Benedictine
Sisters, Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, Idaho
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Monastery of St. Gertrude Elects New LeadershipSister Clarissa Goeckner was elected as the 13th prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, ID, on April 6, 2005. The Rite of Installation was June 11, 2005. “I am stunned and overwhelmed,” said Sr. Clarissa when asked how she felt to be chosen prioress by her Benedictine sisters, “but I am challenged and empowered, loved and supported by each member of this community.” Sr. Clarissa was born on May 22, 1939, in Keuterville, ID, to Andrew and Ann Enneking Goeckner. She was raised in Keuterville and attended St. Joseph’s School in Cottonwood, Keuterville Public School and St. Gertrude’s Academy. Sr. Clarissa entered the monastery in 1957 and made final profession on August 7, 1961. Her passion for education led her to earn masters degrees in School Administration, Religious Education and Life Transitions Counseling. Sr. Clarissa spent many years in the classroom as a student, a teacher and principal. From 1958 through 1988 she taught at St. Anthony’s in Pocatello, Sacred Heart in Boise, Sts. Peter and Paul in Grangeville and St. Mary’s in Boise, where she was also the principal. In addition she taught at Presentation High School in San Francisco, CA, while she attended the University of San Francisco. While there she also served as Associate Director of Campus Ministry. In 1989 she was appointed sub-prioress at the monastery. While serving in that capacity she taught outreach classes and served as adjunct faculty member for Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston. In 1993 she became the Coordinator of Children’s and Family Catechesis for the Diocese of Boise. She held that position until 2004 when she was appointed by Bishop Michael Driscoll to serve as the Director of the office of Catholic Education Ministries for the Diocese. “Being prioress will be a great challenge. The community has asked me to help them implement the community vision which will enhance and strengthen our mission and ministries in the Catholic church and the world,” stated Sr. Clarissa. All of the 60 sisters of St. Gertrude met April 3-6, 2005, for the prayerful discernment process by which Sr. Clarissa was elected their new prioress. The main components of the process were to review the directions which the community had set for itself in November 2004, to identify what style and qualities of leadership would be needed to lead the sisters in the directions they had chosen, to identify members who had such qualities for leadership, and to come to consensus on which of those members seemed best suited to be prioress for the next six years. Consensus was reached by prayer, discussion and voting. “Being prioress has been a very sacred privilege,” said outgoing prioress, Sr. Jean Lalande. “I’ve gotten to know the sisters on a personal level which has enlivened me personally and professionally. It has been inspiring to see our community grow in prayerfulness and faith, and to deepen our commitment to our mission. “A special delight of my six years has been welcoming eight women into our formation program. This is concrete evidence of faith at work in our lives today."
Prioresses of the Monastery of St. Gertrude
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