“Strive to translate Benedictine values into today’s language.”
Sister Margaret Michaud, who served as president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict (then Federation of St. Benedict) from 1981 to 1991, died on Saturday, November 8. The Eucharist of Christian burial will be celebrated at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN, on Friday, November 21.
Sister Margaret was born in Eau Claire, WI, in 1935 and became a member of St. Bede Monastery, Eau Claire. She was prioress at St. Bede from 1972-1980 and 1996-2008. In 2010, the Wisconsin monastery was closed and all of the sisters transferred to Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN.
Sister Margaret served two terms as MCSB president during which she presided at four congregation chapters. When the new Code of Canon Law was promulgated in 1983, she led the congregation through revision of its constitutions which were approved by the Holy See in 1987.
As president, Sister Margaret focused on fostering the monastic identity of the congregation and its member monasteries. She led the congregation in articulation and clarification of Benedictine values. Her motto was, “Strive to translate Benedictine values into today’s language.”
During her terms as president, two monasteries were received into the congregation: St. Benedict’s in Japan and St. Benedict in Taiwan. Nonetheless, she recognized a new phase in Benedictine life based on a decline in vocations and noted that diminishing human resources posed the question of survival itself.
Sister Margaret was active in Benedictine life beyond the United States. In 1987, she attended the first International Symposium of Benedictine Women in Rome, which was a step in the formation of Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB). She also served as a board member of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID).
Sister Margaret was a lifelong student and teacher of the Benedictine charism. She wrote and spoke about the Rule of St. Benedict and monastic life extensively. She taught by word and example.
Benedictine Sister Linda Soler sprinkles holy water on Hill-Murray football players and their helmets at the end of practice Aug. 26. It is an annual ritual she initiated when she became chaplain of the football team. (Photo by The Catholic Spirit)
Sister Linda Soler, a member of St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, MN, was featured recently in The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, for her role as chaplain of the sports teams at Hill-Murray School.
Sister Linda brings her energetic personality and Benedictine spirituality to sports events at the middle school and high school, especially football games. “She comes to every game and has formulated a pregame ritual in which players file out of the school building in Maplewood and onto the field, reaching out to touch a cross she holds up while standing at the gym’s exit door.”
Sister Linda told The Catholic Spirit that the Hill-Murray students give her energy. “They are the future. I believe they nurture my vocation. They really do. They have so much life in them.”
Off the field, students often confide in Sister Linda who has mastered the first word of the Rule of St. Benedict: “Listen.” In one case, she spent time with a student whose friend had died by suicide. “She really just listened to me and let me share my story and talk about the struggles of what I was feeling,” the student said.
At the end of the school day, Sister Linda can be found in a police car. When a Hill-Murray student is pulled over for a traffic violation, she assists the police in handling the situation and helps the student call their parents. She aspires to be a police chaplain someday.
For now, however, she is dedicated to the students. “I would say they have a home in my heart,” she said. “And I just look at them with eyes of joy.”
Benedictine Sister Lisa Maurer, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, MN, is one of seven finalists for the 2024-2025 Lumen Christi Award, the highest honor given by the Catholic Extension Society. St. Scholastica is one of the ten member monasteries of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict.
Sister Lisa is an assistant football coach at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth where she shows up regularly for football practices and games. She encourages the student athletes to embrace four core values: hospitality, stewardship, respect, and justice. According to Dr. Barbara McDonald, the president of the college, “Many of the players consider Sister Lisa their prayer partner and spiritual advisor, and she makes it a habit of checking in with the young men, particularly those who may be struggling with personal issues.”
The Lumen Christi Award is given to people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve. According to the Catholic Extension Society, “Sister Lisa Maurer coaches college players on football and faith.”
Sister Lisa is also the director of mission integration and formation for Duluth Benedictine Ministries, a Ministerial Public Juridic Person established in 2022 to sponsor the apostolic institutions of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery.
Sister Colleen Haggerty, OSB, Former President of Federation / Congregation Dies
Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that every day calls out.
