Postulant Playfulness

Postulant Terry (left) and Sister Kathy (right)
falling into the fluffy snow.

Greetings,

Postulant Terry enjoyed her first major South Dakota snowstorm! Sunday's eight inches of powdery, white snow offered her the perfect opportunity to invite Sister Kathy into some winter fun...Snow Angels! They were watched from above by our elders in the care center with great joy.

The finished Sister Snow Angels!

The Rule of Benedict calls us to a good zeal, a joy-filled celebration of our sisterhood. Celebrating the snowfall with a laughter, snow angels, and cocoa encourages this good zeal of our Benedictine life.

How do you encourage this good zeal of love of God and family in your life?

Just as there is an evil zeal of bitterness which separates from God and leads to hell, so there is a good zeal which separates from vices and leads to God and to life everlasting. This zeal, therefore, the sisters should practice with the most fervent love.

Thus they should anticipate one another in honor; most patiently endure one another's infirmities, whether of body or character; vie in paying obedience one to another -- no one following what she considers useful for herself, but rather what benefits another; tender the charity of sisterhood chastely; fear God in love; love their Abbess with a sincere and humble charity; prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And may He bring us all together to life everlasting!
(Rule of Benedict 72)

Blessings!

The Christmas Season Continues: A Third Christmas Memory

Greetings,

The recent Yankton Benedictines newsletter shared stories from our Sisters' Christmases past...

Sister Bernard would play her violin and other Sister-singers would go throughout the monastery playing and singing to wake all for Christmas Midnight Mass. Sr. Rosemary remembers that, "As a candidate, I did not know of this tradition. When I woke up, I thought I must have died and gone to heaven, the music was so beautiful."

The Christmas Season Continues: Another Christmas Memory

Greetings,

The recent Yankton Benedictines newsletter shared stories from our Sisters' Christmases past...

Midnight Mass at the monastery was also a beautiful tradition. Some people in the area would plan their whole Christmas celebration around it. The chapel was so full, extra chairs often had to be set up. Sr. Angeline, who grew up in Yankton, remembers that she and other little girls in their white first communion dresses would take part in a procession before Mass. Mother Jerome carried up the statue of the baby Jesus on a white satin pillow, with the girls following with streamers. In later years, postulants in white gowns replaced the children in the procession.

Vocations Awareness Week!

Greetings!

This week the Catholic Church invites us to celebrate the gift and call of vocations within the Church.

Sunday evening, we began our Vocation Awareness Week with a very 'punny' supper with our sisters.  The supper included: 'Priestly' pork chops, 'Diaconate' dumplings, 'Sisterly' sauerkarut, a 'Generous Singles' salad bar, 'Brotherly' bites of ice cream, and even 'Married Life' morsels of cookies.

The evening continued with our monthly Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations.  The sisters invited students from Mount Marty College and local parishioners to join us. Our silent Adoration before the Lord was only broken by Scripture readings and theological reflections every half-hour.

The sisters found new table decorations when we gathered for lunch on Monday.  The Vocations Awareness folk had created table tents with vocation themed conversation topics and ideas for each table of sisters.

Tuesday evening we gathered with our Mount Marty Student prayer partners.  The evening began with prayer that our hearts be open to God's Call.  At the end of our prayer together, the Sisters their hands in blessing over the Student Prayer Partners "May God bless you with open minds, joyful hearts and loving companions as you listen to the Lord in your lives."  Then the students extended their hands in bless and prayed, "May God bless you with peace and joy as you prayerfully listen and live the Benedictine way of life."  After prayer, the evening continued with time for the sisters and their prayer partners to visit, play, and maybe have a treat too.

We will continue you uphold you in prayer as this week of Vocations Awareness continues.

GOD OUR FATHER, 

we thank you for calling men and women
to serve in your Son's kingdom
as priests, deacons, and consecrated persons.   Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to your call. 
May our community of faith
support vocations of sacrificial love
in our youth and young adults.  
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.  ~Amen

Welcoming Postulant Terry!

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!

Service to Community: corn parties

Greetings,

The Rule of Benedict calls the community to service to each other. While a sister's assigned work or ministry might lead to her to teaching, nursing, pastoral care, or other paid ministry, her service to her Benedictine sisters is understood to be a celebration of mutual obedience and good zeal.

"Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the abbot but also to one another as brothers, since we know that it is by this way of obedience that we go to God. Therefore, although orders of the abbot or of the priors appointed by him take precedence, and no unofficial order may supersede them, in every other instance younger monks should obey their seniors with all love and concern. Anyone found objecting to this should be reproved" (RB 71: 1-5).

