 at 11:49 pm
What a great idea, Cyndy! I am with you! Joanna, is there anyway a few of us might gather and hear about your studies and experiences, or even complete a reading assignment you had while there, and then talk about it? What do you think? Xxox
Jody · July 22, 2010 at 9:49 am
I would love to hear more about Joanna’s time at Boston College also. What a joy that would be to sit with Joanna and others and listen, learn, share.
What do you carry? | Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis · July 24, 2010 at 10:06 am
[…] who suffer? Who need my friendship and I theirs? How does what I carry keep me from integrating the preferential option for the poor? How does what I carry give me hope? The wise St. Francis de Sales says, “It is not necessary […]