CommunityBy Elizabeth “Betty” Meyette, Dominican Associate
“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”~ Dorothy Day
When I meditate, I use the Loving Kindness Meditation. I start with “May I be kind. May I be grateful. May I be open. May I be healthy.” Then, I broaden my prayer, first to family and friends, then to local groups, expanding to state, nation, world, cosmos. But as I ponder Community, I reverse that and first think broadly, then I narrow to groups that are closer to my everyday life.
In the past, when I heard the word, “Community,” my first thought was of civic organizations like Feeding America or the United Way. But since I became a Dominican Associate in 2018, I have a deeper appreciation of the concept of Community and its connection to the other three pillars: Prayer, Service, and Study.
My husband Rich and I recently participated in the “Hands Off” rally. It was inspiring to be surrounded by others who fought for justice and who gathered that day to create a common voice. Almost every day I call my Congressional representatives and the leaders of the House and Senate using the 5calls.org app. These are two ways I work with the broader Community for social justice.
Moving to smaller communities, I am blessed to be a part of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids Sunday Assembly at Marywood. Worshiping with the sisters and members who attend has been a major step in my spiritual journey. This inclusive community with its sharp focus on social justice includes many courageous people who have walked the talk at the risk of punishment, even incarceration. They have inspired me to do the same.
Two groups that I am so grateful for formed during COVID. One I call our “Little Church,” and one I call “Anam Cara.” When Sunday Assembly could no longer meet in person, a group of us met via Zoom to pray and discuss how that Sunday’s reading affected us. Our Little Church grew very close, as people do with deep and meaningful conversation. We continue to meet regularly and have supported each other during times of celebration as well as times of illness and death.
Anam Cara also formed during Covid. We are a small group of women who started meeting twice a month to share our spiritual journey. We also share what’s going on in our lives, what we are reading and events we might enjoy together. One of our group volunteers at In the Image, a no cost outlet for clothing, housewares, and furniture for people in need. We joined her as a volunteer team one day.
Being part of the Dominican Associates Community blends Community with the other pillars of Prayer, Study, and Service. When I attend meetings, I always discover new pearls of wisdom. It might be from a formal presentation, or it might be during small group sharing. At these meetings I meet Associates I didn’t know before, and I’m always amazed at how we connect at a meaningful level. An exciting thing that happened recently was how so many of us resonated with the presentation by three Aquinas graduates who want to establish a local Worker Home. Our enthusiasm to support this endeavor is emblematic of our desire to turn our Community, Prayer, and Study into Service.
When we moved to Grand Rapids in 2015, we did not know anyone but our daughter and her family. It was a stark contrast from our previous home where we were very involved and well known. Sometimes concepts are best described by their lack, and that feeling of isolation gave sharp contrast to being part of a community. Now we are blessed to once again be part of the gift that is Community.
About the Author: Elizabeth Meyette discerned and made her commitment to Dominican Associate Life with the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids in 2018. Earlier this year at a retreat for new Associates, she shared this reflection. She is a retired educator and an author of “a little mystery…a little history…a little romance” ranging from paranormal mystery to historical romance to children’s books. Her poetry has been featured in several literary journals. Her books are available at independent bookstores, Thrift Books, and Amazon. We are blessed by her presence. The opening quotation is from the book Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist