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!”

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.

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.

Sister Christine Manderfeld is always “thinking music.” This is not surprising given her start: “My mother taught me to sing at 18 months, and by three years she had me singing alto!” She and her older sister, Mary, harmonized together with her mother, Bernadette (Marti) whenever and wherever possible. Her father, Christian Manderfeld, was also musical, although his real gift was creative writing. S. Christine has a deep love and gratitude for her family.

Another person to gift her childhood was “Pa,” a neighbor. Christine was fascinated by him. “He was kind of mysterious,” she says. “He brought me into a different world—the world of fantasy. He told me imaginative stories, recited poetry and taught me to tap dance. He showed me how to grow flowers.” She looked forward to their frequent visits.

S. Christine attended public schools in her hometown, and, when she was in sixth grade, added flute to her repertory of piano and voice. In 1957, she entered the College of Saint Benedict (CSB), where she often thought of being a Sister. She decided in her sophomore year to join. After her profession, S. Christine taught at several schools in the diocese. She also began working with choirs. Her last mission was St. Boniface School in Cold Spring, where she taught and directed parish choirs for 17 years.

S. Christine received her Master’s Degree in music education at Indiana University in 1970. Since 1981, she has taught at CSB, where she loves her students and teaching. She also directs the monastery schola and writes music. She enjoys writing descants and has done numerous arrangements.

Sister Elizabeth taught elementary grades at Assumption for three years and at St. Anthony’s for five years. She was a teacher and principal at St. John Nepomuk until 1972 and at St. Michael’s until 1974.  She was then a principal at Red Lake for five years. While living there, she remembers once when the Sisters and monks received barrels of confiscated fish. “We had a fish fry with beer and fresh bread. It was so good.”

After Red Lake, S. Elizabeth worked in the office at Saint Benedict’s, Saint Scholastica’s and Saint Raphael’s. She served as principal at Ss. Peter and Paul for five years and then as executive secretary at Cathedral High School. In 1993, she returned to the monastery as community secretary and then became secretary coordinator. She began work as reception coordinator in 1996. The next year she also became the treasurer and secretary for the Federation of Saint Benedict. During her six years in the position, she traveled to other monasteries, including Saint Martin Monastey in the Bahamas “ … there are many beautiful Sisters no matter where you go.”

S. Elizabeth is now the co-coordinator of reception in addition to managing the telephone system for the Sisters. She loves fresh flowers and began a Sisters’ flower garden in 1996. She transports buckets of flowers in the back of her “Cadillac”–a three-wheel bicycle–and makes bouquets for decorations and for special occasions.

Sister Georganne can be called a “trail blazer.” She was the first woman chaplain at St. Cloud Hospital and thirteen years later was a co-founder of the St. Therese Center for Special Ministry. Now she stands on the cusp of a new ministry of “walking with people and encouraging them to find meaning in their lives.” What is important, she says, is doing what she does best: listening.

S. Georganne listens with her heart and mind. She did this as chaplain along with Fr. John McManus, OMI and Fr. Al Stangl at the hospital. Then, with their assistance and support, she moved into a new ministry to the bereaved. For 23 years, she directed the St. Therese Center for Special Ministry. Here, with a “wonderful” group of volunteers, she provided programs and counseling for individuals and groups. “Seeing people heal and find hope,” she says, “filled me with gratitude and humility.” She also started Project Rachel in the St. Cloud area, a healing ministry for those who regret the decision to have an abortion.

The youngest of seven, S. Georganne learned at an early age to love and help others. Her family is a close and supportive one. When she was 14 years old, she chose to come to Saint Benedict’s for high school. Perhaps Sister Mary Anthony Wagner, a close friend of her mother’s, or her eighth grade teacher, S. Mary Hildebrand, helped her take this step and become a Benedictine. She taught elementary school for several years in St. Cloud and taught and served as principal at Pierz, while completing a master’s degree in counseling.

Sister Geraldine has enjoyed the last 30 years in her position in the duplicating center at the College of Saint Benedict, where she enjoys getting to know the teachers and students and is able to fully participate in the life of prayer and work at the monastery. One who encounters her in her current position would never know the variety and adventure of her first decades of monastic life.

Her aunt, Sister Annina Zierden, was the cobbler for the community. When she died, they assigned the novice Geraldine to take her place, as if the skill would be in her genetic make-up. She learned on the job with no one to train her. Soon she moved to other positions. At least in her work in the cafeteria and as a nurse’s aide, she said, she had other Sisters to show her the ropes.

