Sometimes work is just way too much fun – and sometimes that fun comes in unlooked-for experiences, like our photo shoot last week with two nuns visiting from a contemplative order, plus a priest and a deacon. 
We needed a couple of shots of these Norbertines, for their story in tomorrow’s @St. Norbert. The foursome are on campus this semester to improve their English ahead of this summer’s General Chapter – a six-yearly event that brings together delegates from all the houses of the order worldwide.
The ESL Institute on campus had called a snow day, but we learned that the visiting religious – two sisters from Spain, a deacon from Hungary and a priest from Argentina – were meeting at the priory for a study session with their tutor, Norbertine associate Bill Harrington.
The priory is in the middle of campus but I’d never been inside before. 
It’s actually not that easy to gain access – as at many another private residence, the door is often locked. If you’re visiting one of the dozen or so priests who live there, you dial their extension from the lobby and they meet you at the door. But during the working day those who work at the college or in parishes are out, and those who are at home are quite elderly and we like to leave them in peace. Today, though, we needed those photos, so I knocked firmly and hoped for the best.
I found Sister Natividad Fernandez Gonzalez, O.Praem., and Bill working in a meeting room full of reflected light from the wintry river outside. I pulled out my cellphone and called Drew to come on over with his camera.
We loved Sister Natividad! She was small, determined, and her take-charge demeanor was only surpassed by her considerable charm. 
She is quite a beginner in English, but she made sure she and Bill lost very little time from their lesson even while she managed the shoot for us from behind her textbook. Deacon Alessandrio Heleno, O.Praem.,was awoken from his siesta, and the Rev. Herman Joseph, O.Praem., and Sister Maria Carreno Franco, O.Praem., were summoned. It was immediately clear that all had become good friends during their residence at the priory, and Drew had no problem getting candid shots as everyone got very comfortable around the table and joked away in three languages: English; PortuSpanglish (the sisters are from Spain, Fr. Alessandrio from Brazil); and Camera. Yes, Camera. The two confreres’ English is really quite good, but they and Drew completely surpass me in Camera; the three of them can readily talk shop in that language with great facility, swapping information about aperture size, focal length, specs and prices at the Green Bay Best Buy’s photography department. They wanted to know all about the office of communications camera and the various accessories we have patiently acquired as the budget allows.
The two sisters easily rank among the most extrovert nuns I have encountered in any language, and it was intriguing to learn that they are members of a contemplative order, where talking is only permitted for two hours a day. I ran into Father Jim Baraniak (pastor of the college and another resident of the priory) the next day, and speculated that Recreation at the sisters’ convent in Spain must be a lively affair and a lot of fun. “What do you think OUR Recreation is like these days?!” he smiled.
Enjoy reading more about the ESL Norbertines’ story in tomorrow’s @St. Norbert.
