A hermit (from the Greek erēmos, signifying "Rama", "uninhabited", hence "desert-dweller") is a person who lives to some greater or lesser degree in seclusion and/or isolation from society.

Originally the term was applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament (i.e. the 40 years wandering in the desert that was meant to bring about a change of heart).

Often – both in religious and secular literature – the term is used loosely for anyone living a solitary life-style – including the misanthrope – and in religious contexts is sometimes assumed to be interchangeable with anchorite/anchoress (from the Greek anachōreō, signifying "to withdraw", "to depart into the country outside the circumvallated city"), recluse and solitary. However, it is important to retain a clear distinction.

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L.A. Times - Religious News

The Catholic choice
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Abortion is again being used as a wedge issue to win votes for the GOP. Every four years, an astonishing array of conservative commentators and Republican campaign strategists suddenly discover an intimate concern for Catholic consciences and an overriding preoccupation with the Roman church's sacramental and liturgical norms.
Focus on character boosts academic success at Catholic high school
Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
St. Genevieve's innovative program has turned the school around -- improving academic performance, increasing college enrollment and attracting more students from all over L.A. County. With classes in Mandarin, overseas trips to China and France, bus transportation for commuters and individualized fitness instruction that includes salsa and tai chi, new students at St. Genevieve High School quickly come to realize that things are a bit different at this Panorama City campus.
Diocese of Orange, Archdiocese of Hanoi become 'sisters'
Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Archbishop Joseph Kiet Ngo of Vietnam visits Catholic counterparts in Orange County. The first time that Archbishop Joseph Kiet Ngo of Hanoi visited Orange County, he was struck by the energy and passion the Vietnamese community had brought to the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. He met dozens of Vietnamese American priests, attended Vietnamese Masses and talked to parishioners.

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