After final profession in 1962, S. Geraldine went to St. Joseph’s parish in Minneapolis as a housekeeper, laundress and cook for 18 Sisters. From there, it was off to Red Lake Indian reservation, where she baked and helped S. Johnette Kohorst prepare meals for 115 students and the 15 nuns, 2 priests and 2 monks who lived and worked there. In all her missions she remembered the wonderful community spirit. “We played as hard as we worked,” she said. After Red Lake she went to Salt Lake City, Utah, to be in charge of the religious education bookstore. She loved the mountains and the people there, and still misses them.

In her 50 years of religious life, S. Geraldine says she has been very blessed. Those who know her can say she’s been a great blessing as well.

Sister Ione spent most of her 50 years teaching, and she learned a lot in the process. “Education kind of trains you for anything.” She taught middle school at St. Ann’s, St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart, St. Augustine, St. Paul’s in Sauk Centre and St. Paul’s in St. Cloud.  In 1974, she began teaching history at Cathedral High School and stayed there for 19 years. S. Ione always liked working with young people, and she especially enjoyed her time with junior high students. “Junior high kids have such a wonderful sense of humor.”

In 1993, S. Ione became assistant director of the physical plant for one year before becoming the coordinator of transportation for the Sisters. In 2001, she took on the job of manager of the Whitby Gift Shop and Gallery, where she currently works. She likes meeting the different people who come in to shop and working with artists to put on shows in the gallery.

Sister Jean joined the monastery in 1959 and has worked in health care for 50 years. She began as a nurse at St. Cloud Hospital, then moved to Richfield, Utah, for two years. After Utah she relocated to Queen of Peace Hospital in New Prague, Minn., for two years, then attended Seattle University for graduate school.

S. Jean went back to nursing at Queen of Peace after graduation, and remained there. She moved into administration, working as the nursing service director for two years before adding some assistant administrator duties. Five years later, she began to work as assistant administrator for patient care. She took over as chief executive officer at Queen of Peace in 1977.

Since retiring five years ago, S. Jean has been on “oodles of boards and committees.” She started a Habitat for Humanity branch in New Prague and served on the Sesquicentennial Committee for the Sisters. She continues to live in New Prague as one of the “Metro Bennies,” the 10 or 12 Sisters who live in the greater area. S. Jean is celebrating another anniversary this year—30 consecutive years of exercising.

Sister Joan was born on a farm near Mayhew Lake, Minn., the seventh of 11 children. Her mother had come to Minnesota on the Orphan Train in 1913. A unique feature on the Schafer farm was the pickle patch. The family raised acres of pickles for a canning factory. S. Joan said, “As soon as we could carry a Karo syrup pail we went along to the pickle patch.”

S. Joan is a seasoned cook and baker, an artisan, and noted for her hospitality. She cooked at St. Peter’s Convent in St. Cloud and at Watkins. Whenever a teacher was sick, she substituted. S. Joan taught every grade in the grade school. Mostly, she cooked and baked for large groups. She worked in the bakery and kitchen at the monastery, at White Earth Indian Mission and at St. Cloud Hospital for over 20 years. While supervising the bakery at St. Cloud Hospital, S. Joan’s peachy granola tarts won fourth place in a national contest.

Currently, S. Joan works at St. Scholastica Convent as assistant volunteer coordinator, works with monastic enterprises, visits the retired Sisters, and is a personal care attendant for individual Sisters. S. Joan is known for her sense of humor, her dedication to community prayer and her ability to motivate Sisters with memory problems to cooperate with their activities of daily living. S. Joan appreciates her vocation and is grateful to the community, her family and friends for all the support she has received.

Although drawn to the College of Saint Benedict (CSB) by the Sisters’ hospitality, Sister Katherine didn’t see herself becoming a nun. “I was afraid I might be bored,” she said. Fifty years later, she reflects on a journey that has been anything but boring.

After graduating from CSB with a degree in German, S. Katherine taught religion at Cathedral High School for nine years. She moved to campus ministry at Saint Cloud State University and then to campus ministry and teaching theology at CSB. After attaining a doctor of ministry degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif., she spent eight years as subprioress, returning to teaching at CSB until 2001. She served as a director in initial formation for four years before moving to spiritual direction, writing and retreats, her current work. She also coordinates the monastery library.

