A Classless Community

In a world where there is competition for places of honor and for special forms of respect, the Rule proposes a somewhat classless society. The elders and the young service each other, side by side. The PhD and the high school graduate work together on committees to serve the whole. In our community, even the Prioress can be found scrubing pots and pans along with the novice. This service to community and to one another is essential for building relationships and for recognizing the dignity and the value of work and the worker.

It takes a fair amount of humility to be willing to put on an apron, roll up sleeves and get involved in the "daily" tasks of life...especially for those of us who have spent most of our lives either in a classroom or an office. There is a healthiness and a wholesome aspect of participating in the more mundane events, in listening to the stories shared, in getting to know one another in a new way--without titles, or fascades. As the holidays approach I look forward to spending more time just be-ing with our community.

Sr. Catherine