RB Prol. 9
Sister Colleen Haggerty, sixth president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict (known then as the Federation of St. Benedict), died on Thursday, January 11, 2024. Sister Colleen was a member of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN. She served as president of the federation/congregation for two terms, 1991- 2003.
Joanne Haggerty was born May 29, 1932, to William and Olive (Okeson) Haggerty in St. Paul, MN. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on September 12, 1951, was received into the novitiate as Sister Colleen on June 18, 1952, made first profession on July 11, 1953, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1956.
She served in various capacities at St. Cloud Hospital, including as director of the dietary department, director of the hospital’s General Services Division, and assistant administrator in community relations and development. Before being elected president of the federation/congregation, she served the monastery as coordinator of the physical plant and director of building renovation projects, overseeing a major renovation of Sacred Heart Chapel. Following her terms as president, she worked in the monastery’s communications and development office.
The Vigil Prayer Service and Mass of Christian Burial will be held in Sacred Heart Chapel at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. The vigil will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, January 16, and the funeral liturgy at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 17. The services will be livestreamed and can be viewed at the website of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.
As President, Sister Colleen visited the Monasteries of the Federation / Congregation to support the sisters of each community and learn from them. Above she is visiting the Sisters at Monasterio Santa Escolástica in Humacao, Puerto Rico. At Saint Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, Sister Kathleen Hofer (left) and Sister Jean Maher (right) present an icon to Sister Colleen Haggerty at the end of her second term as president of the Federation of St. Benedict. Below, Sister Colleen visited the sisters at Saint Benedict Monastery in Taiwan.
Sister Colleen Haggerty visited the Sisters at Saint Martin Monastery in the Bahamas.
Delegates and Prioresses at the 1994 Federtation Chapter at Saint Benedict’s Monastery: Sister Colleen is in the second row from front at the far left.
Delegates and Prioresses at the 1997 Federation Chapter at Annunciation Monastery: Sister Colleen is in the second row from front, far right. Sister Nancy Bauer, current president, is next to her. Two other former presidents are on the picture: Sister Michaela Hedican in the back row, fifth from left, and Sister Margaret Michaud, second row, fourth from right.
At the Chapter in Annunciation: Sister Colleen is in the back between Sister Susan Berger (left) who was prioress in Bismarck and is now deceased and Sister Ruth Fox (right) who was president of the Federation of St. Gertrude. Sister Ruth died last year. Front row: Sister Beppo from Taiwan, Sister Jacinta from Bahamas, and Sister Austin from Taiwan.
“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened”
Eph.1:16-18
An excerpt of Sister Colleen Haggerty’s message at the end of her two terms as president of the Federation of St. Benedict
“Twelve tremendous years . . . Thank you, each and all, for interlocking my heart with your hearts! . . . I am deeply grateful for what the role of president has done to expand my heart around the world. I shall never forget any of you, your community as a whole and each of our 800+ members in the federation. You are woven into the fabric of my life and I will pray for you daily in lectio, liturgy of the hours, and Eucharist. My greatest hope for each of our member monasteries is that in each monastery we now do our inner work as a community. May each one of us be attentive to each other, open to the diverse expressions of monastic life but always within the context of the common good. The reality for each of us is our daily experience of conversatio as we live, love, pray, and work together . . . always striving for the togetherness of monastic life. . . .
Thank you again and always for everything! As St Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (Eph.1:16-18).”
Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for he said: I was sick and you visited me, and, What you did for the least of these, you did for me.
RB 36:1-3
Sister Clare Rolle, OSB, a member of St. Martin Monastery, Nassau, Bahamas, received a national award on October 9, 2023.
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas bestowed the rank of Companion of the Order of Merit on Sister Clare. Among other accomplishments, Sister Clare organized ministry to people with HIV/AIDS.
The visitators and Prioress of Saint Mary Monastery: Sisters Jennifer Mechtild Horner, Nancy Bauer, Nicole Kunze, and Susan Hutchens
There are two must-see places in Rock Island, IL. The first is St. Mary Monastery and the sisters there will direct you to the second place which is Whitey’s Ice Cream.
