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February 2019
Volume 13, Issue 2
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Dear friend in Christ,
We are truly in the depths of winter here in Minnesota, but Lent is nearly with us. Lent means "spring" in Anglo-Saxon, so let's hope it's going to bring some green shoots of hope with it.
Many people approach Lent with some hesitation because of its association with fasting and the idea that it has to be a rather miserable time. I like to think of it as an opportunity to reflect on how I'm living and clear away some of the old, dead wood which collects along my path to God. That might mean getting rid of possessions which are superfluous to my needs or doing some interior cleaning. Are my opinions based on fact or prejudice? Am I too critical of others? How can I become a more loving person? Do I spend enough time tending to my relationship with God?
Every year, one of our Lenten activities as a community is hosting the
Nun Banquet (read more below). This year, it's on Friday, March 15, from 4:30
–7 p.m. The
monastery gift shop and museum will stay open until 7 p.m. on that date. We invite you to spend some time visiting the amazing needlework exhibit in the museum and browsing in the gift shop, which stocks many unusual items, some handmade by sisters.
Finally, I had a request to supply a link to the blog I'm writing as I approach my tenth anniversary of profession. Read it
here!
May this coming Lent be filled with hope as we prepare for the joy of Easter!
Peace be with you,
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Karen Rose, OSB
Director of Mission Advancement
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Join us in our Lenten journey this year through the Weekly Lenten Reflection! When you sign up, you will receive a new meditation via email each Wednesday during Lent. You’ll learn about obedience, listening, forgiveness, prayer, humility, social justice and love. We hope this seven-week series opens your heart to see how God is guiding you during Lent and during your daily life.
Sign up now!
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National Catholic Sisters Week
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National Catholic Sisters Week is celebrated each year during the week of March 8
–14. This year on social media and our
website, we will be featuring one sister a day, each from a different decade. Make sure to look online and learn about our sisters throughout the ages! Please also keep Catholic sisters in your prayers throughout the week.
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This February's heavy snowfall broke the record for snowiest February in Minnesota's recorded history. While we are grateful for our physical plant employees every day, we are especially grateful for them in a month like this one. They plow our sidewalks and make sure that it is safe for us to get around the monastery. Thank you for all you do!
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In Loving Memory: Clare Shadeg, OSB
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Sister Clare Shadeg entered eternal life on Monday, February 11. Her kind spirit will be deeply missed, but we rejoice with her in her heavenly homecoming to God. Read her full
obituary.
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Sister Janine Mettling (back center) and Stephanie Hart (back left), a long-time friend of the monastery, returned home after spending a couple of weeks serving immigrants and refugees at the
Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas. S. Janine and Stephani were featured in an article by the
Central Minnesota Catholic. Read the article to hear more about their experiences.
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Save the Date:
Nun Banquet
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Join us in supporting
Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity at the annual Nun Banquet on
Friday, March 15! Come enjoy a buffet of meatless soups/chili and breads donated from a variety of local businesses, as well as cookies from our monastery bakery, and an evening of fellowship with your fellow community members. You can find more information
here. If you can't attend, you can
donate online, indicating that your gift is for the Nun Banquet. It's a great cause, so please be generous!
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In order to spend some quality time together and make a difference while doing so, the mission advancement department decided to make a tie blanket that they will donate to
Quiet Oaks Hospice. To make the experience even more special, they are making the blanket in loving memory of Sisters Miriam Ardolf and Olivia Forster, both former members of the department whose anniversaries of death fall in February.
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Habitat for Humanity in the Dominican Republic
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Sister Pat Ruether spent a week with
Celebration Lutheran Church on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic to build houses for those in need through
Habitat for Humanity. As a board member for
Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity, this is a cause near and dear to her heart. She also chose to join this group as a way to celebrate her golden jubilee, which took place last year. You'll be able to read more about her experiences in the spring edition of
Benedictine Sisters and Friends.
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Thank you for sharing your time, talent and treasure with us as we respond to the needs of the world. Your partnership is vital to us as we strive to bring a ray of hope to a dark world.
If you'd like to partner with us to support our mission and ministries, you can make a secure online donation to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict below.
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With steadfast gratitude,
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Karen Rose, OSB
Director of Mission Advancement
Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict
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