Amata Means Beloved

When Sister Maria Amata--the former Emily Barone--enters newly-established Mater Christi Monastery she is eager to become a spouse of Christ--to give all she is and has to God. However Sister Maria Amata finds that living in the monastery with the other nuns radically confronts her understanding of the life itself and her own motives. Why did she really enter the monastery? To give herself completely to God? Or is she instead running from facing her inability to forgive the man who murdered her brother?</p><p>The possibility of acquiring a long-desired bell for the monastery catapults Sister Maria Amata into a crisis. The novice mistress Sister Maria Bernadette challenges the young novice by appointing her as the bell ringer for the Angelus each day. She must choose to live in the ways of freedom and love if her gift to God at first profession is to be truly one of total surrender. She can no longer hold onto her anger and lack of forgiveness. </p> <p>Can Sister Maria Amata overcome her fear of ringing the bell? More importantly will she open her heart to God's grace and forgive? </p>