The nineteen sisters of the monastery welcomed a three-member visitation team in mid-February. The team included Sister Nancy Bauer, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict; Sister Nicole Kunze, prioress of Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, ND; and Sister Jennifer Mechtild Horner, former prioress of Our Lady of Grace Monastery, Beech Grove, IN.
During the February 16-20 canonical visitation, the team had the opportunity to tour the monastery, visit with each sister, learn about their new solar panels, and enjoy the natural surroundings and a sparkling snowfall. The team joined the sisters in their daily Liturgy of the Hours and at the common table.
Not only did the sisters supply the team with enough snacks to stock a grocery store, they directed them to the local Whitey’s Ice Cream where they had their choice of flavors such as black raspberry chip, peanut butter pretzel bark, white tiger paws, and, well . . . yes . . . vanilla.
The team members returned to their home states with expanded hearts and waists.
Sisters Sheila McGrath and Rachel Bergschneider, Sisters Jackie Walsh, Sandra Brunenn, and Catherine Cleary, and the tabernacle in the monastery chapel
Clockwise: Sister Sandra Bruenenn, former prioress of St. Mary Monastery, and Sister Stefanie MacDonald, a preschool teacher and member of the council fo the monastic congregation. Sister Roberta (Bobbi) Bussan, subprioress of St. Mary Monastery and director of Benet Retreat House. Sister Marilyn Roman in the monastery acrchives. Sister Nicole Kunze and Sister Judith Ann Croegaert, who chaired the Visitation Steering Committee for the Monastery. Sister Margaret Murphy.
Sister Jonathan was adorned with corsages, a tiara, and a sash for her 100th birthday celebration. She is pictured with her niece, Kirstene Herda.
Sister Jonathan Herda, a member of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph. MN, celebrated her 100th birthday on February 21, 2023.
Sister Jonathan grew up on a family farm in Lonsdale, MN, and made her first profession in 1944 and her perpetual profession in 1947.
After first profession, Sister Jonathan became a registered X-ray technician and served in that capacity in various locations, including St. Cloud, MN, and Ogden, UT. In the 1970s, she switched to Clinical Pastoral Education and became a certified hospital chaplain, serving in Tacoma and Spokane, WA, and Bismarck, ND. In more recent years, she has vigiled with sisters of her own community in their final days.
In 2019, on her 75th jubilee of profession, Sister Jonathan said, “My mission is to bring the love of Jesus to whomever I meet, wherever I am sent.”
“My mission is to bring the love of Jesus to whomever I meet, wherever I am sent.”
From the top left, clockwise: The Sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery bless Sister Karen Rose after her election as prioress. Sister Nicole Kunze pins a corsage on Sister Karen Rose at the rite of acceptance of election. Sister Karen Rose with the facilitators of the discernment process: Sister Kimberly Porter, left and Sister Lynn McKenzie right.
Sister Karen Rose will serve as the eighteenth prioress of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN. Sister Karen was elected for a six-year term on Saturday, February 25, following a discernment process. The rite of installation will take place on Sunday, June 4. Sister Karen will succeed Sister Susan Rudolph.
Sister Karen was born in Nantwich, England, She studied philosophy and theology at Oxford University and earned a doctorate in nursing at Manchester University. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery as a postulant in 2007, made her first profession in 2009, and perpetual profession in 2012. She is currently the director of the monastery’s Office of Mission Advancement.
The discernment process was facilitated by Sister Kimberly Porter, a member of St. Walburg Monastery, Covington, KY, and Sister Lynn McKenzie, a member of Sacred Heart Monastery, Cullman, AL, and president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica. Sister Nicole Kunze, vice-president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict presided at the canonical election.
Saint Benedict’s Monastery was founded in 1857 and currently has 157 members.
President and Prioresses of the Monastic Congregation of Saint Benedict attending the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses meeting
The president and the prioresses of seven member monasteries of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict (MCSB) attended the gathering of the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses (CBP) at Sacred Heart Monastery, Cullman, AL, February 1-8. They joined prioresses and presidents of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica and the Federation of St. Gertrude as well as the prioress general of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and prioresses of several women’s monasteries that are not affiliated with a federation or congregation.
