A Commentary for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul by Sr. Carol Falkner, OSB

Sr. Carol Falkner is the prioress of Our Lady of Grace Monastery.  She shares with you today her reflection on the Gospel of St. Matthew 16:13-19.

The Gospel for this Sunday deals with the question of faith. Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” With an act of faith Simon Peter replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Leo Anchettin comments that in Matthew’s account, Peter used the words “the Son of the living God” to describe Jesus, a phrase not found in Mark’s report of this incident. Some scripture scholars, comparing these two versions, conjecture that Mark may have preserved Peter’s original words while Matthew, drawing on a slightly later more mature, understanding of the nature of Jesus in the early church provided the fuller description. This is an important point for us to note: Faith is not static; it is meant to grow and develop and should never become stagnant.

Our faith journey needs to take us to the point where we, too, could make a similar proclamation. As we meditate on the Scriptures, we come to understand not only that Jesus was the Messiah come to save the people, but also that Jesus is God, equal in every aspect to the Creator and the Holy Spirit. We will spend a lifetime deepening our understanding of this great mystery of the Trinity. There is always more to grasp, more areas of our life where we need to model the depth of this mystery as manifested in the Scriptures. Only God can grant us the grace necessary for such spiritual growth. However, we must spend time each day in prayer making room for God to reveal these mysteries to us. This is what Benedict knew from experience and this is why he put such great emphasis on prayer.

Who of us can fully know the mind of God? Only God can give us knowledge of who Jesus is, so that we can proclaim Him Messiah in our lives. By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love, we are drawn to express our desire to understand Jesus better, to turn to Him in our time of need and to extend His love to others. The more we understand God, the more we will long for the fullness of revelation that begins here on earth and will take us to the fullness of life for all eternity.

Sr. Marie Therese Racine's Vocation Story

As I look back, the mystery of God calling me to live the monastic way of life here as a Sister of Our Lady of Grace Monastery has unfolded throughout the course of my life. I am the second oldest of six children born into a traditional Catholic family from Massachusetts. I attended Catholic schools through the 12th grade. From our earliest years, my parents always encouraged us to pray for our vocations. Religious life and priesthood were openly discussed and encouraged as options for us to consider.

When I was in grade school, I often dreamed of becoming a nun, and during high school, I thought about it very seriously. In college, I majored in Special Education, and got a minor in Computer Science. Though I no longer thought much about becoming a nun, I was very involved in our campus ministry, especially in music ministry – something I had done with my siblings while we were in high school. When I graduated from college, I pursued a career as a software engineer. This was a very rewarding career for 17 years. I also continued to be involved in music ministry in my parish at various times during those years. During my mid-thirties, my interest in my work began to shift, and I began to wonder if it was time that I switched careers. I felt a new desire to give myself more intentionally in service somehow. So, while continuing my work as a software engineer, I enrolled in a program to study Liturgy, with the thought of becoming Music Director in a parish some day.

Then, much to my surprise, one day I was asked if I had ever thought about becoming a Sister. This really caught me off guard – I hadn’t thought about religious life since my early years in college. I was very well established and content in my life, even though it seemed to be changing direction. The question (which I now understand to have been an invitation) haunted my thoughts in the weeks and months that followed. I really couldn’t believe that God could be calling me at that point in my life to such a huge life change. After several months, with the help of God’s grace, I finally gave in and began discerning religious life. I became quite certain that God was calling me to look for a community that lived together, worked in various ministries and came together regularly each day for common prayer. After visiting various communities and exploring more on the Internet, I found the website for Our Lady of Grace Monastery. I was so excited to discover that the type of community I was looking for actually did exist! I immediately felt drawn to the Benedictine charism, the balance of prayer and work, living the common life, the focus on liturgy and music, and I was intrigued by the monastic vows. While visiting this monastery a few times that year, I came to know in my heart that God was calling me to this community. I entered the monastery just less than a year after my first visit. It all seemed to happen so fast. In some ways, I felt quite reckless leaving behind the life that I had known and those I loved in Massachusetts to enter monastic life in Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana the day before my 40th birthday. But, Christ had captured my heart, and I could give no other response but to follow him.

I made my Perpetutal Monastic Profession on June 17, 2007 and am currently the Music Teacher at St. Malachy School in Brownsburg, Indiana. In the nearly eight years that I’ve been at Our Lady of Grace, I have grown to deeply appreciate, love and depend on this monastic way of life and this Community. The daily horarium and monastic practices help me to keep my focus on Christ. And living in Community gives me abundant opportunities to learn and grow in Christ. The Sisters have encouraged and supported me in using my personal gifts in ways that I would never have dreamed or expected. The intergenerational living that is integral to monastic life is a blessing. I have been formed by the wisdom and example of many of our Sisters who have lived this way of life with integrity and fidelity for a lifetime.

