Federation
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Communio Internationalis BenedictinarumAt their 31 January to 4 February 2008 meeting, the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses elected Prioress Nancy Bauer OSB, Saint Benedict Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota, to be a Region 9 Conference delegate for Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB). Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana, hosted the meeting where approximately fifty prioresses attended. The CIB is comprised of all the communities of Benedictine women recognized by the Abbot Primate and enlisted in the Catalogus Monasteriorum OSB. Delegates attend the annual CIB Conferences that are held at Benedictine monasteries of women around the world. In September 2008, the CIB Conference will meet in Rome with the Congress of Abbots. The 2009 meeting will be held in Croatia. The Federation of St. Benedict is proud and delighted that Sister Nancy represents the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses. |
Prioress Nancy Bauer OSB. |
Prioress Nancy Miller OSB. |
Election at Annunciation MonasteryFollowing a weekend of prayer and discernment, the Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, North Dakota, elected Sister Nancy Miller OSB as their eighth Prioress on Sunday, March 9, 2008. Sister Nancy will serve for a term of four years to begin on May 16 with her installation. Most recently, Sister Nancy has served her community as Administrative Assistant. In this ministry, she supervised dietary, maintenance, and the day-to-day operations of the monastery. Sister Michelle Farabaugh OSB, Prioress, St. Benedict Monastery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Sister Anne Stedman OSB, Prioress, Benet Hill Monastery, Colorado Springs, Colorado, facilitated the discernment prior to the election. Sister Michaela Hedican OSB, President, Federation of St. Benedict, presided at the election. |
Election at Saint Bede MonasteryOn March 1, 2008, the Sisters of Saint Bede Monastery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, elected Sister Michaela Hedican, O.S.B. as Prioress. Her four-year term begins with her installation on June 8. Sister Colleen Haggerty, O.S.B., Saint Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota, facilitated the discernment process that preceded the election. Sister Nancy Bauer, O.S.B., Vice President of the Federation of St. Benedict and Prioress of Saint Benedict's Monastery presided at the election. Presently Sister Michaela is President of the Federation of St. Benedict. With the assistance of the Federation Council, Sister Michaela will complete her term as President (July 2009) along with being the Prioress of Saint Bede Monastery. |
Sister Nancy Bauer (left) and Sister Michaela Hedican following the election. |
Conference of Benedictine Prioresses, 2008 |
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6 February 2008 Ferdinand, Indiana --The Conference of Benedictine prioresses met at Monastery Immaculate Conception, January 30-February 5, 2008. Seventy prioresses from Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean attended the meeting. A workshop conducted by members of the Mexican American Cultural Center developed the theme, "Receive All as Christ." Arturo Chavez, PhD, President of MACC and Sister Toby Lardie, HM, spent two days “Transforming Community, Celebrating Diversity.” The prioresses experienced new ways to view and incorporate the gifts of cultural diversity through input sessions, group discussion, and pertinent activities. As part of the business meeting, the Conference adopted the statement (at right) denouncing human trafficking. |
STATEMENT OF CORPORATE STANCE Committed to the Benedictine motto of PAX and to personal and social transformation of our culture of fear to a culture of love and right relationship, the membership of the Conference of Benedictine Prioresses, a group of fifty-seven monasteries representing 2620 women religious, denounce the practice of human trafficking and commit to the work of bringing about the elimination of this evil practice. We invite all who are drawn to this cause to join with us by continuing to learn and to raise the awareness among family, friends and co-workers. |
The Prioresses of the
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Prioresses Enjoy the Company of Each OtherAbove, L to R: Sister Carol Rennie, St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, Minnesota; Sister Danile Knight, Mount Benedict Monastery, Ogden, Utah; Sister Carmen Dávila, Monasterio Santa Escolastica, Humacao, Puerto Rico; and Sister Mary Benedict, Saint Martin Monastery, Nassau, The Bahamas, delight in sharing at one of the breaks. |
 Core Team: (L-R) Sister Roberta Bussan, Sister Glenna Smith, chair, Sister Mary Catherine and Sister Cecilia Olson, secretary, Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, Atchison, Kansas, at their August meeting. Sister Agatha was unable to attend. |
AMERICAN BENEDICTINE
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 Sister Roberta Bussan, left, and Sister Catherine Holicky We are grateful to all these women for saying “yes” to one more responsibility. The work of this organization is invaluable as monasteries network and collaborate in the ministry of formation. |
 Sister Agatha Muggli
Sister Agatha Muggli, Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, North Dakota was elected corresponding secretary.
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TENDING THE TURNING POINTA gathering of those professed after 1967, planned for June 20-23, 2008St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, Minnesota
The planning committee for the next workshop of those professed after 1967 consists of Sister Roberta Bussan, Chairperson, Saint Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Illinois; Sister Linda Dusek, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota; Sister Karen Sames St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, Minnesota; Sister Nancy Miller and Sister Nicole Kunz, Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, North Dakota; and Sister Joan Stelman, St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, Minnesota. The committee met September 14-15, 2007, at St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, Minnesota. Sister Joan Marie was unable to be present. Sisters Karen and Nicole are new committee members whose presence was greatly appreciated by the veterans. The committee had read An Historical Turning Point an article by Sister Jane Becker, a member of Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana. The article appeared in the 2005 fall/winter issue of BENEDICTINES. Having been inspired by this publication, the planning committee engaged Sister Jane to expand her reflections on reshaping monastic life and future planning at the upcoming workshop. This gathering, TENDING THE TURNING POINT, will be held at St. Paul’s Monastery, June 20-23, 2008. The committee has also asked Sister Jane to address ways in which leadership can be fostered and supported, and gifts and talents can be engaged and celebrated. Presently, Sister Jane is a clinical psychologist working at Saint Luke Institute, Silver Spring, Maryland. Previously, she served her community as Director of Initial Formation. Included in the workshop will be input sessions, thought filled breaks, stable table sharing, Q/A discussions, and other activities. The committee will continue the planning through a conference call in December. | |
FEDERATION FORMATION WORKSHOP 2007Being Human, Sexual and Celibate in Community was the name of the federation workshop for prioresses, formation and vocation personnel and those in formation, held at Villa Maria Center in Frontenac, Minnesota, August 17-21, 2007. Five Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Clyde, Missouri joined the Federation of St. Benedict for this workshop. Sister Lynn Levo, C.S.J., Ph.D., from Saint Luke Institute, Silver Spring, Maryland was the presenter. With wisdom and wit, Sister Lynn addressed topics from, what it means to be human, to living in joy as we relate to each other in community. Fifteen woman in formation enjoyed the opportunity to be with others in formation from the various monasteries. The prioresses, formation personnel and vocation personnel appreciated the sharing of ideas and reflections with their counterparts in the other monasteries. Morning and Evening Prayer, which were prepared by the sisters from Saint Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph Minnesota, framed each day as the sisters met, discussed and delighted in leisure time together. View a slideshow of photos from the event. |
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Election in Puerto RicoOn June 29, 2007, the Sisters of Monasterio Santa Escolastica, Humacao, Puerto Rico, elected as prioress Sister Carmen Davila, O.S.B. (center). Sister Margaret Michaud, O.S.B. (left), of Saint Bede Monastery, Eau Claire, WI, facilitated the discernment process for the election. Sister Michaela Hedican, O.S.B. (right), President of the Federation of St. Benedict, Saint Bede Monastery, Eau Claire, WI, presided at the election.
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