Along with Sister Nancy Bauer, president of MCSB, the following prioresses attended: Sister Susan Rudolph, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN; Sister Beverly Raway, St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, MN; Sister Catherine Nehotte, St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, MN; Sister Angela Hoffman, St. Placid Priory, Lacey, WA; Sister Nicole Kunze, Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, ND; Sister Susan Hutchens, St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, IL; and Sister Marva Coakley, St. Martin Monastery, Nassau, Bahamas.
During the meeting Sister Nicole Kunze was elected chair of CBP for a three-year term and Sister Susan Rudolph completed her term as a member of the Core Planning Committee.
Along with business items, participants met in small groups to talk about matters of interest in Benedictine monasticism today, such as autonomy of monasteries, collaboration among monasteries, and the current phenomenon of monasteries coming to completion.
The CBP session included two days of a joint meeting with abbots of the men’s Benedictine monasteries and presidents of their congregations. Presentations at the joint meeting focused on care of the sick within our monasteries. Brother John Mark Falkenhain, OSB, a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey, addressed mental health concerns and a team of caregivers from Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, KS, talked about the various forms of dementia and care of the dying. The team included Sister Esther Fangman, prioress, Renee Porter and Stacey Davis.
Sister Nancy jotted down comments made by prioresses during the CBP meeting. Following are some samples.
“We have just moved into our new monastery.”
“We moved into our new monastery four years ago. We have replaced our dishwasher four times.”
“We need a bookkeeper.”
“We need a secretary.”
“The youngest in our community is 75.”
“We decided we will give temporary housing to Ukrainian refugees.”
“Oblates give us energy.”
“In 2020, we made the decision that we didn’t know what our future is, but whatever it is, we’re going to do it together.”
Sister Marva Coakley, prioress of St. Martin Monastery, Nassau, Bahamas, Sister Susan Hutchens, prioress of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, IL, and Sister Beverly Raway, prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, MN, participate in conversation at a session of the CBP.
Sister Susan Rudolph, prioress of Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, MN, and Sister Rosann Ocken, prioress of Norfolk Priory of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Nebraska, exchange candlelight for the celebration of the Feast of the Presentation.
Sister Catherine Nehotte, prioress of St. Paul’s Monastery in Minnesota, provided back and neck massages during the CBP meeting. Here she provides a massage to Sister Joanna Burley, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia, Bristow, VA.
Sister Angela Hoffman (left), prioress of St. Placid Priory, Lacey, Washington, and Sister Marva Coakley (back right), prioress of St. Martin Monastery, Nassau, Bahamas, with prioresses from other congregations.
Presidents of the men’s and women’s Benedictine congregations at St. Bernard Abbey, Cullman, Alabama
A presidential selfie at Larkwood Falls in Cullman, Alabama. Presidents of the Benedictine women’s congregations, from left to right: Sister Jeanne Weber, president of the Federation of St. Gertrude; Sister Dawn Annette Mills, prioress general of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Clyde, MO; Sister Nancy Bauer, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict; and Sister Lynn McKenzie, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica.
The prioresses and presidents of the women’s Benedictine congregations met with the Benedictine abbots and presidents of the men’s congregations at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. Pictured with Sister Nancy Bauer, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict, is Abbot President Jonathan Licari of the American Cassinese Congregation. Sister Nancy and the abbot president are members of neighboring monasteries in central Minnesota – Sister Nancy is a member of Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, MN, and Abbot President Licari is a member of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN.
A Prioress of MCSB Elected Chair of Conference of Benedictine Prioresses
The prioress of a member monastery of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict (MCSB) has been elected chair of the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses. Sister Nicole Kunze, prioress of Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, ND, and vice-president of MCSB, will serve a three-year term as chair of the conference whose membership includes more than forty Benedictine prioresses and presidents. She was elected during the February 1-8 gathering of the prioresses and presidents at Sacred Heart Monastery, Cullman, AL. Sister Nicole succeeds Sister Aileen Bankemper, St. Walburg Monastery, Covington, KY.
Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict 