Download - Ruah Center at Villa de Matel

Ruah cannot be translated by any single Englishword. It is a Hebrew word that sometimes indicatesbreath of life force, wind, the movement of air, orspirit. In Hebrew scripture “ruah elohim” is thecreative wind of the Lord. We use circular shapes assymbols for Ruah. The circle was an ancient Christiansymbol for God, community and the universe.Our circles are in motion, suggestive of T.S. Eliot’s“still point in a turning world,” the silent centerbeing God and the circular motion being our turningaround and focusing on our creative center. Inthe east, the circle is a symbol of enlightenment.of the buildings and grounds of Villa de Matel torepurpose unused spaces.In November 1986, the idea that eventuallycame to the fore was the possibility of initiating aministry that would be in continuity with the spiritualityof the Congregation and serve the Sistersand others. Sister Mary Adeline O’Donoghue wasRUAH CENTERITS SHORT HISTORY ANDDEVELOPMENTBeginningsIn the mid-1980s, the leadership of the Congregationof the Sisters of Charity of the IncarnateWord became increasingly aware that Villa deMatel, the Congregation’s Motherhouse, had spacethat could be better utilized. The Villa, located on65 acres in Southeast Houston, had housed mostof the initial formation programs for postulantsand novices since 1925. However, in the late1970s and 80s, women entering the Congregationin Central America and Africa were receiving theirinitial formation experiences within their own cultures,and here in the U.S.A., the initial formationprogram had been relocated from the Villa to betterimplement goals of formation in light of the callof Vatican II. Once busy classrooms, offices anddorm rooms were sitting empty much of the time.Moreover, the Villa Chapel had become known as aplace of prayer, beauty and outstanding acoustics. Itwas attractingmany in thearea. In thatcontext theleadershipheard the callto explore howto responsiblyshare thebeauty andspaciousnessasked to explore the spiritual offering most neededin the Houston area and to research what someother Motherhouses had done with their spacesas numbers of those entering their way of lifedecreased. The only specific direction she was givenby the Congregation’s Leadership Team was thatthe new entity ought not to duplicate what retreatcenters in the Houston area were already doingwell. To Sister Mary Adeline, who was missionedto be director of the new ministry, it was clearthat whatever was initiated ought to not activelycompete with these centers.The first step Sister Adeline took was togather a diverse group from the Houston areawho would listen with her and other members ofthe Congregation to discern needs and to focus apossible ministry. She explained to the group thedirection she had been given and many meetingsensued. The process yielded a mission statementwhich was approved by the General Superior,Sister Jean Ann Godsell and the Council. Thatstatement reads that the new ministry of theSisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word was tofocus particularly on promoting the recreation ofthe human spirit. Its primary work was to plan towelcome individuals and groups who seek healing