Seabirds, Waves, and the Voice of God

"Something about the sea opens hearts to the voice of God."

Those words are at the top of an information sheet on the History of Enders Island in Fisher's Sound in Connecticut. Located at the mouth of the Mystic River, the island, comprised of 11 acres of land, now hosts retreats by a religious order of priests called Edmundites. Many of the retreats are for people in various kinds of recovery as well as for priests and other religious.












Walking on the grounds of Enders Island, even in the dead of winer, is a peaceful, serene experience. Surrounded by the sea, apparently the island has many flower beds in the warmer months. It's a beautiful place and one cannot help but feel a connetion with one's spiritual side.



The Edmundites, by the way, date back to a founder, St. Edmund of Canterbury, who died in the year 1240. He was from England but his body lies enshrined in a church in France. An amazing aspect of St. Edmund, who dedicated his life to God, is that his body is still well preserved, after more than 700 years!




Visiting Enders Island on a recent trip to Stonington, Connecticvut, turned out to be an extremely impressive and profound experience.

The information sheet about the island summed it up perfectly with the following words:

"Connected by bridge to the mainland, Ender's Island and St. Edmund's Retreat is one of the few places in New England where you can awaken to the sound of seabirds calling, waves lapping, and a Mass bell pealing."