The Life of a Virginia Anchoress

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On January 1st, 1996 an Anchoress took up residence in the woods of Brunswick County Virginia. It was here that she was to seek a secluded, peaceful, prayer filled life and more intimate relationship with our God.  

In the begining she was a curiosity locals deemed worthy of condemnation, after all she had been there "long enough to have a man", their must be something wrong with her!. When preaching the words of the apostle Paul with regard to trials and tribulations the Lutheran pastor disputed Paul's words saying. " Trials and tribulations serves no good purpose, they bring only trouble". When leading a talk on the reconcilitaion of races an Episcopal priest claimed a statement was made about Caucasians he did not like. This was an interesting interpretation since I and other whites approached her to bring that same message to our individual parishes. That priest has since been diagnosed with dementia/cognitive disorders.

Their seems to be a degree of ignorance in some areas. With regard to the universal church and its various vocstions. A sister/nun/anchorite is not a church sister as many small areas and other denominations know it. The sister/nun/anchorite as a bride of Christ is one vowed to poverty, chastity and obedience, the church sister is not. The church sister is free to date, marry and live lavishly if she so chooses. The idea of anything different other than the local norms was rejected. Our beloved anchoress perseveres in her ora et labora as she prepares to move to a new hermitage outside of Virginia.

At age four she arrived for Sunday school early and was asked to sit in the sanctuary alone until the start of class. "During that time I found an overwhelming presence, something bigger than the adults in my life. Remember, I was only four years old. I made a point of arriving early every Sunday after that. I see that now as the purest form of centering prayer. I yearned for Abba, I wanted to devote my life to Him alone".

Their were many obstacles along the way from a rocky childhood, 30 years in corporate America, a denomination clearly against monastic life.  She left her denomination of 51 years. 

 

To be continued...