On previous trips to Orcas we had noted with much curiosity
that when the ferry lands at Shaw Island, the docks are tended
by nuns in their habits. Is is an amusing site to see the nuns wearing
orange life vests and manipulating the huge hydraulic ramps. It occurred
to me that it would be nice to attend Christmas mass at their
priory. When I got home, I started some research on the Internet and
found a reference to a community of Benedictine nuns that celebrate a
weekly mass sung in Gregorian Chant. This would be perfect for our
Christmas, especially for the grandkids who had never experienced such a
service. I sent a letter to Mother Hildegard of the Priory
of Our Lady of the Rock and asked permission for our family to attend
their service. I got an email back with a warm welcome, and greatly anticipated our Christmas morning odyssey to their chapel.
This turned out to be one of the most moving and lovely
Christmas celebrations. We rose early in the morning, dressed-up for
Christmas mass, packed and decorated the ham we were bringing to the nuns
and piled in the SUV. We dove to the ferry landing through the
serene early morning dew-covered landscape of Orcas, even the more quiet
on this sacred day. The pastoral Crow Valley was especially
beautiful with the large red barn where Nordstrom Lane crosses the
valley. The ferry ride was only 15 minuets, but it gave the
grandkids a chance to call their mom and dad since we had cell phone
coverage on the boat.
As
we headed up from the doc, we assumed we would be seeing the sister operating
the lift at mass. Not so. It wasn't until later that we found
out that there are two priories on this tiny island! One is just
four nuns and operates the doc (and possibly the general store and post
office, since they live above that building). They are Franciscan nuns. The Benedictine nuns were located up in the center of
the island on a farm.
Just off the ferry, rounding a bend, I slammed on the
breaks. There directly in front of us, not more than 20 feet and at eye
level was a huge, mature male bald eagle perched on a tree above the bay
below. We were so excited! One of the kids was on the phone
with their mom or dad and gave a running account. I was going for
the camera as a lone jogger was coming down the hill towards
us. I tried to motion her to stop, but was unsuccessful, and the
magnificent bird took off displaying his amazing wingspan. It turned
out, save for the nuns, that this was one of only about ten people we saw on the
entire island!
As
we entered the gate of the Benedictine nuns' farm we passed wooly and
shaggy rare Highland cattle and lamas,
were chased by a pair of dogs and proceeded up through the woods to the
priory. We were stunned by what we found. It is an incredibly
beautiful and very modern complex constructed in a simple Japanese motif.
The high walls around the priory are made of logs stacked as if in a casual
wood pile. The top row had naturally sprouted new saplings,
integrating it perfectly with the woods.
The
entrance to the chapel is simple and serene, invoking contemplation. As
the bell tolled to summon the nuns to mass, a pick-up truck sped up the
dirt road, wheeling to a stop, the same 
barking
dogs jumping out of the back. The driver was a nun, in her work habit
covered in a long apron. Obviously coming from the fields. She
headed in to change. Sister Hildegard came to greet us, and the kids
presented her with the ham, which she said they would enjoy on New Years
Day.
The inside of the chapel is absolutely striking in its
simplicity. The back wall has two large windows inviting the
surrounding woods to be part of the service; between them is a large crucifix.
The small room is divided into two sections separated by a screen made of
thin and delicate bamboo. 
The
cloistered colony of just eight nuns stays behind the screen. The public
part has only two rows of pews. The feeling is open and evokes the
closeness of God to nature.
When the nuns entered and began to chant the mass, we
were ever so grateful to have been invited. It was beautiful.
An amusing anecdote: the mass celebrated by the nuns is not a totally Latin
mass, but instead the priest says the mass in English and the nuns chanted
the Kerie, Gloria, Angus Dei and the like in Latin.
About the same amount of Latin in many of our masses at St. Ignatius in
San Francisco. A few weeks before we came, Bob mentioned to one of
the nuns at the grandkids' school that we would be attending a Gregorian
mass at this remote priory. "Renegade nuns," came
the reply. "They're not V II compliant!" Well. She
was wrong, and amusing. It was truly memorable. Some images
linger: when the priest held
up the Eucharist and wine, one of the nuns struck a most mellifluous Japanese
gong. After mass Sister Hildergard came out to bid us good-by. We were
so enriched by the experience, and I know that it will stay with our
grandkids for the rest of their lives.
We had quite a bit of time before a ferry back to
Orcas, so we toured the island. If you want remote, Shaw is for
you. The only store we saw was the general store and post office at the ferry
landing. The rest of the island is very rural with farms and
vacation homes and is quite sparsely settled. It is stunningly
beautiful. As we waited for the ferry, we met one of the Franciscan
nuns who invited us to view their chapel. Another beautiful revelation! A similar feeling of uniting God with nature, this
chapel takes its theme from the sea. An entire knotty pine interior,
with nautical fixtures, stumps of logs for seats, a large center-cut of a
tree as an altar and, again, a large window to invite in the
seascape.
