Benedictine
Sisters, Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, Idaho
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Program puts ombudsmen in assisted-living centersVolunteers needed to serve care facilities in five-county area of north central IdahoBy David Cole A program has been launched in north central Idaho to recruit volunteers who will visit, educate and advocate for residents of assisted-living centers and nursing homes. Community Action Partnerships's Area Agency on Aging in Lewiston is seeking volunteer ombudsmen to work in the 35 facilities in Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties. Twenty-four of those are assisted-living centers. And 11 are skilled nursing homes, which have more staff members per resident than an assisted-living center and provide nearly complete care. Barbara Glodowski, volunteer ombudsman program developer for the Area Agency on Aging, said about 50 percent to 60 percent of residents at the facilities don't have friends or family visiting them. It's important to have as many volunteers as possible as assisted living grows. "The ombudsmen will be more than just friendly visitors," Glodowski said. They also would advocate for residents, educate them on their rights, follow up on concerns and solve problems. The agency would like to have one to two volunteers per location. "We really need committed people," Glodowski said. "We want to keep these people connected to the facilities." The idea is for the ombudsmen to develop a relationship with residents. Within a year, Glodowski plans to have volunteer ombudsmen working in all five counties. For now, she'll be focused on the Orofino and Kamiah areas. She'll then concentrate on Latah County, Grangeville, Cottonwood, Riggins, and finally Lewiston. "Rather than trying to hit all five counties at one time, we are really concentrating on specific communities, one at a time," Glodowski said. "My goal is to try and have somebody in every facility, every day." Volunteers must complete eight, three-hour training sessions to become an ombudsman and receive state certification. Then they continue taking monthly update classes. "This is such an intense training we really need people who are committed," Glodowski said. She'd like to have volunteers who can commit to a year of service. The application deadline is March 21 for the first round of training for volunteers in the Kamiah and Orofino areas. The training is scheduled to start in mid-April in Orofino, she said. Those interested in participating can call Glodowski at 208-791-7262. 125th anniversary of the foundation of Queen of Angels Monastery and Mt. Angel Abbey.Sisters Clarissa Goeckner, Carm Ternes, Evangela Bossert, Janet Marie Barnard and Mary Kay Henry from the Monastery of St. Gertrude traveled to Mt. Angel, OR, for the October 30th celebration of the 125th anniversary of the foundation of Queen of Angels, Monastery and Mt. Angel Abbey. “Our histories are inextricably intertwined,” said Sr. Clarissa Goeckner, Prioress of St. Gertrude’s in Idaho. “Our founding sisters traveled to the United States together from Switzerland in 1882, and we ministered together at Gervais and Grand Ronde, OR, for two years.” The original immigrant group consisted of 48 Benedictine monks, nuns and students. They came from Engelberg Abbey, Monastery of Maria Rickenbach and St. Andrew’s Convent all in Switzerland. When they arrived in Gervais, OR, housing arrangements had been made for the monks and students, but not the sisters. The women from the two convents found lodging and resided and worked together until the founding sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude left Gervais to found their own convent and school in Uniontown, WA. “Our time with the Maria Rickenbach sisters came to an end, then,” reminisced Sr. Clarissa, “and we began our journey to founding a motherhouse in Idaho. “However,” she continued, “we remain close friends with the sisters at Mt. Angel through regular meetings of prioresses, subprioresses, treasurers, vocation directors, retreat directors and more. We also stay in touch with the monks through meetings and contacts with Idaho seminarians studying there. We are grateful for the Mt. Angel monks who served as our chaplains and have been our retreat directors.” The highlight of the celebration of 125 years of common roots was the special Mass at St. Mary Parish in the town of Mt. Angel. A church full of parishioners joined the two communities in this milestone of their own history. Music was lead by a combined choir of sisters and monks. Principal Presider, Abbot Primate Notker Wolf from Rome, was joined by Co-presiders Abbot Berchtold Muller from Engelberg and twelve other abbots, priors and bishops. Fr. Boniface Lautz, Prior of the Monastery of the Ascension in Jerome, ID, was among them. James Schaecher, Representative of St. Mary Parish, Prioress Donna Marie Chartraw of Queen of Angels, and Abbot Nathan Zodrow of Mt. Angel Abbey shared reflections on the 125 years of history they share together.
