Ancille (Mary Louise) Vertin, OSB, 85
St. Joseph
March 16, 1924 – May 13, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 18, 2009, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Ancille Vertin, who died on May 13, 2009, at St. Cloud Hospital. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Sunday, May 17, 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 Monday, May 18, at 4 p.m.

Sister Eleta (Gertrude) Gapinski, OSB, 86
St. Joseph, Minnesota
March 16, 1923 – May 7, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Eleta (Gertrude) Gapinski, who died on May 7, 2009, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Monday, May 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 Tuesday, May 12, at 4 p.m.

Marcus (Margaret) Salzer, OSB, 96
St. Joseph, Minnesota
 August 7, 1912 – April 25, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2009, at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Marcus Salzer, who died on April 25, 2009, at St. Cloud Hospital. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, on Friday, May 1, 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 Saturday, May 2, at 10:30 a.m.

Sister Brian (Spain) touched hundreds of lives through her ministry as teacher, counselor, social worker, grade school principal, student development coordinator, residence hall director and community builder. She was born in Grand Forks, N. D. Though an only child, she was part of a very active extended family of cousins. Her love of people and their stories probably led to her election as homecoming queen and class president in high school.

S. Brian majored in social work at the College of Saint Benedict (CSB), wanting to follow Dorothy Day and share the message of Christ’s love in work with the poor. During her senior year in college, she entered the monastery. She had a broad range of ministry assignments, beginning with teacher and principal at several local parochial schools. When she completed her master’s degree in counseling from St. Cloud State University in 1974, her major professor asked her to join the faculty, saying “You have something that is not in the books.” Instead, she chose to minister in student development at CSB. She became known for implementing a “challenge and support” model in her work with students.

In 1996, S. Brian received the first Brian Klinefelter Award for service as “bridge-builder” between the City of St. Joseph and the colleges. A residence hall at the College of Saint Benedict is also named in her honor. She currently resides at Saint Scholastica Convent.

Brian (Connie) Spain, OSB, 83
St. Joseph, Minnesota
December 4, 1925 – April 23, 2009

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, for Sister Brian Spain who died on April 23, 2009, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Monday, April 27, 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 funeral on Tuesday, April 28, at 4 p.m.

Born in Little Falls, the 10th of 11 children, Sister Dolores joined Saint Benedict’s Monastery in part because “the Sisters looked happy.” Reflecting upon 60 years in community, she says, “I am filled with gratitude for the call, the privilege of being a Benedictine.”

 Except for two “missions,” St. Mary’s in St. Cloud and St. Mary’s in Breckenridge, during the 1950s, S. Dolores has spent her community life at the monastery, serving in music, education, administration and health care.  She has also been a community organist, a position she prizes. When Mother Richarda Peters asked her to “find the best music school,” she chose Indiana University and, upon graduation, began teaching at the College of Saint Benedict in 1960. She spent 1960–1977 in the Music Department, followed by a number of years in college administration.

In 1984 S. Dolores (she) was asked to serve on the St. Cloud Hospital Board, becoming chair within the first year. She served 10 years in that position and nine years with CentraCare and Queen of Peace Hospital in New Prague. The Catholic Health Association invited S. Dolores to testify in Washington, D.C., before a Senate subcommittee organized by Sen. Dave Durenberger, pleading the case of the uninsured for added health care assistance in the early 1990s.

From 1994–2008, S. Dolores was Director of Studium, in which Sisters collaborate with one another and visiting scholars to promote intellectual life. She is proud of the Scholars in Residence Program, which has brought 130 scholars to the monastery to participate in the life of the Sisters as they pursue their intellectual work.

 “I thank God for my very rich life, one with so many blessings and opportunities,” she said.

A native of St. Augusta, Sister Madonna learned from Benedictine Sisters in both elementary and high school. The summer after her junior year at Cathedral High School, she worked in food service at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. “The Sisters were real models for me,” S. Madonna said. “Their prayer life, working together in community projects and their sense of happiness encouraged me to join and be among them.”  She completed her senior year at Saint Benedict High School and joined the community upon graduation.

S. Madonna spent 31 years in elementary education. Maple Lake remains her favorite school, her first and last teaching position. She recalls having the children of her first students the second time around and feeling very much at home. From teaching, she moved into health care, assisting the nurses at St. Raphael’s in St. Cloud and at Saint Scholastica’s. Her last assignment has been home health at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. S. Madonna found it hard moving from helping the young to being with the elderly, “but letting go of the familiar and moving within the needs of community brings much peace and happiness.”

S. Madonna enjoys visiting with the Sisters, assisting in whatever way she can. “I love my work—helping each Sister on a one-to-one basis is a rewarding experience.” 

Sister Adelia Sirek has spent nearly her entire religious life caring for the elderly. She smiles when she says this. Because of the way her family valued her grandparents, caring for the elderly comes naturally to her. She sees her service as her way of living out her Benedictine life with respect and hospitality for others. When she gets up in the morning, she looks forward to going to her workplace. Where she works doesn’t matter, only that she can give loving service. Because her workplace, Saint Benedict Senior Center, stresses “customer service,” she sees this as another way of describing the Benedictine values of hospitality and respect for the dignity of others. This gives her added pleasure.

Believing that all the people she has journeyed with have touched her life also adds to S. Adelia’s gratitude for her fifty years of Benedictine life. They have indeed been her servants while she has been theirs.

Sister Alice’s lifelong devotion to God and her Benedictine community has helped shape her own, personal version of the Alice in Wonderland adventures. After being taught by Sisters for 12 years in Meire Grove and Melrose, S. Alice entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery with the intention of giving herself “completely to God and God’s work.” S. Alice recalls that she always wanted to help people. She valued listening while cherishing prayer and reflection, embracing the words, “Listen with the ear of your heart” from the Rule of St. Benedict.

S. Alice has always been open to whatever way the Spirit moved, which has resulted in many “adventures.” Her work life has been filled with variety, primarily as a teacher but also as a director of faith formation, youth ministry, home health care aid and foster care provider. In every service, people have blessed her. The deep roots of her ministry over all these years has always been the Liturgy of the Hours and witnessing the Gospel in daily living as St. Benedict encourages. She currently serves as faith formation coordinator at the Church of Seven Dolors in Albany, Minn. She appreciates the prayer, love and support of her family and all the people she has encountered in her 50 years.

Sister Cecelia’s 50 years at Saint Benedict’s Monastery “have gone by very fast.” Although already enrolled at the College of St. Catherine, a visit to the College of Saint Benedict (CSB) with a high school friend changed her plans. “It just felt like I belonged here.”

S. Cecelia joined the monastery in her sophomore year, and after graduation she taught home economics at Cathedral, Pierz Memorial and St. Boniface high schools. Her sewing skills served her well in the 1960s when the Sisters were no longer required to wear habits. “Four or five of us sewed late into the night, making newly designed clothes from our traditional habits,” she said.

Later, S. Cecelia moved from teaching to administration. She directed food services for the college and monastery over a period of 22 years, and was part of the Leadership Team for the monastic community for 14 years. She also taught food and nutrition and was a prefect/faculty resident at CSB. S. Cecelia is currently the coordinator of hospitality for the monastery.

S. Cecelia’s favorite time in the monastery was during the 1960s. The nation rallied behind the charismatic John F. Kennedy, and the Second Vatican Council renewed the Catholic Church significantly. She vividly remembers standing in the dining room at Cathedral High School Convent praying the meal prayer in English for the first time. The energy following President Obama’s election reminds her of that time, and she holds high expectations for the years to come.