Benedictine Sisters, Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, Idaho

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2003

Retirement - A reality of joy and suffering

COTTONWOOD - As many of you know, last January I retired from active ministry away from the monastery.  This Christmas I'd like to share with you some thoughts on how my retirement time continues to be about prayer and ministry.

It was hard for me to retire.  I still miss the activity of parish life and all the people I met everyday.  However, I feel the great gift of life, even in retirement, brings joy, although it calls for more resignation.  It calls us to accept our suffering.  Christmas itself unfolds Christ's sufferings as a child in poverty and cold.

For all of us, life has ups and downs.  I pray that God will grant me serenity to look on the past with pride, satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, and that he will grant me courage to look to the future with energy, optimism and openness to countless possibilities.

Last June our community had a workshop with Sister Karen Joseph who is prioress of the Benedictine Sisters in Clyde, Missouri. She helped us reflect on the beauty of profession in a religious order.  She also emphasized that whatever state in life or vocation we have, responding to the needs of the world with healing , simplicity and creative peacemaking reflects God's goodness even in the midst of changes we may find hard.

As I have focused on the Infant Jesus on each Christmas in my life, I have come to understand that through his life and his death on the cross, he enables us to accept his message always.  Even if we fail. God is good. I believe that the answer to suffering is trust, accepting every circumstance in life with God's grace.

Retirement is a reality with both joy and suffering. On the days it is hard to look on the bright side, let's ask the Lord Jesus to help us turn to him and think of others instead of ourselves.

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you, God.

Sister makes historic Polly Bemis dolls

By Lorie Palmer
Idaho County Free Press-Dec 31, 2003

COTTONWOOD - Sister Mercedes Martzen know her history.

The native of Winona, who turned 92 in December, has spent several years researching Polly Bemis, Idaho County's most famous Chinese resident.

It was her interest in history and Bemis that led her to make the cloth Polly dolls sold at the Historical Museum of St. Gertrude.

"Bemis was an intelligent woman," Sister Mercedes said.  "Though she left her country at a young age, she was educated and bright.  She could garden beautifully and knew a lot about herbs and natural medicines."

Sister Mercedes believes what most historians do - that Bemis was a hospitable, charming woman who captured the hearts of all she encountered.

Perhaps that's why she captured the heart of this Idaho native who also grew up to serve.

Sister Mercedes, whose given name was Clara, grew up in Winona with her parents, who had originally emigrated from Luxembourg, and her three sisters.

"It was during the horse and buggy days," she recalled, smiling.  "We had everything we needed there, all the stores we needed."

She remembers coming into Cottonwood once or twice a year and also recalls the "great sense of community spirit" in Winona.

"We helped each other, did things for one another," she said.  "All nationalities, all religions came together and got along."

Sister Mercedes' parents were devout, however, when she expressed interest in becoming a nun, both of her parents vehemently disallowed it.

Sister Mercedes' mother had longed to live closer to a church and raise her children Catholic.  In the 1920s, they did move closer to town and acquired an automobile.  When her mother became ill and went to Lady of Consolation Hospital (now St. Mary's), she became acquainted with the sisters and decided her daughter could join the monastery, after all.  She said her father took a "couple of years to come around to the idea," and, by then, she was already a novice.

She trained as a nurse after joining in 1931 and taking her vows by 1934.  In the early years she said she "cleaned a lot of bed pans" but eventually became a labor and delivery nurse.  between 1957 and 1971 she helped with 258 deliveries at St. Mary's Hospital in Cottonwood.

Sister Mercedes began working in the museum later and began making the Polly Bemis dolls in about 1985.

"I am thankful for all the good things the Lord has given me in my life," she smiled.

Catholic documents consistently call to care for creation

The Fig Tree-December 2003

Benedictine Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth, a native of Idaho, discussed some to the Catholic Church's many documents - encyclicals by popes and pastoral letters by bishops - calling people to care for the environment.

Document titles reveal their messages: "Renewing the Earth," "Companions in Creation" and "Christian Faith and the Environment." Bishops meeting in Boston in 2000 wrote a document called "And God Saw That It Was Good," based on the Scriptures on creation.