Recently, S. Katherine has turned her attention to needs in St. Joseph. She is working with the St. Joseph Action Group to prevent a road through the monastery and college campus and tutoring a fourth grader with special needs. “These things,” she says, “are as important as causes that are big and splashy and spectacular.”

In 1957, when she entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery, she found that “seeking God” was an extension of that family life. Living with a variety of Sisters, she has taught primary grades, served the retired and infirm Sisters, and worked tirelessly among the Indian people at Red Lake. This was perhaps her dearest love after her teaching years.  What was offered at Red Lake among the Ojibwe people was a spiritual dimension of life she had not experienced. She came to love the people, their culture, the freedom and freshness of living, and the ever-present beauty of nature. 

Because there was a lot of work to be done at St. Mary’s Mission, Red Lake, S. Marina not only helped out with teaching and other activities, but she took on the responsibility of grant writing “to keep the Mission afloat,” she says. Several million dollars were raised as a result. “It was challenging,” she adds, “yet I was always supported by many generous folks.”

S. Marina is duly honored for her own generosity in serving all these years in her big Benedictine family. She says she looks forward to more community service where she can “pray, live and work with these beautiful women who inspired me to join them in the first place.” S. Marina has her 92- year-old mother and 14 brothers and sisters with their families to help celebrate her golden jubilee.

For Sister Marlene, ministry is about the monastic way of life. As she says, “I’m so grateful to God for being called to be a Benedictine Sister because our life is so full of our daily routine of prayer, work and community—yet it is filled with daily excitement too.” She has enjoyed being on mission as well as living with her various living groups at the monastery.

S. Marlene also enjoys her ministry of adult faith formation and pastoral ministry, currently at St. Boniface Church in Cold Spring, Minn. Her organizational skills come to the fore in the variety of programs she works with, all well done and running smoothly. Getting others involved and enjoying the excitement and the parish community delights her. S. Marlene is known for giving her all and giving it wholeheartedly in ways that bring about appreciation and joy for others.

For Sister Mary, religious life was in her genes. “I grew up with it,” she said. Four of her aunts were Sisters; her two older sisters, Leonore and Margaret, joined Saint Benedict’s before her; and two of her brothers became priests.

Born in St. Martin, Minn., Sister Mary went to high school in Paynesville and then worked for two years out of high school before beginning to see that she might have a religious vocation. “After I got [to the monastery], it didn’t take long, and I knew it was the right fit.”

After finishing her education degree at the College of Saint Benedict, S. Mary launched into a 15-year teaching career. She taught at St. Paul’s, St. Mary’s, St. Michael’s and Holy Family.  During the summers, she worked on a master’s in religious education, and began teaching it (She began teaching religious education) in 1976. The students found her quite capable: While preparing for First Reconciliation, “one of the little guys said, ‘Sister, you could be our priest.’”

In 1984, she became a special religious education consultant for the Diocese of St. Cloud. She began working at the Chancery Office six years later, and she has remained there. At the Chancery, she has served as a secretary, receptionist, director of Pastoral Associate Program and assistant chancellor.

Sister Mary, the oldest of nine children, grew up in Medicine Lake, Mont. Her first mission as a Sister was in Hutchinson, Minn. She credits that experience with fostering an appreciation for the strength of community life and helping her to recognize her teaching skills and ability to bring forth the giftedness in others. S. Mary was then chosen to serve as subprioress and later elected the 12th prioress of the monastery.

Presently S. Mary is serving as associate professor of theology and coordinator of Journey Groups at the College of St. Benedict. She is also completing a book, Running with Expanding Hearts: Meeting God in Everyday Life, forthcoming from Liturgical Press. The book will, no doubt, reveal much about S. Mary and serve others on their journey.

Sister Marilyn spent many of her 60 years ministering to children in diocesan schools and serving as chaplain to the infirm and elderly in nursing homes and at St. Cloud Hospital.
She especially enjoyed her ministry as a chaplain at St. Cloud Hospital, where she was able to draw on her 1988 experience of having cancer. “This year,” S. Marilyn said, “I am a grateful 20-year survivor.”

