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Mosteller, Sue
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Photograph Nouwen and Sr. Sue Mosteller

Item consists of a photograph of Nouwen and Sr. Sue Mosteller dancing while performing a skit; several other unidentified community members are visible in the background.

Photographs of L'Arche Daybreak

File consists of 14 photographs of members of L'Arche Daybreak, taken at events. The photographs were taken while Nouwen was at Daybreak, but it is unknown why these photographs were scanned and placed together. There is one photograph of Nouwen. Photographs include:
1 - Photograph of the Spirit Movers, a dance group consisting of L'Arche Daybreak core members.
2 - Photograph of three unknown individuals speaking into microphones. They are assistants. Bill van Buren can be seen to their right. The man and woman in the center are wearing sweatshirts with the L'Arche Daybreak 25th Anniversary logo. All of those visible are wearing red scarves.
3 - Photograph of two core members working in the Woodery.
4 - Photograph of Francis Maurice wearing a white robe and a crown of thorns, and carrying a wooden cross. Other members of L'Arche Daybreak are visible around him.
5 - Photograph of Henri Nouwen and Francis Maurice welcoming Gail [Stevens] into the Catholic church.
6 - Photograph of Sue Mosteller and Heather Goodchild laughing together.
7 - Photograph of Sue Mosteller washing the feet of Tracy Westerby.
8 - Photograph of Roy Turkel, wearing a newsboy cap, white collared shirt, suspenders, and jeans, laughing and looking to his right.
9 - Photograph of Roy Turkel, Anne P. and John Smeltzer at the 25th Anniversary dinner for L'Arche Daybreak.
10 - Photograph of an assistant, Nathalie [Last name unknown] with Michael Barrett.
11 - Photograph of an unknown woman with a core member.
12 - Photograph of Zenia Kushpeta and Rose Decker opening a present together.
13 - Photograph of Tracy Westerby washing the feet of Sue Mosteller at the foot washing service on Holy Thursday.
14 - Photograph of members of the retirement programme sharing a meal together.

Oral History Project

Series consists of materials from the 'Completing the Vision: The Oral History of Henri Nouwen' project that was undertaken by Sister Sue Mosteller, Executrix of the Henri Nouwen Literary Centre in partnership with the Henri Nouwen Society and The Henri Nouwen Archives and Research Collection. The project was funded by grants from the Louisville Institution, the Nouwen Society and gifts in kind. The project intended to capture the personal and intimate nature of Nouwen's life and works by interviewing people from Nouwen's extensive network of intellectuals, clerics, lay ministers and ordinary citizens including those from all socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, faiths and traditions who were influenced by Nouwen or influenced him. The interviews were meant to paint a multi-coloured canvas of Nouwen in his many roles and give us a perspective not available in his own writings. Further, the project was a contribution to the ongoing study of religious experience in the 20th century. The project had three specific goals:

  • Fill in historically significant gaps in the present record of Nouwen's life
  • Gain an understanding of why and how a man of such enormous contradictions touched the lives of so many people and drew criticisms of others
  • To give an opportunity for the wide variety of people who were impacted by Nouwen and who in turn contributed to his theological and pastoral vision to give expression to their experience and understanding

From these goals it is hoped this project would act as a resource for contemporary ministry and be an inspiration for ministers, teachers and lay people alike. Further, the project would compliment the writings of Henri Nouwen and the dozen or so newly published books that have explored his legacy since his death.

The interviews conducted for this project relate to four specific periods in Nouwen's life:

  • Early Seminary/University Years 1951-1964
  • Menniger and Notre Dame Years 1964-1967
  • Yale and Harvard Years 1971-1985
  • Final ten years at L'Arche Daybreak 1986-1987

The interviewees range in age, occupation and geographic location but all had a significant relationship with Nouwen at some point in his life. The methodology of the project involved asking each interviewee to spend 30-40 minutes of their interview naming the influences that formed them, their primary relationships, their mission/profession and how their life crossed with Nouwen's.

Over a 24 month period, 93 interviews were conducted, each averaging two hours in length, providing more than 180 hours of multi-textured content regarding Nouwen's theological vision and its impact. The interviewees also recount events of their personal lives and other significant influences unrelated to their relationship with Nouwen. The interviews took place all over North and South America, Europe and Asia and were documented in audio and/or video format. Some of the interviews have been transcribed and a hard copy and/or electronic copy of the transcription are available. Most the interviews and transcriptions are available in English while some are only available in Dutch.

Henri Nouwen Society