Link - Benedictine Sisters - Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman

Benedictine Update
Sacred Heart Monastery
From
the
Prioress
Let them prefer nothing whatever to
Christ, and may he bring us all
together to everlasting life.
Rule of Benedict 72: 10-11
Eph. 2:4-5
Sr.Tonette
Sperando, O.S.B.
“The time has come for the
Church to take up the joyful call to
mercy once more. It is time to
return to the basics and to bear
the weaknesses and struggles of
our brothers and sisters.” These
words of Pope Francis as he
announced the Jubilee Year of
Mercy implicitly remind us that we
do not go to God alone. We
journey together with our brothers
and sisters in Christ, with our
neighbors, with those across the
seas who we know only through
the news or our imaginations.
It takes two for mercy to flow. It
passes from one to another –
giving and receiving – a “balm” and
“a sign that the Kingdom of God is
already present in our midst.” Here
within our monastic community we
are seeking to deepen our
commitment to monastic communal
life, focusing on the basics of
supporting one another in the
course of everyday life, and bearing
each other up in times of weakness
or struggle.
Mercy begins at home, but our
monastic life is not just for us. In
this Jubilee year, we have had the
opportunity to pass through Holy
Doors of Mercy. Now, our hearts
must become open doors
through which others can come to
know God‘s mercy, love, and
beauty. I see our monastic
presence as a door through which
God’s mercy can flow, from us to
others and from others to us and
back out again.
Our brothers and sisters are
struggling in a dysfunctional world
with an unstable political arena,
environmental degradation,
assaults upon the dignity of human
Volume XXIX, No. 1
"God, who is rich in mercy, out of the
great love with which he loved us...
made us alive together with Christ.”
Photo: Photography by Theresa
Together in mercy, together in Christ
We are pleased to share with you our latest community photograph, taken
this past March. These are the Sisters amongst whom each of us has
committed to seek God together through the monastic way of life. These are
the Sisters who are taking to heart the call of Pope Francis: “The time has
come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to
return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers
and sisters.” These are the Sisters who hold you in our hearts, knowing that
we are all on this road together.
In the fabric of a monastic day, mercy is like a thread with which the day is
knitted. In the warp and weft of sharing life together as sisters, mercy is
(Continued on page 4)
Together
life, unjust work environments, religious
persecution, and the lack of basic needs
such as food, water, and shelter. We
take seriously our role as witnesses of
Christ’s love, a witness by which people
can experience the mercy of God
through their encounter with Christian
community lived authentically and well,
through retreat programs that expand
one’s heart for God and others, through
a place of beauty and tranquility in
which people can draw closer to God,
and through service in our ministries
and in our local community.
We here at Sacred Heart look to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus as source and
example of life and love for others, a
heart poured out in mercy. His is a
heart that calls us back to the basics, to
the joyful call to mercy…a heart that
draws us together through the door of
mercy as brothers and sisters in Christ.
It takes two for mercy to flow.
Together we can create a rising tide of
mercy as a witness of Christ’s love. We
are grateful that you are with us on this
journey, passing through doors of mercy
that cleanse us and bid our hearts to
become open doors of mercy. Know that
you are held in our prayers as we travel
together. Please keep us in yours.
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
Summer, 2016
A venerable tradition of listening
An ancient and venerable tradition
among monastic communities is the formal
visitation of a monastery by other
monastics. The Constitution of the
Federation of St. Scholastica, the
Federation to which our community
belongs, specifies that an Ordinary
Canonical Visitation occur in each
monastery every six years. The regularlyscheduled Visitation of Sacred Heart
Monastery was held this past March. The
Visitators were Sr. Susan Quaintance,
O.S.B., of St. Scholasica Monastery in
Chicago and First Councilor of the
Federation of St. Scholastica, and Sr.
Glenna Smith, O.S.B., of St. Benedict
Monastery in Bristow, VA, and
former President of the Federation of St.
Scholastica.
