Attention SBA Alumnae!

Ann Comstock, alumnae director, announces that the SBA Alumnae e-mail Directory on the Web site has been updated. You can now access a current listing of e-mail addresses. Check it out!

New Emmaus Ministries Newsletter

Sister Mary Miller, OSB, director of Emmaus Ministries, invites you to read the the new edition of "The Companion." This newsletter keeps you in touch with Emmaus. Click here for the pdf version.

Reflection Days for Women in Transition

Sister Carolyn Gorny-Kopkowski, OSB, announces the 2008 schedule of "Reflection Days for Women in Transition." Click here to download the brochure with all the details and the registration form. Or call Sister Carolyn at (814) 452-6318.

She Sought to Bring Beauty into Our Life

Sister Mary Philip Kiehlmeier, OSB, a Benedictine Sister of Erie for 58 years, died peacefully at her home, Mt. St. Benedict Monastery, on February 3, 2008.

A daughter of the late Philip and Loretta Senger Kiehlmeier, she was born in Erie on July 23, 1916 and was baptized Gertrude Marie.

She entered the Benedictine Sisters of Erie in 1948, pronounced her first profession in 1950 and her perpetual monastic profession on August 12, 1953.

Sister Mary Philip was a graduate of St. Mary’s School, St. Benedict Academy and a magna cum laude graduate of Villa Maria College, Erie. She received the M. Ed. In home economics education from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. and continued her formal education with courses at Gannon University, Erie; Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA and Georgetown University, Washington, DC. She was a member of several professional associations.

Sister Mary Philip ministered as a teacher at St. Benedict Academy, Erie and Venango Catholic High School, Oil City, PA. She served at the Martin Luther King Center, Erie, as director of the child development program and later as associate director of the center.

In the late 1970’s, Sister Mary Philip began background research and planning for the Benetwood Apartments, a facility for seniors. She oversaw the building, staffing and furnishing of Benetwood and was its administrator from 1981 until 1991.

She was, for several years after her “retirement” from Benetwood, a member of the staff at Brevillier Village, Erie and later assisted in the community’s health insurance office.

Sister Mary Philip served her Benedictine community in many ways, including: as a member of the prioress’s advisory council, and as operations coordinator for Mt. St. Benedict, the community’s primary residence. For several years, she chaired the committee responsible for the community’s summer festival and was a member of many other committees with a broad range of responsibilities. She was a member of the advisory and building committees for Mt. St. Benedict Monastery and for a later addition to the building. Most recently, she was a member of the committee responsible for the renovation of the Mt. St. Benedict chapel completed last year.

Sister Mary Philip loved beauty and order and pursued them in her myriad activities and across her all-encompassing interests. There was always the special touch to add, the latest subject to learn, the newest friend to meet and the next trip to enjoy­at 88 years of age, she flew to England to visit one of those new friends and found travel “easy” and England “breathtaking“.

Preceded in death by her parents, her brother, James, and her brother-in-law, Richard Kraut, Sister Mary Philip is survived by her Benedictine community, by her sister, Helen Kraut, her sister-in-law-Evelyn Kiehlmeier, her nieces and nephews: Joanne Kraut Cargioli, Richard and David Kraut, Janet Kiehlmeier Conway, Mary Ann, James and Joseph Kiehlmeier and by her grandnieces and grandnephews.

Arrangements by Brugger Funeral Home Viewing: Service of Memories: Mass of Christian Burial: Memorials may be made to Heritage of Hope, the capital campaign of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. Friends may call at Mount St. Benedict Monastery, 6101 East Lake Road Wednesday from 2 p.m. until the Service of Memories at 7 p.m. and on Thursday from 2 p.m. until the Mass of Christian Burial at 5:30 p.m.

Lenten Vigils

"Our life is a journey and Lent is a small model of the journey that Jesus took through the temptations of his very real human existence."

[ read Sister Christine's reflection ]

Lenten Vigils will take place every Saturday during Lent at Mount St. Benedict Monastery, 6101 East Lake Road. Vigils begin at 7 p.m. The following Sisters and Oblate Eileen Zinchak will offer reflections:

Feb. 9 Helen Heher, OSB	Feb. 16 Eileen Zinchiak	Feb. 23 Margaret Zeller, OSB
March 1 Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, prioress	March 8 Anne McCarthy, OSB	March 15 Therese Glass, OSB

Capital Campaign Update

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie continue to be most grateful for the generous support of the Heritage of Hope Capital Campaign. As of December 31, pledges total $7, 739,617 with $6,258,942 received in cash.

A more detailed campaign report will be published in the winter issue of the Mount magazine.

