Continuing Journey

It has been exactly two weeks since I moved to New York City. My community has invited me to engage in formation work and so with excitement I leave, though, I am aware too of the sadness I feel for leaving several circles of community in St. Louis. While we were just two in the house we shared, the uniqueness of our community encompassed a union of heart and mind of two distinctive individuals from two religious communities. With that, we lived in the broader community of our neighborhood, that of the Ecovillage, and we also gave space to bring together Sisters 2.0 of St. Louis. I am so grateful for the experience and will miss the deep “organic” sharing with my housemate and companions along the journey, from planting seeds, cultivating and nurturing new growth, to composting figuratively and metaphorically of new possibilities in the different circles of community beyond the borders of our religious communities. Over these last couple of years, I learned that community life offers us with many organic possibilities and enriches us with the gifts of others in different circles. It is humbling to recognize the many treasures of new life and how enriched I have become because of this experience. I will miss St. Louis, my community of two, Sisters 2.0, and the Ecovillage. I hope that my journey to a new place will bring along the fruit of my many learnings and that I will be able to form community with others wherever I go.
--Maco Cassetta

Gratitude and Hope

I said goodbye to my friend and housemate yesterday. I found myself a little numb - grateful, sad, empty, full - grieving.

We started this intercommunity house three years ago. There were several in the discussion, but I was the only one able to move in. It was a year and a half before another sister was able to move in. Then after another year and a half, she was called by her community to move on, and to engage in formation ministry for her community, out-of-state.
It's all good, and I knew it was coming, but I still found myself numb after she drove away. We have had some great conversations, some good times, and it has been great being companions on the journey for a while. I am also looking forward to others who will be able to move in and share this sacred space for community. (Let me know if you're interested)
At this time, I thank God for my wider ecovillage community. They are vibrant, enthusiastic, committed. They are wonderful people. But I am looking forward in hope to having someone to share the more intimate community of the house. Sharing prayer, meals and the projects around the house and garden. Someone to share the ups and downs of ministry and the spiritual life.
We were together for just over a year. And when we can share community for longer, the quality of our being together mellows and matures. It is also critical to have these comings and goings that keep us from growing stale in our relationships.
So it's all good. I love the hopes, the joys, the possibilities that religious life brings me.
Peace,
Amy