Nazarena: An American Anchoress

Rating:
Summary: a well written book about a difficult life
Review: This is a book that startles you with an account of a life of faith and sacrifice. Thomas Matus is a camaldolese monk{a branch of the benedictine order} who found himself literally stumbling upon this story.A happy well adjusted young american girl named Julia crotta had a mystical vision summoning her to the desert. the desert for her became a small room in a camaldolese monastery in Italy where she lived as a hermit{or anchoress} the next 45 years. Fr. Matus{author of the vey interesting Romulald and the Five Brothers, a history of the origins of the camaldolese order] tells his tale without the nod and wink of "moderrn" sensibilities. He BELIEVES in what sister Nazarena felt, so he begins his tale from that angle.No other angle would make sense] This is an almost uncomfortable story of faith,where someone gives up LITERALLY everything for their faith. Her life in the convent was not one of luxoury or ease[she made it more rigorous,anyway} This is the story of one who took the gospel call seriously, and it the opposite of any fundamentalism. That is what makes me so uncomfortable, and what makes this book so memorable.A very unique perspective on faith ,and what it costs.

Rating:
Summary: A call not commonly heard
Review: This story will seem very, very strange to most contemporary folk. The call that this American girl heard, the call to a form of hermitism, is not commonly discerned these days. This woman, this professionally trained musician, believed that God called her to total reclusion. After unsuccessful attempts in the Carmelite order, she finally found her place among the Camaldolese nuns of the convent of St. Antony in the Desert in Rome. There she lived in seclusion, even from the nuns, for 45 years. Why? Read this book if you want an interesting look at this woman who stands as a challenge to our modern values.

Rating:
Summary: A call not commonly heard
Review: This story will seem very, very strange to most contemporary folk. The call that this American girl heard, the call to a form of hermitism, is not commonly discerned these days. This woman, this professionally trained musician, believed that God called her to total reclusion. After unsuccessful attempts in the Carmelite order, she finally found her place among the Camaldolese nuns of the convent of St. Antony in the Desert in Rome. There she lived in seclusion, even from the nuns, for 45 years. Why? Read this book if you want an interesting look at this woman who stands as a challenge to our modern values.