The Community of our Lady of Walsingham
"Called to the Fullness of Life and Love"



† Living Gospel Values » Solitude

Introduction ¦ Prayer ¦ Solitude ¦ Ministry ¦ Communal Life ¦ Vows
¦ "In the Silence" ¦


'Drawn deeper into the desert, they are drawn deeper into solitude, deeper into themselves and at the same time deeper into community and deeper into God the ground of being, and thus closer to the ground of being within us, for the depth of being of each of us is as strange and alien, yet hauntingly as familiar, as the desert solitude' Paphnutius.

In order to live vocationally and enter deeper into the mystery of our own vocation, each one of us must cultivate a spirit of prayer. As Mary who 'treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart' (Lk 2,19) we grow through silence and experiences of solitude into the freedom necessary to respond to God's will as she did.

How do we cultivate silence and solitude?

It is by:
• Having times of silence necessary for fruitful living of our vocation.
• Fulfilling our daily duties with a recollected spirit so that we recognise the Presence of God
   everywhere and in everything.
• Participating in a monthly desert day for the whole community to refocus and regain our strength in
   God
• Having three to four day hermitage experiences twice a year as well as an eight day retreat. In the
   future we envisage some members being dedicated to the eremetical life.
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