Join the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict

for an 11-day pilgrimage to ITALY

February 25 -- March 7, 2010

Click on the title or image for more information.

The Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict are pleased to announce that 16 Sisters are celebrating their 60th and 75th anniversaries of religious life. Click on JUBILARIANS in the upper left of this page to see details about each Sister celebrating her jubilee.

The monastic community will celebrate the jubilarians at a 10:30 a.m. Eucharist on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Bishop John F. Kinney of the Diocese of St. Cloud will officiate. The public is invited to attend the Eucharistic celebration with the Sisters at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn.

"By the Work of Our Hands," the 2009 exhibit at the Haehn Museum at Art and Heritage Place, opens Sunday, March 8, from 1-3:30 p.m. This exhibit tells the story of sustainability and land management in the lives of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.

An introductory slide show for the exhibit has been added to our Exhibitions page. (You may need a flash player to access the slide show.) To launch the slide show, click here.

Sister Ansgar (Agnes) Willenbring
St. Joseph
March 18, 1913 − February 11, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2009, at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Ansgar (Agnes) Willenbring, who died on Wednesday, February 11, at Saint. Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Friday, February 13, 2009, from 1-6 p.m., or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral on Saturday, February 14 at 11 a.m.

Growing up 15th in a family of 17 gave Sister Gracemarie an early start in community living.  Benedictine values of prayer, work, hospitality and stewardship seemed to be in her parents’ genes. In a rhythm of work, prayer and fun, she learned responsibility at an early age.  A high point for her came with some of the changes in Vatican II, especially praying in English instead of Latin. A trip to Ireland in 2004 touched her Irish-ness!

For 33 years in elementary education, both as teacher and administrator, coworkers praised her.  Sister Jean Schwartz, her coworker, praised her for being “so gentle and loving … always wanting the best for the students.” Sister Mary Schumer remembered her “firm yet compassionate style … sense of humor … [and] love for popcorn.” Parents respected her, including Mary Mathews, who described her as “an extremely caring administrator … a joyful spirit.”

Wherever she finds herself, be that in education, with the elders at Saint Benedict’s Senior Community and now working with the Sisters at their assisted living center, Saint Scholastica Convent, S. Gracemarie comments: “I love religious life, the opportunities given me, and especially those I work with. How they have gifted me, nurtured my life as a Benedictine—all a rich treasure!”

Click here to read an article and listen to an interview with Sister Owen Lindblad about the history between Saint Benedict's Monastery and St. Mary's Mission in Red Lake recorded by WJON in St. Cloud. After 121 years, the Sisters will no longer maintain a presence at the mission, which is being run by the Crookston diocese. A celebration of the relationship with the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict was held on Sunday, June 21.

To purchase Sister Owen's book, Full of Fair Hope, chronicling the history of the mission at Red Lake, contact Sister Ione Jesh at Whitby Gift Shop at ijesh@csbsju.edu.

Novice Karen Rose and Novice Director Katherine Howard, OSB, were featured in the article, "Benedictine novices, directors share their views on monastic life." The article was coverage of the Novice and Directors Institute (NADI) held this year at Saint Benedict's Monastery from May 14-28. During the conference, 10 novice directors and 13 novices shared their experiences and explored the topic "Finding God in Benedictine Life." 

The title of this article is a link that will take you to the Q&A with novices. Click on the open page to enlarge for a more clear and readable image. 

For the complete story, go to the links at the bottom of our "Join Us As a Sister" page.

Firmin (Fern) Escher, OSB, 93
St. Joseph
October 17, 1915 – June 8, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 12, 2009, at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Firmin Escher, OSB, who died on June 8, 2009, at Saint Scholastica Convent. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, on Thursday, June 11, from 1-6 p.m. or for a Prayer Vigil at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral on Friday, June 12 at 11 a.m.