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Album 3 consists of photographs of Henri Nouwen alone and with friends, including Don McNeill, Bob Antonelli and Claude Pomerleau, between 1970 and 1974. Put together by Henri Nouwen the album predominantly contains photos of him socializing with friends at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut; posing for portraits along canals in Utrecht, Netherlands for photographer Ron van den Bosch; and working and socializing with friends at the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, New York. Also included are photos of retreats, as well as trips to Aspen, Colorado; Elora, Ontario; and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Album 11 consists of photographs taken between 1956 and 1961. Henri Nouwen is seen on a trip to Greece and Israel with a group of fellow students from the University of Nijmegen; on board the SS Maasdam where he worked as Chaplain in 1961; and visiting New York, NY while the ship was at port in the city. Also included are photos of Henri Nouwen and classmates at major seminary in Rijsenburg and at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

Album 5 consists of photographs taken between 1947 and 1954. Compiled by Henri Nouwen, the album is predominantly focused on Nouwen's stay at a boys summer camp, his time at seminary school in Apeldoorn and trips he took to countries such as Italy, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. The camping group was called de Vossen [the foxes] and was run by Aloysius College. Also included are photos of Laurent J.M., Maria, Paul, Laurent and Laurien Nouwen at their home, in Scheveningen, and celebrating Laurent's First Communion in 1951. Of interest is a photo [P6644] of Henri Nouwen's grandmother Sara M. Ramselaar holding him as a baby in 1932.

Album 10 consists of photographs taken in 1981 during Henri Nouwen's final year teaching at the Yale Divinity School. Nouwen is seen at various events, including what may be a farewell party, a graduation ceremony, a baptism, a visit to the country and a lobster bake, with friends and colleagues, many of whom are unidentified. Nouwen is also seen wearing clerical robes while leading Easter Sunday service, outdoors, and celebrating Mass in the Yale Divinity School Prayer Chapel. Also included are shots of Nouwen and an unidentified man while on a trip to San Francisco. Joseph Nunez, Carol Plantinga, Yushi Nomura, Bob Massie, John Mogabgab, Marjorie Thompson, Don and Elaine Postema and Mich and Mary Zeman appear in photos throughout the album.

Album 14 consists of photographs taken in 1964. Put together by Henri Nouwen, the album contains photos that were predominantly taken in February of that year. Included are photos of Henri Nouwen during his psychology doctoral exam at the Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen; at the Hooge Hoenderberg, between Nijmegen and Mook, celebrating his completion of the exam with friends and family including Laurent J.M., Maria, Laurien and Laurent Nouwen, Peter and Anke Naus, Guus Ablregts, and Puck and Philip van Campen; and on a trip to Germany with friends. Also in the album are portraits of Kees Ramselaar and his children, photos of Nouwen with friends in his Piusconvict room and a map from the area he visited in Germany.

Sub-series consists of 5 photograph albums containing approximately 781 photographs and ephemera taken by or collected by Nouwen. Included are early personal photographs of Nouwen's trips abroad, his time at seminary school and his tenure at Yale Divinity School.

Albums are separated into the following files:

File 1: Photograph Album 3
File 2: Photograph Album 5
File 3: Photograph Album 10
File 4: Photograph Album 11
File 5: Photograph Album 14

Series consists of colour and black and white photographs (including negatives) accumulated by Nouwen, and colour slides taken by him and others. Photographs not taken by Nouwen were gathered mainly from friends and acquaintances through correspondence, over a period of approximately 30 years. The photographs were stored by Nouwen and his administrative assistant(s) in files, or displayed on one of several large bulletin boards Nouwen used in his office and photograph albums compiled. Some photographs that arrived with correspondence were kept in the General Files series with their letter of origin, while others which were not clearly attached to a letter were separated and added to this series.

Subject matter depicted in the photographs include professional portraits of Nouwen; Nouwen in both his professional and private capacities at: the Yale and Harvard Divinity Schools, and at L'Arche Daybreak (leading church services, at birthdays and Christmas celebrations), religious events (baptisms, first communions, ordinations and weddings); as well as his travels to Peru and Bolivia, the United States, France, and other countries; and with his family in the Netherlands both as a child and as an adult. Photographs also depict Nouwen's friends, their families, and L'Arche Daybreak assistants and core members. In addition, a large number of photographs in this series (approximately one fifth), document Nouwen's time spent in Germany with a flying trapeze troupe, The Flying Rodleighs.