In 2001, the Northwest bishops completed a pastoral letter on the Columbia River Watershed, "Caring for Creation and the Common Good."

From reviewing those documents, Sister Carol Ann has gleaned an understanding that "all God made is good,  and human beings are part of creation.  We are not outside or above creation.  We are part of it."

Pope John Paul II said "we are to be at peace with creation and with God. Creation is not ours by right.   It is a gift, so our attitude should be gratitude to the wonders of creation. 

"When we praise God, we use images of creation - rivers clapping and birds singing. The foundation of Scripture is the covenant with God, a three-way covenant made with Noah that includes the creation.

"Creation is not our property.  We are guest on earth, neither renters who feel they have no responsibility, nor owners. We are guest in someone's house.  The covenant calls for fidelity. God promises to be faithful and asks us to be faithful," said Sister Carol Ann, who manages 1,000 acres of forest at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood.

"The covenant calls us to community, which means we are to care for the common good," she said referring to the Columbia River Watershed Pastoral.

"We understand the earth - and the Northwest - as sacramental commons, belonging to all of us, to loggers, farmers, tribes, city people and all other species. We share the land in common and work the land in a just, equitable way," said Sister Carol Ann, explaining that Catholics emphasize the sacredness of the material in its understanding of the sacramental.

"We use water to remind us that all water and food is holy. Every aspect of creation has a reminder of the Creator - the beauty of sunsets, wildflowers, deer or mountains - bringing us close to God.

"To dwell in mountains is to experience the majesty, mystery and cleansing of God," She said. "Through physical creation, we can find who God is and What God is like. We see God's love and abundance. The physical world is a sacrament revealing the mystery of God and calling us to conversion, to change."'

Bishops' letters have made it clear that environmental destruction is a moral issue, a crime against the natural world, a sin.

While the usual list of sins does not include littering, not recycling or driving a car unnecessarily, all these may contribute to making species extinct, degrading the integrity of the earth, stripping forest, contaminating air, water and land, and killing life, she said.

Sister Carol Ann believes that caring for the environment is everyone's responsibility, not just "frosting on the cake."

How people can walk gently on the earth, change their lifestyles and produce zero waste begins with education and awareness, said the former junior high school teacher and pastoral associate.

"If we are not aware, we do not know what to do.  If we act without knowing, we accomplish nothing. That calls for commitment, respect, and reverence for life. Knowing how life and death are interwoven does not mean we do not cut trees to build houses, but it mean we do not wipe out a whole habitat, " she said.

"What we do to the planet, we do to ourselves. The planet gives us life, vitality and energy.  If we destroy it, we destroy ourselves. We need to know our interconnection," she said.

Sister Carol Ann believes the church has a special responsibility because of its option for the poor to take the side of those who are vulnerable, powerless and voiceless. For her , it means being in solidarity with minority communities, near which many toxic dumps are located, and speaking out on behalf of the voiceless salmon, grizzly bears and caribou.

"Private property owners do not have an absolute right to do what they want with their land.  Land is part of the common good," said sister Carol Ann, who speaks of "responsibility" for the monastery's land.

She cited three illusions: 1) that there are plenty of trees, minerals and oil deposits; 2) that nature is all ours, and we can keep using it, and 3) that it doesn't matter what one person out of six billion people does, one person can't make a difference.

She countered that there are limits to resources, that there is value to all nature, and that individuals changing their lifestyles can make a difference.

Sister Carol Ann believes that people can live more simply, using fewer resources.

"Churches have hope to give, and hope is the heart for change.  God is in command of creation.  We need to bring hope to environmental issues.

Nurse's health depends on her balance, faith

By Cynthia Taggert
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Sue Crowley knows how healthy she feels when her head and heart are in the right place.

For Sue, a registered nurse and North Idaho College teacher, those moments depend on balance and faith. She centers herself and trusts that God knows what's right for her. That's why she promotes the labyrinth.

"In my experience, you find answers or clarity,'' she says. "Your own process stares you in the face. Whatever you do there, you do in life.''

The labyrinth is a serpentine path designed to enhance contemplation. Sue, a parish nurse, calls it a walking prayer. She'll offer it to the public at the North Idaho Parish Nurse Association's first health fair Oct. 11 at Coeur d'Alene's First Presbyterian Church, 521 Lakeside Ave.