The purpose of a Visitation is to provide
a formal and structured process by which a
community can assess the authenticity of
their lived expression of the Rule of St.
Benedict in the context of the Benedictine
tradition. It is a means of receiving advice
and support while fostering hope and the
development of a clear, communitysupported direction for the community.
Visitation is rooted in the monastic
virtue of listening – the community listening
to one another as they assess their
expression and experience of monastic life,
the Visitators listening to the community,
and the community in turn listening to the
observations and insights of the Visitators.
A God of Mystery
The Self-Study Committee was comprised of
(left to right) Sr. Marie Leonard, Sr. Priscilla
Cohen, Chair, and Sr. Therese Haydel. These
Sisters led the self-study process and the
preparation for the Visitation.
It is through God’s mercy that one
discovers and assents to a vocation –
whether it be to marriage, the single
life, or religious life or priesthood. It is
a merciful God who leads the way. All
an individual must do is “listen with
the ear of his or her heart.” Vocation
discernment is a process of listening,
gathering information, and praying
that God’s call will be heard. Prayer
is essential throughout the
discernment process. This includes
not only speaking to God and asking
God’s guidance but also listening for
God’s response to our questions,
desires, and concerns.
In order to help women in this
process, our community has a
vocation team. Sr. Karen Ann
Lortscher is the director of vocation
ministry and she and Sr. Michelle
Renee St. Marie do much of the
footwork – attending vocation events,
visiting schools, parishes, etc. to help
to make our community known and
visible. Sr. Magdalena Craig
responds to women who contact us
seeking information and advice. She
will journey with them as they seek to
discern God’s will. We encourage
and invite women to visit us
individually at Sacred Heart or to
attend a scheduled “Come and See”
event we sponsor in order to discover
who we are as Benedictines.
Vocation is a mystery in which
God takes the initiative, and it
includes our response to that initial
invitation which originated in the claim
God made on us in our baptism. It is
the task of all Christians to discover
how they are called to strive for a
more ample manifestation in their
lives of the grace received in baptism.
Page 2
Sr. Tonette Sperando, Prioress (at right), with
Visitators Sr. Susan Quaintance (far left) and
Sr. Glenna Smith
In addition to the formal meetings throughout
the days of Visitation, the Sisters enjoyed the
time to simply be together and enjoy one
another's company. In this photo, Sr.
Madeline Contorno (l) and Sr. Marie Leonard
share a moment of good humor.
Benedictine Manor – a “best kept secret”
“Benedictine Manor is the best kept
secret in Alabama.” These words are
frequently expressed by people who tour
the facility.
Benedictine Manor provides a homey
and beautiful environment for individuals
and couples age 55 and older. Living at the
Manor frees residents of the cost and
upkeep of a house and provides three
meals daily for a very modest cost. Only
$1200.00 per month provides a single
spacious room with private bathroom,
meals, assistance with cleaning, and all
utilities except for phone service. A two
room unit is $1674.00 per month for a
single occupant and $2000.00 for a married
couple.
The benefits of safety and security are
complemented with the freedom to come
and go whenever and however the
residents choose. The Manor’s location on
the grounds of Sacred Heart Monastery
allows easy access to programs offered at
the Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center and
to liturgies with the Sisters in the monastery
chapel.
Manor residents enjoy visiting
over a meal.
The diverse community of residents has
a stable balance of men and women,
Catholics and non-Catholics, who share
meals and recreational activities with one
another. Some of the residents enjoy
gardening and providing food sources for
the many birds that live in the trees and
bushes that surround the building.
Residents also enjoy walking the wellmaintained and beautiful grounds or sitting
in shady spots near the monastery’s small
lake.
The City of Cullman has a broad range
of cultural and educational opportunities
that take place year round. The Manor
offers in-house activities and resources, too.
Some include exercise, painting, knitting,
movies, Bible Study, Mass, a library, travel,
and celebrating almost anything imaginable!
Residents are free to participate as much or
as little as they wish.
