Greetings,
The Postulant Theresa,
escorted by our vocation director, knocked at the monastery door. Prioress
Penny greeted her and asked, "Terry, what do you seek?" She
responded, "I seek to live in loving service to God in this
community." Each new postulant offers her own response to this question.
After the Postulant Director proclaimed a reading from the Rule of
Benedict, the Prioress called upon the whole community to live as example and
share our support with Terry as she begins this deeper discernment of our
monastic life. With this simple ceremony at the front doors of
the monastery, Terry became a Postulant and began her
journey into our Benedictine life. Almost two months later, she has begun
settling into our daily life of the community. How does someone settle
into our family life? Slowly…
Terry recently shared that some of her new experiences were those that our Midwestern
sisters had been living most of their lives. “Since
I come from the East Coast (I’m a Philly girl), I have had some experiences
that are new culturally. For one, I have never experienced a “corn party”. First
we shucked and shucked and shucked some more, more corn than I have ever seen
before. We also had corn on the cob for lunch and dinner for about two and a
half weeks. Then we cut the corn off the rest of the cobs so we could enjoy it
all year long. That’s a lot of corn. I will also be experiencing my first “pasta party”, wherein I am told the pasta will be flowing faster than I can imagine.
I don’t even know how pasta is made, but I will be a professional before the
end of the day, I am told! The pasta is being made for the Holiday Fair when
the sisters sell homemade goodies made right here in the monastery.”
Postulant Terry’s room
is in the monastery hall dedicated to the new members in formation. The
new members are allowed to settle-in to feel comfortable in their bedroom, “I brought a guitar, computer, and some stuffed animals. Recently
I used one of the stuffed animals as a doorstop to keep the door from slamming
shut in the wind. One of the sisters saw it (it is an eagle) and she said she
saw a giant mouse in my doorway. Ever since the “giant mouse” has taken to
stalking her –outside her door in the middle of the night, checking out her
office desk, and even reading from her book of the Divine Office.” However,
not everything from home can be brought to the monastery. Postulant Terry
needed to leave her dog, Samson, in the loving care of a new family.
As a Benedictine family, we also work to care for our home
together and even the Postulant has a household charge or two, “My charges include Friday evening and Sunday brunch dishes and cleaning
the Peace chapel,” as well as charges taking care of
the monastery hall and group room for formation members. “I’d have to say that washing the dishes is my favorite among
these current tasks.” These daily tasks are on top of Terry’s continued
work teaching as a Professor of Theology at Mount Marty College and new work learning in
her beginning formation classes. “I am currently
reading a book and discussing it with two sisters on the topic of transitions –
this is helpful to me in facing some of the facets of transition. I am also taking
singing lessons each week and a liturgy class based in the Church’s teaching and Liturgy
of the Hours.” With all this
juggling around the monastery, it has been important to remember “how thoughtful St. Benedict was in incorporating time for
everything in any given day: prayer, work, leisure, communal and private time,
rest and refreshment – and it all seems to work!”
Central to our
Benedictine life is the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharist. Soon
after entering, even Postulants begin to fall into the liturgical rhythm, “I really enjoy the
chanting of the prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. My favorites come from the
chanted renditions of the Benedictus.” Personal prayer is also an essential
part of the prayer life of new members, “I have long
been aware of and tried Lectio Divino
in the past, but since entering this is a prayer that I practice every day.”
“Don’t forget to breathe.”
This advice was shared with loving
prayer from another sister as Postulant Terry began to settle in to our
monastic life. As Terry continues her
discernment, she offers this wisdom, reminiscent of Pope Francis, to women
who are considering religious life, “Make sure you are happy with the decision to enter religious life.
The Church needs happy religious.” This advice is a
reflection of her own response when sisters ask how she is doing, a quote from
Tobit, “brimming over with joy!”
Please pray for Postulant Terry's continued discernment in our Benedictine Community!
