By Sr. Bobbi Bussan, OSB and Debbie Schwiebert
Life is a journey and we know not if it will unfold according to our plans and dreams. We hope for a meaningful outcome but there are always surprises along the way and new directions taken.
Imagine it is 1874. Four sisters and one postulant are setting out from St. Scholastica’s Convent in Chicago, Illinois, for Nauvoo, Illinois, to establish a school for girls. Excitement, apprehension, concern and a little fear of the unknown may have been some of the emotions they experienced. Their Pastor had given them this mission and they believed God, and our Blessed Mother, would guide and inspire them and direct their paths.
The first convent and school were established in a residence which had been built as the Mormon arsenal. The local parish had purchased this home for the Sisters to use as a school and living quarters. St. Scholastica Academy (later St. Mary’s Academy) opened on All Souls Day in 1874, with seven girls enrolled. Their schooling was paid for with food, fuel and even a cow in one instance.
St. Mary’s Academy thrived throughout the latter part of the 19th Century and most of the 20th Century. After 123 years, with the popularity of boarding schools declining, the Sisters made the difficult decision in 1997 to close the Academy. Today the spirit of the Academy lives on through the families of thousands of alumnae who benefited from the teaching, lives and love of the Sisters.
In addition to the Academy, Sisters have served in parishes, elementary and high schools, social agencies, hospitals and communities throughout the states of Illinois and Indiana. The Sisters have also ministered in Colleges, Universities and Diocesan Chancery Offices. Special ministries in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Mexico and New Mexico were begun following Vatican II.
In 2001 another leap of faith was made when the Sisters moved from Nauvoo to Rock Island and built a new complex comprised of St. Mary Monastery and Benet House Retreat Center. Respect for the environment was a driving force behind the innovative design of the complex: acres of woods for wild life were preserved, native prairie grasses were planted and the creation of a five acre lake allowed geothermal hearing and cooling. More recently an array of solar panels was added to provide sustainable electrical power.
The Sisters follow the Rule of St. Benedict in their everyday life, particularly valuing Community, Prayer, Hospitality, Peace and Justice and Care of Creation. At the Rock Island monastery, the Sisters engage in prayer, retreats, education and outreach to the poor. Benedictine Oblates, lay women and men who feel called to live the Rule of St. Benedict according to their ability and lifestyle, participate with the Sisters in living the Benedictine values. Many volunteers work with the Sisters and provide assistance for their ministries and daily tasks at the monastery.
150 years ago, four Sisters and one postulant could not have known how many countless lives would be touched, changed and enriched through their response to God’s call.
The 150th Anniversary of the Founding of the Sisters of St. Benedict began in October 2023 and will continue through October 2024. Celebrations, activities and special liturgies will be offered throughout the year for families and friends of the Sisters, alumnae of St. Mary’s Academy, area clergy and special guests, as well as volunteers and employees. Follow along with us during the year, as we celebrate and honor the joy and memories of these 150 years.
That in all things, God may be glorified.
1 Peter 4:11, RB 57:9
Sisters of Saint Mary Monastery celebrating 150 years of Ministry and Community Life.
Left: Sr. Kerry O’Reilly and Sr. Nancy Bauer, both from St. Benedict’s Monastery, join Saint Mary Monastery Sisters Sr Ruth Ksycki, Sr. Susan Hutchens, Sr. Sheila McGrath , and Sr. Stefanie MacDonald for the celebration of Saint Mary Monastery’s 150th Anniversary
Right: An aerial view showing the Monastery, the solar field, geothermal lake, and Benet House.
To learn more about the 150th Anniversary celebrations in honor of the Sisters of St. Benedict, St. Mary Monastery, and the gift of these years, visit: https://smmsisters.org/150 or click on the button below:
Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict 