Return from Exile

“This is a beautiful book that traces a woman’s journey to ‘heal her heart.’ In connecting with her own story—including deep loss, pilgrimage, exile, and return—the author also delves into the life of the female mystic Julian of Norwich. She seeks self-discovery and renewal and offers in turn inspiration to the reader.”


—Claire Wolfteich, PhD, Boston University School of Theology





“Return from Exile tells the story of two women several centuries apart whose journeys are remarkably similar. . . . This story is one worth savoring, not only for its beautiful language, but for the significance of finding healing in a journey begun not in search of healing but driven by the call to search. Exile yourself for a bit and walk with Marie Laure and Julian on the road to healing.”


—Owene W. Courtney, Director of Formation and Spirituality, St. John’s Cathedral, Jacksonville, Florida





“Readers and seekers who have recently lived through an externally demanded isolation will find a deeper and more soul-satisfying pause in Laure’s story of self-imposed exile. . . . Readers will find in Return from Exile an expansion of understanding of Julian’s ‘showings’ and an inspiring story of one woman’s interior exile during a life’s pilgrimage. Both will resonate with all who welcome an awareness of living in Spirit.”


—Ann Browning Masters, PhD, author of Floridanos, Menorcans, Cattle-Whip Crackers: Poetry of St. Augustine