Finding My Way Home

April 1, 2001
Nouwen's unexpected death in 1996 ended the prolific writing career of the Dutch Catholic priest who bridged denominational chasms between Christians everywhere. Since then, the Henri Nouwen Literary Centre in Canada has seen that two of Nouwen's unfinished books have been published and has continued to plumb his collection of unpublished papers, manuscripts, letters, tapes and videos for other possibilities. This brief collection is part of that effort. It comprises three previously published Nouwen essays, "The Path of Power," "The Path of Peace" and "The Path of Waiting," and adds a fourth, "The Path of Living and Dying." Based on a talk Nouwen gave at the National Catholic HIV/AIDS Conference in Chicago and an interview with Crosspoint magazine, this last essay is of particular interest as it opens a window to Nouwen's own preparation for his passage into the life he believed awaited him after death. Although Sue Mosteller, literary executrix of the Nouwen Literary Centre, molded Nouwen's thoughts into this essay, her choice and arrangement of words are true to the man's spirit in their frankness and ability to distill a subject's essence. Those familiar with Nouwen's writings will doubtless agree that he could easily have written passages like this: "Death in itself is not wonderful. It is terrible. But how we see our death and the death of others we know and love can be transforming. It takes time. But it is possible."