For more information about Benedictine
Manor or to schedule a tour, please feel
free to contact us at 256-739-2853;
[email protected]; or 200 Janeway
Drive, Cullman, AL 35055.
Decorating cookies in the dining room.
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
Summer, 2016
“Like a sister with whom we share our life...”
This winter and spring, the
community has been reading and
discussing together Pope Francis’s
Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si´ (On
Care for our Common Home), and
reflecting together on its meaning for
us and for the world. It is perhaps
providential that this has been our
reading material as we embark on a
plan for the grounds of our home, a
home that, in the words of the
encyclical, “is like a sister with whom
we share our life.”
The renovation and construction
project that was completed in 2014
left us with some barren areas, some
new and unaccustomed routes from
here to there, and much promise for a
more welcoming environment for both
Sisters and guests. From a practical
perspective, the need to improve the
exterior environment of the monastery
is clear. From a hospitality
perspective, the need to provide
functional and welcoming signage is
imperative. Laudato Si´ offers a
further spiritual imperative as it
reminds us that the “contemplation of
creation allows us to discover in each
thing a teaching which God wishes to
hand on to us.” We want our grounds
to be a place in which contemplation
of creation is like a door that opens
the hearts of Sisters and guests alike
to contemplation of God.
We are most grateful to have the
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Benedictine Sisters!
May God bless you richly for your
generosity to our Community.
Sr. Karen Ann Lortscher, OSB
Development Office
916 Convent Road, NE
Cullman, AL 35055
(256) 734-4622
e-mail: [email protected]
Summer, 2016
landscape architectural firm of Jane
Reed Ross, Landscape Architecture,
Inc., working with us to develop a
cohesive site plan for the monastery
grounds, taking into consideration the
needs of Sisters and of retreat
guests. The aim is for a peaceful,
prayerful exterior environment that
builds on longstanding features such
as the Sunken Garden, the Lourdes
grotto, the columns, and the monastic
cemetery, while integrating the newer
areas into a single comprehensive
design. Incorporated into the design
will be directional signage that will
help orient guests around the new
Retreat Center areas and create a
sense of having arrived at a place of
welcome and retreat.
The monastery grounds are
important not just to Sisters, but in a
special way to guests. Pope Francis
writes that “the history of our
friendship with God is always linked
to particular places which take on
intensely personal meaning.” We
hope that the “particular place” of
Sacred Heart Monastery is one that
draws people deeper into friendship
with God, and leads them to praise of
the Creator as we say with St.
Francis, “Praise be to you, my Lord.”
Left, Sr. Jane Bishop spends much time on the grounds engaged in activities such as pruning.
Center, Sr. Kathleen Gallas, Director of Monastery Grounds, gardens in the
Retreat Center courtyard. Right, Sr. Regina Barrett nurtures gingko seedlings
harvested from the gingko trees in the front yard of the monastery.
Living Laudato Si’...
For our Lenten reading this year,
each Sister received a copy of the
Encyclical Letter Laudato Si´. Since
that time, the home community at the
monastery has engaged in a series
of house discussions about the letter,
with the question “what are we being
called to?” running like a vine through
the conversations. The Sisters on
mission in Birmingham have also
gathered to discuss the letter, joined
in their conversations by our Prioress,
Sr. Tonette Sperando.
Whether it is enhancing our
already robust recycling practices,
making landscaping decisions with
positive environmental benefit,
coordinating errands into a single trip,
or other efforts, we are discerning the
call of Laudato Si´ as we seek to care
for our common home.
In addition to these practical
steps, our reading and discussions
left us with hearts full of the wonders
and beauty of God’s creation. Our
conversations continue as we live the
call of Laudato Si´.
Sr. Mary Ruth Coffman pauses from her
reading of the Pope’s Encyclical Letter.
Please help us conserve costs and stay in touch by notifying the
Development Office of any name or address changes.