Parish nurses are specially trained nurses who volunteer their skills to church congregations. They check blood pressures, counsel, answer health questions and visit homebound patients. They also encourage the spiritual contribution to good health - peace of mind, faith in the future.

The nationwide movement grew from a doctor's recognition that health care was more than treating physical problems. Now, two Spokane hospitals offer training in parish nursing. Seven parish nurses volunteer in North Idaho churches. Those nurses decided last spring to work together on a health fair that would rotate annually among churches. But they wanted something that truly represents their area of health care, so they planned the "Whole Person Health Fair.''

They invited two mobile clinics to offer breast exams, mammography and bone density screenings. The screenings are available to women 40 and older with or without insurance, but women younger than 40 need insurance or Medicaid.   Appointments are necessary. Call (877) 474-2400.

The fair also will offer diabetic screenings, glucose testing and free evaluations of medications. Pharmacists and students in Washington State University's pharmacy program will examine medications people bring along and explain their uses and effects.

Mental health counselors will volunteer their time to screen for depression and chemical dependency. The American Institute of Clinical Massage will offer free massages, and a cardiac nurse will convert favorite recipes into heart-healthy recipes.

But this health fair will go a step further than most. The nurses understand that spirituality is individual and private, so they'll offer exercises from a variety of philosophies.

Sue sold the other parish nurses on the labyrinth idea. Labyrinths are more common in Europe, where they're built into tile and rock floors. Coeur d'Alene's labyrinth will be painted on a parking lot across the street from the church. The maze includes no dead ends. All roads lead to a center. People are supposed to use the time to focus on prayer or questions in their mind.

The fair also will offer two sessions of tai chi, the physical expression of Taoism. The ancient exercise has been described as yoga in motion and moving meditation. ``It's calming spiritually and enhances balance and a sense of well-being,'' Sue says. "Taking time to slow down is so important.'' Dr. James Shaw, medical director for Providence Center for Faith and Healing, will offer a discussion on spirituality, healing and medicine.

Sister Judith Brower, a Benedictine nun at St. Gertrude's Monastery in Cottonwood, will clue people in to largely unknown religious terms for fairly common practices. Lectio, for example, is the Latin term for the sacred reading of God's word.

For people who want parish nurses in their churches, Sue and her fellow nurses will supply the information. They'll also talk about care teams - a variety of people who meet the needs of, for example, a parishioner just released from the hospital.

Parish nurses base themselves in churches, but their help is nondenominational.

Stop by the Whole Person Health Fair and watch neighbors helping neighbors for a healthier community.

Monastery Welcomes Two New Novices

Bishop will recognize Ministry Award winners

IDAHO REGISTER

Eleven individuals, one couple and one group from the Diocese of Boise, will receive this year's Ministry Recognition Award September 28 during the Fall Education Conference at Bishop Kelly High School, Boise.

The awards recognize people who have been exemplary in their service to the church and shown exceptional devotion and dedication to their ministry.

Among those receiving the award are Sister Maria Elena Schaefers and Sister Rose Marie Nutsch.

Sister Maria Elena, an Idaho Benedictine Sister for over 50 years, currently works with youth and is the director of religious education at St. Nicholas Parish, Rupert.  She was nominated for her work in parish catechesis.  "Sister is dedicated to Catholic education for all children in St. Nicholas.  She has extended herself tirelessly to the Catholic children of Hispanic laborers and goes the extra mile to make sure Catholic education is available to all.  When children can't attend regular Sunday classes, she takes the classes to them."  She also started a program for troubled youth at the Idaho Youth Ranch. She even has communion dresses for children who cannot afford to purchase special attire.  Sister Maria Elena spends her life showing children and youth that it is okay to become involved in moral issues as in her trips to demonstrate against terrorism training at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning, GA.

