CSB monastic community promotes spiritual development

Campus ministries and monastic liturgy have a strong partnership at St. Ben’s. Campus ministry is run by Cindy Gonzalez, the first lay Latina woman to hold the position. Monastic liturgy is run by Sister Elaine Schroeder. Both organizations focus on the partnership between St. Ben’s, the monastic community and the public.

Gonzalez, ’14, began her role as director of campus ministries during the pandemic. As a student, she was an Asian studies and Chinese major, which is no longer offered at St. Ben’s. After graduating, Gonzalez moved back to her home state, California, and worked in tech startups. However, she later realized she was drawn to religion.

“I was born and raised catholic, and when I was in San Francisco I decided I wasn’t done with my education. At the time I didn’t have the language for what I was looking for, but I know now that I was looking for formation and spiritual development,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez graduated from the St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary with a master’s in ministry and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a master’s in education.

“Throughout that time I started to do speaking events about spiritual formation, and I started to work with Emmaus Institute, a formation program for adults in Spanish and English to become deacons and women lay ministers,” Gonzalez said.

A key issue for Gonzalez is uplifting the voices of women in the Catholic Church and beyond. One key role that Gonzalez fulfills is hosting the traditional 6 p.m. Sunday student Mass in Sacred Heart Chapel. The Mass is completely run by St. Ben’s students, supervised by Gonzalez.

“Our team puts together the liturgy and hosts the liturgy. We have student sacristans, a student choir and student hospitality,” Gonzalez said.

For Gonzalez, allowing women to take the lead is a critical step toward empowering women in the church and beyond. She notes that this extends even further at a historically women’s college, and she values students in ministry.

“My most important duty is that I walk with 20 Bennie campus ministers, who are some of the most amazing people I’ve met in my life. They each have different gifts and talents and different views of what their future will look like. For most of them, faith is an important aspect of their life, but there is an array of ideals, paths and faith traditions that exist here at campus ministry,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez hopes to inspire empathetic listening.

“Since the most recent synod I’ve been hopeful that we are working towards being a more listening church. That is a very important part of the Benedictine tradition. A listening church is a responding church, which uplifts the voices of the marginalized, including women,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also notes the importance of other key campus members.

“I think the support of this department wouldn’t be what it is without Jody Terhaar and Mary Geller, as well as the sisters,” Gonzalez said.

Together, in partnership with Schroeder, Gonzalez uplifts the deep spiritual traditions of St. Ben’s. Schroeder explains her duties as building connections. She notes that the monastery is actually a very public place. Masses and services in the oratory in the lower level of Sacred Heart Chapel are always open to the public. Schroeder finds collaboration to be an essential part of her duties.

“I always work collaboratively. I don’t do any planning alone; I always connect,” Schroeder said. In a 2001 interview with Sheila Rausch, OSB, Schroeder further explained her desire for connection.

“I find myself always making connections to the world out there, whether it be planning the ministries for an upcoming funeral, incorporating a special blessing into the daily Eucharist for college students embarking on Spring Break projects, planning a community Jubilee celebration, blessing a building, or preparing all the details of Triduum, Christmas, or seasonal liturgy,” Schroeder said.

Other duties that Schroeder oversees include planning Spanish Mass and coordinating with the women’s choir. In another article about S. Elaine, from 2005, Rausch describes S. Elaine as “a weaver.”

“Her task is to blend the talents of many individuals to produce a dynamic liturgy. Her team includes organists, presiders, homilists, choir directors and their members, cantors, instrumentalists, song writers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, and gift bearers.” Above all, S. Elaine is a connector. She bridges the gap between many different persons in order to keep the heart of the monastery, its liturgy, in flow and function,” Rausch said.

The partnership between Gonzalez and Schroeder upholds the values of St. Ben’s and maintains spiritual life on campus.