Benedictine
Sisters, Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, Idaho
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2004Christmas is deep communion with the Word made fleshBy Sister Petronilla Lieser, OSB It's Christmas every day in the life of a Benedictine. I am reminded of that by a picture I ran across last week of a girl I knew well when I worked in the parish at Orofino. As Ann Paulei was moving to Kooskia she asked, "Could you come to Kamiah for my First Communion? It will be such a special day." She understood that it was the day when Jesus would come to her in a special way. Christmas is also a day that Jesus comes to us in a special way. The King of heaven and earth, having been in Mary's womb, is now born. How could the Omnipotent One become an ordinary baby and come to us in such a special way? It takes faith to understand this. So many promises reach fulfillment in the sweet tranquility of prayer. Now that I am retired I have much time to pray. I realize the greatness of our life in both the happiness and the crosses of everyday. Christmas is a great joyous day, but in the following days the Cross becomes where Jesus finds his Father's will for him to save humanity. Whatever is happening in our lives, we can rest assured that the Divine Child has given and will give us many blessings, so we praise and glorify God and bring Jesus our gifts. What gifts can we bring? What could possibly be more pleasing to the Christ Child than our love? I firmly believe that our love can be shown through our vocation to evangelization through which we proclaim good news, especially through our example. Our everyday words and actions, little as the may seem, can be giant helps to face life with positive thinking about our own lives and the conditions of the world. Christmas calls us to that. May Christmas for all in our world today be a day of rejoicing. Not only for first Communicants in whom the Word becomes flesh in bread and wine, but for all of us children who can rejoice in the special ways God comes to us. Whether a child like my First Communion friend, or a retired person like me, we can all glorify God's name, and help others be aware of God and accept God's saving help. Merry Christmas! St. Gertrude's Welcomes Two New Sisters
"I promise fidelity, stability and obedience," both women vowed, "and to seek God in the Monastery of St. Gertrude until death." When Prioress Jean Lalande asked the gathered sisters if they would receive Ihli and Bateman as members of St. Gertrude, the community responded "Yes, with joy we accept and will support them!" Then Ihli and Bateman knelt at the altar and sang "Receive me, O Lord, as you have promised, that I may live, and disappoint me not in my hope." Sr. Janet Barnard, Vocation Director, said "There are many Benedictine monasteries in the United States that haven't had a profession for several decades. We have six women in initial formation, or one-tenth of our population: two novices and two postulants moving into the novitiate, plus several women in the beginning stages of looking at life with us here at St. Gertrude's." Sr. Jean Ihli, 65, is from Boise. "I have always been involved in the church," Ihli said. "After I retired from the State of Idaho, it seemed God was suggesting that I ask the sisters in Cottonwood if I could look at becoming a sister." Much to her delight, the sisters were willing to consider her application, so she sold her house in Boise and moved into the monastery four years ago. Ihli had been involved in the monastery's Oblate program before entering and knew many of the sisters.