"Just as there is an evil zeal of bitterness which separates from God and leads to hell, so there is a good zeal which separates from vices and leads to God and to life everlasting. This zeal, therefore, the sisters should practice with the most fervent love. Thus they should anticipate one another in honor; most patiently endure one another's infirmities, whether of body or of character; vie in paying obedience one to another. No one following what she considers useful for herself, but rather what benefits another; tender the charity of sisterhood chastely; fear God in love; love their Abbess with a sincere and humble charity; prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And may He bring us all together to life everlasting" (RB 72)!

 With these words of Benedict and the needs of our sisters in mind, our intrepid Garden Sisters dressed themselves in boots and bluejeans and headed out to the cornfields. Our visiting student sisters also joined the labor. The hard work of walking the field and picking corn was punctuated with joyful banter and laughter as the sisters filled the pickup to the brim with fresh sweet corn. When the last bucketful was balanced on the truck, the sisters returned to the monastery for a break. They were greeted with anticipation and cool water.

"And if the circumstances of the place or their  poverty should require that they themselves do the work of gathering the harvest, let them not be discontented; for then are they truly monastics when they live by the labor of their hands, as did our Fathers and the Apostles. Let all things be done with moderation, however, for the sake of the faint-hearted" (RB 48: 7-9).

If there is much work to be done, Benedict called for an 'all hands on deck' mentality. However, each sister is to carefully consider what she can do in moderation. Our sister Leonette, just shy of 99, as well as sisters Arthur and Margaretta, who travel the halls by scooter, brought their willing hands and hearts to husking the bounty of sweet corn. They weren't alone!

As soon as the husking note was posted, sisters donned their aprons and joined the hallway filled with heaps of corn to be husked. The sound of husks ripping became a background to the sharing of stories and memories.

This is only part of the preparation of the sister's work in preparing the sweet corn for freezing. Other sisters gently brushed the corn, washing the remaining silks from the ear and trimmed any damaged areas from the ears. Then the kitchen Sisters and staff steam the ears before the corn cutting 'party' in the evening.

The evening corn party finds sisters in every corner of the kitchen and serving hall! As the cutters trim the kernels away from the ear, other sisters carried away buckets of now empty ears or began weighing the kernels into five pound tin pans and prepared them for the deep freeze. All sisters assisted in whatever way possible; from prioress to postulant, helpful hands made quick work of the hundreds of ears. Even our Sister Virginia, who just celebrated her 100th year, held pans for others to fill. Here again, the work was accented with laughter, story, and memory.

The tradition of working together to care for the needs of monastery continues. Only two weeks after her entrance, Postulant Terry found herself tucked among the sisters and up to her elbows in corn...and listening to the stories across the generations. We invite you to join us in our lived tradition of mutual service, prayer, and laughter too.

Blessings,

Welcoming Rites of Postulant & Profession!

Greetings,

The start of August has traditionally been marked with celebrations honoring not only the milestone moments but also the beginnings of our Benedictine life.  Friday, August 1st, was filled with joy as we celebrated Diamond Jubilarians: 75 ~ 70 ~ 60 years of religious life.  Among the twelve sisters being honored, we recognized a milestone of 775 years of professed life and loving service to the Church and all God's people.

Sister Vocation Director,
Postulant Theresa, and
our Sister Prioress

The beginning of our religious life was honored on Saturday evening as the whole community gathered at the front doors of the monastery to welcome Terry into the Postulancy. The Rule of Benedict teaches us, "Do not grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entry, but as the Apostle says. Test the spirits to see if they are from God. Therefore, if someone comes and keeps knocking at the door...then she should be allowed to enter...A senior chosen for her skill in winning souls should be appointed to look after them with careful attention" (RB 58: 1-6). 

The newcomer, 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.


Finally, Sister Penny dressed Postulant Theresa with a Benedictine medal as a sign of our acceptance of her desire to seek God in our community.  The community processed on from this entrance rite to the Chapel to Vespers while singing: "What can be sweeter to us than the voice of the Lord inviting us? Behold in his loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life."

Our community symbol & sign waiting to be
blessed and given to N. Peggy as a sign of our unity.

Novice Peggy chose a line from Jeremiah for the theme of her first Monastic Profession, "For I know the Plan I have for you, says the Lord."

Sister Penny, Prioress, looks on while N. Peggy
declares her first Monastic Profession.

The dialogue within the rite of profession reminds us that while the community tests and receives the new member, the initiative is hers. Sr. Penny, Prioress, asked, "Novice Peggy what do you ask of God, of the Church, and of this community?" And Novice Peggy responded, "Mindful of God's merciful love, I ask to share in the life of this community by making my first Monastic Profession."

