At a certain
point you say
to the woods, to the sea,
to the mountains,
the world,
Now I am ready.
Now I will stop and be wholly attentive.
You empty yourself and wait,
listening...
Annie Dillard
Sr June Kirk-Smith, RSCJ - sharing memories of Oretta.
“There’s Oretta Ginori who’ll be working with us at the Recyclage” said one of a group of RSCJ standing at the foot of a staircase at the Trinita. We looked up. “How marvellous!” exclaimed the frail figure who had simultaneously recognised several of the group and sped down the stairs to greet them. When the rapturous salutations had been made, Oretta turned to those of us whom she had never met. All I can remember are those wonderful brown eyes, welcoming, loving but with a certain vulnerability in their expression. And those eyes were to be a vital means of communication in a friendship of nearly thirty years. Words, of course, played their part and they were many, often rapid and spoken with great intensity. Oretta’s eyes glowed with love, were serene in wisdom; challenging when her down-to- earthiness questioned unreal expectations; brimming with tears of compassion, blazing with indignation at a perceived injustice, darkened by sorrow, sparkling with mischief; diffident, as she failed to recognise her own giftedness, and, above all, radiant with joy as she spoke of the God she loved so much (not that she didn’t fail to take him to task at times!) and whom she served so faithfully and with such generosity. A truly great spirit in a fragile body. You have brought a unique richness into our lives, beloved Oretta. Thank you.