The silent, praying sisterhood

I If prayers have the ability to change the world by balancing strife with peace, then tucked away in a quiet corner of

Vasco’s Chicalim

, is a powerful hub generating the much-needed positive energy. The hub is a convent housing the Cloistered Carmel, an order of Roman Catholic nuns, who have chosen to live in voluntary seclusion, spending most of their days in contemplative meditation and prayers.

Their existence is the very antithesis of the hustle and bustle associated with everyday life as they reside mostly in silence, frequently praying.

In this day and age, them choosing to live like hermits may be difficult to comprehend, but the deeply spiritual nuns have found a deeper meaning to life and its realities, one divorced from materialistic desires.

However, the 17 inhabitants of the convent haven’t totally severed contact with the world. They have a literal porthole of communication through which the world can reach out to them. A wrought-iron grille separates the nuns seated in an austere parlour within the inner sanctum, from the supplicants on the outside. A large drawer built into the wall, under the grille, goes back and forth to facilitate exchanges. While nobody is permitted to enter the convent, exceptions are made in the case of ecclesiastical and civil authorities, doctors and workmen, says the sister superior Theresita.

The nuns are not permitted to communicate with one another except through sign language or written notes, though sister Theresita says there is a recreation break provided daily, prior to lunch and after dinner, when the nuns interact , sharing their daily burden.

Living 365 days of the year with only yourself, the same handful of people, and the same thoughts, feelings and reactions, day in and day out, cannot be an easy task and must require immense mental strength and discipline. Cloistered nuns acknowledge that a life apart from the world is not for everyone and the process of joining a cloistered community reflects this reality. The process takes years, beginning with the formation years that can extend from between nine to 12 years for an aspirant. The aspirant then undergoes one year of postulancy followed by a two-year noviciate, where the first vows of the profession are taken. This is followed by another four years of juniorate prior to taking the final solemn vows.

Asked what draws them to the cloister, a young nun in her early twenties, who joined the convent two years ago, says, “It is God’s call that attracted me to join this Cloistered Carmel convent in Chicalim that is the only one of its kind in Goa. Although I resided nearby, I was unaware of the convent and the cloistered life the nuns led. While attending a religious retreat, I was inspired by a Biblical quote to become a nun so I spoke to the superior (convent incharge) who suggested that I experience three months living among them.”

The nuns do not leave the inner sanctum unless there is some mitigating circumstance, such as a sickness. There are nuns who are designated as ‘externs’ who do the shopping, drive the nuns to doctor’s appointments and carry out interface with visitors. However, all the nuns do cast their vote. The Chicalim monastery has 15 cloistered Carmels and two externs.

The cloistered nuns also recite the three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, similar to other Catholic priests and nuns. What sets them apart, however, is their main charism (objective), which is of living a life in contemplation and solitude in union with God through

prayer

offered in silence. Unlike their other religious colleagues, they do not have any active apostolate such as teaching or administering to the sick, etc, and they spend most of their time in silence and constant prayer.

And, flooded with prayer requests they are. These pour in through phone calls, emails, letters and personal visits and cover the entire gamut of existential woes, from financial ones to relationships, also encompassing exam results, court cases and such. No calamity is too private or shameful to be divulged to the nuns, who pray for it with the concentration of the closeted.

These nuns are also expert needlework artistes. And, why not? After all, needlework is silent and meditative, and allows for impromptu prayers. In Goa, for over six decades, the cloister was the go-to place for wedding trousseaux that comprised embroidered table covers, mantle runners, doilies, bedsheets, etc. Today, they have discontinued accepting such orders as many of the talented nuns have either aged or passed away.

Likewise, they have also stopped accepting orders for bridal floral bouquets, stitching vestments for priests and painting altar cloths for churches. Poultry farming, too, has come to a halt with the nuns restricting themselves to preparing the communion hosts (sacred wafers taken at mass) for surrounding parishes.

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