Sr. Michele Bateman, 51, is also from Boise and took a different path to the monastery. "I thought I couldn't become a sister for two reasons: First, I wasn't a raised Catholic, and second, I had been married," she said. She was delighted to discover she could pursue her calling to enter religious life. "My daughter and grandchildren aren't surprised at my decision to enter community," Bateman continues. "I am excited that they were able to be here for my profession." Benedictine Sisters Host Prayer Vigil
Last sister-nurse in Idaho takes off her capSister Mary Bernard Lieser worked as a night nurse on the oncology ward for 22 yearsBy JODI WALKER COTTONWOOD - Sister Mary Bernard Lieser hasn't seen this much sunlight in 52 years. A night nurse for the duration of her nursing career, Lieser has comforted ailing people through these midnight hours for so many years, she admits it is difficult to stay awake through 5 p.m. prayer. "That's normally when I go to bed." Lieser retired Aug. 6 as the last sister-nurse in the state of Idaho. "I really wanted to retire before I was 80." says the 79-year-old nun, sitting in the dining room of St. Gertrude's Monastery, the place she has called home, but not lived in, since 1958. Lieser assisted the cancer patients through many long nights on the medical oncology floor at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center for the last 22 years. She was the last nurse in the state to wear the veiled nursing cap synonymous with nun nurses. It was a hat that separated her from the rest of the nurses, she says, relating a favorite story of a cancer patient who had been up most of a night sick from the effects of cancer and the drugs used to fight it. He called a nurse to his bedside and another nurse appeared. "Which button do I push to get the Lord?" he asked, referring to Lieser. "He knew the veil meant something different." Lieser arrived at Cottonwood, the third daughter of a Minnesota farmer to travel west to join the convent. She grew up the youngest of 10 children in a strong Catholic community in Minnesota. Six of the children took up religious profession, and the other six went on to produce 74 grandchildren. Fifteen of those took up religious professions, Lieser says, holding a picture of nearly all of them in their assorted religious regalia, adding the details of those who took up ministry after the picture was taken. "People say they must have just shoved religion down our throats, but it was never that way," Lieser says. "We considered it a privilege to go to church." Lieser's father died when she was 17, and stayed in St. Paul with her mother for five years. Finally she was able to convince her mother to let her travel to Idaho and live in the St. Gertrude's community with her older sisters, Sister Petronilla and Sister Josephine. A niece, Sister Bernadette, would later join the women in the beautiful stone building on the hill behind Cottonwood. Soon after her arrival at St. Gertrude's, it was suggested Lieser take up nursing. In those days, most of the sisters learned either to teach or nurse. There was a shortage of nurses and the Catholic hospital run by the sisters of St. Gertrude's, then known as Our Lady of Consolation and later as St. Mary's Hospital, ran its own training program. "We needed nurses so bad," she says. Lieser started the LPN program and within two weeks was put on the night shift at the hospital, working 12 hours a night on top of the schooling during the day. "That's why I have these bags under my eyes," she says with a dazzling smile brightening her face. At that time the hospital could hold 38 patients, she says, and only two nurses worked the night shift. There weren't toilets in every room, and many of the medical techniques were very crude. But the hospital nursing staff, made up entirely of nuns, took care of the patients. It didn't take long for others outside the monastery, many completing the training program in Cottonwood, to join the staff. After 12 year nursing in Cottonwood and Jerome, Lieser used the money she made to send herself through LPN training at St. Benedict's School of nursing in Ogden, Utah. She graduated in 1965 and worked in Utah, Minnesota, Montana and Jerome before making her way back to St. Mary's at Cottonwood. Five years later she was trained in anesthesia and worked at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow and St. Luke's in Spokane before switching back to beside nursing and finishing the last 22 years of her career in Lewiston. While she enjoyed surgery and working in anesthesia, it was the practice of abortions that brought her back to bedside nursing. "They didn't tell me until they had the patient asleep," she says. "You can imagine my stance on that." But she doesn't regret the switch. Pictures of her retirement party attest to the friendships she made not only with other staff but with families of the critically ill people she tended. "I felt like I did what was right for my conscience.' She has worked steadily for all these years, taking brief vacations each year to visit her family in Minnesota and attend the annual retreat at St. Gertrude's. She recently recorded a stretch of 49 nights with just five of those off. There are still nuns working in hospitals, according to Darla Anglen-Whitley, assistant director of development at St. Gertrude's. They just aren't working as nurses. Many are working in counseling services and in other outreach areas. The