Following the instruction of the Rule, she was then invited in the name of the Church to declare her promise of profession before God and His Saints. After this, Sister Peggy and our Prioress signed her profession document on the altar as an offering to God where it remained throughout our Vespers prayer.

The profession document is signed on the altar as a
sign of Sr. Peggy's offering of self.

Sister Peggy singing the Suscipe with her sisters.

"When she is to be received, she comes before the whole community in the oratory and promises stability, fidelity to the monastic life, and obedience. This is done in the presence of God and the saints to impress on the novice that if she ever acts otherwise, she will surely be condemned by the one she mocks. She states her promise in a document drawn up in the name of the saints whose relics are there, and of the prioress, who is present. The novice writes out this document herself...puts her mark to it and with her own hand lays it upon the altar. After she has put it on the altar, she begins the verse: Uphold me, O Lord, according to Your word that I may live; and let me not be disappointed in the hope I cherish. The community repeats the verse three times, and adds the 'Glory be to the Father'" (Rule of Benedict 58: 17-22).

As a sign of her Profession and commitment, Sister Peggy received the symbol of our community. The Benedictine cross with the Sacred Heart of Christ in the center, and the flowing love of His mercy and our ministry of prayer and service. This pin (and pendant) stands as a uniting sign of her membership in our community and a reminder to her of our life together in Christ.

As a vowed member of our community, Sr. Peggy will continue to discern God's call in her life throughout the next four years of temporary profession. She will continue to engage in lighter schedule of monastic classes while returning to her service as a nurse in ministering to the needs of God's people. Follow this link to read more about Sister Peggy.

Please pray for Sister Peggy and Postulant Terry as they continue to discern God' call in their lives.

Blessings,

Monastic Chapter, August 2014

Greetings,

This weekend of Monastic Chapter includes more celebrations for the monastery.  After the first day of meetings, we will gather to honor our Diamond Jubilarian Sisters at the Celebration of the Eucharist.  Sisters who have lived our Benedictine life for 60, 70, and even 75 years will renew their Monastic Profession.  At the end of Saturday, we will gather to welcome Postulant Terry, the newest seeker of God's Will in our community.  Chapter ends that Saturday night; however, the sisters will continue to gather through Sunday Vespers to join our praise with Novice Peggy's as she is called forward to promise her first Monastic Profession as a vowed sister.

 We also ask for your prayers as all of our sisters, from prioress to novice, travel home to discuss the "important business [that] has to be done in the monastery" RB 3:1. 

Whenever any important business has to be done in the monastery, let the Abbot call together the whole community and state the matter to be acted upon. Then, having heard the brethren's advice, let him turn the matter over in his own mind and do what he shall judge to be most expedient. The reason we have said that all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best. 

Let the brethren give their advice with all the deference required by humility, and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions; but let the decision rather depend on the Abbot's judgment, and all submit to whatever he shall decide for their welfare. 

However, just as it is proper for the disciples to obey their master, so also it is his function to dispose all things with prudence and justice.

Rule of Benedict 3

The changes in our prayer schedule during Monastic Chapter, all celebrated in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel.
Friday:
~ Morning Prayer 8:30 AM
~ Mass (private) celebrating Diamond Jubilarians 4:00 PM
~ Evening Prayer 7:15 PM
Saturday:
~ Morning Prayer 8:30 AM
~ Entrance Ritual for Postulant (private) 5:15 PM
~ Evening Prayer 5:30 PM
Sunday: 
~ Morning Prayer 8:30 AM
~ Mass 10 AM
~ Evening Prayer & First Profession of Novice Peggy (private)  5:00 PM

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Greetings,

On this 51st World Day of Prayer for Vocations, our Holy Father, Pope Francis has shared a message to all those disposed to being laborers for the harvest!

 ... "Many times we have prayed with the words of the Psalmist: "It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture"; or: "The Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession"... Hence the way of belonging to God is explained:  it comes about through a unique and personal relationship with Jesus, which Baptism confers on us from the beginning of our rebirth to new life.  It is Christ, therefore, who continually summons us by his word to place our trust in him, loving him "with all the heart, with all the understanding, and will all the strength".  Therefore every vocation, even within the variety of paths, always requires an exodus from oneself in order to center one's life on Christ and on his Gospel...Therefore, we are all called to adore Christ in our hearts in order to allow ourselves to be touched by the impulse of grace contained in the seed of the world, which must grow in us and be transformed into concrete service to our neighbour.  We need not be afraid:  God follows the world of his hands with passion and skill in every phase of life.  He never abandons us!  He has the fulfillment of his plan for us at heart, and yet he wishes to achieve it with our consent and cooperation.