In all her work experiences, S. Marilyn has focused on community. “Some of my happiest memories of experiences building community are of those that occurred in Anaconda, Mont,” she said. “With the help of a guide, we frequently spent weekends mountain climbing. Experiencing the beauty of nature and supporting one another as our muscles started to ache was great fun and refreshing. We returned home with new energy to minister to the children in our school and to each other.”

S. Marilyn now resides at Saint Scholastica Convent, where she has returned to an earlier ministry, that of serving the retired members of the monastic community.

For 48 years, Sister Mary Ellen ministered to the sick at St. Cloud Hospital and at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Ogden, Utah. She loved bedside nursing but also used her talents in management as nursing supervisor, manager of obstetrics and later as director of surgery and anesthesia. “It was a privilege to associate with physicians, nurses and all hospital personnel in a common commitment—to serve the sick as though they were Christ. These confreres were my mentors, teachers and an unfaltering support,” S. Mary Ellen said.

In her final four years of hospital ministry, she initiated a mission effectiveness program. After retirement, she served as a board member at Queen of Peace Hospital in New Prague and served on other committees and boards.

S. Mary Ellen became the first manager of the Whitby Gift Shop when it opened in its new location at Art and Heritage Place in 2000. She now lives at Saint Scholastica Convent.

Born in St. Cloud, Sister Quidella moved with her family of seven to Cold Spring at age 12. After working at the hospital for two years and feeling attracted to the prayers she heard there, she entered the monastery at 23. Her first community work was in housekeeping at St. Raphael’s Convent, after which she moved to the St. Cloud Hospital for 34 years, 33 of them working in the laundry. “It didn’t seem long,” she says, “because I was busy.”

In her ministry, S. Quidella valued the contacts with employees. She remembers “fun together—lunches for special occasions, birthdays and anniversaries.” As laundress, S. Quidella was responsible for clean linens, surgical supplies and gowns—all before the days of disposables. “The goal was to get it done,” she said. S. Quidella was known for her ability to remove spots.

In 1986 S. Quidella moved back to St. Raphael’s, where she worked in the laundry until 1999, when she moved to semiretirement at Saint Scholastica Convent.

Sister Ruth attended the College of Saint Benedict (CSB), before joining the monastery. She taught art at CSB for one year before moving to Cathedral High School, where more than 60 Sisters lived at the convent. She earned a graduate degree in sociology during summers at St. Louis University and was dean of residents at St. Benedict’s Academy until it closed. S. Ruth also worked in formation and as personnel coordinator.

In 1985, she assisted with a Stearns County History Museum exhibit of monastery needlework. She also oversaw the transfer of museum quality artifacts from the archives to a Heritage Room and was on the committee that proposed Art and Heritage Place in 2000. “What a story we have to tell—one that can inspire all women with what these women have done, show them we can do it,” she said, and continues, “It’s gratifying when people  who have a connection to the story come in. They recognize what they’ve heard from the generations before when they see it in the museum.”

S. Ruth currently lives at Saint Benedict’s monastery and continues her museum work at the Haehn Museum on the monastery campus.

The seventh of 11 children, Sister Shirley had an inner call to join a religious community for as long as she can recall. “It wasn’t hard to hear the voice of God in 1944 when I came to the Scholasticate at the age of 13,” she said.

Although she taught in elementary schools for 12 years, in three different dioceses (the Archdiocese of St. Paul, St. Cloud and New Ulm), most of S. Shirley’s ministry was in administration. She served as Diocesan and Community Supervisor of Schools from 1963-1977, and the next 15 years as director of student teachers in the College of Saint Benedict.  S. Shirley names Hutchinson, Minn., where she taught from 1960-1963, as her favorite assignment. “We were young, energetic teachers (seven Sisters and one lay person) and the people were education-minded,” she said. They grew close, partly because the Sisters had no car or television, and they traveled to few meetings.

In 1993, S. Shirley moved to Saint Scholastica Convent where she is currently director of volunteers, among other duties. With ample time to listen and pray, S. Shirley has found a renewed commitment to religious life.  “As I get older, I recognize that trust in the Lord is what is truly important,” she said.

Sister Terence, better known as S. Terri, easily names her favorite time as a Sister: teaching girls’ chorus at two local high schools. “I liked music so much and I liked that age level,” she said. She also taught Latin, about which she was less excited, but that subject attracted the best students.

Her years of ministry at the Stearns County Jail developed from her membership in the charismatic movement. When she played the guitar at meetings there, someone asked if she would also accompany the Sunday morning Eucharist at the county jail. She appreciated being with the downtrodden and giving them an impetus to improve their lives.

