Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

St. Benedict makes it clear in his Holy Rule that all the community should be assembled and lend their voices to the decision making process.

This is our responsibility. We are not looked upon as members who have no sense, thoughts or words of wisdom. We who live in a monastery have the important task of helping govern the community, from the oldest member to the youngest, from the highest ranked to the lowliest sister.

For two weeks our congregation gathered for our annual General Assembly to fulfill our responsibility. We came together to pray, listen, break bread and share our thoughts and feelings around several topics. A facilitator helped us focus our collective work.

Our work is done for now. It is time to return to our daily life of monastic women, continuing the conversation with God and one another, seeking the Spirit’s guidance and always, always, turning to God out of love.

Enjoying dinner and friendship are (from left) Sister Deanna Maria Pavone, OSB, Sister Kathleen Clare Lahl, OSB, Sister Kathleen Gorman, OSB, Sister Marietta Crahan, OSB and Sister Marie Jona Yoo, OSB.

Prioress General Sister Pat Nyquist, OSB, opened the 2012 General Assembly in early May in Clyde, Mo., by recalling the legacy of prayer shared by all the BSPA members of the past 138 years.

“The wider world, whether conscious of it or not, needs us, as Thomas Merton intuited, to continue our mission of being monks who, like the trees, purify the air by our very presence,” Sister Pat said. “It is a legacy that we can surely be proud of and be privileged to be a part of.”

(From left) Sister Rosario Martinez, OSB, Sister Regina Arnold, OSB, Sister Bernardine Weis, OSB and Novice Erma Relunia.

Throughout the week, 55 Sisters representing each of the Congregation’s communities discussed current trends and future implications in areas of governance, finances, personnel and works related to their Eucharistic lives.

As always, the level of excitement rises with an assembly and brings with it an abundance of joy and great expectations for future generations in monastic life.

Sister Hildegard Zerwas (left) and Sister Mary Dawn Vercellino, who live at the Clyde and Tucson communities respectively, catch up during a break in meetings.

“Without knowing what the future will be, our call is to embrace the unfolding mystery and together find a direction that holds sacred our monastic, Eucharistic charism even as it evolves in the midst of a world undergoing constant transformation,” Sister Pat said.

Previous General Assemblies allow our Congregation an opportunity to discern, discuss and gather in fellowship.

It is a common occurrence throughout the world of institutions, communities and governing bodies or groups trying to maintain a vision and a mission to meet and talk, share ideas and concerns, to evaluate, update and execute new plans of action. We are not any different.

For over a year now, we have been doing some information gathering and sharing and group processing, looking at who we have been, who we are and who we believe God is calling us to be in the future, all the while keeping in mind our prophetic witness of God’s love in the church and the world.

All of us Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration will gather at our Clyde, Mo, monastery the end of this week for several days of discussion and decision-making in this ongoing process.

We have fervently prayed for openness to God’s will and the guidance of the Spirit. We have spent time each Sunday in communal adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Now we will see the signs and know the fruitfulness of our preparations and prayers.

We humbly ask for prayers as we enter more deeply into this discernment time. Help support our perseverance and courage to take the steps necessary to fulfill God’s mission for us, the church and the world. As always, we desire to know and do the will of God, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

With joyful hearts we thank you.