Slides were taken by Nouwen of Martin Luther King, Jr’s civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, AL, in March 1965; of the University of Notre Dame; vacations, including a trip to Greece; and of Nouwen with Rodleigh Stevens of The Flying Rodleighs in 1995.

This series is arranged in three sub-series:

1.15.1. Photographs Accumulated by Henri Nouwen
1.15.2. Early Personal Photographs
1.15.3. Photograph Albums

The series include both file- and item-level descriptions. Photographs and slides are arranged in chronological order where possible.

File consists of card and liturgy from Nouwen’s celebration of his twelve and a half years of priesthood.

File consists of Nouwen’s curriculum vitae from 1983 and 1986.

File consists of photocopies of Nouwen’s US Social Security card, and a Social Security Summary of Statement of Earnings prior to 1980.

File consists of Nouwen’s Certificate of Registration from the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations authorizing him to legally perform marriages in the Province of Ontario; including material relating to the Marriage Act of the Government of Ontario.

File consists of a photocopy of a Declaration of Aptitude for driving in the Netherlands with a foreign Driver’s license, and a license renewal form from Massachusetts.

File consists of an envelope containing Nouwen’s Social Insurance card, Ontario Health card, ManuAssist card, York Central Hospital card, and US Social Security card. Also includes his name badge for York Central Hospital Pastoral Services.

File consists of Nouwen’s report of the results of his Myer-Briggs type indicator personality test; including a photocopy of the description of his personality type.

File consists of a confirmation card.

File consists of a copy of Nouwen’s Last Will and Testament from 1981, including a letter from Nouwen’s father in 1993.

File consists of a summary of Nouwen’s health coverage, including a Blue Cross and Blue Shield brochure, and contract.

File consists of a distribution card issued to Nouwen. This card identified Nouwen and indicated what resources he received following the Second World War.

File consists of Nouwen’s curriculum vitae from 1976 to 1982, including lists of his published works.

File consists of certificate granting Nouwen the faculties of a priest within the Archdiocese of Toronto.

File consists of the appraisal of Nouwen’s ordination chalice (a gift from his Uncle Antonius Ramselaar), from Gem Service, a division of Harold Weinstein Ltd.

File consists of official documents, correspondence and information pertaining to Nouwen’s immigration to Canada and legal status from 1986 – 1989. File also consists of Nouwen’s passports (issued by the Netherlands in 1989, 1981, 1963, and 1994; and a military passport), passport photos, travel visa applications, international driving licenses (issued by the Netherlands in 1966, 1980, and 1986), certificates of inoculation and vaccination (issued by the Netherlands, in Dutch and English), and immigration documents and correspondence from 1966 – 1996.

Sub-series consists of personal papers collected by Nouwen over his lifetime for sentimental reasons including mementos, ephemera, and materials relating to his childhood, career and his friends. Sub-series also consists of official papers kept for legal, insurance and professional reasons, including immigration papers, personal identification cards, wills, and royalties.

File consists of typescripts of "Compassion". Folder (1) contains draft (1), which is an early hard-bound typescript entitled, "The Spirituality of Compassion: Thirty Reflections" (June, 1977). It was not intended for publication. Folder (2) contains a typescript of 'Chapter VII: Patience' (May, 1979). Folder (3) contains draft (2), which is a soft-bound typescript entitled, "Compassion: Ministry and Spirituality" and is based on the text of a course given by Nouwen at the Gregorian University (Rome, Italy), from February to May, 1978. Folder (4) contains draft (3), which is a hard-bound typescript entitled, "Compassion: A Meditation on the Christian Life" (1978), by Nouwen, Donald McNeill and Douglas Morrison. Folder (5) contains draft (4), which is a hard-bound typescript entitled, "Compassion: Reflections on the Christian Life" (1980), by Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison. Drafts (2), (3) and (4), feature drawn illustrations by Dr. Joel Filartiga. Folder (6) contains a draft of "Compassion" dated February 20, 1978, from the Pontification Gregorian University, followed by a copy of an early draft of "Compassion: ministry and spirituality".

