This is Brother Rex Anthony Norris, or Br. Rex for short. He’s a hermit.
Yes, a real, live hermit.
So what does a hermit do? Well, suffice it to say that what is referred to as the eremitic life is a vocation, and has to do with what the Church calls assiduous prayer.
He prays. A lot.
Br. Rex is something of a walking contradiction. You might reasonably think that a hermit experiences some level of solitude as part of his (or her) vocation (yes, there are women hermits too). And you would be correct.
What doesn’t show up on paper, though, is that the guy is a total crack up. He’s hysterically funny, with a tremendous sense of humor and thoroughly infectious laugh. Simultaneously, he’s a deeply committed prayer warrior, who spends countless hours in intercessory prayer and takes his vocation extremely seriously.
You definitely want to be on this guy’s prayer list.
In knowing Br. Rex for the past couple years, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called when things were rough, knowing he would take my prayer requests to his daily Holy Hour and hold them before our Lord. In fact, my debt of gratitude became so great, that a couple friends (the esteemed Jon Marc Grodi and Billy Newton) and I started a non-profit organization called Friends of Little Portion Hermitage to “support the worship of God, the eremitic life, Christ-centered solitude, contemplative silence, intercessory prayer and the spiritual works of mercy.”
Our vision is very much in line with the above: “Through the generosity of our donors, Friends of Little Portion Hermitage seeks to provide for the temporal needs of Little Portion Hermitage and the hermit who resides there. We believe consecrated life to be essential to the spiritual well-being of the Body of Christ, most especially the witness of those in consecrated life whose lives give first place to prayer for the glory of God, the good of the Church and the salvation of the world.”
So here’s where you come in. Br. Rex was lamenting to me the other day that he hasn’t received many prayer requests through the website we set up, littleportionhermitage.org – and that’s an opportunity.
At the same time, Friends of Little Portion Hermitage would like to purchase a modest hermitage for Br. Rex and his successors. Thankfully, he lives in a part of Maine where land and buildings are inexpensive, but we still need at least $50,000 to make things livable – even for a hermit.
Would you help us? Please stop by littleportionhermitage.org and send Br. Rex your prayer requests. It will make him happy, and these intentions will be treated with the utmost respect and confidence.
Also, if you can afford to make a donation towards the home for a hermit project, we would appreciate it ever so much. Let’s keep Br. Rex in prayer – and facilitate his prayers for us. Thank you for your support!
Special note: We’re happy to announce that Br. Rex will be appearing on EWTN’s The Journey Home program on Monday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. EST. Hear the story of Br. Rex’s conversion to Christ and His Church!
– Kevin Lowry
Cheryl Olszewski March 30, 2014
Brother Rex,
we, my husband and I met you in Steubenville a years back. I just read Marcus Grodi letter about you and wanted to say ‘Hi.” Thank you for all your prayers for those needing them. I think of you often and pray for you. Have a great Sunday!
Cheryl Olszewski
3/30/14
Elizabeth Hyland April 8, 2014
I saw you on The Journey Home tonight and enjoyed the program very much. I am a cradle Roman Catholic but have never heard of the hermitage for our present time. I was truly happy to learn of your journey and will pray for you. God bless you,
Elizabeth Hyland
Ruth Corbit April 8, 2014
Dear Brother,
I saw you on the Journey Home last night and thoroughly enjoyed hearing your story. I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for answering God’s call and for your prayers, please include my special intention…you asked for prayer requests, I hope you are swamped with responses. God bless you.
JUDY SEGER April 9, 2014
BROTHER REX,
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING “YES” TO GOD`S VOCATION CALL IN YOUR LIFE. I RECENTLY VIEWED YOU ON EWTN. I WAS HOPING TO ALSO HEAR WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BROTHER REX WAS LIKE.
I FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS HAVE BELONGED TO A PRAYER CENACLE WHO PRAY FOR PRIESTS, SEMINARIANS AND RELIGIOUS EVERY MONDAY EVENING. THANKS FOR PUTTING ANOTHER/DIFFERENT FACE ON RELIGIOUS FOR ME. KNOW THAT WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AS YOU OFFER YOUR LIFE IN PRAYER FOR OTHERS.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS……
Ellen Hammond April 11, 2014
I just watched your EWTN special. I was taken with your honesty and joy. I loved what you
said about our daily struggle with pride. We have to own our pride and bring it before the Lord. That gives me hope. I believe that all those people who go to daily mass, adoration, rosary prayer… etc. are the backbone of our Church. I am grateful for your life of prayer. I wish more value would be put on the being and not on the doing. Your work is so valuable.