Erie Benedictine sisters, oblates, and peacemakers participated in two events supporting the future of renewable energy in contrast to the fossil fuel energy being promoted at the The Shale Insight Conference held September 16017 at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center. The events aligned with global “SunDay” events, a week of actions in September celebrating the unstoppable rise of clean energy. Benedictines for Peace (BFP) Sister Anne McCarthy explained, “We’ll come together at two events in Erie to showcase the power of the sun and wind, the energy sources that can power our world without pollution.”

A new issue of The Companion, the newsletter of Emmaus Ministries, is available in PDF format. Tired of depressing news? Read The Companion for good news!

Benedictines for Peace will co-host a Take Back the Site vigil Monday, Sept. 29 at 5:15 p.m. for Jerry Hamilton Ellis who was killed on July 27. The 15-minute vigil will take place at the site of the killing, 2637 Peach Street in Erie, to reclaim the site for nonviolence. We pray for all those who are harmed by violence, both victims and perpetrators; we believe that a nonviolent way of life is possible. Please join us in prayer.

Benedictines for Peace core committee member Juan Llarena (standing) assisted BFP Coordinator and Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace Sister Anne McCarthy in leading a day-long workshop on nonviolence training from a Benedictine perspective for about fifteen people at the monastery the end of September.

Nine members of the SBA Class of 1969 joined the sisters for prayer and lunch at the monastery the end of August. Sister Diane Rabe, current administrator of the Benedictine Sisters, is a member of the class and was there to welcome her classmates.

The group meets monthly at local restaurants and, when Michelle Basista, Development Associate for the Benedictine Sisters, joined them for a luncheon, she invited them to consider coming to the monastery for lunch--a suggestion which they quickly embraced. In addition to lunch, the classmates enjoyed a brief tour of the monastery and an opportunity to shop in the monastery gift shop. They also enjoyed reminiscing with two of their teachers, Sister Rosanne Loneck (Home Economics) and Sister Phyllis Schleicher (French)--a couple of the girls actually pulled up a few words from French class decades ago to greet their Sister Phyllis.

In the final days before the invasive-species eating goats finished their time at Glinodo and headed for home, a group of schoolchildren from Erie's Farm to School program paid a visit. The program engages students in hands-on gardening and culinary activities in order to connect them with fresh, healthy food and create enthusiasm for growing food and caring for the natural world. The field trip to Glinodo Center and learning about the goats broadened their perspective. The Rosemary and Pine goatherds, Julia and Steph, from Albion, NY, told the students about the goats highlighting not only their biology but also the unique personalities of each goad.

Residents of the Benedictine Sisters' Benetwood Apartments recently joined the sisters for prayer and dinner, an annual event celebrates the relationship of friends and neighbors between the two living communities. In her welcome to Benetwood guests, Sister Diane Rabe, administrator of the Benedictine Sisters, introduced the new Benetwood manager, Darlene Winicky, to the sisters.

We will gather as pilgrims of hope to offer a prayer of lament and hope on Friday, October 3, in a special service, Lament: An Opening to Hope. The service will take place at 7:00 p.m. in our monastery chapel and is open to the public, please share the invitation.