Sister Maria Viatori

Personal Musings on Our Web Site Logo

Many times throughout the day I round the corner of the quadrangle, and turn and look up at our stately bell tower.  For me, this physical mantra is a powerful reminder that I am intrinsically linked to an unbroken chain of women and men who belong to Carmel.  Gazing at the cross on top of the tower, I come to the realization that we are in and for the world, at the very heart of God.  That is a vital force that energizes and challenges me!  I do not have pat answers to the problems and crises of our present age.  However, I do believe that God’s loving presence transforms, and that in a hidden way, our life of prayer and loving service is part of that great picture.

Saint Teresa of Avila states in the first chapter of The Interior Castle, “The soul of the just person is nothing else but a paradise where the Lord says He finds His delight.”  This is the essence of what flows in and out of our Carmelite monasteries: the great sense of God’s overwhelming love and the unimaginable capacity of each person on this earth to radiate that love to a thirsting world.  What a dynamic paradigm for living!  What an ideal toward which we aspire!

The serpentine wall that surrounds our property also evokes meaning and images mystery for me.  No doubt this structure has become a landmark for walkers, bike enthusiasts and motorists.  It adds a quality of grace and artistry to the neighborhood; and yet, there is more…this place, this space of Carmel on the corner of Fairmount and Lee Roads is the landscape, the topography where I am invited to remain and abide with the Lord, bringing the joys and anguish, the dreams and sorrows of the world right along with me.  This encircling mantle of brick, mortar, and stone could be seen as a physical boundary of sorts, yet it does foster an attitude of spaciousness and at-home-ness with God.  To dwell here is a paradox of stability and pilgrimage, knowing our true place and having the freedom to cling to the One who is author of all.

When you see our logo of bell tower and serpentine wall, know that its design bespeaks more than geographic landmarks or helpful hints to motorists, but points to a dynamic of love that embraces all humanity.