Today too, Jesus lives and walks along the paths of ordinary life in order to draw near to everyone, beginning with the least, and to heal us of our infirmities and illnesses. I turn now to those who are well disposed to listen to the voice of Christ that rings out in the Church and to understand what their own vocation is.  I invite you to listen to and follow Jesus, and to allow yourselves to be transformed interiorly by his words, which "are spirit and life".  Mary, the Mother of Jesus and ours, also says to us:  "Do whatever he tells you".  It will help you to participate in a communal journey that is able to release the best energies in you and around you.  A vocation is a fruit that ripens in a well cultivated field of mutual love that becomes mutual service, in the context of an authentic ecclesial life.  No vocation is born of itself or lives for itself.  A vocation flows from the heart of God and blossoms in the good soil of faithful people, in the experience of fraternal love.  Did not Jesus say:  "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"? ...

Are you considering a call to the consecrated life?  We invite you to learn more about our Benedictine Life and discern with us in an upcoming retreat May 24-26:  
Exploring Benedictine Life:  Listening in Context.

Blessings,

One Jolly Monastery Tradition

Greetings,

The quiet of our simple Wednesday supper was interrupted with a joyful chorus of "Jolly old Saint Nicholas, lean your ear this way; Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say!"  Saint Nicholas himself came into our monastery refectory on the eve of his feast with two helpers to visit with the sisters and share his gifts of apples and oranges as well as chocolates and candies. As Saint Nicholas visited around the dinning room, he teased the sisters about eating all their spinach (the vegetable for supper that night) or they might get coal instead.  Saint Nicholas also visited our elders in the care center in their dinning room as his helpers and our staff sang and joined in the fun.  All of the sisters received a special blessing from our ancient bishop and legend.


Sister Sub-Prioress, Father Chaplain, and Postulant Peggy
with all Saint Nicholas' goodies for the sisters!

Our monastery has been celebrating the visit of Saint Nicholas for over 70 years! With our Swiss roots and many early sisters from Germany or German Ancestry, this festive celebration of generosity, hospitality, and child-like awe is a natural and joy-filled expression of our Advent waiting for the Lord's coming.  Our saint's visit began with with singing and laughter; and after he left, the sisters continued to visit  about their Saint Nicholas memories.  Over those 70 years, Saint Nicholas has been played by new novices and junior sisters, monastery and college chaplains, but the earliest memories were of Sister Georgia who died in 1968.  She would come to evening recreation, all dressed up with apples and oranges for all the sisters who then joined in with welcoming, song, and laughter...only to be quickly quieted at the bell for Compline. 

As this tradition continues to welcome and bless, new members and guests to the monastery are initiated into this celebration of our heritage.  This year on the eve of Saint Nicholas; Sister 5th Grade Teacher had invited a few of her students for a visit to the monastery.  They loved the 'surprise' visit by the saint and couldn't wait to go home and back to school and tell the tale of their monastery guest!

Blessings and Happy Advent,

The Entrance of Postulant Peggy

Greetings,



Left: Sr. Maribeth (Vocation Director),
Middle: Postulant Peggy, Right: Sr. Penny (Prioress)



At the beginning of August, one young woman knocked at the front doors of Sacred Heart Monastery.  Prioress Sister Penny opened them to her with one question “Peggy, what do you seek?”  After she shared her response, the Prioress opened the doors and brought Peggy and her family into the monastery as the community sang the response, “What can be sweeter to us than the voice of the Lord inviting us?  Behold in his loving kindness, the Lord shows us the way to life.”

The Prioress and Peggy stood in the midst of the sisters in the front hall as the Postulant director came forward to read from the Rule: “Listen carefully, my daughter, to the teacher’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart.  This is advice from one who loves you; welcome it and faithfully put it into practice.  The labor of obedience will bring you back to the One from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience.  This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord.”  ~Prologue of the Rule of Benedict (Vs. 1-3)

Following this message from our Father Benedict, the Prioress spoke to the sisters, “Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, will you strive to fully live your call to monastic life in this community, and to support Peggy as she begins her journey with us?”  And the community replied, “We will.”  Finally, the Prioress offered Peggy a simple Benedictine medal, “Receive this medal as a sign of our acceptance of your desire to seek God in this community.”

With this simple ceremony at the front doors of the monastery, Peggy became a Postulant and began her journey into our Benedictine life.  Two months later, she has begun settling into our daily life of the community.  How does someone settle into our family life?  Slowly…  Peggy shared some of her thoughts about these first couple of months.

