St Bruno one of our Holy Hermits of history, has a lot to teach us.
The order he founded is one of the oldest and most contemplative, where men and women lead lives of prayerful solitude, in community, with one another. They are alone, with God, together!
It's called the Carthusian order and the motto is: Stat crux dum volvitur orbis = “The Cross is steady while the world is turning”. Jesus is the anchor that the Carthusians centre themselves on, and the one constant we can all be assured of in turmoil - God loves us!
If you would like to learn more about the contemplative life of St Bruno and the Carthusians then here are some links:
- Bruno's story told by the Irish Catholics: https://www.catholicireland.net/saintoftheday/st-bruno-of-cologne-1035-1101-priest-and-the-first-carthusian-monk/ An article written in April about what the Carthusians can teach us during pandemic: https://aleteia.org/2020/04/01/theres-a-lesson-we-need-to-learn-from-the-carthusians-especially-now/
- A vocational interview and description page about what it is to become a Carthusian hermit: http://www.vocatiochartreux.org/THE%20JOY%20OF%20BEING%20A%20CARTHUSIAN%20MONK.html
- A schedule or "day in the life of" a Carthusian monk - so interesting!: https://www.chartreux.org/en/monks/carthusian-day.php If you're really into it
- An award winning full feature film 2005 by a German film maker who was gifted the rare opportunity to get a taste of the internal life in a Carthusian charterhouse (in the French alps) (more info in YouTube description): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094I4UVjyFg&ab_channel=MaximilianMaryKolbe
