At the Assembly for the Province of Mid-North America held from March 11 to 13 in St. Louis, USA, Sr. Beth Garciano gave a talk on God’s visible abiding Love, which the church gives to contemplatives through a constitutional enclosure. We share her words below.

“Let justice roll on like a river. Righteousness is like a never-failing stream!

                                                                         _{Amos 5:24}

 The call to live enclosure is not exclusive to contemplatives; it is a call extended to all Christians who have received the sacrament of baptism and have committed to living as children of God. This commitment requires nurturing our ability to listen to God’s voice within and among us. We are called to listen attentively to God’s active presence and to obey his promptings and guidance.

 In keeping with his promises of old, God, in the fullness of time, turned his gaze upon his Word. He called Joseph and Mary with mercy and compassion, whose relationships with him he knew, to bring us the Word made flesh. Despite their doubts, they fully trusted the message of an angel and lived with fidelity to the call entrusted to them.

On March 10, 1956, the day I was baptized, my covenant relationship with God began through the water of baptism. This relationship continues to grow through eucharistic union with him. God’s sacred presence seizes my attention and reveals that my soul is part of God’s Spirit, guiding me to discover the divine purpose instilled within me. This purpose helps me accept suffering and navigate life’s difficulties, trials, and temptations. It serves as a vehicle for my inner transformation and wholeness. Even so, I seek angelic assistance to see and understand the truth.

As I continue to discover and rediscover the essence and substance of my existence as a contemplative, the enclosure of the heart becomes my being – a sublime gesture that honors God. Our Constitutions state that we commit ourselves, and that enclosure is a sign and an expression of our exclusive attention to God. _{(Art. 43).} Our mission is to love and seek God above all else. _{(Art. 52.1)}

This essential element is a powerful tool for achieving goals and fostering relationships with God and others. Prayer, repentance, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and reconciliation are the actions and the fruits of a contemplative life. They illuminate our unique role in the world and help reveal God’s enduring love and plan of salvation within our global community, even during challenging times.

I want to be fully alive, to experience a deep connection with the divine source, and to share life creatively with others. This journey embodies the Theo-drama in which I actively participate as a member of the religious community. It reflects the mission entrusted to me and the Church, signifying my place and role in God’s story.

I hope that by being a devoted spouse throughout my life, God will grant me the grace to stand firm against any misuse of the sacred nature of his gift of unconditional love. This journey is lifelong – it is a journey of continual growth and understanding.

In today’s global community, the complexity and busyness of our lives have led to a devaluation of enclosure. We often find ourselves consumed by our struggles, making it difficult to feel the sun’s warmth that could lighten our emotional burdens. We witness various forms of abuse, divisive political and social issues, and pressing challenges such as climate change. The spread of “fake news,” biases, and misinformation often serve as tools for unjust actions and rationalizations. As a result, we become increasingly separated from the One who created us, breathed life into us, and sacrificed himself for us.

As we transition towards becoming a new region, we are committed to sharing the universal culture of justice. We focus on promoting diversity, belonging, equity, healing, and reconciliation among ourselves. It is essential to integrate the dimensions of our spirituality and charism, knowing that our quality of being directly influences the quality of our actions. We strive to cultivate positive relationships among ourselves, speaking truthfully and remaining united in love for our personal growth and that of others.

As we strive to become that new creation to which God has called us, let us have a lively hope, as hope is the promise that God fulfills! There is always hope when we trust one another. There is hope when we have listened to his call and followed his guidance, united on this journey to “our place in the sun”.