New chaplain at the Monastery of St. Gertrude and St. Mary's Hospital
Fr. Hal, from the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Rock Hill, SC, began working at the Monastery in September. "I told my friend that, ideally, during my sabbatical years, I would like to be a chaplain at a motherhouse," Fr. Hal recalled. "She sent me a notice that St. Gertrude's was looking for a chaplain, I applied, and here I am." Fr. Hal lived in Hawaii for the last 16 years. While there he worked at founding an Oratory and served as pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Honolulu. "Compared to Hawaii, this area seems like a desert," Fr. Hal said. "However, I am in absolute awe of St. Mary's Hospital and the staff there. To find a high-quality Catholic hospital in a rural area is nothing short of miraculous. "And the sisters at the monastery are wonderful, too," he smiled. Fr. Hal expects to spend a lot of his free time working on two new books, keeping his virtual Oratory up to date (www.TheVirtualOratory.com ), and scouting out a place for a new Oratory. Fr. Hal has a rich and varied background. He served as the Major Superior of his Oratory in South Carolina and studied and has traveled throughout the world including Japan, India, Israel and Europe. Fr. Hal holds a doctoral degree from Oxford University in Oxford, England, and has published numerous books, articles, essays and reviews in publications such as Catholic Digest, International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church and The Catechist, to name just a few. Book & Gift Shop Open HouseThe Book and Gift Shop at the Monastery of St.
Gertrude invites everyone to an Open House on October 19, 20 and 21 from 1:00 –
3:00 pm each day. Featured during these three days will be fairly traded gift
and Christmas items. “We have some textiles and handmade goods from women’s cooperatives in Mexico and Bolivia. 100% of our purchases go directly to the women,” said Sr. Miriam Mendez, manager of the gift shop. “Fair trade is a justice issue for the sisters, and we are committed to fair and just economic practices,” Sr. Miriam continued. Fairly traded products are usually produced through cooperatives around the world and marketed directly and fairly, usually without a "middleman". The goal of most fair trade cooperatives is to alleviate poverty and empower low-income people through trade and training. “I think more people would purchase fairly traded products if they just knew an outlet for them. We are delighted to provide that outlet this month.” Products from the West Bank, India, Africa, Nepal, Vietnam, China and Chicago, IL, will be for sale. Many of the items were purchased directly from women’s cooperatives and still more were acquired through A Greater Gift/SERRV International. For more information, contact Sr. Miriam Mendez at 962-3224 or via email at turnstile465@yahoo.com. The Monastery of St. Gertrude welcomes new membersCOTTONWOOD, ID - The Monastery
of St. Gertrude will welcome as a new member a local Houston woman on August 18,
2007, during the Rite of Temporary Profession. Novice Kim Marie Jordan will
publicly accept the monastic promises of stability, fidelity to the monastic
life and obedience. She will be joined in the ceremony by Novice Cindy Schultz
of Cottonwood, ID. Schultz is still discerning
her work, but she feels certain her health care experience will be involved.
