Actual photographic evidence of my journey!
On Sunday morning I set forth in the frigid morning, snow falling and began to drive the two hours from my house to Rutland, VT. My objective was to go visit Caminante, to worship with her at her church and to then break bread in another way.
For a little history, I had visited Caminante in August 2008 when she was living further north in Vermont. A few months later she moved to Rutland and it seemed that we might see more of each other. Sadly, time and circumstances conspired otherwise and it took us until now to pull this blogger meet up off.
For those who do not know her, Caminante, she is an Episcopal priest and has been for almost 16 years; this month is her ordination anniversary. Knowing her and being in this online church with her has given me great comfort and joy.
It is entirely unlikely that I would become an Episcopalian, but my Catholic life is tremendously enriched by all my Episcopal and Anglican blogfriends. Who understands these things? Not I - but I revel in the grace that results from it all.
The driving was treacherous but not the worst I have ever been in. I would have turned around if I thought I could not do it. My two hour trip was more like two and a half hours and that is not so bad! I was reminded of my August visit and the rich green of Vermont as I drove through the white-out version!
The interior of Trinity Rutland.
The liturgy was beautiful; she presides so beautifully and her preaching is truly wonderful. You can read her sermon if you visit this link to her church blog. The message of her sermon illustrated that we are a pilgrim people, a pilgrim church. She touched on matters of the Incarnation and I will now want to be barefoot in church more often; she weaves in the power of community and mission. Oh the simple truth of the notion that there is no church of one. I found it brilliant.
This is the smaller chapel space, very beautiful and prayerful.
It is very edifying for me to hear a woman proclaim the Gospel, to preach and to preside at the table of the Lord. It is a reminder that our time and our plans are not God's time or God's plans. It is a theme of my life that things that are unlikely or unexpected happen all the time. So while I put no money on these matters happening quickly in my own church, I can take solace in that the fact that they likely will at some point.
Thanks be to God. (see below to meet some of Caminante's kitties!)
Fran, the idea of you two spending the day together delights me!!! Thanks for starting my day with a big old grin!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post -- the next time we are in Rutland we will surely attend services there.
ReplyDelete(Church nerd, indeed!)
Welcome to the Open Tabernacle as a full contributor Fran and rest assured you are a most welcome addition.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Fran. I've had the pleasure of meeting and breaking bread with Caminante at GC09, but I've never experienced her preaching and presiding at the Eucharist. I'd love to one of these days.
ReplyDeleteOh, Fran, thank you for this. I'm so glad you had a beautiful time with your friend Caminante.
ReplyDeleteYou remind me of a time I went to an ecumenical healing mass at Holy Trinity Church in Geneva.
The healing went very well, until mass began and the presider turned out to be Sue Nightingale, the Associate Pastor. Tears started then to run down my cheeks. I realized that my 'healing' was watching her, a woman, at the altar saying those words that are so familiar. In this case, however, they were said by a woman.
As I left, I thanked her and told her what had happened to me. She turned toward the Episcopalian priest and explained, She comes from John XXIII Center...
Clare and I share having walked the Camino de Santiago, right?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if those kitties of hers are aware of her proximity to God?
ReplyDeleteJust wondering...
Thanks for your comment. I *think* that I found you through Meredith Gould's blog, one way or another.
ReplyDeleteThis post is striking as I have been working on a post about the need for community since a priest on Christmas questioned why anyone would go to Mass.
It seems to me (and I am still quite young and honestly ignorant) that what you write of could be the flip side of Catholic unity. In the same way that there is something uniquely special about Christians in communion with Rome, there is also something about being a Christian which means that no schism can fully separate us from each other, and from our need for each other.
This post makes me want to take a road trip.
ReplyDelete:-)