only working sister nurses are within the monastery where they tend to the elderly and ill in the infirmary. The role of nuns in the community has changed. The focus is now on outreach ministry, helping people deal with a busy life. Much of the ministry is focused on settling the mind and spirit instead of the traditional education and medical focus. But a sister can still become a nurse. "I think if someone wanted to be a nurse, we would make sure they got training as a nurse," Angle-Whitley said. Lieser said she dealt with death a lot while working in oncology, but also got to see the miracles of life. "It wasn't all sadness," she says. Watching people recover or gain a few extra years touched her heart. "They got so much our of those few extra years," she says. "It was wonderful to see people live." Living is exactly what Lieser is doing in this first sabbatical in 52 years. She has nothing planned from now until Christmas. "The first thing I did was the raspberries." Then four buckets of blackberries, she says, rubbing her arms where the thorns scratched her. Staying ahead of the berries on the grounds of the monastery is a steady job in itself. She has also been helping people as needed. "I just don't know," she says of her plans after the first of the year. "But I did bring home my (uniform) just in case I need it." Saint Martin's Abbey pays Tribute by Formally Naming College's Latest Building ProjectsLacey, WA. - July 29, 2004 Names have been chosen by Saint Martin's Abbey for two Saint Martin's College facilities being added to the campus in coming months, the abbey has announced. A new college residence hall, planned for a fall 2005 opening, will bear the name of college President David R. Spangler, who earlier this month announced his plans to retire next summer The college's dining hall, on which a large, new addition is nearing completion, will be named St. Gertrude Dining Hall in memory of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Gertrude Monastery. The dining hall in the Old Main building has served generations of students, but has had no formal name until now. In an announcement Tuesday to the college community, Saint Martin's Abbot Neal Roth, O.S.B., said the Saint Martin's Abbey Corporation was pleased to find an appropriate way to honor both the college's longest serving president and the Benedictine nuns who faithfully served the institution from 1904 to 1954. In recalling the many nuns from the Cottonwood, Idaho, monastery who came to operate the school's kitchens, Abbot Neal said they labored hard to feed the student, staff, faculty and monks of Saint Martin's. "They did it the old, hard way, with everything bought fresh or brought fresh from the farm then on campus and prepared from scratch, he said. " It wasn't fancy, but it was wholesome. They also brought a lovely feminine spirit with them - they were hospitable and very kind." His personal memories of the nuns are many, and include a particular day when he and another young novice were hard at work washing the dining room's windows. "One of the sisters came out with an entire pie and a pitcher of ice-cold milk from the dairy, insisting we take a break. It was typical," he said. "They mothered you , and the students always appreciated them." He said a few of the nuns are still alive and will be invited to attend a dedication of the dining hall this fall. The new dining room facility, which includes a renovation completed last fall and a new addition that will seat 112, is expected to open in time for the 2004-05 academic year. Idaho Sisters attend Lieser reunion in their home state of MinnesotaIdaho Catholic Register, Friday
August 6, 2004 Sisters Petronilla and Mary Bernard Lieser from the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood joined their relatives for a family reunion in St. Martin, Minn., on June 27. A highlight of being home was that two of their nephews were celebrating their 50th anniversaries in religious life this year. The family calls them "the cousins who became brothers." Brother Daniel Stang will have his formal jubilee celebration with his Crosier Community in August. His Sister, Sister Bernadette Stang from St. Gertrude's will be there to celebrate with him and their numerous family members. Brother Michael Mandernach's jubilee celebration was held at his home parish in St. Martin, Minn., during the Lieser family gathering. One hundred members of the parish have become religious during the parish's 100 year history. Notably, Brother Michael joined the Brothers of St. Pius X in the Diocese of Lacrosse, Wis., just four months after its foundation in 1952. He ministered as secretary, procurator and registrar at Holy Cross Seminary in Lacrosse, as director of religious education as pastoral associate in surrounding parishes, and in various leadership roles in his religious community. His main work right now is to complete writing the history of is community as requested by his bishop. Brother Michael is on of two remaining member of the community. Though disappointed by the decline in numbers, he lives with great faith and confidence that God will lead them the next steps. "With God's grace I have been a true Brother in Christ. My heart is filled with gratitude and I wish each of you the Peace of Christ. May it always be your hearts. I pray for you an I ask your continued prayers for us," he said during his jubilee celebration. Sisters Petronilla and Mary Bernard