Who are the women behind the Benedictine tradition?

You may have stereotypes of religious sisters that are formed from TV shows, movies or stories. I had stereotypes, too. That is, before I became a Benedictine. Life in a monastery isn’t exactly like what you see on “Sister Act” or “The Sound of Music.”

We have a saying in our community, “When you’ve met one Benedictine, you’ve met one Benedictine.” We are a motley crew, which is a great source of richness. We have varied backgrounds, priorities, education, family upbringing, opinions, values, gifts, ministries and personalities. We learn and grow from our interactions with one another. Along with the benefits of diversity, all this variety inevitably leads to disagreements, misunderstandings and hurt feelings. It is not always easy, but we are bonded in love and united in our mission to seek God together according to the Gospel and the Rule of St. Benedict. We commit our lives to this group of people at this time.

We are continually deepening our relationship with God and growing in our relationship to one another as we strive daily “to be the first to show respect to the other, supporting with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another” (chapter 72, “Rule of Benedict”).

Our primary ministry that keeps us focused on God, God’s people and all of creation is the Liturgy of the Hours, a cycle of psalms, canticles, readings and prayers that provide an intentional rhythm to our day. So important is this prayer, Benedict refers to it as the “Opus Dei” or the “Work of God.” In our chanting, reciting, listening and silences, we give ourselves over to God who works through, in and with us as we offer the prayer in union with all our sisters and brothers around the world.

From our prayer life flows our ministry. As Benedictines, we do not have a particular kind of work; rather, each sister is called to use her gifts for the common good of the religious community and for the local needs of the larger community. Our commitment to higher education for women led us to establish the College of St. Benedict, while also establishing and teaching in many elementary and high schools. Our awareness of the need for healthcare led to the founding of several hospitals, including St. Cloud Hospital. Our dedication to the arts and beauty led to the construction of the Benedicta Arts Center and the work our sisters do as writers, poets, composers, musicians and visual artists (Don’t miss the items in our gift shop and the exquisite needlework exhibit in the Haehn Museum). We continue to share our Benedictine charisma and respond to the needs in the area by offering hospitality, providing spiritual direction, and praying on behalf of those in need. We seek out and respond to social justice concerns, such as welcoming and responding to the needs of our immigrant neighbors, conserving our resources and protecting the Earth.

We seek to live a balanced life of prayer, work and community. Of course, we have to have some recreation thrown in there as well. At any given time, you may find a sister playing cards, putting together
a jigsaw puzzle, watching any number of sporting events (the Bennies and Johnnies are our favorite teams to watch), riding a bike, running/walking, exercising, playing an instrument, gardening, baking, crafting, reading or just hanging out with each other.

This article is just the tip of the iceberg in explaining who we are. If you really want to know who the sisters are, stop by the monastery and see us. You are welcome to join us for prayer and Eucharist. The women (sorry, guys) are welcome to come to the Benedictine Friends events, a program that has been connecting sisters with CSB students for almost 50 years. Check out our social media for the schedule. Don’t be afraid to ask us questions. We’re all in this together as each one of us seeks God and strives to follow God’s will. Please know that the sisters are praying for you and your needs. Let us hold one another in prayer.