I am grateful for the many gifts and blessings I have received as well as for the challenges that have helped me to grow as I live this monastic life. I am reminded over and over again of what Sr. Harriet, my Postulant/Novice Director, often told me, “God cannot be out done in generosity.” I am a grateful beneficiary of God’s abundant generosity as I continue to receive God’s love and grace to live this monastic way of life.

Sr. Julie Sewell makes First Monastic Profession

Today our community, along with family and friends, gathered to witness the  First Monastic Profession of Sr. Julie Sewell.

Temporary vows is a period of time where the woman lives the Benedictine way of life as if she were bound for life.   She practices and commits herself to the vows of obedience, poverty, celibacy, stability and conversion of life. She continues her personal and spiritual growth and deepens her personal incorporation of the monastic values as she prepares for perpetual vows.

The temporary professed sister works full time outside of the monastery and strives to live a balance life between the demands of her ministry and of the monastery.   She continues to meet with her formation director, usually on a bi-monthly basis, for spiritual direction and instruction. Classes remain an important part of this process as her studies prepare her for future goals.  

After a period of time deemed appropriate by her formation director and the Prioress, usually about five years, the temporary professed sister begins to make plans for monastic profession. She must follow the same admissions process as in her novice year to move on to the next step. She also attends BSWR (Benedictine Spirituality Workshop and Retreat), which is held annually for women preparing for final vows. It is a three week intensive workshop and retreat experience which she attends one year prior to her perpetual vows.  After the approval of the community, the sister may profess her perpetual vows where she makes a life commitment to God and to the community.

Sr. Julie works in the development office here at Our Lady of Grace Monastery. She also extends hospitality to all our guests.  You can read more about Sr. Julie's vocation story by going into the archives of this blog and clicking on Sr. Julie Sewell, OSB.  

Our community continues to thank God for the beautiful women sent to Our Lady of Grace Monastery.  This has been a great week of celebration with Heather becoming an Affiliate and Sr. Julie making First Monastic Profession.  Please join us in thanking God as well as asking God to continue to send us young, happy, holy, healthy women to Our Lady of Grace Monastery to further the work of Benedictines everywhere in our world.

In flame, O Lord, our hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit.  May the Paraclete who proceeds from you enlighten our minds and lead us into the fullness of truth.  May our Sister profess by word what she has lived in deed.  This we ask through Christ our Lord.  

Amen!

Heather becomes an affiliate!

Sr. Carol:  Heather, what do you request?

Heather:  To become an Affiliate of the Sisters of St. Benedict of Our Lady of Grace Monastery.

Sr. Carol:  Welcome, Heather!

Today we celebrate the beginning of Heather's Benedictine journey with us.  Heather has taken the first formal step towards entering Our Lady of Grace Monastery.  It's a day of great joy for all community members...especially the vocation director!

The affiliation stage can last from six months to two years. It begins by a woman expressing her desire to the Prioress and Vocation Director to get to know the community better by attending prayer, meals and visiting the community on a frequent basis. It is also a period of time where the candidate meets with the Vocation Director and keeps in contact with her as they discern her call together.  Once the candidate believes she is ready to take the next step she must meet with the Prioress and then formally write a letter seeking permission to enter the community as a postulant. Upon the acceptance of the request by the Prioress, the candidate is ready to take the next step.

Please help me in giving thanks to God for this joyous occasion at Our Lady of Grace Monastery.  Please continue to pray daily that God will continue to send us happy, holy and healthy women to our community so that we may continue this long Benedictine tradition of seeking God through prayer, work and hospitality.

Welcome indeed, Heather!

A Commentary for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time by Sr. Cindy Freese, OSB

Up to this point in Matthew’s Gospel, we see Jesus curing the sick, driving out demons, preaching about “the kingdom of God,” and teaching in the synagogues. In chapter ten, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples. He gives them the power to do what he has been doing, curing the sick, raising the dead, and driving out demons. Jesus also tells them to proclaim “that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” But Jesus does not tell them to go and teach, not yet. Jesus himself maintains the role of Teacher. Why?

Jesus is in the beginning phase of building a community. He is establishing the roles of the members of this community. Jesus is the cornerstone and teacher of the Christian community, which is the church. Here he is showing us one of our roles as members of that church. We, like the disciples, are to minister to others.