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
Page 3
“This, then, is the good zeal which monks must foster with
fervent love: They should each try to be the first to show
respect to the other, supporting with the greatest patience one
another’s weaknesses…” - Rule of Benedict 72:3-5
Taking to heart the call of Pope
Francis to be Christ's "visible face in
the world", four Benedictine Sisters
volunteered for Project Homeless
Connect in Birmingham in
February.
Sisters Priscilla Cohen and
Madeline
Contorno were
part of a large
contingent
from St.
Vincent's
Health System
who
volunteered for
Sisters Priscilla and
Michelle pause during the day-long
event. Both
their day of service.
Sisters are on staff at St. Vincent's,
Sister Priscilla as a Registered
Nurse and Sister Madeline as
Director of Mission Integration and
Spiritual Care. Joining Sisters
Priscilla and Madeline in the day of
service were Sisters Michelle St.
Marie and Minona Anne D'Souza.
Sr. Priscilla and Sr. Minona Anne
served by accompanying guests to
the services that they needed. Sr.
Michelle spent her day washing the
feet of homeless guests, a work of
mercy that she specifically
requested to do. Sr. Madeline also
worked directly with those seeking
assistance.
Together in mercy, t
(Continued from page 1)
constantly expressed – even
moment by moment – in the daily
rounds of living side by side,
attentive to who may need an
encouraging word, or who may
need a helping hand, or who may
need prayer for endurance during
trial, or who may be sorrowing and
in need of comfort. It is also
expressed in the humble gesture of
admitting one’s weakness and
receiving the merciful care of
another.
Pope Francis, in Miseicordiae
Vultus, writes that this year is
“dedicated to living out in our daily
lives the mercy which the Father
constantly extends to all of us.” To
us Benedictines, the call of Pope
Francis is an echo of the call of St.
Toge
To learn and to grow in showing mercy
To learn, to grow, to deepen in
their understanding of the myriad
ways to show mercy in the world,
the Sisters will be hosting two
speakers during their June
community meetings. Sr. Susan
Mika, OSB, of the Benedictine
Sisters of Boerne, TX, is Director of
the Benedictine Coalition for
Responsible Investment. She will
present information about the efforts
of the Coalition to advocate for
corporate responsibility, especially
as it relates to just employment
practices, workplace ethics, and
care of the environment. More
locally, Kimble Forrister, Executive
Director of Alabama Arise, will
speak to the Sisters on the efforts
of his organization to promote a just
response to the needs of lowincome Alabamians.
Sr. Tonette Sperando, Sr. Mary
McGehee, and Sr. Marie Leonard
attended a conference in March at
Birmingham’s Beeson School of
Divinity entitled Black + White in
America. Bishop Robert Baker of
the Diocese of Birmingham served
as Co-Chair of the event, which was
described as a "reflection/
conversation on race relations in the
United States among its black and
white citizens." While Sisters
Tonette, Mary, and Marie were in
attendance, several Sisters back at
the monastery tuned into the livestreamed podcast of the event.
Not just wanting to learn about
these organizations and efforts, the
community is desiring to respond to
needs, and to consider and plan
ways in which we can contribute to
a more merciful and just world, both
locally and further afield.
“At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that
we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives.”
- Misericordiae Vultus
Page 4
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
The Sisters have received
mercy in many forms thus far in
2016. This past February, Isabella
Wright, a youth from Birmingham
volunteered for a service project at
the monastery in preparation for
her upcoming Confirmation.
Isabella spent much of the day
working with Sr. Tonette Sperando,
Prioress, collecting stone from the
foundation of an old storage hut
that has recently been torn down
on monastery property. The stone
will eventually be used in
landscaping projects around the
monastery. The Sisters were
touched by Isabella’s hard work,
generous spirit, and merciful heart.
Summer, 2016
y, together in Christ
Benedict. Benedict calls us
specifically to both corporal and
spiritual works of mercy in chapter
four of his Rule, The Tools for
Good Works.