Our Benedictine family plays together. “I have learned more new games that I can count…in my group. Some include, ‘Snip, Snap, Snort’, ‘Pass the Ace’, ‘Spades’, ‘Hearts’, and ‘Pinochle’. I’m sure there are more, but too many to remember.”  However, we also work to care for our home together and even the Postulant has a household charge or two, “My favorite ‘charge’ would have to be dishes. I am able to do something to the benefit of the whole community. I also really enjoy leading prayer in our living group.”  Postulant Peggy’s room is in the monastery, but along a hallway dedicated to the new members in formation.  The new members are allowed to settle-in to feel comfortable in their bedroom, “I am using an end table my sister, Mary, let me borrow for a while as my prayer table. It works well. I also brought my candles and Scentsy warmer for my room.  Most used item you brought with me? …the most used item I brought with me would be the school supplies I had left from college.  As a part of my Postulancy program, I am taking two Theology courses at the college and one class at the Monastery.  However, the least used item I brought would be my cleaning supplies and tools. I didn’t know all of that would be supplied here to use.”

Central to our Benedictine life is the Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharist, and personal prayer.  Soon after entering, even Postulants begin to fall into the liturgical rhythm, “The most surprising change has been the comfort level I have found being here only a couple weeks short of two months. I find myself thinking of the schedule here while I am away.”  She has even begun the Benedictine habit of carrying a favorite bit from the Liturgy of the Hours along with her throughout the day, “My favorite Psalm so far is Psalm 136 when we can reflect on all of God’s gifts to us and respond “God’s love endures forever.”  This continual reflection on scripture also links to some wonderful advice she received from another sister, “I think this is from S. Jane Klimish and has been passed downthrough other sisters as time went on. “The best kind of Lectio is Relaxio.” I find myself falling asleep during my quiet time and personal prayer, that is when I can relax and let go of my worries.”

As a Postulant to our Benedictine life, a new member sometimes has the best advice for those considering religious life, “My advice for any woman feeling the call from God to grow closer to Him with the support of a community would be to visit a Monastery, keep regular communication with their vocation director, and to start to form relationships with other sisters. I would also highly encourage anyone to make a personal retreat, to allow yourself some ‘me’ time to reflect and listen to what God is telling you. Also, having a Spiritual Director is someone to help guide you through the possible ‘new’ or ‘unfamiliar’ feelings you may be having and am unsure of how to respond to those feelings.”

Blessings,

Celebrations of New Promise!

Greetings,

We celebrated Sr. Julie's Perpetual Profession on Saturday, July 21st!

During her novitiate, Sister had made this clay piece "Hesed".  This Old Testament term of God's loving mercy for each of us; it became the theme of her Perpetual Profession "O God, Your Faithful Love Upholds Me".  She celebrated answering this faithful love with her family, monastic sisters, and lay-folk with whom she serves.

According to Benedictine Tradition, the sister writes out the profession statement in her own hand and reads it before all the sisters in the oratory or chapel of the monastery:

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I, Sister Julie baptized in the diocese of Peoria, Illinois

promise to God perpetually stability in this monastery,

fidelity to the monastic way of life,

and obedience according to the Rule of Saint Benedict,

the norms of the Federation of Saint Gertrude

and the living tradition of this monastery. 

I make this monastic profession before God and the saints,

before Sister Penny, prioress, and the sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery.

In witness thereof, I have written this document and

have signed it here at Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, SD

on the 21st day of July in the year 2012.

Sr. Julie and Sr. Penny, prioress, then sign the profession statement on the altar and leave the profession document on the altar throughout the rest of the Eucharistic Celebration.  This is an important connection to the professed sister offering her life in connection with that of Christ and for the Church.



Sr. Mary Jo singing the Suscipe
after signing her transfer
documents on the altar.



Sr. Mary Jo reading her transfer
document before the Federation
President, our Prioress, and our
Formation director.



A week after celebrating the perpetual profession of Sr. Julie; our community gathered again to celebrate the perpetual transfer of Sr. Mary Jo's vow of stability to our monastery.  She commemorated God's continued love and care for her religious call with the theme "You Will Show Me the Path of Life". 





A week after Sr. Mary Jo's celebration, the community gathered to welcome a new seeker of God's love in our Benedictine life.  On Friday, August 3rd, Peggy followed our 1500-year-old-tradition, knocked on the monastery door, and was asked "What do you seek?".  She then answers the prioresses question and steps across the threshold of the monastery doors into her new life as a postulant in our community.  A sign of this new direction is the blessed Benedictine medal that the prioress gives to the postulant.

Blessings,