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Not all hermits live in creepy caves
Think being a hermit means heading to the wilderness, living in a creepy cave, and eating wild locusts? Think again. Here’s a great story from Australia about Carol Prevedello who was recently consecrated a hermit.
Selections from “Inner West woman becomes hermit to devote life to God”
by Fiona Brady, September 29, 2010
Carol Prevedello was consecrated a hermit before Bishop Julian Porteous in St Joan of Arc Church, Haberfield. She has made promises of poverty, chastity and obedience and pledged to live a life of prayer, penance, silence and solitude in a tradition that dates back to biblical times.
She doesn’t dwell in a cave in the wilderness, but lives with her parents in a two-storey house in the Inner West. She keeps a mobile phone in her handbag (for medical emergencies) and occasionally accept requests for prayers via email (though she prefers snail mail).
Carol is the primary carer for her mom and being a hermit allows her to continue that care and also to respond to God’s calling to “remain spiritually withdrawn from the world.” She follows a rule approved by the Cardinal, prays throughout the day, fasts, lives modestly, and moderates her interaction with others but making exceptions for “reasons of charity or necessity”.
“Some people think that a hermit means being anti-social. I’m anything but that,” she said. “I love people. A religious hermit is someone who withdraws so they can be closer to God and pray on behalf of people… on behalf of all mankind [sic]. It has given me the peace I’ve been looking for all my life.”
Read the full story: “Inner West woman becomes hermit to devote life to God“.
Also check out earlier articles on hermits at aNunsLife.org.
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You may be interested in the story of Sr. Olga who is a professed hermit in our diocese (Boston), and a chaplain at Boston University. She is Iraqi and her story is very moving.
http://www.ncregister.com/register_exclusives/like-abraham-called-from-her-homeland/
Thanks, Anne. Also, Sister Laurel O’Neal of Stillsong Hermitage in the Diocese of Oakland.
Wow, interesting! Sad that the comments on these types of articles are either a way to push a person’s agenda or miss the point entirely about eremetic life. (All the “Gee, she should be running soup kitchens!” kinds of comments that invariably surface every time this topic comes up.)
I don’t get why we are so unaccepting of a variety of charisms. I find this with regard to religious life to, as well as the eremetical life. Actually I even find this true about being Catholic sometimes … as if there is one way to be Catholic. After all, we are people of a Gospel that holds four versions as inspired.
Good point, Sister Julie – God does seem to like diversity in all things. Human beings, not so much. Alternatives can be threatening to our certainty that we’ve found the “one , right way.”
Although it is not the lifestyle or charism that I am called to, I am very greatful to have men and women praying on my behalf and on the behalf of everyone else in the world. We need to remember, just like there are many spiritual gifts given by God, so, too, He calls us to a variety of charisms to LIVE those gifts for Him.
My call may not be the same call as someone else’s…it doesn’t make either call invalid.
Hugs and blessings.