said they thoroughly enjoyed the three weeks with their family, and returned to Idaho grateful for the Idaho seminarians and the new members joining religious communities who serve in Idaho, especially for the four novices and two postulants currently at their own monastery. They join the other sisters at St. Gertrude's in daily prayer for all those deciding which vocation they are called to by their baptism, and for Bishop Mike Driscoll and all diocesan leaders as they make decisions about how best to be church in this challenging time of struggle and growth. Member Profile: Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth, CottonwoodBY AL KYLE Among the very first directives humans received from God in the Biblical account was the charge to care for the Garden of Eden. This was even before Adam had brought sin into the world, so the "work" had to have been seen as good and productive. The conditions may have changed since that initial "job" but many tree farmers still feel a strong sense of spirituality in managing their forest land. Probably most prominent among these motivating forces is the concept of stewardship. As Adam and Eve were made stewards of the Garden of Eden so we are all stewards of a small piece of the Earth. Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth exemplifies this concept of having a spiritual mandate to care for a part of God's creation. This caring attitude is not one of simply locking up the land, but of a variety of uses. Aesthetics are predominant on the grounds nearby the Monastery of St. Gertrude. The forests have been carefully thinned and nurtured to create an area where people can walk in beauty and serenity, enabling people to meditate and reflect on spiritual answers to daily problems. Other areas of the the property are managed more for timber values to provide some of the financial stability the monastery needs. Sister Carol Ann took the idea of stewardship to heart when she became land manger of the 1000+ acre Convent property in 1989. Her background was in education and not forestry. Being and educator though, she knew how to get the information she needed. After several years of attending workshops, training sessions and conferences, and gleaning much from forestry professionals along the way, she has become very knowledgeable in both the theoretical and the practical issues of forestry. Subsequently, Sister Carol Ann has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles, radio programs, many tours of the monastery property, and she has spoken to many audiences about her work. Her recognition is well deserved, as the information she gained has been put to effective use. Management plans have been written on the separate parcels and work is well underway to carry out these plans. Several logging operations have taken place both on the land near the monastery, as well as the more remote Cottonwood Butte parcel. Sister Carol Ann wrote the plan for the nearby lands and administered the sales herself. Northwest Management,, Inc. assists with the plan and administration on the Cottonwood Butte area. Much hand work has also been accomplished, and Sister Carol Ann is always in the middle of it. Over 40 acres have been pre-commercially thinned, many trees have been pruned, and over 82,300 trees have been planted. Time is also expended too prevent erosion on roads since much of the land is on fairly steep ground. Wildlife is encouraged with special plantings, leaving snags and some brush piles. The trails and roads are extensively used by visitors and residents alike for recreation and sometimes "re-creation!" In all of this Sister Carol has been a cheerful, enthusiastic and articulate promoter of forest stewardship. She has accomplished much on the monastery lands and has been instrumental in teaching her Sisters and many others about effective forest stewardship. One of the most significant indicators of this stewardship is the "Philosophy of Land Use" statement developed by Sister Carol Ann and adopted by the Monastery of St. Gertrude Sisters. This shows where they draw their inspiration from, where they are going and how they are getting there. This would be a great exercise for all of us to accomplish: a statement of why we do what we do. Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden before the fall in the cool of the evening. We each need to remember this and take some time frequently to walk in our woods, seeking spiritual refreshment. Sister Carol Ann can testify that it is there waiting for us! St. Gert's reaches a building modeMonastery near Cottonwood will use new conference center to broaden its ministriesBY JODI WALKER COTTONWOOD - St. Gertrude's Monastery was established more than 80 years ago with most of the sisters working as teachers at the Catholic school or nurses at the local hospital. That nurturing of mind, body and spirit continues today as the sisters begin a $6.5 million project to enhance their outreach ministry. The 21,000-square-foot building under construction on the south side of the monastery grounds on a hillside above Cottonwood is the most obvious sign of change. The new Conference and Spirituality Center will command views of both the Seven Devils and the Four Gospels - a geographical vantage point that amuses the sisters. The center will house the monastery's retreat ministry, which has grown steadily. Retreats began at the monastery in the 1970s. The early ones were for other nuns. But