File consists of a bound volume of typed and photocopied handouts, including a syllabus, class list and final paper topic list as well as a number of bibliographies on prayer, Merton, western mysticism as well as a list of local monasteries and contemplative centers. There is also a handout titled "Guidelines for Inclusive Language"outlining Yale Divinity School's policy on changing language practices towards greater gender equality.
Articles by Nouwen include "Contemplation and Ministry" and a photocopy of "Solitude and Community" and article published in Worship (January 1978, 13-23). There is an additional loose copy of "Contemplation and Ministry" froma lecture presented at the North American college on Friday, March 10.
Articles by Merton include a prayer and excerpts from "A Letter on the Contemplative Life", "Thoughts in Solitude" and "Seven Story Mountain".
The remaining articles are:

• Kallistos Ware's "The Power of the Name: The Function of the Jesus Prayer", (introduction to Igumen Chariton of Valamo's) "The Art of Prayer", and "Silence in Prayer: The Meaning of Hesychia".
  -James H. Forest's "Thomas Merton's Struggle with Peacemaking".
  -David Steindl-Rast's "Recollection of Thomas Merton's Last Days in the West" and "A Deep Bow".

File consists of a bound volume of miscellaneous handouts. The materials were most likely bound between 1974 and 1976. Many of the materials appear to be original typed copies, indicating that they were the originals from which Nouwen created handouts for his students.
The bound volume contains a table of contents that lists sixteen articles. One of the articles is a typescript by Nouwen titled "Case-Recording in Pastoral Education". File also includes a loose copy of this typescript and it includes excerpts from Sir Frederick Treves "The Elephant Man", and "The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha" edited by E.A. Burtt, and a final page titled "The Compassion of William Kurelek" by Frank Murphy, C.M. The remaining articles are:
-"To hell with acceptance" (a sermon)
-a chronology of Christian monasticism.
-Louis Dupre's "The Mystical Experience of the Self and its Philosophical Significance" (copy of article from International Philosophical Quarterly, (vol. 14, pp. 495-511), December 1974)
-Comments and Quotations from Erik H. Erikson's "Identity and the Life Cycle."
-Quotations and Excerpts from Selma H. Fraiberg's "The Magic Years"
-Rabbi Gerald Goldman's "The 'Solitude' of Martin Buber" (from Nefesh III, no.1)
-Robin Greer's "Hospitality in the First Five Centuries of the Church"
-question sheets by Nouwen relating to Seward Hiltner's "The Counselor in Counseling".
-"Jim" from "Religion in America".
-extracts from George Konrad's "The Case Worker"
-Denis McInreny's "Thomas Merton: The Man and his Work" (from Cistercian Studies 27, 1974)
-"Psychological Examination", excerpts from "A Manual for Psychiatric Case Study" by Menninger, Mayman and Pruyser.

• Karl Menninger's "The Termination of the Contract: The Separation of Two Parties".
  -Some quotations from Menninger, Meyman and Pruyser's "The Vital Balance".
  -typescript of Thomas Merton's "Marxist Theory and Monastic Theoria" (Conference delivered in Bangkok, 10 December 1968)
  Not listed in the table of contents is a typed quotation from Simone de Beauvoir's "The Ethics of Ambiguity".

File consists of one partial, two complete typescripts and one galley proof of "Gracias!" Folders (1) and (2) contain draft (1), which is an early typescript with a handwritten title page. Folders (3) to (4) contain draft (2), which is a typescript of Latin American journal entries, from October 18, 1981, to March 29, 1982. Folder (5) contains draft (3), which is a partial typescript with some handwritten pages. Folder (6) contains a copy of edited galley proofs. Folder (7) contains additional copies of drafts from October 1981-March 1982.