For information about the campaign, please contact Sister Mary Jane Vergotz, OSB, at (814) 899-0614, Ext. 2409 or Jo Clarke, Ext. 2281.

A Christmas Meditation in Motion

Sister Jean Wolbert, OSB, liturgist, shares that the Mercyhurst College Liturgical Dance Ensemble prayed a Communion Meditation (Christmas Hymn) on January 13 at the 9:30 a.m. celebration of the Eucharist. They then performed some Christmas selections at 11 a.m. in the chapel.

The Mercyhurst College Liturgical Dance Ensemble is a studentdirected organization. As a volunteer organization, the ensemble is devoted to community outreach and involvement. The Liturgical Dance Ensemble gives dance majors an opportunity to utilize dance performance in exploration of their spirituality. Through this exploration students are able to share their gift and passion for the art of dance in direct relation with their faith.

Sister Dianne Briefs FNL

The Erie Community Foundation’s Fund for New Leadership (FNL) held an issues briefing for its members on November 5. Sister Dianne Sabol, OSB, representing the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, gave a presentation on the Sisters’ Inner-City Ministry funding needs. The FNL is a donor-advised fund that encourages a new generation of civic leadership to come together to help make a difference in the community. Sister Dianne is the director of the St. Benedict Community Center. The center provides recreational and therapeutic facilities that meet the needs of a diverse group of physically, mentally and emotionally challenged person, and at-risk youth.

Tune In!

Sister Marilyn Schauble, OSB, was interviewed by Franciscan Radio in a broadcast that aired Christmas Eve. She spoke about the late Sister Mary David Callahan’s chants, the Neighborhood Art House and the Erie Benedictine community in reference to music and prayer for the American Catholic Radio topic “Living Faith.”

To hear Sister Marilyn’s very insightful comments about music and the church, click here. OR you can visit FranciscanRadio.org and click on to Listen to past programs; then click Dec. 24. You will see her listed as the “Living Faith” interview.

Franciscan Radio is the home of weekly Catholic audio and is a project of St. Anthony Messenger Press.

Sister Marilyn has an MA in church music and liturgy and a second master’s degree in theology with a concentration in monastic studies. Currently she teaches music at the Neighborhood Art House. Sister Marilyn is a certified piano tuner and a cantor/soloist for funerals; she is also the oblate director for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie.

Sweet: Brownies and a "Candy Campfire"

Sister Helen Heher, OSB, CTRS (Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist) hosted Brownie Scout Troop #595 at Mount St. Benedict Monastery on Sunday, January 13 to help them earn their “Outdoor Fun” badge. After guiding the Brownies in creating a “candy campfire” to learn the necessary components and skills for building a campfire, these third-grade girls from Cathedral Center School, Erie, donned their boots and mittens and headed outdoors to assemble a real campfire. Once outside, Sister Helen also taught them how to make and follow a trail.

The day culminated in roasting hot dogs on the fire the troop had built. A fun day was had by all including Sister Helen’s helpers. The Belmonte family was there: Jill Belmonte (infirmary manager at the monastery) and her husband Anthony, along with their daughters Michaela (a Brownie) and Lauren. Other helpers were Benedictine Sisters Kate Disbrow, OSB; Marilyn Schauble, OSB; and Charlotte Zalot, OSB; as well as oblates Vena Eastwood (visiting from England) and Joan Heher (Sister Helen’s mother).

Ongoing Journal, Online

Sister Susan Doubet, OSB, announces that she is sharing some of the daily goings-on at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in a blog. “Things that occur in the daily, in their simplicity, truly do make them holy,” she said. Read “Light Through Stained-Glass Windows” at eriebenedictines.blogspot.com. Of course, the name comes from the magnificent windows in the monastery chapel.

This ongoing journal is posted on Mondays and Thursdays. Sister Susan is the executive director of AIM USA and research assistant to Sister Joan Chittister, OSB.

“I especially had in mind our oblates who live outside of Erie and our many guests and family members. I thought people that love our community but don’t get to come here very often would enjoy reading about “everyday goings-on” in the community.”

Sister Joan Voted Most Inspirational Woman

Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, is featured in a special issue about women in this month’s U.S. Catholic magazine.

A league of their own: Though women have often been sidelined in church life and history, U.S. Catholic readers come up with an all-star roster, writes Megan Sweas in this Reader Survey about the women who inspire us.

From the story:

The most admirable grouldcommanp of women, earning esteem from 68 percent of readers, are women who work for peace and justice.

