Benedictine Colloquium June 21-24, 2022. REGISTRATION CLOSED
                An Open Letter to Oblates and Seekers

The Federation of St. Scholastica will celebrate its Centennial with a Colloquium, "Benedictine Life: A Vision Unfolding," open to all followers of Benedict: women and men who are professed, oblates, or spiritual seekers. The Colloquium will take place at Mount Saint Scholastica in Atchison, KS, June 21-24, 2022, and virtually. SCHEDULE HERE. These eight women are our presenters grouped by the goal they will lead participants to consider, and our two responders. Learn more about each presenter here.

WISDOM
GOAL: Make our Benedictine way of life visible and accessible in new ways to today’s seekers by celebrating our history and envisioning our future.

WITNESS
GOAL: Share our lives as Benedictine women, past and present, what we stand for, and why we do what we do as we invite others to experience our charism and good zeal and to join us in “running while we have the light of life.” (Prologue, Rule of Benedict)

WAY FORWARD
GOAL: Support Benedictine life today so that it can continue to be the same kind of stabilizing presence in our cities and towns and light for spiritual seekers that it has been for more than 1500 years.
Judith Sutera, OSB, Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, KS Linda Romey, OSB, Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA
Deborah Asberry, CommunityWorks, Inc. Patricia Fawkner, SGS, Good Samaritan Sisters, Australia
Edith Bogue, OSB, Sacred Heart Monastery, Cullman, AL Katie Gordon, Nuns & Nones and Monasteries of the Heart

RESPONDERS

Judith Valente, Oblate,
Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, KS

 

 Joanna Burley, OSB,
St. Benedict Monastery, Bristow, VA

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

Pentecost

June 5, 2022, Pentecost
Madeline Contorno, OSB, Sacred Heart Monastery, Cullman, AL.

Many years ago when I was in San Francisco for a conference, I had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral of St. Mary’s of the Assumption. The exterior of the cathedral showed a strikingly modern design, and the interior contained seven prominent Marian panels depicting the Blessed Mother as the model of discipleship. The panels included events such as the Visitation, the Wedding Feast of Cana, the Crucifixion. But it was the panel depicting Mary at Pentecost that captivated me. 

The artist displayed Mary, surrounded by the disciples, at the epicenter of the Pentecost event, and to my surprise, Mary looked pregnant! After some reflection, a window of understanding opened for me. Just as Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem, at Pentecost she was again filled with the Holy Spirit, but this time giving birth to the Church itself, “those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). Mary, our Blessed Mother, was pregnant at Pentecost with all humanity! I loved this reimagining of the “birthday event of the Church” and have never forgotten it. 

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Podcast Series

Colleen Schwarz, OSB

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Sister Colleen Schwarz is a member of Benet Hill Monastery, Colorado Springs, CO, where she serves as Vocation Director and Affiliate Director. She has been a faculty staff team member for the Benedictine Spiritual Formation Program since 2005 where her roles included facilitator for each year and supervisor at Colorado Springs site. Sister Colleen developed the current Global Online Benedictine Spiritual Direction Program. She has been a spiritual director since 2005 and currently serves on the Monastery Leadership Team. She is on the Board of Directors of Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care in Colorado Springs and the Care Synergy Hospice and Palliative Care Group in Denver.

Cecilia Dwyer, OSB

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Cecilia Dwyer, OSB

Sister Cecilia Dwyer, OSB, is a member of Saint Benedict Monastery in Bristow, VA. She is currently the executive director of the sisters’ ministry, BEACON for English Language and Literacy, and as the director of mission integration for the monastic community. She is a past prioress, having served 28 years in that position. She has also been formation and vocation director. Since 1973 she has been liturgy director and accompanist for the community. Sister Cecilia has given retreats in Benedictine communities for many years, as well as acting as election facilitator and visitator. She has a BM in Music Education from Marywood University in Scranton, PA, and an MA in Liturgical Theology from Catholic University of America. While in community leadership Sister Cecilia was chair of LCWR Region 4 and a member of the National LCWR board, the Bishops’ National Advisory Committee, and the Arlington Diocesan Pastoral Council. 

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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

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