We are grateful for the
opportunity the Church has given
us this year to reflect more deeply
on the thread of everyday mercy
that is woven into the daily fabric of
monastic life - a mercy that we
seek to express in a particular way
within the everyday of monastic
community, and then seek to cast
outward into the everyday of the
world.
On these pages are some of
the ways in which we are
journeying together in mercy, and
together in Christ.
“It is time to return to the basics and to bear the
weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and
sisters.” - Misericordiae Vultus
This spring, Sr. Tonette Sperando
and Sr. Michelle St. Marie
participated in the construction
of a Habitat for Humanity home
in Birmingham. Sponsored
by several parishes in the
Birmingham area, the home is
being built in honor of Pope
Francis. The two Sisters joined
members of Prince of Peace
Catholic Church in their efforts.
At left, Sister Michelle takes a
hammer to the task.
ether
Appreciation luncheon held for Sisters
City of Cullman Police
Chief Kenny Culpepper,
Board Chair of Hope
Horses, with Sr. Therese
Haydel who is currently
serving on Hope’s Board
of Directors. Past
Board members include
Sr. Lynn McKenzie
and Sr. Tonette Sperando.
Several years ago, when
the Sisters learned of Hope
Horses’ need for
appropriate land to house a
newly-founded equine
therapy program, they
eagerly opened their hearts
to support this good work.
They also opened the doors
to a portion of their property
in order to provide a longterm home for this
important outreach to the
Cullman community. At
Hope’s new Convent Road
home, a barn has been
built, pasture land prepared,
volunteers and staff
recruited and trained, and
the program has been up
and running for well over a
year now, providing equine
therapy to mentally,
physically, and emotionally
challenged individuals. The
program is on stable
footing, secure in their new
home and expanding in
their outreach.
This past February, the
Board of Directors of Hope
Horses sponsored a
catered luncheon for the
Sisters in order to express
their appreciation to the
monastic community. The
luncheon featured an
informative presentation by
Hope's Executive Director,
Kelsey Rice. Cullman Police
Chief Kenny Culpepper,
Board Chairman, also
spoke, expressing his
gratitude to the Sisters for
their on-going support of
Hope Horses. He presented
to the community a framed
photograph of the new
barn, secure in its new
home and expanding its
outreach.
The community is
“God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love for all the creatures
of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in
your sight.” - Laudato Si’
Summer, 2016
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
equally appreciative of
Hope, gratified that this
portion of their land is being
put to such good use for
those in need. Information
about Hope Horses can be
found at hopehorses.org.
Sr. Tonette Sperando visits
with Chief Culpepper before
the presentation.
“Never lose
hope in
God’s mercy.”
- Rule of Benedict 4:74
Page 5
Sr. Margaret Mary Fisher dies at the age of 92
Sr. Margaret Mary Fisher, OSB, died
early in the morning of January 8, 2016, in
the monastery infirmary at the age of 92.
Vespers of the Dead was prayed on
Sunday, January 10, in Sacred Heart
Monastery Chapel, followed by the Mass of
Christian Burial on Monday, January 11.
Sr. Margaret Mary’s call to religious life
came in mid-life. Long-widowed, with her
children grown, and having become
acquainted with several Benedictine
Sisters who were teaching at Pensacola
Catholic High, she began discernment with
the monastic community. She entered
Sacred Heart Monastery as a postulant in
1979, made First Monastic Profession in
1981, and Final Profession in 1984.
Following her First Profession, Sr.
Margaret Mary was missioned to
Birmingham where she ministered in the
Pastoral Care Department at St. Vincent’s
Hospital, working with terminally ill patients
and their families. Sister received
certification as a Catholic Chaplain from
the National Association of Catholic
Chaplains, but it was her experience as a
widow and her natural empathy that made
her such an effective presence in her work
to the sick, the dying, and the bereaved.
Her ministry touched many lives, and it
was not uncommon for people with whom
Sr. Margaret Mary ministered to maintain
contact with her long after their hospital
stay had ended.
