The good news is I am back at home slowly recovering from my surgery. The really lovely news is the amount of prayer and support I received. The dull and ordinary part is that it is a slow recovery and I am having to take things easily.
On my return one morning I looked out my window as the sun rose and the light truly lifted my spirits. It was so good to be home!
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| Early morning from my room |
A little later in the day looking the other way I took another shot:
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| From my room towards the oratory |
About a week ago Tony and Andrea Ward visited and we were able to place the beautiful tabernacle Tony had made from red cedar and the icons of Our Lady of Kazan and St John the Baptist, the forerunner.
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| The oratory |
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| Icon of Our Lady |
The icon of Our Lady of Kazan shows great tenderness. It was previously in our chapel in Box Hill. It was obviously venerated by the family who first owned it who placed the silver reza over her clothing and that of Jesus. Andrea did wonders cleaning the silver and the woodwork (the result of votive candles). Tony has renovated the box frames of the icons and made them secure. Blessings on these friends and those who have donated other items to our priory. These include the lovely dining table and chairs and sideboard in our dining room and the lounge chairs that are there as well.
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| The tabernacle |
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| Icon of St John the Baptist |
The icon of St Joh the Baptist shows him as the father of monks, standing in the desert and proclaiming the coming of the Saviour. It was previously in our chapel in Brisbane and then here in Varroville. I apologise that the photos are not good. I did not use my camera as I wanted this to be a quick catch up exercise.
Today we have a group of Secular Franciscans with us on retreat and celebrating the feast of St Clare. However, it is blustery and cold. I had a look at the building work on priory this afternoon and took these photos:
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| Looking towards the garage and store with various offices in the foreground |
Behind the garage and storage space we will have a covered drying area for our washing. It is adjacent tot he laundry.
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| Drying space with rooms beyond |
Since March we have also been refurbishing the retreat centre. This is now nearing completion. Here are some pictures of the new prayer room which is now taking shape.
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| Window ready to receive a stained glass window of the Living Flame |
The prayer room will focus on the tabernacle which will hold the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharistic presence of Christ. There will also be a set of Carmelite icons on the walls and a special window, the work of Adelaide artist Cedar Prest, of the Living Flame of St John of the Cross, which is from our chapel in Box Hill.
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| Tabernacle recess |
We have placed the Spiritual canticle windows by Cedar Prest in the link corridor between the retreat accommodation and the conference room, dining room etc.. The windows are beautiful and repay a close examination in light of St John of the Cross's Poem- The Spiritual Canticle. They add greatly to the beauty of the retreat centre. The windows begin with the soul with heart inflamed beginning her search for her beloved whom she has lost
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| The first window from the Spiritual Canticle series |
The soul searches through thickets and fields asking if anyone has seen the beloved and if he has left any trace.
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| Seond window |
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| The Corridor |
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| A vire of the corridor from a quiet space |
The final windows tells of encounter of the beloved and the lover and transformation of the lover into the beloved in the limitless joy, glory and joy of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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| Final window of the Spiritual Canticle |
The work of placing the windows is not yet finished and the corridor will look very different with carpet. The work continues but should be complete in a week or two. The priory itself should be complete in mid-September. The truth is we are still moving in and finding out how to live well in the priory.
Right now, I will do my best to live well by heading back to my room to continue my rest and recuperation!
