No Greater Love: The Movie

Patrick Allen on April 19, 2010 Comments (0)

This looks to be a fine documentary film about a congregation of Carmelite nuns, particularly for those of us who were enamored of Into Great Silence - which is to say, all of us who have seen it. 

 

From a review in the Times of London:

I suspect that many people, Catholic or not, would form instinctive ideas about a group of women who spend the vast proportion of their days in silence, rarely venture outside of their monastery walls, and who have made vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before God.

As No Greater Love begins we are led into the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Notting Hill, which houses these devout women and clarifies their lifestyle from the outset.

Consequently my immediate expectations assumed a story of naïve, well-meaning and dedicated nuns whom I would respect and admire, but whose narrative might prove slightly tedious after half an hour.

As the film progressed and introduced Sister Christine Marie I began to question the very notions underpinning my preconceptions. I am of the Shuffle Generation - constantly craving to be plugged in to some sort of noise, whatever sound most gratifies me for the present moment - essentially anything but the tedium of silence. So naturally I did not look forward to this film's predominantly silent soundtrack.

The director Michael Whyte paints an interesting picture of contrasts and the unexpected. We see surprisingly strong women giggling away as they saw heavy branches in the Monastery's garden and you can't help but smile at an elderly nun's equal dexterity with her knitting needles as well as her Apple Mac. Dutiful ordering and unloading of the weekly Sainsbury's online shop is also punctuated by intense prayer and worship.

But exposing these women's superficial adaptations to modern technology loses its intrigue after some time and does not compare with the gravity of their profound deviance from modern mentalities. Sister Christine introduces a rather beautiful and liberating idea through her appraisal of silence as the shepherd of the human mind, guiding our intellect as to what is truly worthy of thought.

It was at this point that I began to think more deeply. It dawned on me that if you're only allowed to talk for disciplined periods of time you must naturally learn to prioritise what really necessitates thought and discussion and what does not. In the subsequent interview Sister Mary explains that the Carmelite's way of life is not an escape from reality as so often perceived by the outside world, quite the contrary: "You're brought to face to face with yourself and the hardest thing for anyone to face is themselves. Once you can face that you can face anything."

Here's the whole thing.

Via the Anchoress.


 

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