now the sisters offer a variety of retreats - a mother-daughter retreat focused on how scripture applies to that relationship; the Walk in the Woods retreat where guests learn about the natural world around them. The number attending retreats has grown from 764 in 1999 to 1,170 in 2002. People need a place to slow down says Sister Meg Sass, director of the building project. People need a place to get away from the stress of everyday life. That's the ministry of the soul the sisters are striving to provide, she says. There was simply too much participation and not enough space on the fifth floor of the monastery, where the etreats were held. "Now isn't that a good problem to have?" asks Prioress Jean Lalande. "To do all the things the sisters dreamed of, it really couldn't be done in this space," says Darla Anglen-Whitley, assistant director of development for the monastery. "God is telling us we have to risk and build this new building," Lalande says. A two-story part of the building will have a large meeting area, with large and small conference and meeting rooms. This will be connected by an enclosed glass lobby to the accommodations side of the building, with three floors of bedrooms for participants. Offices will be included as well as archive and storage space to house items from the monastery and the museum in a climate-controlled atmosphere. The center will be available to outside groups as well, for family gatherings, board meetings and small conferences. "Benedictines are known for their hospitality," says Lalande. The Norht Central Idaho Travel ASsociation and othere groups already ahve inquired about holding meetins in the center, scheduled for completion in April. But the building, at about $3.4 million, is just part of the project, says Sass. The project also includes renovation of the monastery for about $1.6 million and an endowment of $1.5 million to aid in operation of the new center and the St. Gertrude's Museum. "We're not going to get rich running this building," says Lalande. "It is our gift. But we have to cover our expenses." The sisters have undertaken a large capital campaign to rasie money fort the project. "It's a myth if people think the church takes care of us (financially)," Says Lalande. The sisters are self-supporting through stipends for work they do and through their own fund-raising. Anglen-Whitley says the campaign goal is to raise $4 million to $5 million in three years. In the first phase of grant writing to private foundations for assistance, $1.25 million has been raised. The sisters and staff also are looking for ways to assist. For example, they agreed to do the post-building cleanup themselves. So after the building is done, Sass says there will be plenty of sweeping and polishing. Sister Placida Wemhoff was approached bye the maintenance staff she heads to do some furniture building. Pricing for furniture led to a better idea Wemhoff says. "We decided we could build them more economically." So John Remacle and Sandy Enneking, the two full-time maintenance staffers for the monastery, spent the slower winter months building headboards, dressers and desks. They may be building more Wemhoff says, as soon as their busy summer schedule of mowing and gardening slows. After the center is done and the retreat ministry has moved in, work will begin in the monastery. many of the offices will be moved, walls knocked out and the windows replaced. The windows alone will cost an estimated $785,000. The monastery was built so long ago, each window has different proportions and the new ones will have to be custom-made. The space opened up in the monastery will be welcomed by the 66 sister. Forty live at the monastery and there are only three or four extra rooms, Lalande says. So if a number of sisters come home at the same time, t here's no room for them. The dining room of the monastery is used for all sorts of gatherings, including the lecture series sponsored every year by the museum. Some of the lectures draw as many as 90 people, and the room gets crowded, says Lalande. Now the gatherings will move to the center, leaving the dining room for what it was meant to be. While there are lots of physical reasons for the new center and the monastery renovation at St. Gertrude's, there's an intangible one as well, Sass says. "This space does not belong to us." The sisters are simply living on God's land, she says, and the beauty of the Camas Prairie setting, nestled at the base of Cottonwood Butte, needs to be shared. "(The scene) just settles people's souls." Sisters at St. Gertrude's build Spirituality CenterBy Darla Anglen-Whitley
Benedictine heads Catholic Education Ministries
By Colette Cowman
Groundbreaking for Spirituality CenterCOTTONWOOD, ID – The Benedictine
Sisters at the Monastery of St. Gertrude invite the public to join them a
groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, June 12, 2:00 p.m. The ceremony marks the
start of construction on a new 21,800 square foot multi-purpose Conference and
Spirituality Center to be located in the field behind the museum. The
groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the site of the new center. Trend to older women religious candidates seen
