Email to a potential hermit

Here is an email I sent earlier today to a person considering a vocation to the eremitic (read "hermit") life. NB: The email has been edited for purposes of anonymity and confidentiality.

Hello _____.

As for your discernment process: Know that your secret is safe with me until such time as you decide to go public. I'm not the best person to recommend something re: your discernment process to the eremitic life. I am probably the least well-read hermit and certainly the least experienced (in terms of time-in-vocation) of all the hermits in the diocese.

What I do know is that women and men who are practicing their eremitic vocation are all over the map with regards to how they practice. I know of a hermit in the archdiocese of Philadelphia who lives in an previously abandoned row-house in North Philadelphia, the poorest, most drug infested and dangerous section of the city. I know of hermits, like Srs. _______ and ____ , who live in cabins secluded in the woods.

Some solitaries believe that being canonically recognized is of the utmost importance, a recognition by the Church of the authenticity of their vocation. On the other hand, not a few solitaries I know think of canonical recognition as a load of crap, an attempt by the hierarchy of the Church to "micro-manage" them.

Some solitaries--living off monies coming from their religious order, or retirement income, other pensions, or kept financially afloat by the generosity of benefactors--do not leave their hermitage except to run quick errands and/or attend mass at a nearby parish. Others must work a minimal amount of hours [in a secular or church profession] to pay the bills.

Many hermits remain in near-total solitude for the better part of every hour of every day, believing, (rightly so), that this is their primary vocation. Many others leave their hermitage as they feel lead. These solitaries believe, (rightly so), they must follow the promptings of the Lord to go as and where the Holy Spirit sends them to serve the needs of God's People.

(St. Francis of Assisi lived as such in the early stages of his religious life before "the Lord sent [him] brothers. " And countless spiritual sons and daughters of St. Francis have lived as "apostolic hermits" their entire religious life.)

Finally, hermits, if not careful, can become rather judgmental of their sister and brother solitaries who do not live the eremitic life in the way they themselves do. Alas, the virus of pride can infect even those of us vowed to the humble existence of a hermit. LOL!!

All that said, here are some links that might prove of some passing interest to you:

http://www.hermitary.com/

http://www.ravensbreadministries.com/

http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com/
(Sr. Laural is something of a scholar on the theology of the eremitic life.)

Hope something in all the above has been helpful to you. Know that I hold you in my heart in prayer in a special way during this Holy Week and beyond.

Pax et Bonum,
Brother Rex, just another raggedy-ass Franciscan