File consists of a bound volume of typed and photocopied handouts for the final two courses taught by Nouwen. The table of contents lists 49 items. They are:
-George A. Aschenbrenner's "Consciousness Examen"
-William Barry's "The Experience of the 1st and 2nd Weeks of the Spiritual Exercises", "On Asking God to Reveal Himself in Retreat", "The Prior Experience of Spiritual Directors", Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Counseling", "Spiritual Direction: The Empirical Approach"and "The Practice of Supervision in Spiritual Direction" (written with Mary Guy)
-Paul J. Bernadicou's "The Retreat Director in the Spiritual Exercises"
-Sister Rita Mary Bradley's "Present Day Themes in the 14th Century English Mystics"
-W.R. Callahan and F. Cardman's "The Wind is Rising: Prayer Ways for Active People"
-Gregory Carlson's "Spiritual Direction and the Paschal Mystery"
-Thomas E. Clarke's "The Ignation Exercises -- Contemplation & Discernment"
-William J. Connolly's "Appealing to Strength in Spiritual Direction", "Disappointment in Prayer: Prelude to Growth", "Experiences of Darkness in Directed Retreats", "Freedom & Prayer in Directed Retreats", and "Story of the Pilgrim King and the Dynamics of Prayer"
-Sr. Winifred Corrigan's "Initial Values in Spiritual Direction"
-Sr. Carmen Mary S. De La Vega's "The Prayer of Quiet"
-Thomas Dubay's "The Problematic of Discernment"
-Harvey Egan's "Christian Apophatic and Kataphatic Mysticisms"
-Edward J. Farrell's "The Journal -- A Way Into Prayer"
-David Fleming's "Beginning Spiritual Direction"and "The Experience of God"
-Quentin Hakenwerth's "Group Methods in Spiritual Direction"
-Eugene Geromel's "Depth Psychotherapy and Spiritual Direction"
-Richard P. Hardy's "Christian Mysticism: Some Ecclesial Dimensions"
-Bernard Haring's "A Modern Approach to the Ascetical Life"
-Gerald Keefe's "A Letter to a Person Beginning Spiritual Direction"
-Thomas Kilduff's "Faith Experience: Prayer & Discernment"
-Olivier LaCombe's "Direction Spirituelle"
-George P. Leach's "Growing Freedom in the Spiritual Director"
-Shaun McCarty's "On Entering Spiritual Direction"
-Jean M. Ormerchea's "A Theoretical Approach to Spiritual Direction"
-Kevin F. O'Shea's "Enigma and Tenderness", "Littleness and Kindness", and "The Thorn and the Rose"
-William Peters' "Spiritual Direction and Prayer"
-Judith Roener's "Discernment in the Director"
-Sr. Patricia Ann Rogucki's "Journeying in a Spiritual Direction"
-Robert Rossi's "The Distinction Between Psychological and Religious Counseling"
-Sandra M. Schneiders' "The Contemporary Ministry of Spiritual Direction"
-Michael Herbert Shadick's "Prayer as Spiritual Direction from Within"
-"A Task Force on Social Consciousness & Ignatian Spirituality" (author unknown)
-Douglas V. Steere's "Common Frontiers in Catholic and Non-Catholic Spirituality"
-Ann Belford Ulanov's "What Do We Think People are Doing When They Pray?"
-Adrian Van Kaam's "Dynamics of Spiritual Self-Direction"
-Richard P. Vaughan's "Spiritual Counseling and Prayer"
-William J. Walsh's "Reality Therapy and Spiritual Direction".

File also includes a loose bibliography for the course titled "Spiritual Direction".

File consists of draft typescripts of "The Peace That is Not of This World", a lecture given by Nouwen at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Harvard University, on February 10, 1987. Draft (1) includes a cover letter to some members of L'Arche Daybreak for their comments on the text.
File also includes a typed table of contents for "Seeds of Hope" (1990), an anthology of Nouwen's works edited by Robert Durback, which includes this lecture; two photocopies of the article as it was published in Weavings magazine; and correspondence between Nouwen or Connie Ellis (Nouwen's administrative assistant), and two editors requesting permission to re-print the article. File also includes a copy of About Issues (Aug.-Sept. 1988). One draft was sent to Sr. Mary Threadgold by Nouwen in 1988 and consists of an incomplete page 13.

File consists of three copies of a 67-page bibliography compiled by Nouwen for students of his Boston College class. This bibliography is an exact duplicate of an earlier handout distributed by Nouwen in his spring 1985 course at Harvard Divinity School, except the title page. The collection includes bibliographies on spiritual direction, Western mysticism, Ignatian spirituality, Eastern Christian theology, Hesychasm and Russian spirituality and a list of resource centers on Eastern Christianity. File also includes a loose copy of the bibliography on western mysticism.

File consists of a bound volume of typed and handwritten lecture notes, as well as a class list and lecture schedule. The bound volume also includes typed of works by and about Thomas Merton. The typed and handwritten lecture notes are heavily annotated by Nouwen, and in some cases by an unidentified hand. File also includes loose course materials.

Sub-series consists of awards and honourary degrees bestowed upon Henri Nouwen by various academic institutions, religious and community organizations, and literary associations, including correspondence and memorabilia relating to the awards and award ceremonies.