Sister Rose Marie, an Idaho Benedictine Sister, has taught in the Diocese of Boise's Catholic schools for over 30 year, 17 of which have been teaching second grade at Sacred Heart School, Boise.  "Sister Rose is truly a model for teaching in 'Catholic' schools.  Her example makes Sacred Heart more Catholic.  Sister's commitment to her job is exemplary-Sister Rose serves as a resource to the entire staff.  Her life is a dedication of service.  The virtues of obedience, humility, prayer and respect for the human person signifies why Sister Rose Marie Nutsch is deserving of this ministry award.

Sister Teresa Jackson, OSB, to Celebrate Perpetual Profession July 11

COTTONWOOD - The Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood invite the public to join them July 11 to celebrate Sister Teresa Jackson's Perpetual Monastic Profession.

The ceremony will start at 2 p.m. in the monastery chapel, followed by a reception.

Sister Jackson joined the monastery from San Jose, Calif., in 1997 where she had been working in the mental health/social services field.  This experience, along with her prior six years of practice in public interest law, translated well into helping the elders at the monastery qualify for Medicaid assistance with heir home health need.  Her 1997 masters degree in spirituality from Santa Clara University, Calif., makes her a natural for coordinating the Outreach Retreat Ministry for the monastery.

During her college years, Sister Jackson Joined the Baptist Church, and then in 1993 made her profession of faith as a Roman Catholic.  Soon she began thinking about a vocation to religious life and quickly focused on the monastic way.  She tells how she saw an ad in a national newspaper for a monastic living experience in Cottonwood, Idaho, and signed up.

"While I was at the monastery I felt very strongly that the community felt like home," she said.  She continued to visit there and discerned a call to join.

Sister Jackson remembers how "having lived alone for 12 year, the daily reality of living with 40-50 other people has been a challenge."  At the same time she finds it very satisfying to live in a community of deeply faithful, praying people and to be part of the rich heritage of Benedictine monasticism.

As she makes her perpetual profession, she is excited about monastic life and what it offers the world.

"In a world that hungers for the transcendent, we witness to the presence of God in our daily, communal and personal prayer," she said.  "In a world that is increasingly fragmented and self-centered, we witness to the reality that community is not only possible, it is a powerful source of healing in our world."

Monastic life is not easy, said Sister Jackson, but she "cannot imagine a more rewarding way of life."

To anyone considering a vocation to religious life, Sister Jackson offers St. Benedict's exhortation:  "Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation.  It is bound to be narrow at the outset.  But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love." 

Sisters Featured in Associated Press Article

Recently Rebecca Boone of the Associated Press wrote an article about the Sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude.  Our families and friends have been sending copies of the article from news papers from all over the West.  Listed below are papers we are aware of, have you seen the article? If so, please let us know.  monastery@connectwireless.us

June 2003            Spokesman Review, Spokane, Washington
June 7, 2003        Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho
                           Billings Gazette, Billings, Montana
June 8, 2003        The Idaho Statesman, Boise, Idaho
June 9, 2003        Mail Tribune, Medford, Oregon
                           Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah
June 10, 2003      Casper Star Tribune, Casper, Wyoming
June 14, 2003      Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Pullman, Washington                           
June 15, 2003      Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, Idaho

Trees Energize Sister for Faith Work on Justice, Ecology

By Mary Stamp
THE FIG TREE

Benedictine Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth's connection with forests surrounding Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho, ties with her commitment to social justice.

As she has worked on both, she has discovered common ground with the convent's Nez Perce neighbors.

Growing up six miles from the convent at Greencreek, she knew she wanted to be a Benedictine sister and made her profession in 1960, after graduating from  high school.  After college, she taught in Catholic grade schools with the Diocese of Boise.  Then she became pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Parish in Boise and then St. Pius X Parish in Coeur d'Alene, while her brother, the late human rights activist Bill Wassmuth, was there.

When Sister Carol Ann returned to the monastery at Cottonwood in 1989, the prioress asked her to start a committee to develop a plan for managing the convent's land.

Her community is "responsible" for 1,400 acres.

"I don't use the term 'own' land, because it's clearer to say we are responsible for the land that includes 1,000 wooded acres, an orchard and gardens," she said.

Sister Carol Ann went to Idaho Department of Land workshops and took University of Idaho Extension courses.  She invited foresters, loggers and wildlife biologists--anyone who had anything to do with forests--to lunch at the monastery in exchange for walking with her through the hills,  She learned about the forest and wildlife by bits and pieces.