Working for justice within the church is the reason readers voted Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. by far the most inspirational woman currently alive. “She works for change from within the community she calls her home. She is an example of what it means to be on fire with the Spirit, loving her church so much that she can not sit quietly in the face of injustice,” says Kaija DeWitt of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. DeWitt adds, however,  that “some of the most inspiring women in the church today, Chittister first among them, are not touted as so by the hierarchy.”

Please click on the link above to read the entire story.

U.S. Catholic is a monthly forum for lay Catholics, covering issues of concern to Catholics in their everyday lives.

Sister Marian Featured in Oil City Story

Sister Marian Wehler, OSB, who along with Sister Clare Marie Beichner, SSJ, directs Catholic Rural Ministry in Oil City, was featured in a story in the Oil City Derrick recently.

Here is the story, posted with permission.

(*Note: Sister Marian is a Benedictine Sister of Erie; Sister Clare Marie is a Sister of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pa.)

Benedictine sisters* offer help to those who desire a renewed spirit of faith
By NICHOLAS A. HESS

Sister Marian Wehler (left) talks to Sister Clare Marie Beichner about one of the souvenirs she brought back from her time spent doing missionary work in Africa. The two have taken up residence in the former rectory of the Assumption parish in Oil City and plan to stay in the area for some time, offering ministry work under Catholic Rural Ministry II.

Two Benedictine sisters from Erie* have found a home in what was the former rectory of the Assumption parish in Oil City, making it their mission to bring the people of Venango and surrounding counties a renewed spirit in their religious faith.

And they are doing it with open arms and a friendly smile.

“It’s a breath of fresh air for many people to see sisters again,” said Sister Clare Marie Beichner, a sister of St. Joseph. “We are so excited to learn about the history of the area and meet people.”

Having been in the area for more than four months — the two officially began their work in early September — Beichner and Sister Marian Wehler, part of the Order of St. Benedict, want to nurture the development of people’s religious devotion and offer their services and aid to believers of all denominations.

“We are trying to be as much of a listening presence as possible, hearing the needs and desires of people rather than only telling them our own agendas,” Wehler said. “We are coming in here with no preconceived ideas.”

The two, part of Catholic Rural Ministry II — one of the ministries of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Erie — were selected after the ministry’s success in Potter and McKean counties. First pioneered by Sister Phyllis Schleicher and Sister Mary Hoffman, both members of the Order of St. Benedict, the outreach has flourished since its 1999 introduction and continues to remain a strong community commitment — having grown to reach 200 youth, 900 adults and 250 elderly as of 2006.

And due to the immense amount of positive feedback received from their presence, local pastors were prompted to seek similar ministries in their own parishes and communities in an effort to offer residents the same type of guidance and assistance.

“We see and know the beauty of a rural community,” said Wehler, a former resident of Elk, a small city on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland. “Both of us come with a great love for rural life, being a part of smaller communities of faith ourselves.”

“There is a richness about being in the rural setting,” said Beichner, who is from the Fryburg area. “There is just a wealth in people, expression of outreach and the depth of the faith is very profound.”

However, without the assistance of Msgr. John W. Swoger, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Oil City, both sisters agreed they may not have had the opportunity to serve the region.

Swoger, vicar for the Western Vicariate of the diocese, first proposed the idea to host sisters in the immediate vicinity in the fall of 2006, and the plan received strong support.

From there, sisters from all over the Erie Diocese were called upon, and those interested went through various interviews and selection processes to determine the proper match for the location.

“This has really been a deep calling for me,” said Beichner, who added that at one time there were many sisters throughout the diocese, although those numbers have dropped. “We feel it is a very natural outreach for both of us.”

Catholic Rural Ministry II, intended for the 15 parishes in Venango, Clarion, Crawford and Forest counties, has afforded Beichner and Wehler the chance to further their mission of “bringing hope and God’s compassionate presence’ through a ministry of presence and outreach.”

Having already started to leave their mark on the area through faith sharing gatherings, reflection and enrichment sessions, as well as numerous visitations to the homebound, nursing homes and families in need, both sisters agreed “this is definitely an ongoing story.”

The two sisters, who have a combined 77 years of experience in their areas of service, are excited about the journey that lies ahead, but they both said that in order to continue offering such ministry work, “an effort to secure sufficient funds is a priority.”

“I really believe this is another level of outreach to people,” said Beichner, who keeps in regular contact with the St. Elizabeth Center in Oil City to assist in development.

Beichner, who also meets with various neighborhood groups, said “it is such a small world and we are seeing the interconnections between people. It has really been a blessing.”

“As long as we are needed, I think we will stay,” said Wehler, who noted the sisters’ work has no set ending date. “Right now, this is our commitment.”

Anyone who wants more information may contact the two sisters at ruralministry@yahoo.com or by telephone at (814) 677-2032.