Golden Jubilee: Blessed be God the Faithful One

Greetings,

 On Saturday, July 19th, we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Sisters Jeanne and Mildred. The chapel was filled with sisters, family, and friends as our Sister Jubilarians renewed their monastic profession at the celebration of the Eucharist. The joy overflowed from chapel to the reception as they celebrated and praised "Blessed be God the Faithful One". Please join us in lifting our Golden Sisters up in prayer throughout this their jubilee year.

Sister Jeanne grew up on a farm near Tyndall, SD, second in a family of four children. She is the daughter of the late John and Louise Ranek. After graduating form Tyndall High School, Sr. Jeanne attended Mount Marty College graduating with a BA in Social Sciences. Mount Marty opened worlds both academically and spiritually and lead her to enter Sacred Heart Convent that fall. After her first profession, Sr. Jeanne taught at Mount Marty High School until its closure in 1969. This was followed by graduate studies at the University of Notre Dame where she earned both a Masters and Doctor of Philosophy degrees! Sister ministries have varied from teaching at the college and graduate levels, to consulting and facilitating for religious communities. She has also served in leadership roles for the American Benedictine Academy, Association of Benedictine Retreat Centers, and Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.  Since 1990, Sr. Jeanne has been engaged in serving full-time retreat ministry and directing the ecumenical Spiritual Direction Ministry Formation Program. Sr. Jeanne earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in Spiritual Direction through the Graduate Theological Foundation including a summer attending Oxford University in England. She continues as the director of our Benedictine Peace Center established in 2001 with the completion of a new wing of the monastery. 

Sr. Jeanne shared, " Fifty years have passed quickly, filled with experiences and opportunities I hadn't dreamed would be mine. Whatever the years before me hold, my hope is that I will be ever more attentive and responsive to the profound and amazing gift of God's loving Presence among us. I am deeply grateful to my family, my sisters and all those whom I have been privileged to serve in a variety of ministries. With a long way to go yet, my hope is to attain what St. Benedict promises to a disciple after long years of fidelity in our monastic way of life, that is: "to run with heart enlarged on the way of God's commandments" (Rule of Benedict, Prologue: 49).

Sisters sub-Prioress, Mildred, Jeanne, and Prioress
on the day of the Golden Jubilee celebration.

Sister Mildred was born in Luverne, MN, the fourth child of Mildred and Walter Busch. She joined three brothers and three sisters growing up on a farm in the St. Rose of Lima parish of Garretson, SD. Parish life was an anchor of her family's faith life as her father became the first layman to lector and serve as communion minister in their church following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Sister graduated from Garretson High School and attended Mount Marty College for one year before she entered Sacred Heart Convent in 1962. Later, she received her BA in history of Mount Marty College and an MA in education from the University of Nebraska in 1981. For 33 years, sister taught at the elementary and high school levels in parish schools in both South Dakota and Nebraska. During 20 of those years, she was principal and states that her years in education have brought great joy and satisfaction for the privilege of being involved in the lives of hundreds of children and young people.

Throughout her years in religious life, Sr. Mildred was involved in community administrative areas, serving terms on the council, committees, and task forces. In 1999 she entered a new phase of ministry by serving on the task force for co-sponsorship of our Benedictine Health System with the Presentation Sisters Health System which is now known as Avera.  She continued to serve the health system as a member of several Avera hospital Boards of Directors as well as System Member Chair. In 2005, she was appointed Procurator to the community. She loved those years of serving the community very directly, adding that "the learning curve was huge, but the challenge was enjoyable." Currently, sister is the Pastoral Administrative Assistant at St. Michael's Parish in Lincoln, NE. Her newest venture has been writing and sharing guided visualizations on Gospel passages, stories, and events. In closing, Sr. Mildred says, "On my jubilee, I celebrate with everlasting gratitude, my call to the monastery and thank God for His faithfulness."

Blessings

The Rite of Transfer: "My heart is ready, O God, My heart is ready."

Greetings,

 Benedictine women and men profess three vows from the Rule of Benedict: Obedience, Fidelity to the Monastic Way of Life (celibacy & poverty are inferred here), and Stability. The profession or vow of Stability reflects the importance of our commitment to one Benedictine community. Stability is about more than the physical place of the Benedictine monastery or abbey. That one group of sisters or monks becomes our family; our life of prayer, community, and service is centered in the life of that community. If a Benedictine nun or monk were to feel called to transfer (move) from one community to another, they would need to officially profess their change of stability from their previous community to their new Benedictine community.

Prayerful environment at the Chapel

Our Sister Lynn began her Benedictine life with the sisters at Mother of God Monastery in Watertown, SD. She promised her first profession on July 29, 1988 and her perpetual profession on June 14, 1992. After some years, she began discerning God's call to our Benedictine community. She began the transfer process in 2011, which included continued discernment, classes in our history and traditions, as well as time to grow in relationship with our Benedictine family.

Sr. Lynn signing her profession document
on the altar.

Prioress of Mother of God Monastery, Sr. Lynn,
Prioress of Sacred Heart Monastery, and
Formation director at SHM.

Sr. Lynn's request for permanent transfer was brought before our June Chapter and the vote was an overwhelming acceptance of her desire to become a full member of our community.  During Sunday's prayer of Vespers, we celebrated the ceremony of transfer. Her theme of "My heart is ready, O God, My heart is ready" reflected not only the Psalms, but also her own readiness to commit fully to our community. Sister read her statement transferring her profession of Stability and renewing her perpetual monastic profession. She then signed the document upon the altar as a symbol and reminder of her life in Christ. 

