The Ear of the Heart: An Actress' Journey From Hollywood to Holy Vows (79 page)

At the close of my day-long reunion with Dick in 1979, he asked to take a photo of me. We had only five minutes because the bell for Vespers was ringing, so I met him at the gate
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—The late afternoon was unbelievably gray and gloomy, available light almost nonexistent. Still, I began shooting a 36-exposure roll. I had clicked off a fast thirty five frames when Tarah, an abused runaway Weimaraner who had been adopted by the Community as a pup, came up and put her head in Mother Dolores’ lap. I hit the button and our five minutes were up. Back in Los Angeles, the processed roll revealed thirty-five dull, dark and dingy frames. This is the thirty-sixth frame. I sent it to Mother Dolores with a note saying I couldn’t believe how lucky we were.

God just came in and hit me with my key light
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The way we were. With Dick during the work on our 1980 film about Regina Laudis. We were sitting in front of the carpentry shop, which served as our editing studio. Mother Mary Aline took the picture. (She liked Dick.)

With Patricia Neal during a rehearsal of
Anastasia.

To one master I said, “I’m going”, and she said, “Wait.” Lady Abbess taught me the meaning of authority
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To another I said, “I can’t stay”, and she said, “Yes, you can
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I asked, “Oh I see, you win?” She replied, “No, you win!” Mother David taught me the meaning of complementarity
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Lady Abbess had kept letters regarding the founding of Regina Laudis written to her by Pope Paul VI that she wanted to hand-deliver to his successor, John Paul II. I accompanied her to a group papal audience at the Vatican. I so looked forward to meeting this man I admired and with whom I shared the profession of acting
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When the pope entered, he passed slowly through the room, only stopping occasionally to greet someone. When he reached Lady Abbess, he paused for a moment and took the letters she offered, thanked her and gave them to his secretary, then moved on
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I was stunned that he did not give her more time. I thought Lady Abbess’ heart would break at that moment. Without thinking, I grabbed her hand and forged ahead in the line and called out loudly, “But, Your Holiness, I am an actress!
”

Pope John Paul II stopped in his tracks and turned back to us, allowing Lady Abbess to explain the value of the letters she had given over to his care. His Holiness was gracious and warm in his acceptance and once again turned to leave, giving me just a flash of a rather perplexed smile
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It was not easy for Mother Noella, Mother Augusta and Mother Telchilde to attend graduate school while keeping up with their responsibilities at the abbey. I was so pleased that
UConn Traditions,
the University of Connecticut’s alumni magazine, chose to report their story and make them cover girls as well
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Bob and Dolores Hope funded the Our Lady of Hope Chapel at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Mrs. Hope used some old-fashioned Hollywood PR to get me invited to the dedication
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The Story of Noah,
a medieval mystery play that traces its origins to a Benedictine abbey in Chester, England, was presented by oblates much the way it was performed in the Middle Ages, outside, in front of the sheep barn
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Our first theater, a tent we named the Unicorn, was a step above the sheep barn but a long way from what I envisioned
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Our permanent theater, The Gary-The Olivia, was made possible and named by Patricia Neal. (A neighbor, Paul Newman, donated the roof.)