The acreage is in two sections:  120 acres of woods beside the monastery and 880 acres on Cottonwood Butte, which belonged to Benedictine monks, who left in 1920.  The sisters bought the land to use its springs for irrigation.

For the adjacent land Sister Carol Ann wrote a management plan to develop its beauty as a wildlife habitat and place for meditation.

That involves pruning and thinning trees and plants, leaving what birds, squirrels and little critters need, so it's a quiet, healing, contemplative place for retreat guests to walk and pray.

The monastery, which has space for 40 guest, hosts groups each weekend and individuals for week-long retreats.  Pastors, college groups, women's organizations, Engaged Encounter and people from various Christian backgrounds come there from area communities.

The butte is too far for retreat guests to walk, so the goal there is for "sustainable logging to bring income without ruining the woods," she said.

The convent hired the Northwest Management Group in Moscow as a consultant about timber sales.  The group shares the convent's concern about species and habitat, said Sister Carol Ann.

"We are doing a species change there so fir trees no longer outgrow native pine trees.  We plant pine trees, which grow healthier, and take out diseased fir for pulp and healthy fir for sale.

Logging raises a small percent of the convent's income, most of which comes from the sisters' ministries.  Income varies depending on prices and the size of harvest.  Some years they do not log.

"We have planted 70,000 pine seedlings and will plant more," she said.  "Fir grew because of how the forest was logged in the past.  Fire, as part of the forest's cycle, previously took out the fir and left fire-resistant pine.  When the pine was logged out, and fire was suppressed, the fir grew.  We want to restore the pine, doing mechanically what fire did naturally," said Sister Carol Ann.

"We are conscious of preserving water quality, so the logging does not pollute the stream.  We care for the wildlife--turkeys, bear, deer and elk--knowing what they need to preserve their habitat."

Managing the forest has made her aware of what people need to do as the human race to change their relationship with the natural environment.

"We are not to take more than we need.  The planet is our home.  Taking care of the planet is not frosting on the cake, but the essential social justice issue.  If the planet is sick, we live in it and are part of it," she said.  "We do not want to have children born on a sick planet."

By recycling and living simply, people can keep the planet healthy, Sister Carol Ann added, aware that resources are finite.

"My work with forestry has led to a deeper appreciation of justice issues," she said.  "If we do not wake up as the human race, we may wipe ourselves off the planet.

"Radiation will take thousands of years to deplete.  Toxic minerals make many areas unsafe.  A polluted aquifer would require years to restore," she said.

So part of her ministry is to educate others, giving presentations to sisters, foresters and landowners, organizing conferences and arranging tours for school children and teens.

"I have always been strong in the Catholic tenet that we learn about God from both the Bible and creation, which makes God visible," Sister Carol Ann said.  "We can learn about God if our ears and eyes are open.  God is present and tells us much.  Beautiful sunsets teach about God's beauty.  Powerful storms teach about God's power.

"As soon as we see the first buttercup--the first flower of spring--we realize there are already thousands around us," she said.  "God gives us an abundance of love, care and buttercups.

"The world around us reminds us of the cycle of life and death, that death is part of life and keeps life going.  It's part of the Paschal mystery.  Through death, life comes.  Some animals feed off other animals.  Grasses die and are reborn in the spring.  Death is not the end." 

Sister Carol Ann coordinates the sisters' social justice office, compiling materials to educate them so they write letters, send petitions and hold prayer vigils, informed about the world around them.

As part of Benedictines for Peace, she works with neighboring Nez Perce to promote harmonious living on the prairie.  Last year, she helped the group organize a symposium on sharing Nez Perce country, exploring the history and common use of the land.  About 230 people attended the event a Prairie High School.

The group plans a second symposium on June 12 at Kamiah High School to focus on treaties and jurisdictional issues for the Nez Perce.

"Land I grew up on was taken from the Nez Perce people and opened up for homesteading," she said.

"From my personal commitment to build relationships among neighbors, I have helped start an organization of neighbors to find positive ways we can respect and be enriched by the divers cultures here, so we can live together as neighbors rather than as enemies."

