to sports and other forms of recreation into an expression of love for God and neighbor. Voluntary poverty The community receives no government support and lives entirely on donations. They wear second hand clothing and much of the food is raised on their farm. The call to poverty, however, is rooted in Catherine Doherty’s belief in the need for Madonna House members to depend completely on God, both materially and interiorly. Duty of the moment This phrase expresses the guiding conviction that the will of God is made known in whatever needs to be done at a given time. “In essence, ordinary, simple work done for the benefit of God and neighbour gives everyone at Madonna House meaning, no matter who you are. Put another way, ordinary work around Madonna House is more than just ordinary work. It’s shot through with love, faith, hope and charity — those things that have always given dignity to humankind." Sobornost A Russian word referring to a unity of heart, mind, and soul that develops in a group when each person is listening to and is surrendered to the Holy Spirit. Catherine considered sobornost a fundamental principle of Christian community and saw in it an answer to the rampant individualism of contemporary society.” The call to sobornost is reflected in the very structure of the community. Priests, laymen, and lay women live and move as members of one family. Each of the three branches is governed by a Director General who must be elected unanimously (in sobornost) by that branch, and the three Directors General are also called to move in deep unity. Poustinia This Russian word for “desert,“ in its Madonna House form, and as described in her classic work Poustinia: Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer, refers to a small, sparsely furnished cabin or room where one typically spends twenty-four hours in prayer and fasting, reading Scripture and listening for God’s word in one’s heart.” In Combermere some 20 cabins are available to members and guests for this purpose. Outreach An “apostolic farm,” St. Benedict’s Acres, provides much of the food for the community and teaches members and guests working there to learn to know God in a deeper way as they care for the land for which they are the stewards. A monthly non-profit newspaper called Restoration is published 10 times a year. Madonna House Publications, a non-profit organization, makes