Withdrawal from the world

I was looking up today’s saint, the Franciscan St Leonard of Porto Maurizio (1676-1751), known throughout Italy for his missions and retreats, and came across this on the Catholic Ireland website: ‘Leonard realised that he needed time to pray alone, and so he regularly began to make use of the ritiri (houses of recollection) that he helped establish throughout Italy. The first he founded in 1710 on a peak in the mountains where he and his assistants could retire from time to time after missions and devote themselves to spiritual renewal and fresh austerities.’  This reminded me of the references to Carmelite deserts I have seen without knowing much about them - and I found this on Wikipedia: ‘Thomas á Jesu OCD (1564 – 1627) was a Discalced Carmelite and writer on mystical theology who is principally known for establishing the Carmelite hermitages known as "deserts" …  Thomas's deserts were in the tradition of the 16th-century Carmelite reform movement, facilitating intensive, personal, deep relationships with God. They were inspired by the life of the first Carmelites who lived on Mount Carmel …. He founded the first in Bolarque, Spain, in the summer of 1592.  A desert consisted of about 24 small apartments, each with its own walled garden, and a common chapel, kitchen/refectory and library.  Four hermits lived there permanently, while the remainder of spaces were occupied by priests from elsewhere who were allowed to spend one year living the desert life, after applying and being deemed able to withstand the strict rules.  The monks maintained absolute silence. They recited the Divine Office and spent their time in prayer and manual labour. They ate a vegetarian diet and practised fasting.  Even smaller buildings dotted around the property … were used for monks who wished to live in total isolation for Advent or Lent.’

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon B, Catherine, Richard Parker

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

Mark – brain infection

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

RIP Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, Wojtek, Joy Smith OCDS