File consists of the Catholic Press Association Book Awards awarded to Henri Nouwen from 1990 and 1999. The 1990 award was an Honourable Mention certificate, which Henri Nouwen received for In the Name of Jesus. The 1999 award was for Nouwen's second place finish for his posthumously published work, Sabbatical Journey - The Diary of His Final Year under the category of Spirituality (Hardcover), published by the Crossroad Publishing Company.

Series consists of records of a personal nature which were created and kept by Nouwen throughout his life. These materials are arranged into sub-series and files which reflect the main value of that grouping of personal records.

This series has been arranged into five sub-series:
1.4.1. Weekly calendars
1.4.2. Retreat and discernment notes
1.4.3. Personal papers and official documents
1.4.4. Family papers

Series also contains two files: address books and mailing lists for books.

File consists of a video recording of Henri Nouwen speaking on the subject of "Being Big and Small". Nouwen gives a brief autobiography at the beginning of the tape. Alan Steers, David Harmon, and David Grey (members of L'Arche Daybreak) were also in attendance.

File consists of a video recording of an interview with Henri Nouwen by Bob Grip for the television station WAIA in Mobile, Alabama. Nouwen was in Mobile to give a talk at the L'Arche community there.

File consists of a video recording (V36) of an interview with Henri Nouwen by Michael McManus of the TVO program The Senior Report. The interview takes place at L'Arche Daybreak in a classroom for a one day retreat. They discuss what it means to live a spiritual life.

File consists of a commercial video recording (V40) of the "That All May Worship" inclusion Conference held in Chicago on April 22, 1996, with excerpts from Nouwen's keynote address and commentary by Joseph Cardinal Bernadin on the subject of inclusion of persons with disabilities in liturgy and church life through affirmation, communication, and accessibility. Video produced by Pathways Awareness Foundation in partnership with the Archdiocese of Chicago.

File consists of a video recording (V27) of Nouwen's appearance on a Dutch television show. A small audience is also recorded, including photographer and friend Ron van den Bosch.

File consists of a video recording of a talk Nouwen gave at the Hilton Head Island Spiritual Emphasis Week. Nouwen spoke at the Evening Community Sessions. One theme he addressed was "Solitude, Community, Ministry".

File consists of a video recording of a Henri Nouwen speaking at L'Arche of Mobile, Alabama. He spoke on the subject of "Finding Our Sacred Centre".

File consists of a commercial video recording (V41) of Henri Nouwen, the contents of which are based on his book With Burning Hearts.

File consists of a video recording (V29) of Nouwen giving a talk titled "Solitude, Community and Ministry: Three Ways to Create Space for God" as part of the "30 Good Minutes Series". The program was recorded on October 20, 1993 and aired November 7, 1993. Also includes James Wall, another guest on the program who spoke on the subject of "Speaking of God."

File consists of a video recording of Henri Nouwen speaking at Sacred Heart Church in Winnetka, Illinois. This is an excellent recording of Nouwen speaking to a large audience. The title of Nouwen's talk was "Can You Drink the Cup? - Spiritual Life Today".

File consists of a semi-professional video recording of a wedding in which Nouwen performed the ceremony. David [Fitzgerald] is the son of James Fitzgerald and Sophie Fitzgerald-Albregts. Mary [Marlborough] is the daughter of Mike [Michael] and Breda Marlborough.

File consists of a videocassette of The Greatest Show on Earth produced by Cecil B. DeMille and distributed by Paramount Pictures in 1952.

File consists of a video recording of Nouwen on KRO television station speaking on the subject of the Eucharist and the seven sacraments. The show was broadcast on January 23, 1994.

File consists of a video recording of Henri Nouwen leading a retreat. He is speaking in a classroom on the theme of "Living the Spiritual Life". It is not known where this took place.

File consists of a video recording of a Henri Nouwen speaking at Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, Connecticut. Nouwen spoke on the theme of "Inclusivity and Compassion". His talk was divided into three parts: What does it mean to live the spiritual life? our spiritual life as a source of ministry and practical disciplines to help keep spiritual life alive. Bill van Buren accompanied Nouwen to this talk.

File consists of a video recording of an interview with Nouwen at L'Arche Daybreak for the University of Notre Dame Alumni Continuing Education on April 3, 1996. Nouwen spoke on caring for aging parents and the spiritual challenges of aging.