In 1992, Sr. Margaret Mary returned to
Cullman to serve on the administrative staff
of Benedictine Manor, the Sisters’
residential ministry for independent retired
seniors. Sister remained at the Manor until
2001 when she joined the staff of the
Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center,
welcoming guests with her bright smile and
her natural sense of hospitality. As with
chaplaincy, many guests continued to ask
to see her upon their return visits. In 2007,
Sister transitioned to assisting in the
monastic library and in several other roles
within the monastery.
Sr. Margaret
Mary often
arrived in the
chapel long
before the
beginning of a
liturgy in order to
spend extra time
in prayer. She
continued to
regularly attend
liturgies, common
meals, and to
engage in life in
Sr. Margaret Mary
monastic
community up
Fisher, O.S.B.
until the last few
weeks before
she died. Sister was a vibrant, joyful
presence in community life with a deep life
of prayer, an always-willing spirit, a ready
smile, a splendid sense of humor, and a
quick wit that was enjoyed by all. She is
greatly missed.
News Briefs
Sr. Tonette Sperando attended the
Conference of Benedictine Prioresses at
Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech
Grove, IN, in February. Also this winter
she gave a presentation to the RCIA at
St. Paul’s Cathedral in Birmingham.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sr. Therese Haydel is currently
serving as webmaster for the Federation
of St. Scholastica. She is also serving on
the Board of Directors of Hope Horses
(see article on page 5).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sr. Elisabeth Meadows is currently
serving on the Leadership Team of the
Association of Benedictine Retreat
Centers. In March, she traveled to St.
Scholastica Monastery in Ft. Smith, AR,
to attend a meeting of the Team as they
planned their next biennial conference.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sr. Lynn Marie McKenzie continues
her scheduled visits to various North
American monasteries in her role as
President of the Federation of St.
Scholastica. She also serves as
President of the Board of Directors for
the Resource Center for Religious
Institutes (RCRI) and in May attended a
RCRI Board meeting in Baltimore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the last six months Sr. Mary
McGehee has presented many Centering
Prayer workshops and has mentored new
Centering Prayer presenters. Among the
sites where she has presented are St.
James Catholic Church in Gadsden, the
Chapel at Redstone Arsenal, St. John's
Episcopal Church in Decatur, Nativity
Page 6
Episcopal in Huntsville, and Independent
Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. In
June, she will give the annual retreat to
the Benedictine Sisters of Boerne, TX.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Above left to right, Sisters Therese Haydel,
Tonette Sperando, Michelle St. Marie and
Lynn Marie McKenzie
In April, Sisters Tonette Sperando,
Lynn Marie McKenzie, Therese Haydel,
and Michelle St. Marie traveled to Our
Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech
Grove, IN, to attend a gathering of
Benedictine Sisters from around North
America who are age 55 and under. The
two day gathering offered the group an
opportunity to pray together, learn from
conference speakers, and enjoy getting
to know other Benedictine Sisters.
Sr. Lynn Marie attended in her role as
President of the Federation of St.
Scholastica and was one of the speakers
for the conference. Sr. Tonette was one
of three newly-elected Prioresses among
the group.
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
In May, several members of the
community’s Peace and Justice
Committee traveled to Eutaw, Alabama
to learn about the ministry of the
Missionary Guadalupanas of the Holy
Spirit in Eutaw. Their goal was to learn
more about work of the Sisters with the
rural poor and to learn ways in which we
can support their ministry. In addition to
receiving a tour of the Guadalupan
Multicultural Center and hearing
descriptions of their varied ministries in
Eutaw and Greene County, the visiting
Benedictines were graciously hosted by
the Guadalupanas for a delicious lunch.
Committee members had previously
toured La Casita in Birmingham, also
staffed by Guadalupana Sisters. In both
settings, the visiting Benedictines were
deeply touched by the Guadalupana
Sisters’ gracious hospitality and greatly
edified by their ministerial outreach and
their profound expression of God's
mercy in the world.