By Colette Cowman Idaho's Benedictine Sisters, as well as many other women religious communities throughout the United States, are noticing a trend among the women who show an interest in joining those communities. "We are seeing that most of the women looking at us are in the 40s and 50s," said Sister Janet Barnard, OSB, vocations director for the Idaho Benedictines. All six of the women in formation right now at Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, are in their 40s and 50s. "So many of the Baby Boomer generation bought into the cultural idea that we can have everything and anything, and so for quite a few years career was real important for a lot of women. But the women who are looking at our community now are saying, 'We can't have everything. We have missed our spiritual life.' They are kind of reassessing their value system and saying they want to give more to God and the church." Sister Janet said half of those in formation at St. Gertrude's have been married and have children and half have been single. "Some women got married and had children because that is what they felt they were supposed to do," she said. "Then, either through widowhood or divorce, they no longer have that life style. Their kids are all grown, and they are trying to decide what to do with their lives. They feel God is calling them in a new way." Two of the candidates now at Monastery of St. Gertrude who have been married are fairly new Catholics. "They found the church as adults and they now feel the Lord calling them to religious life," said Sister Janet. She said interest in joining a religious community seems to be picking up recently, especially among women in their 40s and 50s. "There is more interest than usual," sister Janet said. "We are receiving more calls and emails of women who are considering. One woman visited us over Easter who found our community on the Web. She has been thinking about religious life, did a Web search and made arrangements to come for a visit." Part of the reason for the increased interest in the Idaho Benedictines, Sister Janet believes, is that she has been doing more consistent advertising. She said advertising, the use of the Internet and employing other marketing strategies is the trend in vocation promotions across the nation these days. "We have five different ads that we have rotated through the regional Catholics newspapers, and we have had some good responses from those. She also sets up a a booth at career fairs at universities and colleges in the Northwest and at conferences like the Diocese of Boise Fall Education Conference. "I have a booth with all the other employers," she said. "We don't expect women will decide on the spot to become a sister, but this contact gives them information and plants the seed." Career fairs are good ways to meet potential candidates, Sister Janet feels. In the past, most religious communities ran schools, and they found that many candidates came from among the young women who attended those schools. "There are not so many schools now, so how do we meet them?," she said. Sister Janet said prayer is a big factor in attracting women to join the Benedictine Community. "Our community is more intent on prayer for vocations than in the past," she said. "Sister Corrine Forsman (vocations director before Sister Janet) started us praying for vocations every Wednesday night as a community in 1999." Sister Corrine wrote the original prayer the community uses. It has since been updated. "How can that not influence us in making ourselves open to accepting new people as well as letting God know we are ready to accept new people,' said Sister Janet. The sisters also encourage any programs that bring the consciousness of the people of the Diocese of Boise to prayer for vocations. Two or three years ago the sisters put together a prayer for vocations for members of Catholic Daughters and encouraged them to pray it daily. Candidates at Monastery of St. Gertrude were drawn there for a variety of reasons
By Colette Cowman Following is some background on each of the six candidates currently seeking membership with the sisters at Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, and brief comments on what attracted them. All are over 40 years old. A postulant is a woman who moves into the monastery for a year, participates in daily prayer and ministries of the community and formally studies Benedictine life, prayer and scriptures. A novice is a woman who moves in closer, becomes fully familiarized with the Benedictine way of life through personal and communal prayer, study, reflection, solitude and work. She takes classes on the Rule of St. Benedict, monastic vows and scripture. This step lasts two years... Novice Jean Ihli was born and raised in the Boise Valley. She worked in the clerical and accounting fields for 35 years. "The first time I came for a visit I fell in love with the Camas Prairie, the monastery, the Benedictine lifestyle and the sisters who live this life of Christ's love and simplicity." Novice Michele Bateman was a retail checker in Boise, prior to entering St. Gertrude's. After visiting three religious communities, she made a personal commitment to serve God at St. Gertrude's. "I feel this community offers the stability and training I need to make a difference in this world." Novice Mary Mendez is a mother of three. Currently, she is a first year novice. Prior to coming to St. Gertrude's she lived in California where she worked as a Hospice nurse. "The things which drew me here are the monastic community's way of living out the Benedictine life, the commitment to the land, the simple lifestyle and most importantly, the prayer." Novice Carla Fontes