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CREATED:20250926T122542
DESCRIPTION: Life\nWendy Mary Beckett was born on February 25\, 1930\, in 
 South Africa\, but raised in Edinburgh\, Scotland\, where her father was s
 tudying medicine. In 1946 she joined a Roman Catholic order of nuns devote
 d to education\, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The convents maintain
 ed a strict code of silence at this time\, prior to the Second Vatican Cou
 ncil (1962-65). Sister Wendy completed her novitiate in England where she 
 enrolled at the University of Oxford\, graduating with top honours in Engl
 ish literature in 1954\, later followed by a teaching diploma in Liverpool
 . She then returned to South Africa\, at first teaching English and Latin 
 in a Catholic girls’ convent in Constantia\, Cape Town\, followed by a t
 ime lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg\, whe
 re she was also appointed superior to the local convent.  \nIn 1970 Siste
 r Wendy returned to England due to ill-health and was granted papal permis
 sion to become a consecrated virgin and hermit. She initially lived in a c
 aravan\, on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk\, which was la
 ter replaced by a mobile home. Her life was dedicated to solitude and pray
 er\, with two hours per day of work to earn her living.  \nArt\nAfter spe
 nding some years translating Medieval Latin scripts\, in 1980 Sister Wendy
  turned her interest to art\, writing several books with the first publish
 ed in 1988.\nThe BBC became interested in her in 1991\, and commissioned h
 er to present a television documentary on the National Gallery in London. 
 This was so successful that it became a regular program\, continuing until
  2001\, when due to her declining health\, she withdrew for a life of soli
 tude again\, occasionally making appearances\, while writing a number of b
 ooks on both religion and religious art.\nShe donated all her earnings to 
 the Carmelite order.  \nA musical called Postcards from God: The Sister W
 endy Musical\, was performed in England in 2007-08.  \nTeachings\n"God ne
 ver sends suffering. Never. It is never "God's will" that we should suffer
 . God would like us not to suffer. But since the world brings suffering\, 
 and since God refuses to use His almighty power and treat us as foolish ch
 ildren\, He aligns Himself with us\, goes into Auschwitz with us\, is deva
 stated by 9/11 with us\, and draws us with Him through it all into fulfill
 ment. This is a high price to pay for our human freedom\, but it is worth 
 it. To be mere automatons for whom God arranges the world to cause us no s
 uffering would mean we never have a self. We could not make choices."   
 \n"Scripture tells us that one of the great joys of entering heaven will b
 e that God will call us by our name. In fact\, God is the only one who rea
 lly knows our name\, the full dimensions of our name\, because it is only 
 He who knows us absolutely. We do not even know ourselves (but sometimes m
 ake unpleasant discoveries). But God knows us through and through\; all of
  us\, good and bad."   \n"We were created to be fully human - a lifetime
  effort - and using our minds intelligently and reverently is essential to
  full humanhood. But Rushdie talks throughout of making something sacred\,
  whereas there is another kind of sacrality that exists of its own right."
    \n"You are not a saint because you keep the rules and are blameless\;
  you are a saint if you live in the real world\, going out and loving the 
 real people God has put into your life."   \n"There is no life without w
 ork\, anxieties or tensions. Peace is not found in avoiding these but in u
 nderstanding them and controlling their force."   \n"Looking at art is o
 ne way of listening to God."   \n"All great art is a visual form of pray
 er."   \n"Art that is not specifically religious expresses this truth: i
 f we do not see the Lord everywhere\, however unconsciously\, we shall fin
 d it hard to recognize Him when we look into His face at prayer time."  
  \n"We know great art by its effect on us. If we are prepared to look wit
 hout preconceptions\, without defenses\, without haste\, then art will cha
 nge us."   \nExtra info\n\n1 December 2018 (Sister Wendy’s last lette
 r to all friends)\n"I know you will be sad but I hope also very happy for 
 me that I am close to death . . . When the day comes\, I want you to turn 
 to God with great thankfulness for all He has given me. This is the time o
 f the deepest joy . . .\nP. S. How embarrassing it will be and depressing 
 if the Lord works a miracle\, and I don’t die after all!"\n\nHere is an 
 article in the anglican focus celebrating Sr Wendy.\nThe New York Times
  described her as "a sometime hermit who is fast on her way to becoming t
 he most unlikely and famous art critic in the history of television."\nHer
 e is the BBC Four HD "Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel" (2012) Docum
 entary where she shares part of her story and relates her faith through pa
 intings of Jesus. \nHere is a playlist of her docu series on the BBC.\nHe
 re is the wikipedia page with information about her life and the list of h
 er published works.\nHere is one of the articles she wrote called the Art 
 of looking at Art. \nHere is a book which reveals much of Sister Wendy's 
 last 3 years: Dearest Sister Wendy... A Surprising Story of Faith and Frie
 ndship | Garratt Publishing - and the online book launch recording can be 
 viewed here.\nSister Wendy and me: an epistolary friendship (churchtimes.c
 o.uk)\nBooks:\n\nThe Art of Lent: A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to E
 aster\nThe Art of Holy Week and Easter: Meditations on the Passion and Res
 urrection of Jesus\nThe Revelations of Divine Love: Read by Sister Wendy B
 eckett (Audio Download)\nSpiritual Letters eBook \nSister Wendy on Prayer
 \n
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T122542
LOCATION:Remember
SUMMARY:Holy Hermit Sr Wendy Beckett
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