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Ponderings from the Eternal Now

February 2004


Dear Friends,

I don’t know about you but many of us here are waiting for signs of spring and warmer temperatures. While the snow is magnificent to see, we are getting tired of standing in cold lines to eat and folks are getting a bit stir crazy being confined to our warehouse/barracks based on wind chills.

A few prison happenings:
  • I had extra cleaning duty few days into the new year because I thought 4:15 p.m. stand up count had cleared and sat on my bed.  Two of us were screamed at first as this is the method used here.
  • Hundreds of women had to buy new umbrellas at $8. a piece because the old ones were artistically decorated to prevent stealing.  Luckily, I never wrote on mine.
  • I was one of 120 women from here randomly selected to be part of the “Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities” from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.  We were told that the information will be used by lawmakers and correctional staff to help them make informed decisions about policies and inmate needs.  Most of us felt it was a complete and total waste of time.  I told the woman I didn’t see how any of this would help law-makers. I said you need to interview us?

Since trials have begun and more will follow, I share the following:
“The Public Prosecutor was on record at the trial stating: ‘As men we can respect …(their) convictions, but what we cannot allow is that the State, through a false sentimentalism, tolerates such things.  The State must take no account of personalities who, although they cannot be placed in the same category as criminals, nevertheless represent a continual danger to the very existence of the State’

No, this is not a transcript from the trial of Jackie Hudson, O.P., Ardeth Platte, O.P. and Carol Gilbert, O.P. in Colorado in 2003.  It is a quote from the trial of Rupert Mayer, S.J. in Munich, Germany in 1937.  Fr. Mayer’s crime was speaking out against Hitler and he paid for preaching his truth with time in prison and a concentration camp.

Fr. Mayer was beatified in 1987 and is called the Apostle of Munich. The city of Munich prays often at his shrine just off the bustling city center and takes seriously their responsibility to the world to speak the truth about injustice and the consequences of blindly obeying the State.”

The above comes to us from our Sister Diane Zerfas when she was in Munich to accept the Nuclear-Free Future Award in our names.  Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Lastly, I share this Taoist Meditation because it best describes what I’ve been feeling these cold winter days.

“Close your eyes and you will see clearly.
Cease to listen and you will hear truth.
Be silent and your heart will sing.
Seek no contact and you will find union.
Be still and you will move forward in the tide of the Spirit.
Be gentle and you will not need strength.
Be patient and you will achieve all things.
Be humble and you remain entire.”

My deepest gratitude and love, Carol

TYPICAL DAILY SCHEDULE OF # 10856-039 CAROL GILBERT, O.P.
FEDERAL PRISON CAMP, ALDERSON, WV


4:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.  Pray (some days shower/ some days wash clothes)
5:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.     B.B.C. World News – Radio
5:30 a.m.  Count
6:00 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.  N.P.R. Morning Edition – Radio
6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m  Breakfast (1/4 mile walk each way – no lines)
7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Clean Bathrooms
8:00 a.m. Count
11a.m – 12 noon  Lunch (1/4 mile walk each way - stand in line)
12 noon – 1:00 p.m. Walk, Read, Knit, Write Letters
1:00 p.m. Count  (Can’t leave housing unit until 2:00 p.m.)
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Letters, Library, Walk, Read
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m Visit with Women, Get Mail, Knit
4:15 p.m.  Stand-Up Count
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.   Supper (1/4 mile walk each way – stand in line)
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Library, Walk, Knit, Read
8:00 p.m. In bed – Read/Pray
9:00 p.m. Asleep
10 p.m./ 12 a.m./3 a.m.  Counts
    OTHER ACTIVITIES  
Friday 6:00 – 9:00 p.m Weaving Class Items made for yarn/loom project go
Saturday 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Knitting Class to local nursing homes and local social services
Saturday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.    Episcopal Mass/Bible Study  
Sunday 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.  Catholic Mass