In his book, Imaging Redemption, David Kelsey says that “Communities of Christian faith are called to minister.” This Christian ministry is, “in the root sense of the word, the ministry of comfort, a word that derives from the Latin” word meaning “to strengthen.” To minister is to “strengthen” and “empower” people to cope with the situations of life, like illness, poverty, loneliness, and natural disasters, such as flooding.  

Just as we receive the power of Christ to minister to others, we have to have been recipients of that healing power ourselves. (The admonishment “Physician heal thy self” is the crux of the ministerial relationship). As Benedictines we call this conversion.

Addressing a group of religious teachers, Evelyn Underhill puts it this way, “only the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity can help you to train and to keep your pupils in the Christian life.” We can continue in our own ministry and Christian life, as long as we have the virtues of faith, hope and charity – keeping Jesus as our Teacher.

Sr. Nicolette Etienne's Vocation Story

I can’t remember a time that I didn’t love God. I was born December 7, 1961 to Paul and Kay Etienne in Tell City, Indiana. I was the fourth child of six children. However, I was the first daughter. Four brothers surrounded me. It was no wonder that I was a tomboy from day one! My younger sister didn’t come along for seven years more. Because I was born between the Feast of St. Nicholas and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, my parents named me Mary Nicolette. Everyone called me by my second name…most called me Nicol. Tell City is located on the Ohio River at the southern part of Indiana. Some would call Tell City a small river town. For me, Tell City is the place I discovered and fell in love with God. There is so much natural beauty and evidence of God’s loving presence everywhere you turn in Perry County.

I was blest with a family deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. I went to St. Paul Catholic Church and Grade School. I started first grade in 1968. St. Paul was blest to have Benedictine Sisters, as well as wonderful lay men and women teaching in their school. We had extraordinary priests in our parish that along with my grandparents, parents and teachers shaped and molded my faith and love for God.

I was in the third grade when I first heard God's voice calling me to be a teacher. Third grade was a very difficult grade for me. I developed a nervous stomach and tried every avenue I could to stay home. My parents saw right through me and encouraged me everyday to give school a try. It was that life experience that I knew, without a doubt, God wanted me to be a teacher. Both Grandpa Etienne and my Aunt Kathy were teachers. I knew I could be a teacher and also be married. My Aunt, Sr. Jeanne Voges, was a teacher. So, I also knew I could be a teacher and a Benedictine Nun like my Aunt, Sr. Jeanne. As a nine year old it really didn’t matter to me whether I was going to be a nun or a married person. I just wanted to be a teacher.

As I continued to grow and mature, the idea of being a teacher never left my mind or heart. The only thing that really fluctuated was whether God wanted me to be a nun or a married person. God’s voice wasn’t as clear in that area as it was in the call to be a teacher. I dated every now and then in high school. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends. I worked in a jewelry store where I was surrounded by beautiful jewelry…especially diamond rings. I used to try the rings on and daydream about the type of ring my future husband would surprise me with. Most of the guys I dated in high school were really just good friends. However, at the end of my senior year in high school, I fell head over heels in love with a guy whom I thought would someday be my husband. We eventually ended up at the same college studying to become teachers. In my mind, it was the perfect scenario. We would both be teachers and raise our children in the Catholic faith. We dated my entire time at college. As graduation grew closer my desire to get married grew weaker. We soon grew apart and went our separate ways.

My first teaching job was at St. Anthony Catholic School in Clarksville, Indiana. Believe it or not, I landed a job as a 3rd grade teacher! The grade I was in when I first felt the call to be a teacher. My principal was a Benedictine Sister from Our Lady of Grace Monastery, Sr. Rachel Best, OSB. Sr. Karen Byerley, another Benedictine Sister taught in the same school. Soon, I was spending more and more time with the Sisters and less and less time looking for my future husband. I started attending vocation retreats at Our Lady of Grace Monastery, Beech Grove, Indiana. Two years later, July 31, 1986, I entered Our Lady of Grace Monastery. What a journey this life has been! My ministries have included being a teacher, principal and vocation director. I’ve never lost my love for teaching. In fact, thanks to the many Sisters in my community who are either teaching now or have taught for many years in the past, I’ve only deepened my love for teaching and my teaching skills.

We all have the vocation in life to love God and serve God’s people. If you take time to talk to God every single day, you will hear God’s voice telling you how you are to love and serve God. I can’t imagine loving anyone more deeply than the way I love my God. I’m thankful for my Benedictine Community who strives daily to seek the face of God through prayer, work and hospitality.