As a sign of her full membership within our community.  Sr. Lynn received the symbol of our community.  "Sister Lynn, receive this symbol as a sign of fidelity to God and to your profession. May you faithfully adhere to Christ and persevere in your commitment to this monastic community," proclaimed by the prioress as she places the pin in Sr. Lynn's lapel. Sister retained the ring she received at her perpetual profession within Mother of God Monastery.

Please keep our Sister Lynn in your prayers as she begins her role as a full-member in our monastic family.  You can learn more about Sister's discernment and religious life in this reflection from her Silver Jubilee last year.

Blessings,

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,

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,

Saturday Joy

Greetings,

Today the chapel was filled with joy as the words of Sister Julie's Perpetual Monastic Profession rang out...

In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
I, Sister Julie Peak, baptized in the diocese of Peoria, Illinois,
promise to God PERPETUALLY...
We will share more about this joyous day very soon!

Blessings,

The Perpetual Monastic Profession of Sister Jill

Our songbook open to the Suscipe
and Sr. Jill's liturgy for profession.

Greetings,

Today, we celebrated the Perpetual Monastic Profession of our Sister Jill!  The day was filled with the blessing of Sisters, family, and friends!  The celebration began the morning prayer of Lauds.  At the close of our Saturday morning prayer, we prayed a blessing for Sister Jill...

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Who called people from their daily work,
Saying to them, 'Come to Me'
Bless Sister Jill who heard your voice
and gladly answered your call
to commit her life to this monastic community. 
Bless her hopes, deal gently with her fears
and bless all of us as we go together to everlasting life.
We pray this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Monastery began to buzz with the joy and energy of the day.  Sisters finished decorating the Chapel for Mass and Chapter room for reception.  Guests, family, and friends began to arrive at the door.  And our Sister glowed with joy as the time of her profession approached.



The Mass of Consecration began with statio (the solemn procession of the whole community) into Chapel with Sister and her parents processing after us, well gliding and grinning from ear to ear, she was so excited.  Sister had chosen readings telling the story of Samuel being called in the Temple and the Apostles being called to follow Jesus...the theme of leaving all behind to follow the call of Christ.  Father Thomas (our Benedictine pastor) picked up on this theme and with humor and tenderness called us all to a closer following of the Call.


• A reminder that it is God's Vocation inviting us and we who answer God's Call
• A reminder that the monastic life is show God's presence in the world with faithfulness
• A reminder that Sister is loved by her sisters and called to love her sisters

The ritual of profession began after the homily; Sister Jill was called to the sanctuary by the Prioress and the chanted refrain by her Benedictine Sisters...

Venite! Come, O sons and daughters of God!
Come and follow Me, I will teach you the way of Life, Venite!


Sister Jill and Prioress
signing the profession
document on the altar.

First the Prioress questioned her intent, then Sister read her document of Perpetual Profession before the whole community and congregation, and both she and the Prioress signed it on the altar.  This ancient part of the ritual concludes with the threefold singing of the Suscipe...which is also sung at the jubilee anniversaries and funerals in our Monastic life.  This is always when I cry, and a fair few Kleenexes came out today; remembering that moment of absolute commitment  in our own lives and receiving the gift of the absolute commitment of Sister's life to our community and in service to the Church.

 

Uphold me, O Lord,
according to your Word, that I may live,
and let me not be disappointed in the hope I cherish. 

Glory be to the Father...



The Sister kneels or prostrates herself before the altar as the community
chants the Litany of the Saints to intercede for her.

Next, the cantor sisters lead us in the Litany of Saints over Sister.  In recent years, the sisters get to include the names of those sisters or family who have died as part of the Litany...Sister Jill called upon her grandparents to pray for her on this special day.  Finally, she received the ring marking the Perpetually Professed sisters in our community.  The Greek initials of Christ in the center with the cross and nails and the palm fronds from Passion Sunday on either side of the ring.

  

A close up of our profession ring.

What comes next?  The celebration simply moved from Chapel to Chapter room for the reception.  Family, friends, and Sisters alike gathered around tables to visit over a simple meal and desert.  Sisters chatted with monks and sisters from visiting communities, nieces and nephews giggled and chased around the tables, and family and friends told stories.  Sister Jill moved from table to table amidst it all; greeting folk, receiving hugs, and laughing with us all.  It was a wonderful gathering of Benedictine and extended Family
...a great blessing to be shared.

Blessings,

Monastic Chapter

Greetings,

This weekend we gathered at the Monastery to pray, discuss, and do a bit of business...Monastic Chapter.  The most joyous part of our Chapter was one particular vote.  When considering new members, the Rule of Benedict says  "If after due reflection she promises to observe everything and to obey every command given her, let her then be received into the community" chapter 58, 14.  Our Sr. Jill stood before the whole community to request our permission to celebrate her perpetual profession in our community.  She shared a beautiful letter telling of her growth, prayer, and love in our Benedictine community.  While listening to her gentle voice, I looked around the room to the faces of our Benedictine family; sisters' faces were shinning in the reflection of Sr. Jill's joy, some grinning ear-to-ear, others tearing up, or remembering this moment from their own request.  After she finished sharing, the junior sisters left the room and the chapter then discussed and voted on the junior sister.  Later when Sister Junior Director brought Sr. Jill back into the chapter, we greeted her with applause and hugs of joy.  The Monastic Chapter had accepted her!  We will be celebrating the Perpetual Monastic Profession of Sr. Jill within a few weeks!

Blessings,