Above left to right, Sisters Minona
Anne D’Souza, Regina Barrett,
Jane Bishop, and
Sara Aiden Burress in Eutaw.
Summer, 2016
In Sympathy
We mourn the loss of our Sr.
Margaret Mary Fisher, O.S.B. (see
story on page 6). We extend
sympathy to our Prioress Sr. Tonette
Sperando and family for the loss of
her grandmother, Sarah Caruso; to
Sr. Madeline Contorno and family for
her father, Paul Contorno; to Sr.
Bernadette Sachs and family for her
brother, Joe Sachs; to Sr. Janet
Marie Flemming and family for her
aunt, Imelda Obering Gentle. We
also mourn the loss of Jack Hughes,
brother of our Sr. Mary Hughes,
O.S.B. of happy memory and Ann
Hughes Barron, (’43).
We offer sympathy to the families
of alumnae who have recently gone
before us: Emma Quattlebaum
Gentle, (’45); Judy Hepburn Wirtz,
(’47); Barbara Thomas Burmester,
(‘52); Mary Frances Means Cogburn,
(‘57); Margaret “Margie” Meinhardt
Parish, (’49), and seven months
later, her husband, Alfred “Al” Parish.
Among the family members of
alumnae, the following went to God:
Victor Burdo, husband of Mary
Hepburn Burdo, (’49); George Ellis,
husband of Patricia Armstrong Ellis,
(’52); and Edward Clark, father of
Lynne Clark Irwin, (’64).
We also mourn the loss of
Brother Anselm Kuehler, O.S.B.;
Bishop William R. Houck, D.D.;
Mother Mary Angelica Rizzo,
P.C.P.A.; Rev. Vernon Luckey; Polly
Stumpe; Mary Schuler; Phillip
Gadilhe; Jack Moore; and Sara
McHugh Seekford.
Requiescant in pace.
Responding to local needs
A few Sisters are in the
volunteer application process to
serve with a local organization,
The Link of Cullman County. The
Link serves as a local hub for
those in need of resources in our
area. The Executive Director of
The Link recently spoke to the
Sisters after lunch, explaining the
services offered and seeking
volunteers. Sr. Jane Bishop has
already begun volunteer service
by teaching English as a Second
Language one evening a week.
Summer, 2016
A Note from Development
Sr. Karen Ann Lortscher, O.S.B.
“Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and
instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope” (Pope
Francis). Pope Francis challenges us to extend mercy to those
around us. St. Benedict urges us “to never lose hope in God’s mercy” (RB
4:74). In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we are so grateful for you: for the ways
in which you extend God’s mercy to others. Your gifts to us, for the good of
others, are a powerful witness to your faith in God’s merciful love. We are
most grateful to you for your generosity to us. Here are some examples of
this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sustaining Donors: Your monthly, biALL OUR DONORS
monthly, and quarterly contributions to our
Sustaining Donors
Annual Appeal sustain the Sisters in the work
that we do and in the way of life that we live in
witness to God’s abundant mercy. Your regular
gifts help to keep our operations (in support of
our ministries) going. Some do this by
requesting that we deduct a set amount from
their credit card until they ask us to stop.
Other
Others have made arrangements with their
Donors
bank to send a regular check from their
account. We have been advised that sustaining
gifts are the backbone of a successful
development program, so I would like to invite
you to consider making your contributions in a
sustaining manner. You may even find it more convenient!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sister Tonette Sperando looks on as Sister Karen Ann
accepts a check for $25,000 from Carolyn Eck to the
Sacred Heart Monastery Foundation
Donations to the Sacred
Heart Monastery Foundation:
A big thank you to Carolyn Eck
whose gift to the Sacred Heart
Monastery Foundation will help
to assure that Sacred Heart
Monastery may continue to be
a source of spiritual renewal for
both now and in the future.
Soon we will be able to utilize
the interest for support of our
ministries.