Just a little side note, some people believe my vocation as a Benedictine Sister is part of my family business. Three of my brothers are priests! This picture was taken at my brother, Zach’s, Ordination. In the picture from left to right is Fr. Bernie, Sr. Nicolette, Fr. Zach and Fr. Paul. It’s great to have siblings in the same line of work. We have a built in support group! Someday I’ll share the story of just how my parents decided to get married and what my mother prayed for when she visited Our Lady of Lourdes!

Steps to becoming a Benedictine Sister Part Six: Final Monastic Profession

FINAL MONASTIC PROFESSION

This is the final step taken by a woman in our Benedictine community.

She vows for the rest of her life to follow the teaching of St. Benedict and to be bound to this particular community. She lives the rest of her life within the walls of the monastery and shares in the communal way of life with her sisters.

A Commentary for the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time by Sr. Mildred Wannemuehler, OSB

Many times we have been made aware of the fact that our Holy Rule is filled with the Gospel message.  St. Benedict helps us through the  Rule to live what Jesus taught. Today's Gospel brought this out clearly to me.  I see in the call of Matthew each of our calls to the monastic way of life.

In the Gospel Matthew (in Mark's account he is called Levi) is about his usual work...a tax collector.  Jesus passed by and said to him, "Follow me."  My guess is that each of us can share similar stories of our call.  Looking at ourselves we could also admit that we would not have called ourselves anything but a sinner.  The mercy of Jesus was already a factor in our call.

The very next thing in the Gospel account is the meal they enjoyed together.  Fellowship...an expression of community, common life.  All were gathered at that meal...tax collectors and sinners.  We hear the overtones of St. Benedict's respect for everyone.  In the chapter on Guests we hear St. Benedict saying, "All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say, 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me."'  As Benedictines we are called to show the mercy Jesus showed to all those at the meal with Matthew.  In  Chapter 4 we are challenged with behavior that reflects that mercy.  Tools are given us to reach out to others as we serve them.  Towards the end of the chapter Benedict says very briefly:  "and finally, never lose hope in God's mercy."

The theme of this Sunday's readings is mercy.  Our Benedictine vocation is surely the result of God's mercy towards us, as it was to Matthew.  And living the Gospel as a Benedictine calls us to be messengers of mercy...to each other in community and to all those we serve.  Those who are well do not need a physician but the sick.  Go and learn the meaning of the words, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

St. Matthew, you followed Christ so closely from the day He called you.  Help us to be messengers of God's mercy as you were.

Steps to becoming a Benedictine Sister Part Five: First Monastic Profession

FIRST MONASTIC PROFESSION
Temporary vows is a period of time where the woman lives the Benedictine way of life as if she were bound for life. She practices and commits herself to the vows of obedience, poverty, celibacy, stability and conversion of life. She continues her personal and spiritual growth and deepens her personal incorporation of the monastic values as she prepares for perpetual vows.
The temporary professed sister works full time outside of the monastery and strives to live a balance life between the demands of her ministry and of the monastery.  She continues to meet with her formation director, usually on a bi-monthly basis, for spiritual direction and instruction. Classes remain an important part of this process as her studies prepare her for future goals.  After a period of time deemed appropriate by her formation director and the Prioress, usually about five years, the temporary professed sister begins to make plans for monastic profession. She must follow the same admissions process as in her novice year to move on to the next step. She also attends BSWR (Benedictine Spirituality Workshop and Retreat), which is held annually for women preparing for final vows. It is a three week intensive workshop and retreat experience which she attends one year prior to her perpetual vows.  After the approval of the community, the sister may profess her perpetual vows where she makes a life commitment to God and to the community.

Steps to becoming a Benedictine Sister Part Four: Novitiate

The novitiate is a two-year process.  The first year is dictated by Canon Law and is known as the novice's Canonical Year.  At the time of her investing, the novice receives the title of "Sister" and is referred to by her religious name. She becomes dependent on the monastery for her needs.  Her time away from the monastery is limited and she immerses herself even more deeply into classes such as the study of the Holy Rule, the Benedictine vows, Scripture and various other classes.  Her time is spent working in the monastery and corporate ministries.  The novice continues to meet weekly with her formation director.  

During the second year, the novice works part-time outside of the monastery in addition to her duties inside the monastery.  She continues her class work and prepares for her monastic profession.  When the novice decides she is ready to take the next step she discusses it with her formation director and then follows the process of talking to the Prioress, the Monastic Council and finally the community.  Once again, this is an important aspect of the process as all are on the journey together with each person.