theresebernard
| Forum role | Member since | Last activity | Topics created | Replies created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Apr 4, 2011 (15 years) |
- | 2 | 1 |
- Forum role
- Member
- Member since
Apr 4, 2011 (15 years)
- Last activity
- -
- Topics created
- 2
- Replies created
- 1
Bio
I am a retired janitor who decided to become a hermit, that is, a person who lives as a monk but does not belong to a religious order. As I am too old to join a monastic order, I decided to live monastically by myself. I live within walking distance of a church and attend daily Mass, pray the Divine Office using "Christian Prayer", say the Rosary twice a day, fast and abstain regularly and pray contemplatively. I live on a meager social security benefit and money I earn doing odd jobs in the senior apartment building where I live. Many residents are unable to get out and about because of arthritis or injury, and I am able to help them by getting them groceries and running various errands for them. I do not drive and do not own a car. I do not have a television although I keep up with news by way of my computer. I live by a rule I wrote and have privately professed solemn perpetual vows. While I began this during the Advent season last year, I have wanted to live this way nearly all my life, and have prayer contemplatively for at lest thirty years. The focus of my life is prayer, penance and sacrifice for peace and the needs of the world. I find a great need amongst people for a communion and connection with God. It ia a joyful experience for people to discover others searching for the same thing. While I consider myself a hermit, I am not cloistered or secluded because I believe I need to have a connection with the world to give witness to Christ and to be aware of the needs of His people. I serve Christ by serving them in remembering their needs in my prayer and personal contacts. I should add that I am a Roman Catholic but do not officially represent the Catholic Church in any way and am pursuing a personal ministry in this undertaking. I wanted to be an official part of the Catholic Church but they do not want me and can't be bothered. I rely on the providence of God into which I have abandoned myself of necessity. Nothing is coincidental with God.