S. Terri now lives at Saint Scholastica and continues to sing whenever she has a chance. She is also enjoying the new St. Cloud Public Library, from which she withdraws stacks of videos to feed her fascination with historic biography.

Born on a farm near Roscoe, Minn., Sister Berno spent one year at Saint Benedict’s High School before economic hardship forced her to return home. She never forgot her time at Saint Benedict’s, and every time she drove by she would say, “I am going to go there someday.”

Seventy-five years ago, she made her way back. Though she still refers to her family farm as “our farm,” S. Berno has truly loved her Benedictine life. After joining the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, she received her training as a nurse at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck, N.D., and earned advanced degrees in nursing from St. Louis University. She served as both director and teacher in several schools of nursing. Janice Wedl, OSB, recalls that S. Berno seemed cut out for her work. “A very gentle woman, she was an excellent nurse and teacher.”

“Once a nurse, always a nurse” seemed to be her motto. If she knew someone was in pain or needed nursing attention, she was there, and she was often called upon to take Sisters to the doctor or the hospital. Until recently, She lived at Saint Benedict’s Monastery and participated in the Liturgy of the Hours as a prayer leader or lector. She now lives at Saint Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud. S. Berno’s life in the monastic community has been a blessing to her fellow Sisters. “She is a joy to all who know her,” Wedl said.

Sister Carolinda was called to religious life very early, in elementary school. In sixth grade, her teacher asked all the girls what they were going to do when they grew up, and S. Carolinda answered, “I want to be a nun.” Then, she said, “I never thought about it any more until I grew up.”

Born in Cudworth, Saskatchewan, Canada, the fifth of 17 children, S. Carolinda grew up to be a rather lean young woman, “not much more than skin and bones,” she said. Sister Lucretia Heltemes assigned her to help with the turkeys while she was an aspirant and postulant, to get her out in the fresh air. The work was hard. She carried water from the horse barn to the turkeys in two four-gallon pails at a time, and it made her strong, she said. She also made candles in the winter and helped with the long process of preparing flax for weaving.

In her first ministry, she spent eight years at White Earth Reservation helping with housework and preparing the lunchroom for the school children. Then she moved to the Cold Spring nursing home for seven years, performing various duties. After Cold Spring, she was assigned to night watch at the College of Saint Benedict and the monastery, where she let girls she caught sneaking in after curfew go with just a warning, she said.

She moved to Saint Scholastica Convent and served as a driver for the Sisters there until recently. She continues to reside at Saint Scholastica, making candles and growing geraniums and amaryllis.

Sister Elvan was born on a farm near Browerville, Minn., in 1914 and grew up speaking Polish at home and at the parish school, St. Joseph’s (now Holy Angels). She still remembers some of the Polish hymns as her favorites. The second of 12 children, she had a lot of responsibilities at home. Her favorite day was when “Bishop [Joseph] Busch placed that ring on my finger,” and she entered the monastery, she said.

S. Elvan became a teacher and taught in a variety of missions and schools throughout her working life. She preferred the fourth through sixth grades. Though she taught many subjects, including biology and social studies, her favorite was music. She led rhythm bands at White Earth Reservation and at Little Falls, and had a harmonica band at Ss. Peter and Paul in Gilman, Sobieski and Browerville. She also served as principal at Sobieski and Browerville.

In 1976, S. Elvan traveled to Poland with two of her sisters and met five sets of cousins. She also traveled to Mexico City with a group led by Reverend Mark Willenbring to see the shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe. She currently resides at Saint Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud.

When Sister Eulalia joined the monastery after graduating from Saint Benedict’s High School, she joined Sisters in more ways than one. Born near Perham, Minn., the 11th of 12 children, her sisters Henrica, Edwardine and Christophine had already made final profession at Saint Benedict’s, and the youngest, Sister Melchior, followed.

Working with children at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in St. Paul for 11 years was S. Eulalia’s favorite ministry. She was in charge of sewing clothes for the children. “We had to cut our own patterns for the clothes,” she said. “We didn’t do just one thing. We cleaned. We scrubbed and we canned. We had a big garden. It was simple living.” She also accompanied the children to the circus, to amusement parks and to movies. These were experiences she did not have in her childhood and thoroughly enjoyed as an adult.

