Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

Bishop Dana Reynolds and Hildegard of Bingen

Conversation:
"Well, Dana, I asked, who is St. Dana?
Or rather who is your Patron Saint?

"Hildegard of Bingen. "

There was no hesitation in her reply. She did not have to think for even 1/2 sec.

Here is a woman who knows her own mind and mystical heritage, I said to myself.

"Because of her creativity," Dana further asserted.

There was no mistaking Dana's integrity in her knowing.

In one of her Sacred Imaginations Website entries Dana has said,

"Creative self-expression allows us to connect with the wisdom and desires of our souls for better self understanding and healing.
It also serves as prayer, drawing us closer to our Creator."

The Work:

I have knowm many artists working in a number of artistic media but not all make this spiritual connection so boldly. In my own writing and artistic work, I know that what Dana says is true and I would add that the language of symbol and metaphor, of analogy , of story and narrative and interview and imaging in any artistic form can bring us into mystical experience. It can take us into Divine Union and this must have been from where Hildegard, completely infused by the Luminous Spirit of God prolifically poured forth her work in an immense range of expressions, even when she was unwell.

The knowledge and gifts of artistic talent and craft must undergird and penetrate the expression, however, and in the case of Hildegard and Dana this is exactly the reality.

One need only take a look at each of their works.

The Sacred Space:

In the sandstone house, yellow and blending in with the environment of Carmel, California, Dana has created a spiritual artistic environment that bathes you in light and in the sight of beautiful sacred objects in every nook and cranny (and it is a kind of nook and crannied home). Vivid varieites of flowers and vibrantly alive plants bring the outdoors in and the inside...out!

You can choose from comfortable deep sink into rest furniture or you can sit upright and straight in carved wooden chairs if that is your preference. or your need. The hearty smell of fresh baked olive brio bread lets you know you are embraced by gracious hospitality.

Victoria Rue, Kathleen Kunster and Michele Birch-Conery;( I flew down from Canada for the weekend)--made our pre- St. Lawrence ordination retreat one weekend in May/05 just prior to our ordinations to the priesthhod and diaconate.

It was a weekend rich in soul and heart bonding and in immersion in the sacred emvironment I have just described.

Yet, as RCWP, we did not entirely have the opportunity to just rest in our retreat. A phone call from somewhere important alerted us to the fact that we had to quick make the liturgy for the ordination and thus began a 4 way team and partnered text crash. We interpsersed our work with other activities such as two really good meals., a walk in the deep sand a few blocks away on the shores of our great Pacific Ocean and then???? A labyrinth walk.

On Sunday eveming, Victoria had to leave but we still had some time left for Monday a.m. and it was then that Dana brought out her astonishing writings. I was awed at the extent, the beauty and the mysticism of Dana's conception of a brand new special religious order of women. And I thought of Hildegard. I made the connection then and remember it today.

I've forgotten the name of the order and it doesn't matter because there we had been, little seedlings germinating together all weekend and not knowing that this is who we were to become and now the rest of you have come and we continue to become in our fragile but growing and maturing RCWP.

Today from Canada in rememberance and acknowledgement I pray and I pray with my sisters and brothers here and in Europe:

Today, we ask Wisdom Sophia to further infuse the graces of Spirit Holy into our sister Bishop Dana Reynolds. May the inexhaustible creativity of her patron Hildegard lead her in continued deep spiritual understanding and expression for her own deepening and for the furtherance of our evolving RCWP movement.

May Dana, Joan, Bridget Mary, Regina and Andrea, combine their gifts freely and unabashedly in total freedom and trust, in inclusivity with each other and with us, as we unfold our model of priestly ministry and stand together in solidarity around difficulties that arise.

May we continue to know the complete joy especially begun the morning of the reurrection when Mary Magadalen became the first apostle to the apostles. In knowing Mary's call and empowerment, may we encourage healing and renewal in the spirit of all women especially those who have been oppressed within Church environments and others in their racial and cultural daily realities.

Love to you all,
RCWP Canada and Europe
composed today March 31/09
mbc