Sister Carol Ann offers the monastery as a meeting place for neighbors, a place people can meet and share their cultures.  That has helped local people come to know Nez Perce people as friends, individuals and families.

At one workshop, Frank Half Moon told how Nez Perce see the land as part of their spirituality.  Then Sister Carol Ann spoke on how the Benedictines respect the land as bearing the imprint of the Creator and as the mother who cares for and nourishes her offspring.

"Benedictine understanding of caring for what we have is like the Nez Perce understanding," she has learned.  "We both see land as there to be part of, not just to use.  We are intimately connected to our surroundings.

"I see work on ecology, peace and social justice as one" she said.

Because social justice involves the frustrating work, raising the consciousness of people who resist, Sister Carol Ann said she finds relief, healing and energy by walking or running in the woods.

"I return energized," said Sister Carol Ann.  "The trees produce energy and give off the excess, which we can absorb when we walk among them.  The forest is peaceful., calming and quiet.  The idea of hugging a tree is not for the tree, but for us."

For more information, call (208) 962-3224.

Monastery Featured on NPR

Barrett Golding and Josef Verbanac biked the Lewis & Clark Trail in two three-week installments during the summers of 2001 and 2002. They provided the program "Living on Earth" with interviews of people who live and work along the route today. In the summer of 2002, they spoke with the Sisters of St. Gertrude's about their life on the land. The show is running this week on NPR on a series called "Living on Earth". If it is not available in your area follow this link:  http://loe.org/series/lewis_clark/.  Cottonwood is the middle button on the map of Idaho.

On-Line Retreats Praised

By Jack Craven 
CATHOLIC EDUCATION MINISTRIES COMMUNICATOR 

The Benedictine Sisters of Cottonwood, Idaho are truly legendary in both the number and types of contributions they have made to the Catholic Church in Idaho.  In their almost century-long relationship with the Diocese of Boise, the Benedictines have engaged in countless ministries:  schools, hospitals, missions, labor camps, parish and diocesan work of all types, etc.  And now, in a recently renewed program, On-line Retreats, they have set new standards in serving the needs of the Catholic Church in Idaho.  And this time, their efforts may well go beyond the borders of the diocese and hold potential for serving the needs of the Church throughout the United States and beyond.  In a wonderfully designed program, Sr. Teresa Jackson, OSB has provided the answer for those whose busy lives prevent their finding time for a retreat.  Her efforts have made it possible for anyone, regardless how active they may be, to make a retreat in the privacy of their homes or workplaces.  Tailored for the active person, On-line Retreats is truly a gift to all members of Idaho's Catholic community and, particularly, for those engaged in ministry.  Available at no cost, the carefully-crafted outlines of two eight day retreats are available on-line by making contact with the Monastery of St. Gertrude at www.stgertrudes.org. Under "What's New" click "Online Retreat" and select the retreat offering which appeals to you.  As you follow the retreat you have selected, keep in your prayers the needs and welfare of Sister Teresa and the Benedictine Sisters of Cottonwood who have made this wonderful service available to the Church in Idaho, the Church in the United States and....the Church beyond!

Floyd Cochran to Speak

As a part of the commemoration of Martin Luther King and Human Rights Day, the Monastery of St. Gertrude will host a presentation by Floyd Cochran on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the renewal center at the monastery. A former spokesman and recruiter for the Aryan Nations, Mr. Cochran renounced his racist beliefs and in l993 started speaking out against the hatreds he once believed and taught. He is one of the most recognized and respected educators on hate groups in the nation. He left the racist movement in l992 after he was told his 4-year-od son had to be euthanized because he was born with a cleft palatte. Cochran says, "My innocent son was being targeted for something he had no control over, much like the people I hated." The public is invited to join this discussion on human rights and racism and how they relate to our community. There is no admission fee.  Visit Cochran's website at:  http://www.evnetwork.net

Catholic Church Celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life

Pope John Paul II has designated February 2, 2003, The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, as World Day for Consecrated Life. While all Christians are consecrated to God by their baptism, this day is the annual celebration to highlight persons who have made a special consecration in the Catholic Church. This includes the sisters, brothers and priests who belong to religious communities as well as hermits and members of secular institutes. This day offers the opportunity to thank God for the gift of consecrated life, to promote knowledge of the life, to invite consecrated people to celebrate what the Lord has accomplished in them, and to become more aware of their mission in the Church and in the world. According to the Official Directory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise, 96 women from 15communities and 24 men from 7 communities are serving in Idaho.

The Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, ID, plan to join in this international celebration. Their Sunday Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours will include special prayers of praise and gratitude. At the monastic community’s 11:30 a.m. Eucharistic celebration, Sister Janet Marie Barnard, Vocation Director for the monastery, will offer reflections on how the scriptures for the feast call the sisters to greater awareness of God’s working in and through them. Visit this web site, www.consecratedlife.org for some suggestions about prayer for the World Day for Consecrated Life.

The Sisters hope their many friends will be able to pray with and for all religious men and women that day. When asked what other ways people can support consecrated life today, Sr. Barnard responded, "Think about generous, healthy single men and women whom you know in the Church. Invite them to consider religious life as a realistic option for themselves. Then support their choice with your friendship. That would be a great gift to the Church today!"

Monastery Hosts Human Rights Presentation

The Monastery of St. Gertrude will be hosting the dramatic group Living Voices on Wednesday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the Monastery Refectory.

Living Voices is a dramatic group that performs one-person shows related to human rights. This presentation is entitled “La Causa,” and is a dramatic piece about Cesar Chavez and the farm worker struggle. There is no admission charge.

Other Living Voices programs explore a variety of themes including the Holocaust, immigration to America, northwest cultures, the civil rights movement, Japanese imprisonment during WWII and the Great Depression.

For more information about the program visit their website at www.livingvoices.org.

While in the area Living Voices will also be performing in Orofino on Thursday, January 30.

For more information, please contact Sr. Carol Ann Wassmuth at (208) 962-3224 or st_gertrude_justice@hotmail.com.

Sister Petronilla Retires

Sister M. Petronilla Lieser who worked 15 years at St. Gertrude's Academy as chief cook in the cafeteria, 15 1/2 years as chief cook at St. Mary's Hospital in Cottonwood and 19 years with Fr. George King as a pastoral assistant, 10 years in Kellogg and now nine years in Orofino is retiring.

Sunday, at the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family, she said, "You have been my family besides my religious family at St. Gertrude's."  She wanted to share this in our local paper. 

"I came to St. Gertrude's in 1937 and professed as a Benedictine nun on June 29, 1940.  I was assigned to work in the hospital in Wendell and also in St. Paul's school in Nampa.  Before in the early 40's I worked several years in the old St. Mary's Consolation Hospital, kitchen and laundry."

"Working at St. Gertrude's Academy gave me the opportunity to work with students besides the many parents for our yearly Academy Day in the summer besides the dinner dance during the Christmas week.  These were days when friends were made.  Many have gone to heaven but I am sure they pray for all of us striving to come closer to our eternal homeland in heaven.  Even though I have been gone from this area, my heart and gratitude has never left Cottonwood."

"I always had the Chronicle so I could keep in touch, please don't forget Cottonwood has always been my home ever since 1938 and am happy I can come home to the Monastery of St. Gertrude's."

"I had two bad strokes in 1992.  The doctors felt I would never walk again or continue to be alive.  I am very grateful to God and the Blessed Mother.  I have been able to enjoy life greatly - especially my dear community, you my relatives and friends."

"I am especially grateful I could work these last ten years, besides my apostolate of prayer.  Prayer has been at the heart as a Benedictine.  I spend a number of hours a day in church at Mass, also enjoying the Liturgy of the Hours and other prayers.  The Rosary has been a very important part in my life, I feel that good family life is most important for a vocation and that there must be prayer in the home.  So I am truly grateful to my dear departed parents for their prayers and good example."

"Please pray for me too, I have taken you to Mass daily.  God Bless You" - Sister Mary Petronilla Lieser.

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 Idaho Corporation of Benedictine Sisters
Monastery of  St. Gertrude
465 Keuterville Road
Cottonwood, ID 83522-5183
208-962-3224
FAX  208-962-7212
contact:  Webweaver
monastery@stgertrudes.org
Revised 3 November 2007