lived and worked in Boise for 11 years. She has always had the feeling of a need to seek and be closer to God. In May of 2000 she had the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. While there she suddenly had a strong feeling that she wanted to spend her life as a nun. "I did a lot of praying about this feeling, and when I got back to the states I started to look into various types of communities. Some friends suggested I visit here. When I came to a retreat at St. Gertrude's in June, 2001, I felt so much at home. I admired the way the sisters prayed, worked and spent their time in recreation. I made the decision that it was with the group of women that I wanted to continue my search for God...And the rest is history!" Postulant Cindy Schultz was born in Cottonwood and grew up on the Camas Prairie. She became a registered nurse and worked in rural hospitals as well as specializing in emergency nursing. "I have known this community all my life and have been significantly influenced by their Benedictine charism and wholesome way of living. I'm drawn to this particular community because these women truly live and cherish the Benedictine rhythm that resonates with my own yearning to seek God." Postulant Kim Marie Jordan is from Houston, Texas. Kim Marie worked in the publishing field for 14 years. She began visiting St. Gertrude's in 1997 and made one or two visits every year before moving to the monastery in October 2004. Kim Marie was attracted to the monastic way of life, particularly the Rule of St. Benedict, which sets daily times for work, prayer and study. "My reason for entering the monastery is to seek God," she said. "Living in community has proven to be the most challenging part of this way of life. But I truly believe that God has called me to be part of this group of prayerful women. I cannot imagine being anywhere else." Idaho Catholic Appeal supports Sr. Clarissa in ministrySister Clarissa Goeckner, OSB, says she would "go
a million miles" to empower leaders and nurture catechists in the Idaho Education has been a life passion and commitment for Sister Clarissa, diocesan coordinator of children's and family catechesis. Her ministry, along with all the other ministries and services provided through the Catholic Education Ministries Office, are among those supported through the Idaho Catholic Appeal. This year's appeal will kick off in Idaho parishes March 7. Sister Clarissa has served in almost every education ministry in the church over the years. The Cottonwood native has taught at the elementary, junior high, secondary and college level and served as an elementary school principal for many years. She has been a parish director of religious education, associate director of campus ministry and a retreat leader. Before taking her position at the Diocese of Boise Catholic Education Ministries, she was subprioress of her Benedictine Community at Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood. Most of her service has been to the Diocese o Boise, But for ten years she served in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Currently, her work entails traveling around the diocese to provide leadership, direction and support to the directors and coordinators of parish religious education programs. She keeps abreast of resources, national trends, programs, out-of-state religious education congresses and other opportunities that might be beneficial to religious education in Idaho. In collaboration with the directors and coordinators of religious education in parishes throughout the diocese, Sister Clarissa sets up workshops, plans retreats, organizes deanery meetings and other education activities to help leaders help their catechists develop their skills and competence as teachers of the faith. Helping to plan the annual Diocesan Fall Conference and prepare the conference liturgies occupies a good portion of her time during the year. About 600 Idaho Catholics form around the state attend the education conference each year. It is planned to provide useful information and formation for those who serve in parish ministries and aims to provide adult education for those who wish to enhance knowledge of their faith. "I consider Fall Conference one of the most powerful efforts of our office to equip all who attend for their specific ministries. she said. "My goal is to give strong support and as many opportunities as possible to those who lead and inspire the thousands of volunteer catechists who teach and minister to the more than 6,000 children and youth enrolled in diocesan parish programs." Sister Clarissa is encouraging all Idaho Catholics to be generous when they make their contribution to the Idaho Catholic appeal this year. "Your contribution will benefit, not only the goals of Children's and family Catechesis, but will support all the education efforts of Catholic Education Ministries Office as well, she said. "Our Resource Center, Adult Education, Catholic Schools and Youth Ministry will also be empowered to continue their education mission more effectively. We really need this kind of support in our far-flung diocese (87,000 square miles) so we can continually bring better service. With financial support from the Idaho Catholic Appeal, we can serve the needs of those who strive in Catholic schools, religious education programs and parishes to keep our Catholic faith alive and active." Sister Stang helps students succeedLongtime community worker helps strengthen learning for children at Farmway VillageBy Lindsay Redifer
