Interview with Sr. Bénédicte, Carmélite de Surieu
What does it mean to dedicate one's life to God today, when the lifelong commitment may seem so difficult to envision?
Sister Benedicta made the choice of monastic life and took her solemn vows last year, after nine years of formation and discernment.
In this interview, she looks back with simplicity on her journey, her call to religious life and the joys and demands of life in Carmel. She also shares her perspective on the concerns of our time, commitment, mercy and hope.
Sister Benedicta, you are a Carmelite and you made your solemn profession last year. What could you say about your background?Use Sachet
I had a fairly simple journey, which is not common. Born into a family rooted in faith, the vocation to religious life grew with me. After a few years of a busy student life, I entered Carmel at the age of 21. This decision has disconcerted many... but not those who knew my attraction to the absolute. After 9 years of training and discernment, I took forever the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Use SachetLet's be honest: why would a young woman choose to become a nun today?
Because she knows she is loved. When God grabs us, He sets us free and makes us feel this imperative: He is life. For all, this invites a response. But sometimes, in this meeting, we feel that this response will be more radical, we hear a call to respond to total love with total love. Why? I don't know; maybe God has a way of saying how much He loves humanity!
What surprised you most when you entered the monastery?
The ways of God! Whether in the collapsing certainties or in the opening horizons. The monastic life, through fraternal life in particular, is truly an adventure towards the All-Other.
What does it mean to “dedicate one's life to God”?Use Sachet
Give Him room to fulfill the immensity of His promises, for us, for the world. It requires doing the housework yourself...
Many young people are afraid to commit: how do you live the idea of a choice for life?
I believe that commitment, putting one's life on the line for something other than oneself, is the beauty and fulfillment of human life. But what made the real joy of my commitment was the experience that mistakes and missteps made are the stones of the way. God completely assumed man's failure and changed him into life. Nothing can separate me from God. The essence of my commitment is to always move forward on the path of life, in truth. It is very demanding, but it is above all an ode to mercy.
Do the nuns follow the news, the social issues, the concerns of young people today?
I came in young, with my concerns, those of my generation. I was shaped by this world and it is precisely this piece of the world that I came to offer to the Lord. The link with my friends keeps me in touch with the experience of today, the essential news always comes to us. Perhaps the most important thing is not in the precise knowledge of what is happening, but in the love we have for humanity and in a look of hope for it. This means remaining attentive but also fighting the evil that inhabits this world and that is in us, which requires making certain choices of rupture. We are in Carmel to pray for the world, to live in us the transformation we wish for it.
What brings you the most joy in your daily life?
The hope that everything can turn into joy when you love.
Si you could summarize the vocation of Carmel in one sentence, what would it be?
Edith Stein says it very well: "Stand before God for all". I'm just saying: in love.
