Entertaining Angels--the movie

We watched this movie last night, about the life of Dorothy Day, who started up the Catholic Worker movement. We were shown a clip of the movie at the Clergy Couples Retreat at the beginning of May. Oh yeah, I promised to tell you about that and haven't yet....it was basically perfect in every way, and I don't know what to really report about it, other than the location was wonderful--Asilomar was the perfect place for such a retreat--and the speaker was great--Dr. Stephen Muse, a psychologist, started with places I knew and was familiar with but then launched into something totally new and wonderful. He's written books--I haven't read any of them yet, but I'd recommend them if they're anything like his presentations. And the rapport between the attendees was wonderful. There have been some shake-ups in this diocese in the last couple of years, and also there is great mistrust of psychology and touchy-feely things from some quarters of our clergy community, but I think just the right mix of people were there to make bonding as couples really a good thing. We've never before had any get-together of clergy *couples*--we usually meet as wives or as priests, but never together. It's been suggested for years but this was the first time we actually did it. And I can guarantee you that all the people present will make sure it isn't the last!

Anyway, back to the movie--it was an interesting glimpse of the life of Dorothy Day and how she got started doing what she did. It made me interested enough to want to pick up a book about Dorothy Day and find out more about her. Paul's been interested in her for years, and our friend Jim Forest wrote a book about her that I know has to be in the house somewhere....unless Paul took it to the church with him. I'll find out...

And Jim Forest is the founder of Orthodox Peace Fellowship, and we had a great conference over the weekend, albeit without Jim. He is in poor health and couldn't make the trip. He lives in Holland, though we found out he was in the states, but visiting family, not coming out here. He worked as the editor for The Catholic Worker newspaper for a time, and knew Dorothy Day personally.

We've been involved with the Catholic Worker house here in Portland for the last 9 months or so, and have immensely enjoyed getting to know the people and the work of this ministry. They have their potlucks on the first Monday of each month, and then discuss what everyone is doing, the work in the house (they provide a place to live for women transitioning from prison or homelessness) and needs of the community. It's about the closest to sharing everything in common that I've personally been involved with.