Donations to our Operational Funds: As I write this, your donations
have brought us close to reaching our 2015-2016 goal for our Annual
Appeal! The chart below shows the range of gifts needed to reach the
remaining $70,000 of our goal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1@
2@
5@
8@
$3,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
12@
10@
20@
40@
$1,000
$500
$250
$100
120 @ $50
200 @ $25
300 @ $10
If you have suggestions, concerns, or if you would like to donate, please
don’t hesitate to call 256-615-6071, write a note, or e-mail
[email protected].
God bless you for your generosity and loving support.
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
Page 7
Retreat Center Offerings
[email protected]
256-734-8302
www.shmon.org
June-December 2016
Five-Day Directed Retreat
June 27 - July 1, 2016
Sr. Kathleen Gallas, OSB and
Sr. Mary McGehee, OSB
Introduction to Centering Prayer
September 2-4, 2016
Contemplative Outreach
Birmingham Staff
Benedictine Sisters
916 Convent Road, NE
Cullman, AL 35055
(256) 734-4622
E-mail: [email protected]
www.shmon.org
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Cullman, AL 35055
Permit No. 351
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Woman Spirit Rising
September 23-25, 2016
Sr. Mary McGehee, OSB; WSR Team
Vocation Retreat
October 15, 2016
Sisters’ Vocation Team
Catherine of Siena:
A Woman for our Time
Friday, October 21, 2016; 7:00pm
Sr. Nancy Murray O.P.
A Retreat with Catherine of Siena
October 21-23, 2016
Sr. Nancy Murray O.P. and
Sr. Mary Prininski, O.P.
William Butler Yeats: An
Introduction and Appreciation
Saturday, October 29, 2016;
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Sr. Marian Davis, OSB, Ph.D.
Intensive Centering Prayer
November 11-13, 2016
Contemplative Outreach
Birmingham Staff
The Art of Mercy
November 18-20, 2016
Sr. Elisabeth Meadows, OSB
Advent Day of Reflection
December 7, 2016;
9:00 am - 3:30pm
Sr. Kathleen Gallas, OSB
Benedictine Update
is published bi-annually by the
Benedictine Sisters of
Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, AL
Editor: Benedictine Sisters
Contributors: Srs. Tonette Sperando, Veronica
Ryan, Therese Haydel, Eleanor Harrison,
Karen Ann Lortscher,
and Elisabeth Meadows, OSB.
Photography: Sisters Tonette Sperando,
Elisabeth Meadows, and
Therese Haydel, OSB; Theresa Burns; and
contributed photos
Circulation: Sherri Arndt, Tanya Craven
Printed by: Alabama Web Press,
Cullman, AL
Mission Statement
We, the Benedictine Sisters of Cullman,
Alabama at Sacred Heart Monastery, inspired
by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Rule of
St. Benedict, commit ourselves to witness
Christ’s love to all peoples through a vowed life
of monastic prayer, community, and ministry.
Page 8
RETREAT CENTER PROGRAMS FOCUS
ON THEME OF MERCY
In addition to our usual rich fare of retreat offerings, two 2016
programs have mercy as their specific theme. For the first of these,
Fr. Doug Vu led our Lenten Retreat this year focusing on the theme of the
Jubilee Year of Mercy - Merciful like the Father. Fr. Vu also led
participants on an afternoon pilgrimage to a designated Holy Door in our
diocese, adding a special element to the retreat.
This coming November, on the closing weekend of the Jubilee Year of
Mercy, Sr. Elisabeth Meadows will lead a retreat entitled The Art of
Mercy. Retreatants will reflect upon God’s mercy through works of art
that have mercy as their theme. The art of being merciful will also be a
focus of special reflection as we
seek to bear witness to God’s
mercy through its expression in
our lives.
In other Retreat Center
news, we continue to keep an
active wish list of items that
would help us in our ministry.
We have been the recipient of
the merciful acts of several who
have contributed specific items
or designated wish list funds
over this past year. We are
grateful for your generosity to
this ministry!
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, Alabama
Summer, 2016