Christmas Tree Saga by Ann Siverling OblSB Once upon a time there was me. And there was my friend Fern. We decided to share an apartment, and for the time we lived together, we had a blast, and we became deeper, forever friends. Because we were sharing an apartment, we both had to have some…
Read more
Sisters’ Words of Wisdom: S. Marie Fujan, OSB
October 2000
Sisters' Words of Wisdom: Sister Marie Fujan, OSB Sister Marie was a novice at St. Paul's Priory in 1957. This picture is likely from the early 1960's after she had taken her second vows. Sister Marie Fujan was born five days before Christmas and was named Mary Bell as she was deemed the new Fujan…
Read more
Sisters’ Words of Wisdom: S. Carol Rennie, OSB
Sisters' Words of Wisdom: Sister Carol Rennie, OSB Here is a photograph from 1929 of Sister Carol at four years-old. She is holding a beloved cat she had growing up. Sister Carol has always been a lifelong lover of cats! Sister Carol Rennie, OSB is originally from St. Cloud, Minnesota and came from a…
Read more
Sisters’ Words of Wisdom: Sister Jacqueline Leiter, OSB
October 2000
“Weren’t you thinking of Oblate formation this fall?” It was Sister Jacqueline who quietly reminded me in late summer, 2015, that I had mentioned to her my interest in becoming an Oblate. Formation was starting soon, and I welcomed the gentle push. She and I had become collegial friends, both being teachers in St. Paul Schools, when I came for retreats at the Monastery. I often marveled at her dedication to both her career as a teacher as well as to life as a Benedictine Sister.
Read more
Thanksgiving Traditions
October 2000
The first Harvest in the New World, also called Thanksgiving, was in October of 1621. It was attended by 90 Wampanoag natives and 53 Pilgrims and lasted three days. The Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean to seek religious freedom in the New World. The arrival of the Pilgrims was actually one year before but due to the 66-day, cross-Atlantic trip, they were weak, starving and many were ill.
Read more
A Reflection from the Annual Oblate Retreat
October 2000
Thank you, Jessie Bazan, for assuring us that we were not meant to multi-task, among other stress relievers! Jessie, an oblate from St. Ben’s, was the leader of our annual oblate retreat Saturday, September 24. She not only gave us permission to slow down and breathe more often but gave us reasons why this would be good for us AND ideas (Benedictine!) to help us do it!
Read more