S. Eulalia had a variety of ministries. She worked as receptionist in admissions at St. Cloud Hospital, in the school food service at St. Mary’s Mission in Red Lake, as administrator of the Long Prairie Nursing Home, as community coordinator of occupational therapy at St. Raphael’s and St. Joseph’s Home in St. Cloud, as manager of the White Earth Mission Store and as laundress at Saint Scholastica Convent.

After her retirement, S. Eulalia remained at Saint Scholastica, where she helps with dining room tasks and with pushing wheelchairs to chapel and to the dining room. She continues her life of prayer and community living.

After her first monastic profession, Sister Hildebrand began her years of service as a housekeeper at Saint Patrick’s in Mauston, Wis. In 1940, she moved to St. Cloud Hospital for 22 years of cooking in the main kitchen, then to Queen of Peace Hospital in New Prague as cook and acting dietitian. In 1964, she began her many years of residence at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, working chiefly in housekeeping and food service for the College of Saint Benedict.

 She served as general services coordinator and director of food service for the monastery, building maintenance supervisor and executive housekeeper for the college, and also did some cooking for the priests at the parish Church of St. Joseph. During this 23-year interval, S. Hildebrand had her favorite experience as a monastic when she served as Sister Kristin Malloy’s companion on a fall semester of travel in Ireland.

In 1986, the Upper Midwest Region of the Association of College and University Housing Officers honored S. Hildebrand for her outstanding efforts and dedicated service to students at the College of Saint Benedict. S. Hildebrand currently resides at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, where she designs and produces cards for Monastic Enterprises. Her philosophy continues to be to make the best of whatever comes her way.

Sister Marie was born in Spring Hill, Minn., in 1914, the fourth of 10 children. At an early age she chose the Benedictine way of life;  in 1933 she was admitted to the novitiate and given the name Sister Placid. She reclaimed her baptismal name in 1960.

S. Marie was a gifted teacher, and teaching gave her the opportunity to see many places. For 26 years she taught in the intermediate and upper grades in Catholic schools in the dioceses of St. Cloud, LaCrosse and Seattle. In 1965, S. Marie began teaching science at Cathedral High School and then at Saint Benedict’s Academy. She also taught future science teachers and nurses at the College of Saint Benedict and St. Cloud Hospital School of Nursing. She earned an M.S. in education at Creighton University and furthered her studies in Denver, Ariz., and Memphis with the National Science Foundation’s summer programs.

Following teaching, S. Marie was an assistant librarian at the College of Saint Benedict for eight years. In 1982, she set up and managed the first Whitby Gift Shop in a little yellow house on Minnesota Street known at the time as “Whitby Convent,” after the 7th century Benedictine St. Hilda of Whitby. She described the gift shop as an outlet for the Sisters’ crafts, which they did for relaxation and therapy, “like everyone else in the world does.” A talented seamstress and crafter, the shop included items made by S. Marie.

In 2005, S. Marie moved to Saint Scholastica Convent. She currently lives at St. Benedict’s Senior Community where her recent 94th birthday was a grand celebration.

Sister Victorine was born in South Minneapolis, Minn. She worked in health care, primarily as a pharmacist, but also as a registered nurse after completing her degree at the College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth in 1952--18 years after she began college.

S. Victorine became a pharmacist almost by accident. The pharmacy at St. Cloud Hospital, a windowless room, turned out to be a good assignment for her. She had often been sick and, in fact, had to quit college during her junior year in the nursing program at the College of Saint Benedict, despite great talent and interest, because of her illness.

Sent to work at the pharmacy at St. Cloud Hospital to wash bottles, she ended up taking over for the pharmacist when he was assigned elsewhere. She learned what she needed to on the job, and soon all the doctors in the hospital thought she was a certified pharmacist. She spent two years at St. Benedict’s Hospital in Ogden, Utah, where she also worked as a pharmacist.

It was only in 1967, during a visit to the Mayo Clinic, that she was properly diagnosed as having a rare genetic disorder that made her sick from sun exposure. When she learned what was wrong, she thought about her great love of outdoor activities, rolling up her sleeves to be the main rower in boats the Sisters took out on the Mississippi River. “No wonder I was wacky all the time,” she said.

S. Victorine currently lives at the Saint Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud, Minn. She says of her 75 years as a Benedictine Sister, “I’ve had a lot of fun in my life.”