Celebrating our Centenarian!

Greetings,
Yesterday, we celebrated our centenarian, Sister Virginia!  A few of her close family, some cake, and the love of her sisters.  The following 'story' is from her 80th jubilee...

Sr. Virginia is the 3rd of 13 children of her parents, who supported her call to religious life.  She attended St. Mary's grade school where she was influenced by the Benedictine sisters and monks.  She entered Sacred Heart Monastery on September 2, 1929 at the age of 15.  After graduating from Mount Marty High School in 1932 she was invested as a novice.  She made first profession on August 16, 1933 and final profession on June 26, 1939.

After a year of teaching and loving 53 first graders, Sr. Virginia was called into the field of nursing.  She graduated from Sacred Heart School of Nursing in 1937.  She was a nurse from 1937-1978, she then worked in hospital administration in South Dakota, receiving a credential in Health Care Administration from the University of Minnesota in 1972.  She received a degree from Mount Marty College and became certified in Pastoral Care in 1979.  She then served in Pastoral Care ministry in Colorado from 1979 until her retirement to the monastery in 2001.

Reflecting on her 80th jubilee, Sr. Virginia says, "God's blessings have truly overwhelmed me these 80 years for which I am deeply grateful.  Time has passed quickly amidst joys, sorrows, complexities but always accompanied by an awareness of God's abiding peace, grace and assuring love.  I am most appreciative that God called me to Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton to be a member of this Benedictine community."

Hymns & Gardens

Greetings,

It may sound like an odd combination, Hymns & Gardens, but this morning they joined in praise of God.  The hymn at our morning Liturgy of the Hours came from St. Hildegard of Bingen's explanation of creation's beauty praising God.  The poetic translation from Sr. Theresita Schenk gives a marvelous background to our increasingly lush (and well-rained) gardens and grounds.


Lettuce, dill and herbs, and tomatoes too!

"The Blowing Wind"

The blowing wind, the mild,
     moist air,
exquisite greening of grass
     and trees.
And in their beginnings and
     in their endings
they give to God their
     loving praise.







More tomatoes in the foreground with sweet potatoes
and melons in the back.  The peppers and eggplant,
still canned for protection from rabbits
and gophers, dot the middle.

All God's creation is awakened
by the resounding melody,
God's invocation of the Word,
Word manifest
     in every creature. 


The orchard produce soaks in the sun and rain.

The blowing wind, the mild,
     moist air,
exquisite greening of grass
     and trees.
And in their beginnings and
     in their endings
they give to God their
     loving praise.

Plums and apples and apricots, Oh My!

Glance at the sun, the moon
     and the stars.
Gaze at the beauty
     of earth's greening.
What great delight
     God gives to humankind
with all these things,
     gracious gifts of God.

What began as a few vines for the cultivation
of a newly 'retired' sister quickly grew...her 26 vines
now provide homemade grape juice and
jellies for the sisters at the monastery.

The blowing wind, the mild,
     moist air,
exquisite greening of grass
     and trees.
And in their beginnings and
     in their endings
they give to God their
     loving praise.

The sisters' lawns have also grown green, lush...and oh so
tempting to the local rafter or gang of turkeys.

We invite you to take a moment today to reflect on the poetry of St. Hildegard and experience the beauty of creation where you are.  Hopefully, you too will see and celebrate the praise of God in the wind and greening and skies!

Blessings,

Hildegard of Bingen

Greetings,

Today, Benedictines around the world are celebrating our own Hildegard of Bingen; However, next year the whole Church will be celebrating this Benedictine woman of mysticism and wisdom.  On October 7th, Pope Benedict XVI will be proclaiming Hildegard Saint and Doctor of the Church.  She will have a place in the official calendar and memorial readings dedicated to her feast.  But that is next year, today she continues to be simply commemorated by her Benedictine sisters and brothers.

"Our catechesis today deals with Saint Hildegard of Bingen, the great nun and mystic of the 12th century. One of the outstanding women of the Middle Ages, Hildegard used her spiritual gifts for the renewal of the Church and the spread of authentic Christian living. Hildegard reminds us of the contribution which women are called to make to the life of the Church in our own time. Trusting in her intercession, I cordially invoke upon all of you God's abundant blessings!"
~Pope Benedict XVI, September 1, 2010 and September 8, 2010 audiences.

Blessings,

Pope to canonize and name Hildegard of Bingen as Doctor of the Church

Greetings,

It is exciting to learn that our much beloved Hildegard of Bingen is going to be "Sainted" this fall and then proclaimed as a "Doctor of the Church"!  Benedictine monks and sisters have long celebrated her wisdom and faith and studied her work.  It is a blessing that now we can share her with the wider Church.  To learn more about Hildegard, American Catholic has already added her to their listing of the saints and Pope Benedict XVI shared a series of teaching about her during his General Audiences on both September 1st and Semptember 8th of 2010.

Blessings,