Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Ill., blog with inquirers discerning their religious calling to monastic life.
Posted in discernment on Apr 5th, 2013
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB While Sunday’s gospel (John 20: 19-29) is often known as the “Doubting Thomas” gospel, John, it seems to me, places emphasis on the words, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. … He breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Posted in Benedictine Sisters, discernment, monastic life, religious life, vocation story on Jul 22nd, 2012
From the beginning of recorded time, living as a religious Sister has been countercultural. We give up our possessions … our bank accounts … our cars. We take on a new set of priorities. We take on a new set of responsibilities. In other words, it’s no longer about “me.” It’s about “we.” What might [...]
Posted in discernment on May 2nd, 2012
By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB True vocation joins self and service, as Frederick Buechner asserts when he defines vocation as, “The place where your deep gladness meets the world’s needs.”
Posted in discernment on Apr 12th, 2012
Waves What strange moving splendor, That comes without our call, That plays a rushing symphony With long white fingers on the sandy shore; That comes and comes, always coming And always more.
Posted in discernment on Mar 22nd, 2012
By Prioress Sister Phyllis McMurray, OSB This week we celebrated the feast of St. Benedict. Also this month we celebrated the feast of St. Joseph, and on March 25th we will celebrate the feast of the Annunciation. There is a common thread that runs through their stories that is also a part of our story. [...]
Posted in discernment, monastic life, vocation story on Mar 7th, 2012
It was halfway through the summer of 1948. Marilyn Ring had graduated from high school and now was watching as her friends prepared to leave for secretarial school, marriage and the convent. Despite an active faith life that had included daily Mass and a fabulous Catholic youth group experience at Peoria’s Academy of Our Lady, [...]