Jordan apprenticed in the Development Office and plans to continue her work
there after profession. 50 Amazing Years
SGA CLASS OF '57 HOLDS REUNION
The weekend started with a barbeque hosted by Betty and Larry Ruzicka at their home in Grangeville. Some 42 classmates, spouses and friends gathered for an evening of reconnecting, visiting, and sharing stories. The weekend continued the following night when the graduates met at the Gallery in Grangeville for a social hour and dinner. Following the dinner, each classmate gave a brief account of important events of the past 50 years in his/her life. Then, Buzz Kopczynski, emcee for the evening, shared some special memories of high school years at SGA. Ray Feucht and Mel Jensen, two classmates who had performed together during high school days, donned their white sport coats and pink carnations to entertain with songs from the fifties and sixties. After the entertainment, the seven classmates who had died were remembered as Buzz Kopzczynski played a CD, "Beyond the Rainbow's End," by Daniel O' Donnell, an Irish singer. The song, "Until the Next Time" brought closure to the evening. Mike Seubert, organizer of the reunion, presented each member of the class of '57 with a book of compiled information sent to him by classmates covering the last 50 years as well as pictures from the past and from the present. The closing events of the weekend drew the class back to St. Gertrude's at the invitation of Sr. Clarissa Goeckner, prioress, and Sr. Mary Geis, former classmates. The alumni attended Mass at the Monastery and joined the sisters for dinner. Sr. Angela Uhlorn provided a tour of the high school in the afternoon which was a memorable event. The members of the class of '57, as freshmen, moved into this "new" St. Gertrude's Academy building on March 19, 1954!
Life as a Benedictine Sister brings challenges, satisfactionFROM THE IDAHO CATHOLIC REGISTER
The roots of my vocation to be a Benedictine sister in a rural monastery are grounded in my childhood years in the east central Wyoming desert where we learned to notice nature, to enjoy quiet, to use our imaginations. Since we lived 50 miles from town, we went to church only a few times a year. My first memory of anything "religious" is when my two sisters and I as pre-schoolers would play with the pots and pans in the bi lower kitchen cupboard while mom washed dishes and prayed the rosary aloud. Kinesthetically I learned that religion is an integral thread in the fabric of life. I loved the sound of the words of the rosary and could soon say them with mom, much like we girls saying the nursery rhymes endlessly. I learned, too, that work and prayer are the see-saw of a generous life. When I was 11 years old, our family, expanded by three brothers, moved to St. Maries, ID. We began going to the Catholic school where Sisters from St. Gertrude's taught. The sisters were such excellent and fun teachers that I thought about serving God and the world that way. The Mass ritual fascinated me, and I loved learning the Baltimore Catechism by repeating the questions and answers aloud. I helped my brother learn the Latin Mass prayers so he could be an altar boy. Early enjoyment of cadenced sounds grew into a deep appreciation of chanting or reciting the Liturgy of the Hours. Like many young women, I joined the monastery after eighth grade and went to high school at St. Gertrude's Academy in Cottonwood. While a novice in 1958, I feared the sisters would send me home. I was tone deaf and squeaked in a distracting manner when chanting the prayers. thank God the sisters had a bigger vision and trusted I would "find my voice" - both literally and metaphorically - in the sense of being able; in the midst of this loving community, to discover who I am. I made monastic profession in 1959 as Sister Mary Mark. Ten years later I returned to my baptismal name when we were given that option. From my first day in school I always wanted to be a teacher so I greatly enjoyed the 13 years I taught in the schools around the diocese. These teaching skills have been essential to each of my ministries: religious education coordinator, director of formation for new members in the monastery, pastoral associate in parishes, director of retreat ministry at St. Gertrude's, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters, and currently director of development for the monastery. I have found each of these ministries amazingly challenging and wonderfully satisfying. the rhythm of work and prayer, study and leisure continues to sustain me. However, it may take me another 50 years on the see-saw to keep them in balance! Whether in late 20's or in mid-life, when women ask about a vocation to the Benedictine way, I ask them whether they love life, are eager to grow personally and spiritually, and whether they have skills to live in a community that will both support and challenge them to deepen their relationship with God and to transcend themselves for the greater good. For Benedictines, the prayer and communal life are the central call which overflows in whatever ministries are called for at a certain time within a particular cultural situation. Oblates Meet
Benedictine oblates are women and men who affiliate with the monastic community to deepen their relationship with God and to serve the people of God in their home setting. Oblates - meaning an "offering of oneself" - live the spirituality of the Rule of St. Benedict in their daily lives as single or married individuals. Women and men who are interested in becoming oblates at the Monastery of St. Gertrude start as inquirers and become candidates after 1-2 years. During their candidacy, they are mentored by another oblate or a sister of the monastery. When oblate candidates have discerned their readiness to commit to the oblate way of life, they make their final commitment. After a person makes a final commitment to life as an oblate, he or she follows the Rule and these Benedictine spiritual principles: Preferring nothing to Christ, seeking God daily through "lectio divina," prayerful meditation over Scripture and spiritual reading, continuing conversion of heart, striving for stability of heart and fidelity to the faith listening in loving obedience to the will of God, balancing one's prayer and work, practicing moderation in all things, accepting the uniqueness of each individual. Oblates serve as a link between the monastic community, parishes and other Christian groups. They serve to educate the public about Benedictine spirituality and the benefits of the Benedictine way of life. If you would like more information, please call Sr. Teresa Jackson, 208.962.3224.