And they do. They learn English, complete school and overcome daunting odds to earn a college diploma. And they've done it over and over again. For her efforts at the migrant community outside of Caldwell, Stang was given the Humanitarian Award as part of Martin Luther King Day activities this month, celebrating her efforts as a tutor. Stang said she felt called to the village and wanted to help its residents. She's approaching a decade of service working with children there. "I just entrenched myself with the folks out here," Stang said. She first envisioned the program to help residents learn English and provide students assistance with school work in their spare time. As she began forming the program through the Caldwell school system, a community center was built in the migrant village. People were able to come to Stang for assistance with legal forms, to learn English or find a helping hand with homework. Stang remembers that until she had been in the village for about a year, parents felt reticent about leaving their children with Stang. "I remember going to the circus with only 12 children that first year," she recalled, "but the next year I didn't have a big enough bus for all of them." Stang meets with preschool children in the morning. Every afternoon, she assists students from kindergarten through high school with their homework. Assistance for adults learning English is also available twice a week. "We strongly encourage them to learn the language," Stang said. The Farmway Village volunteer has plenty of supporters. "I don't think anyone deserves (the award) more than she does," 15-year-old Yareny Cardenas said of Stang's recognition. Cardenas is a longtime student of Stang's. Stang is equally committed to those she helps. "I think every person deserves a good life," she said. She said one the greatest rewards of her work is seeing a student graduate with the help of the program. Many of the students keep in touch with Stang from college. "One of our girls had a 4.0 (gpa) at Boise State University," Stang said. Even though Stang's humanitarian service is lauded, she serves people who live at the heart of the divisive issue of immigration policy. Recent disagreements about immigration legislation have upset Stang. "I meet such wonderful people," she said, "and to say they're criminals -- I can't." Stang said she finds ample support for her efforts. "There's just a great sense of comradeship," Stang said of her program. Many people have helped Stang without her having to ask. Students from both Northwest Nazarene University and Albertson College of Idaho have helped tutor regularly. Grants have also been given to help buy laptop computers with a wireless Internet connection and will help the center double in size later this year. Albertson College freshman Andrea Mahen is new to the program and feels after-school tutoring is vital for the children's education. "Sister Bernadette keeps it together," Mahen said. "It's great that she's getting recognized for her work," Josh Allar, an Albertson senior, said in agreement. Allar also said that he hopes to stay with the program as long as he can. Stang is modest about being named Humanitarian of the Year. "There are people who are more like MLK than I am," she said. "I was so awed when I was called on to receive the award." Stang described herself as someone who doesn't take big risks the way King did. She also credits her aides, the people in the program and the children who come to the center for its success. "The award isn't mine alone," she said, "it goes to so many people that reach out to this program."Copyright © 2004 Idaho Press- Tribune All rights reserved First Reconciliation Class, 2004Twenty-one 2nd-grade students celebrated their First Reconciliation in January 2004. Sister Sue Ellen Drexler teaches religious education at St. Mary's Parish, Cottonwood, ID
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In
front of nearly 100 witnesses Jean Ihli and Michele Bateman, deliberately,
carefully and sometimes tearfully, promised their lives to the monastic
community at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in the Rite of Temporary Profession
on Thursday, November 16, 2004.
"Moving
into the monastery wasn't too difficult because I had established relationships
with the sisters already," Ihli recalls.
The
Benedictine Sisters at the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, are hosting a
Prayer Service for Faithful Citizens on Friday, October 29, at 7:00 p.m. in
their chapel. The Sisters, believing in the power of prayer and the need for
openness to the Spirit to guide our country in the coming elections, invite
everyone to join them in prayer. The service will include hymns, scripture and
readings from FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP: A CATHOLIC CALL TO POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY
by the Conference of Catholic Bishops.
COTTONWOOD,
ID - The Benedictine Sisters at the Monastery of St. Gertrude aren't letting the
grass grow under their feet this summer.
Bishop Michael Driscoll has
announced the appointment of Sister Clarissa Goeckner, OSB, as the Office of
Catholic Education Ministries (CEM) director to succeed the late Jack Craven who
died suddenly in January. 
CALDWELL --
Sister Bernadette Stang devotes her time to see that children at Farmway Village
learn how to succeed.