75 Years of Blessings at St. Paul’s Monastery

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The sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery have been serving God and the people of the Twin Cities area and beyond since 1948. We are thankful for God’s blessings over the past 75 years, and most especially for the many wonderful people that God sends to journey with us, walking along Monastery Way.

St. Paul’s Priory was founded on June 22, 1948, when 178 sisters from Saint Benedict Convent came from St. Joseph, MN to begin a new community on 301 Summit Avenue in St. Paul, MN. The sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery sent us a beautiful bouquet of roses for our chapel to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Click here to listen to the song “I Wisdom Am With You,” written by Sister Christine Manderfeld from St. Benedict’s Monastery. We are grateful for Wisdom leading us these 75 years.

Celebration of our Founding Day

We celebrated with a special Mass on June 18 with many friends and guests. Abbot John Klassen from Saint John’s Abbey presided. Pictured here (clockwise) are: 1. Abbot John Klassen presiding at Mass. 2. Sisters Joyce Willenbring, Karen Rose, and Michaela Hedican from St. Benedict’s Monastery with Sisters Catherine Nehotte and Jacqueline Leiter from St. Paul’s Monastery with the statue of St. Benedict. Sister Colleen Quinlivan from Saint Benedict’s Monastery is not pictured. 3. Sisters Lucia Schwickerath, Linda Soler, Mary White, and Louise Inhofer in the courtyard. 4. Sisters Paula Hagen, Mary Lou Dummer, and Virginia Matter in the courtyard with the statue of Mary. 5. Sisters Eleanor Wartmann and Catherine Schoenecker in the cloister walk with Saints Scholastica and Benedict. 6. Sisters Sharon Schiller and Karen Sames.

New Book Celebrates 75 Years of Community, Prayer, and Ministry

The new book Walking Monastery Way captures the last 25 years of the monastic life of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery. The book shares the joys, challenges, and gratitude of the sisters. It is truly a memoir of many voices with stories from sisters, oblates, and friends. Sister Lucia Schwickerath, pictured here, is the editor and moving spirit who collaborated with many others to make the book come to fruition. Please click below for more information about the book.

Walking Monastery Way

Walking Monastery Way Art Exhibit

The Monastery is hosting a special exhibit in our art gallery featuring the works of 16 artists who work in pottery, sculpture, tapestry, painting, photography, iconography, and mosaics. Artists expressed Benedictine values in a beautiful and unique way. Participating artists include four oblates, ten friends, and two sisters. Here in the slide show you can see samples of the beautiful art from the exhibit.

Installation of Sister Karen Rose as Prioress at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, Saint Joseph, MN

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Sister Karen Rose was installed as prioress at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN, on Sunday, June 4.

Left and right: Bishop Patrick Neary of the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minnesota, blesses Sister Karen Rose at her installation.

Center: A sister expresses her support for Sister Karen.

Top left: The new Leadership Team: Sister Karen, prioress; Sister Sharon Nohner, subprioress; Sister Jeanne Marie Lust, treasurer; and Sister Colleen Quinlivan, secretary.

Top right: Sister Karen with the president of the College of St. Benedict, Dr. Brian Bruess, and his wife, Dr. Carol Bruess.

Center: Sister Karen addresses the congregation at the installation Mass.

Bottom: Sisters express their support for the new prioress during the rite of installation.

Presidential Race?

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Presidents of the four U. S. congregations of Benedictine sisters had a taste of the Indy 500 at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana. The presidents were attending the June 10-17 chapter of the Monastic Congregation of St. Gertrude. The Beech Grove sisters treated chapter participants to an Indianapolis 500-themed dinner which included photo opps with race-related paraphernalia. Left to right: Sister Nancy Bauer, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict; Sister Jeanne Weber, who was re-elected to a second term as president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Gertrude during the chapter; Sister Lynn McKenzie, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica; and Sister Dawn Annette Mills, prioress general of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

St. Placid Priory sits in the Middle of the Natural Beauty of the Pacific Northwest

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Sister Nancy Bauer, president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Benedict, celebrated the first week of Easter with the sisters of St. Placid Priory in Lacey, WA, a member monastery of the congregation. The April 11-15 visit marked Sister Nancy’s first trip to this far west Benedictine community which was founded in 1952 by sisters from St. Benedict’s Monastery in central Minnesota. 

St. Placid Priory has twelve sisters, two novices who will soon make their first profession, and a cat. The priory building is surrounded by towering Douglas fir trees which can stretch more than 300 feet into the air. The Pacific Ocean and Mount Ranier are not too far away. In other words, the priory sits in a sea of natural beauty. 

St. Placid’s is a community that balances contemplation with action. The sisters provide spiritual ministries through The Priory Spirituality Center. Sister Monika Ellis creates colorful designs in her art studio. Sister Laura Swan writes books on monastic topics. The priory is home to a gift shop that provides religious books and articles that can be ordered online.

Sister Nancy was treated to a photo expedition to Quinault Rain Forest which is about two hours from the priory. At the end of her visit, the congregation president was puzzled about just one thing. When she asked about the cat’s name, she got four or five different answers. It seems the sisters who hang out with kitty each have their own name for her.

Visitation and Whitey’s Ice Cream in Rock Island, IL

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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.