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Sister Judith Brower: 1946 - 2008 |
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"O Lord, my
God,
I cried out to you and you healed me.
Lord, you brought me up from Sheol;
you kept me from going down to the pit.”
Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful;
give thanks to God’s holy name.
For divine anger lasts but a moment;
divine favor lasts a lifetime.
At dusk weeping come for the night;
but at dawn there is rejoicing.
Complacent, I once said,
“I shall never be shaken.”
Lord, when you showed me favor
I stood like the mighty mountains.
But when you hid your face
I was struck with terror
Hear, O Lord, have mercy one me;
Lord be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
you took off my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness…"
[Psalm 30 verses 3-8, 11-12] |
2008
In Memoria
Sister
Judith Brower
1946 - 2008
Sr. Judith (Elizabeth Louise) Brower, died
November 11, 2008, at the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, ID. The
first of seven children, she was born to James and Edith Fox Brower on
August 11, 1946, in Chicago, IL.
She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc,
WI, in 1963 and made vows in 1965. In 1985, she transferred to the
Monastery of St. Gertrude where she made monastic profession on November
25, 1988.
Sr. Judith earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and French from
Silver Lake College, Manitowoc, in 1970 and a Master’s degree in
Mathematics (Teaching) from Stanford University in 1976. She taught
elementary and high school in Ohio, Wisconsin and Nebraska and college
at Silver Lake College and North Idaho College (NIC), Coeur d’Alene, ID.
She served the Diocese of Boise from 1985-86 as Director of Special
Ministries.
In 1997, she returned to the monastery where she began the “Monastery
Well” ministry through which people could subscribe to the brief
reflections she wrote on daily Gospel passages. She served as Director
of the monastery’s Oblate Program from 1997-2000. She completed the
Spiritual Guidance Program with Shalem Institute in Boston from
1999-2001 and ministered as a spiritual director in Lewiston, Moscow and
Coeur d’Alene, ID until this past August when her health failed.
Sr. Judith served as Liturgy Coordinator for the Monastery since 2003.
She conducted retreats at Spirit Center, the monastery’s conference and
retreat facility, and gave outreach retreats for churches and service
organizations, and designed and managed the monastery’s hand-decorated
candle ministry called “Monastery Lights.”
She was very interested in music, especially in singing her original
songs, and enjoyed desktop publishing, cooking and photography.
Relaxation often included watching Gonzaga basketball, the Chicago White
Sox and other sports.
Beyond her numerous activities, Sister Judith will be remembered as a
strong and vulnerable woman who sustained lasting friendships, liked to
apply her creativity to word-smithing, trying new things, organizing
events, sharing meaningful and spiritual conversations, and getting
students to trust their talents and succeed in classes they found
difficult. Her extraordinary annual rendition of the Easter Vigil
Exultet will remain an inspiring and beautiful memory for her monastic
community.
Sr. Judith was preceded in death by her father and is survived by her
monastic family, her mother, her siblings Jim (Buz), Tom, Bill, Bob,
Cathy, Judy and their families.
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Sister Judith Brower
Please enjoy
the images and recollections below.
(There are 8 slides in the
show.) |
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Sr. Judith's vigil service was held in the monastery chapel on November 16 at
7:00 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated there on
November 17 at 1:30 pm. Sr. Meg Sass
gave the reflections.
Uhlorn Funeral Home, Cottonwood, was in charge of
funeral arrangements.
Memorials may be made to Monastery of St.
Gertrude, 465 Keuterville Road, Cottonwood, ID 83522-5183.
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