“Finding the Center” Human Rights Conference at The University of Idaho in MoscowT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS SEMINARSDid you know that human trafficking is the 3rd fastest growing illegal enterprise in the world? Did you know that 14,000-17,000 men, women and children are trafficked in the U.S. each year? Did you know that trafficked victims are forced into prostitution, sweatshops, pornography and other forms of involuntary servitude? Human trafficking is little known among most Americans. Many believe this social problem exists elsewhere in the world. In reality, human trafficking is happening within our very own communities. Public awareness and education is crucial to ending the cycle of human slavery. Catholic Charities of Idaho (CCI)
and the Idaho Council of Catholic Women (ICCW) are presenting a series of
seminars designed to educate the public and heighten awareness throughout
Northern and Central Idaho on the warning signs of human trafficking and the
need to protect human rights and dignity. Conferences of Benedictine Abbots and Prioresses
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For a map and directions on how to find us click here © 1997-2008 |
In
an unabashed plug for himself and grinning widely, Fr. Hal Weidner, new chaplain
at the Monastery of St. Gertrude and St. Mary's Hospital quipped, "If people
want to get to know me better, they might start by purchasing one of my books,
Grief, Loss and Death: The Shadow Side of Ministry or Praying with John Cardinal
Newman."
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"It's
unbelievable," exclaimed Sr. Corinne Forsman, "I can hardly believe I've been a
nun for 50 years!".jpg)
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St.
Gertrude's Academy class of '57 came together for a weekend of celebration on
June 15-17 to mark 50 years since graduating from high school.
One
way to describe "vocation" is as a process of listening to God's call in the
events of daily life and committing oneself wholeheartedly to a life-giving way
of using one's talents to make life better for others. The operative word
is "life."
The
Sisters at the Monastery of St. Gertrude hosted their Oblate members April
20-22, 2007. Attending the weekend event were oblates, oblate candidates and
inquirers. Prioress Clarissa Goeckner received seven new oblate members into the
program during Sunday Morning Prayer. There are 59 oblates associated with the
Monastery of St. Gertrude and 25 inquirers and candidates. They participate in
activities like the Raspberry Festival and serve on the Social Justice
Committee, attend retreats and volunteer for different projects.
hree
delegates from the Monastery attended the Third Annual “Finding the Center”
Human Rights Conference at The University of Idaho in Moscow, April 12-14.
Sisters Carol Ann Wassmuth and Bernadette Stang and Novice Kim Marie Jordan
participated in the action-oriented conference, focused on “The Power of
Transformation.”
COTTONWOOD,
ID – “I was privileged to attend the Conferences of Benedictine Abbots and
Prioresses at Mercy Center, Burlingame, CA, January 31 – February 6, 2007. This
meeting is held every four years, and it exceeded all my expectations,” said Sr.
Clarissa Goeckner, Prioress of the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, ID.