A salute to our volunteers!

Some very special people joined us for the midday meal on Saturday, May 21: 43 volunteers, along with their eight guests. They were recognized for their generosity in donating their time and effort to help our community.

Above: Sister Mary Philip thanks the volunteers. Right: She gave each volunteer a notepad with matching pen. Pictured is Betty Schmitt (right), from Ireland, Indiana, who does quilting. She's the sister of Sister Corita Hoffman (left).

Sister Mary Philip Berger, director of volunteers, reports that 158 individuals have served as volunteers in the last year. They range in age from 16 to 90, and they’ve helped throughout the monastery in such areas as activities, archives, Simply Divine bakery, For Heaven’s Sake, hair care, Kordes Center, Mission Advancement, quilting, yard sale, and yard work.

Would you like to be a volunteer or become more involved with our community? You can read about ways to be involved on our web site.

Spring at the monastery

If you walk around our monastery grounds these days, you can smell the fragrance of a variety of blossoms. I sometimes take a camera with me when I go walking so I can capture some of the beauty that surrounds us...and some of the new life that's nested on window sills. Many of the flowers around our monastery have been planted and tended by "the twins," Sisters Mary Carmen and Mary Carmel Spayd, and by Sister Geneva Stumler. I hope you enjoy this bouquet of flowers.

-Sister Paulette Seng

6th Grade Field Trip

Every year our 6th graders go on a field trip to Ferdinand and St. Meinrad. It's always a good time. One of the parents made the comment, "Sr. Catherine, you can tell you've come home." I love being in Ferdinand, and I love sharing the place with others.

Here are a few pictures of the students singing to the sisters. Two of the highlights of their field trip include seeing the finger bone (a relic of St. Meinrad) and singing to the sisters.

Music to our ears

Sunday, May 15, was a day for music at the monastery. Nineteen area music students performed at the Spring Music Recital this Sunday afternoon and evening at the monastery. The students, ranging from second grade to high school junior, attend area schools and take music lessons from Sisters Madonna Helmer, Mary Karen Hill, Helen Maurer, and Rose Wildeman. Sisters Michelle Mohr and Brenda Engleman assisted at the recitals as accompanists on piano and guitar. The music teachers presented Indiana Music Federation awards to their students following the recitals. Congratulations to parents, teachers, and students for their great accomplishments and delightful musical entertainment.

World Day Prayer for Vocations

Today is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. People all over the world are praying for vocations to the Catholic Church.

We invite you to remember in prayer vocations to religious life and priesthood in a special way today, in particular, vocations to the the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana. Also, pray for those vocation directors of religious communities and dioceses as they journey with women and men discerning God's call.

Read here the message of Pope Benedict on vocations.

Have you ever felt a call to religious life or priesthood? Did you follow up on that call or did you life take a different turn?

Way to go sisters!

Congratulations to Sister Rebecca Ann Mathauer who graduated yesterday from USI (University of Southern Indiana) with High Honors - Magna Cum Laude. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with certification in Language Arts, Social Studies and Religion. Sister Becky has already been offered and has accepted a position at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic School in Indianapolis. She will be teaching social studies and religion in their middle school.

Yesterday, Sister Kate Willegal also participated in USI's Recognition Ceremony for all nurses graduating this spring and summer, with their BSN, Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Nursing. Sister Kate will be receiving her Master’s of Science in Nursing degree in mid July and yesterday was presented with her Master’s hood.

We are all very proud of these sisters, as well as the others who continue their studies!

Are you currently in school or recently graduated? We'd love to hear about it!