Fed100 Anniversary |

Benedictine Sisters of Tulsa, OK
Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA
Benedictine Sisters of Glendora, CA
Benedictine Sisters of Boerne, TX
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, AL
Benedictine Sisters of Colorado Springs, CO
Benedictine Sisters of Chicago, IL
Benedictine Sisters of Bristow, VA
Benedictine Sisters of St. Leo, FL

Federation of St. Scholastica 1922 - 2022: The same call and gift of the Spirit that came to Benedict of Nursia early in the 6th century came to the women who formed the Federation of Saint Scholastica early in the 20th century. This same call and gift of the Spirit comes to us today, inspiring and animating us to respond to the gospel with the good zeal of Benedict, with listening hearts, with clarity of spiritual vision, and with hearts impelled by love. In the years leading up to our centennial celebration in 2022, we intend to publicly celebrate the vision and dedication of Benedictine women over the past 100 years while at the same time supporting current works as well as new and wider efforts to bring the peace of Christ and the justice of the gospel to today’s turbulent world.

Weekly Reflections

Second Sunday of Lent

Second Sunday of Lent
February 28, 2021
Andrea Westkamp, OSB, Benedictine Sisters of Virginia

Hildegard 2 – Listening with the Heart
Hildegard is a great companion - you might have noticed this already as you journeyed with her this past week.

We reflected on penance and conversion last week. Penance, Hildegard reminds us, begins in the heart and so does conversion.

We keep pondering on the heart and Benedict's words that we need to listen with the ear of our heart. Is this what Benedictine Spirituality helps us to realize for our own lives? Realizing that listening is a matter of the heart? What would be different this Lent if we practiced to listen with the heart?

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Podcast Series

Kevin Chears, Oblate

Oblate Kevin Chears is a life long Chicagoan, residing in the Edgewater neighborhood with her husband and two dogs. She is an Oblate of St. Scholastica Monastery and one of her favorite lines from the Rule of Benedict is Chapter 68:5 "Trusting in God's help, he (she) must in love obey." Kevin is a pastoral associate at St. Gertrude Parish in Edgewater.

Evangeline Salazar, OSB

Sister Evangeline Salazar, OSB, is member of Benet Hill Monastery in Colorado Springs, CO. Responding to the call of the poor, the hungry and oppressed, she ministered with the people in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, and Guantanamo Bay. She shares ome of her reflections on this work in a new book, On The Border: The Way of the Cross. Presently, at the age of 80, she is a volunteer with Annunciation House in El Paso, TX, ministering to asylum seekers released from the detention centers. She was instrumental in the Benet Hill community sponsoring Cuban asylum seekers, Frank and Louisa Dominguez Rojas. Evangeline earned a bachelor’s degree at Mt. St. Scholastica College, Atchison, KS, and a master’s degree in education at the University of Colorado.

Centennial Prayer

The same call and gift of the Spirit that came to Benedict of Nursia and his sister Scholastica early in the 6th century came to the women who formed the Federation of Saint Scholastica early in the 20th century. This same call and gift of the Spirit comes to us today, inspiring and animating us to respond to the gospel with their good zeal, with listening hearts, with clarity of spiritual vision, and with hearts impelled by love. And so we pray:

Audio recording of prayer by Sister Lynn McKenzie, OSB, President of the Federation of St. Scholastica

Loving God, we give you thanks
for our Benedictine heritage,
and for the expression of this call and gift in the
communities of the Federation of St. Scholastica.

May our celebration
of the Federation's first 100 years
strengthen us in our spiritual tradition,
deepen our capacity to listen,
widen our hearts with your love,
and sharpen our spiritual vision
that seeks to see Christ in the heart of all Creation
and at the center of our common life.

One in Christ,
may the communities of the Federation,
oblates, benefactors, and friends,
share the peace of Christ,
show the love of Christ,
and make Christ known in our world.

Amen FOR SPANISH TRANSLATION, CLICK HERE