Sister Laura Swan writes, “On the Feast of St Scholastica, at Evening Praise, Sister Raphaela Cady made her Perpetual Monastic Profession. Family, friends, and Oblates joined via Zoom. We then celebrated afterward.”


Sister Laura Swan writes, “On the Feast of St Scholastica, at Evening Praise, Sister Raphaela Cady made her Perpetual Monastic Profession. Family, friends, and Oblates joined via Zoom. We then celebrated afterward.”
Judith Valente, Benedictine oblate, author and journalist, published an article on Sister Thomas Welder’s life and legacy of servant leadership. Sister Thomas, who passed away June 22, 2020 from kidney cancer, was a member of Annunciation Monastery for nearly 60 years.
The Conference of Benedictine Prioresses held their annual meeting from January 28 – February 3, 2020 at Sacred Heart Monastery, in Yankton, South Dakota. The theme for the meeting was “Called To Serve”. In addition to the business meeting, the prioresses and presidents had two days of retreat with Sister Michaela Hedican of St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN. The topic of Sister Michaela’s retreat was the Sermon on the Mount and Leadership.
Sister Susan Rudolph, prioress of St. Benedict’s Monastery, was elected to the CBP Coordinating Committee for a three year term. Sister Nicole Kunze, prioress of Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, ND, completed her term on the coordinating committee and will continue to serve as treasurer for the group. Sister Aileen Bankemper, St. Walburg’s Monastery, Covington, KY was elected chair of the committee.
Sr. Kerry O’Reilly giving a presentation at the business meeting.
L to R: Nicole Kunze (Annunciation, Bismarck, ND), Sandra Brunenn (St. Mary, Rock Island, IL), Catherine Nehotte (St. Paul, St. Paul, MN), Kerry O’Reilly (Federation President), Susan Rudolph (St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN), Marva Coakley (St. Martin, Bahamas)
L to R: Sandra Brunenn, Marva Coakley, Nicole Kunze, Catherine Nehotte, Susan Rudolph, Michaela Hedican, Kerry O’Reilly
The American Benedictine Formation Conference Symposium at Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, SD May 5-10, 2019. ABFC is attended by those in initial and ongoing formation ministry, as well as vocation ministry at women’s Benedictine monasteries throughout the country, including members of the Federation of Saint Benedict..
Members of the Federation of St. Benedict were present for the Centennial Celebration of Mount Saint Benedict Monastery on Good Shepherd Sunday. Pictured here are Sister Susan Rudolph, Sister Beverly Raway, Sister Shawn Caruth (prioress of Mount Saint Benedict), Sister Catherine Nehotte, Sister Jacqueline Leiter, Sister Mary Weidner, and Sister Danile Lynch.
Mount Saint Benedict Monastery is a founding member of the Federation of Saint Gertrude and a daughter house of our own Saint Scholastica Monastery in Duluth. The monastery was founded on Good Shepherd Sunday 1919.