THE WORLD IS HER CLOISTER

(Followup to "God Knows," by Joel Achenbach)

Miami Herald, The (FL)
August 14, 1988
Author: JOEL ACHENBACH Herald Staff Writer

Wait a second. Behind the wheel of that Pontiac Bonneville . . . the one tooling down the road toward Winn-Dixie . . . isn't that Sister Mary Frances Fortin? The Sister Mary Frances Fortin from the Dec. 20, 1987, Tropic magazine?

Doesn't she have some kind of Vow of Enclosure? Isn't she supposed to be locked up behind some grate? HOW'D SHE GET OUT?

Ah, the surprises of life. The Diocese of Venice (no, the one near Fort Myers) decided that it wanted some contemplative nuns. But there are not so many of them around anymore--true contemplatives, living in a cloister, embracing the monastic way of life, just like St. Clare did back in the 13th Century. The only place to find contemplative nuns in Florida was in Delray Beach, home of the Poor Clares. So the Gulf Coast raided the Gold Coast. Three nuns, including Sister Mary Frances, agreed to move to Fort Myers Beach to make a new foundation.

There was one major technical problem for Sister Mary Frances. For 2 1/2 decades she had left the enclosure only for emergencies or an occasional conference of nuns (and to see the pope in Miami, as recounted in these pages).

Day-to-day errands had been performed by "extern sisters." But in the new, smaller monastery she'd have to take care of herself. She'd have to do her own shopping. She'd have to drive.

She had never driven in her life. She didn't know north from south. She knew she lived in Delray Beach but had no idea what exit that was off the interstate.

She went to driving school. Her first car: a '77 Pontiac Bonneville that someone had donated to the monastery.

Her report: "I haven't killed anyone yet."

On May 14, she and the two other sisters drove across State Road 80 to Fort Myers Beach.

Now it's commonplace to see her at the grocery store and even that ultimate retail Mecca, the Home Depot.

She is nonchalant about the whole business.

"It's not terribly overwhelming or anything. It's different, but it's not a shock or anything," she says.

She's still learning some of the basics of the Real World.

When she drives the gas-guzzler to the filling station, she pulls into the full service lane.

"I don't know how to do self-service yet," the sister says. "Is it cheaper?"

Section: TROPIC
Copyright (c) 1988 The Miami Herald