Heather King discusses in an article published on Apr. 10 the themes explored by Jane Brox in her book, “Silence: A Social History of One of the Least Understood Elements of Our Lives.” The book opens with a look at Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, established in 1829 as an experiment in prisoner rehabilitation through enforced silence and isolation.
Brox describes how prisoners were not allowed to communicate or make noise for years under threat of severe punishment. This system was intended to encourage inmates to reflect inwardly and repent. However, King notes that such extreme confinement led many prisoners to mental distress, while others found a form of spiritual clarity during their isolation.
The article then contrasts this punitive silence with the chosen silence observed by nuns at the Convent of Divine Love, located near the former penitentiary. The convent opened just after Eastern State abandoned its solitary confinement policies due to overcrowding issues in 1913. Since then, cloistered nuns have maintained continuous silent prayer at their chapel.
King highlights a quote from Mother Mary Michael given to Archbishop Edmond Prendergast on July 2, 1915: “May the newly-established tabernacle be an inexhaustible source of grace for the city of Philadelphia, the great Archdiocese, and the whole world.”
She also references Dorothy Day’s belief that prayers can transcend time and offer comfort even after death. King reflects on whether ongoing prayer by these nuns might provide consolation for those who suffered under imposed silence at Eastern State Penitentiary.
The article concludes by suggesting that both forms of silence—punitive and chosen—have left lasting marks on their communities and continue to prompt reflection about suffering, redemption, and spiritual life.