The video is of high quality, although it is not possible to hear the questions of the interviewer. Nouwen covers many themes including belovedness, death, dying, caring, caregivers, aging, care, cure, and spiritual disciplines. Nouwen identifies aging as a letting go of our identity as what we do, what we earn etc. and learning our true identity as the Beloved sons and daughters of God. He suggests that aging brings us closer to our true identity. Aging is about becoming more dependent but it offers us the space to find the truth of who we are. This is the great spiritual challenge of aging.

He addresses some of the following questions:

How do we overcome our fear of aging? Answer: We require a discipline that reminds us constantly of being the Beloved. These disciplines are: friendship, prayer, community, and celebration of life. Again the spiritual challenge is how do I let go and discover the deeper truth of who I am.

How to be a good caregiver? Answer: Nouwen refers to the gospel which says "Blessed are the poor" and exclaims that we are all poor. The caregiver must believe and perceive that God's blessing is rooted in the poverty of the poor. To be a good caregiver we must start discovering the gift our aging parent has to offer us. One of these gifts is to be called back to the centre of your being. All the work of caring for the aging can make us resentful, but we have to make an inner shift that allows the parent to give us the gift of going deeper within ourselves to find out what life is all about. Burnout happens when a caregiver does not receive the gifts of the poor. It requires a discipline to receive and we can only do this if we are well cared for. Need to constantly renew perspective on what we are doing and live joyfully receiving the gifts of the dying. This is an enormous spiritual challenge - to discover the gifts of aging and dying people.

To be really present to the person dying (ministry of presence); know the value of the ministry of absence and when to set some limits to look after your own needs; take time out to be with people who can support you. The most difficult thing is to be half way there and resentful. Be fully present for shorter periods of time.

Care means to struggle with. It is the same word as compassion. To care is to be with people in their weakness, pain and struggle without needing to cure. All you need to say is "I love you and really want to be with you, even if I can't cure you." Joy comes from being with. It is hard to be with people we can't change, but you can develop a spiritual discipline to care rather than cure.

Nouwen also emphasized the importance of the caregiver coming to terms with their own mortality. He reminds the interviewer that aging and dying don't start at the end of life, but that we are all in the process of aging and dying. Compassion means "I am with you because I know in my own self that I too am dying, that I am on the same journey as you." The caregiver needs to feel solidarity and intimacy with the person dying in order for care to be possible. Not only does the caregiver need to be in touch with their own dying, they need to learn the discipline to deal with little disappointments as well.

Nouwen talks about the reasons for his decision to leave Yale and Harvard. He says: "I realized that to get to the core of my being, to move to a different plateau I needed to be more focused on the poor and the weak. I knew that by connecting myself with the poor they would lead me to the core of life. They would allow me to find the blessing they had for me.

Regarding his accident in 1989: Through this near-death experience Nouwen learned the importance of forgiveness and what is important in life. He explains that although he is still compulsive in some regards, underneath is a sense of being God's beloved son and that the people he meets are God's beloved sons and daughters too. It is through this common identity that we can meet each other.

Regarding his father: He was extremely grateful for the time he was having with his 93 year old father. He says: "I am immensely grateful for the time I spent with him, just for him.".

Regarding dying: He mentions the gospel story when Jesus says "It is good for you that I am dying because I can send you my spirit". He goes on to say that most people who are dying say "how much can I still do?". But the real question is: "how can I prepare myself so my death becomes a gift for those I leave behind?". The question of aging spiritually is "How can I make my life a gift for others?". This is aging into life. Of course there will be grief and mourning, but a person dying spiritually can say "I am ready to go. I hope you are ready to receive the Spirit of love that I will send you."

Reads from his book about his grandmother's death.

Alludes to death of Connie Ellis to say that being with her while she was dying brought him to an inner place of silence.

He concludes with some practical advice about how to
dying people:

• speak but also be quiet
• touch if appropriate and just be there
• ask "do you like to pray?"
• "do you want me to read something"
• "do you want more/less visitors?"
• "do you want to be alone for awhile?"
• "is there anyone you would like to see?"
• "can I write a letter for you?"
• treat them like friends
• take time for your own life
• be clear when you are coming back and stick to it
• invite people like priests etc.
• visit like it is a privilege, try to give words to your affection, "I know it is hard for you, but I am here."

Life is an interruption of eternity, for what? For humans to have a chance to say to God I love you too.