Sister Rosemary Murphy shared a story about one Thanksgiving long ago – back when the community still lived in Nauvoo – in which she took dinner to an elderly lady.
Sister Rosemary entered her cold house and found the lady cuddled up close to an old cob stove. It was all she had for warmth.
Sister Rosemary stayed and ate with the lady, and saw to it she had plenty of warmth for the winter. Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Saint Paul writes, “I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit.”(Ephesians 4:1-3)
Unity in community, boy that is important. We are all one body. When one part hurts, we all are affected! Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
The annual Monastic Institute at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., provides a wonderful opportunity to study and reflect deeply on Benedictine spirituality for a few days every summer. Several of us usually go. I did last summer, and I’m still thinking about it. Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
I have looked away, and kept silence, I have said nothing, holding myself in … (Isaiah 42:14)
We prayed this verse at Lauds recently, and it’s been on my mind ever since.
It’s funny at how you can say a phrase in prayer over and over for 7 years without thinking twice about it … until one day it stands out.
Definitely a God moment. Continue Reading
Sr. Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
Wow! I’ve been thinking about this since last week’s gospel. It’s hard to do … even as a Catholic Sister!
We all have people in our lives we’d rather not have to deal with. Maybe they have been harsh with us, maybe they have been cold. Maybe we’ve been unkind to them in return. Continue Reading
When Sister Mary Core’s youth group began hatching a plan to stay overnight at Camp Loud Thunder along the Mississippi River in Illinois, she knew who to call for help. Sister Stefanie MacDonald loved to camp; she had taken her nephews every chance she got. But now that her nephews were grown – and her own students were just preschoolers – Sr. Stefanie missed cooking and sleeping outdoors.
So when Sr. Mary asked her to help out, Sr. Stefanie said yes. Together with 9 youth group members – and a few parents and siblings – they created a delicious, fun, Benedictine and memorable experience. Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Saturday I went to a workshop on liturgy given by David Haas. If you ever get a chance to hear him it is worth it. He was excellent!
In addition to other topics, David talked about hospitality. Of course as a Benedictine with hospitality being one of our charisms, my ears perked up.
David was clear: hospitality is about extending ourselves for the sake of another. It’s about asking someone how they are doing … and meaning it. It’s about remembering them. Continue Reading
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
Perseverance forges character, and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint. Romans 5:3-5
This Bible passage hangs on the wall in the large meeting room at Notre Dame in the building for the Alliance for Catholic Education. (I saw it while at the Latino Enrollment Institute for school; although this photo is actually of our Sisters down in Nauvoo.) Continue Reading
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