Hiding out in a Convent

On Thursday I packed a suitcase and got on another plane. My destination was a little convent in Bez Valley in Johannesburg. The idea was to attend a workshop on Catholic media and communication, and somehow somebody had contrived to find me a space at this meeting at the last minute.

Apart from being Catholic, I am working on an incredibly interesting project that involves Catholic film. The workshop seemed to be just the thing to educate my completely uninformed brain on both my faith and the state of the Catholic media.

My room was simple and clean. The food was plentiful and made with much love. And an honesty shop did a roaring trade in chocolates and curios. Imagine that, a shop where you slip your cash into a money filled box, select your change, and take your purchases. All without supervision!

Add to that, the entire South African Catholic media assembled in the same place as me...

I have always known that my faith and understanding of the Catholic Church is a bit shallow. These four days clearly pointed out that I now know that I don’t know how much I don’t know. Regardless, my new found friends were dynamic, deep, and passionate. The sharing of mass first thing every morning was absolutely beautiful. The laughter was plentiful and the debates lively till the early hours of every morning.

More than anything, I had found a group of kindred spirits. People eager to change the world with the power of the written word, the music of broadcast radio, and the soulfulness of film!

I keep wondering if I have found that special place where I will be able to unleash the talents within me to actively serve my fellow man...