CanticleSt. Gertrude’s Summer 2005 C A Journal of Our Life Spirituality & Retreat Ministry Look Inside Reaching Out, Sharing Our Lives by Sr. Teresa Jackson, Outreach Retreats Got Free Time? .......... 3 Coordinator Life’s Lesson ............... 5 “Blessings of the Spirit” took on many layers of meaning as our community gathered on Aug. 1st Developments............. 6 to bless our new Spirit Center. With the notes of “Bless This Place” ringing Take Action ................ 7 through the halls, the beauty of the earth-tone rooms shone as sisters walked with holy water and branch in hand to bless each room. No one could doubt we have been blessed by the Spirit. A visitor enjoys easy access to Spirit Center’s front entrance. This view looks south from the monastery. But the blessings don’t end there. We are profoundly grateful for the blessings of you, our supporters. Your continued commitment and generosity allow us to share With the addition of Spirit our monastic way of life with “All guests who present themselves Center, we can now reach out those who come seeking and share in more expansive God’s peace and grace. A pri- are to be welcomed as Christ, who said: ways. The new building fea- mary way of doing this is ‘I was a stranger and you tures 22 bedrooms and three through retreats and outreach welcomed me.’” conference rooms, as well as Stay in Touch! ministry. —Rule of Benedict some hand-made furnishings, stunning prairie views and a PHONE: Monastic spirituality is a solar energy system. Monastery call to live a simple, ordi- (208) 962-3224 nary life focused on God. When most people think The new space allows us to welcome more guests Museum of monasteries, they think of silent, cloistered and host more than one group at a time. It also (208) 962-7123 places where people seek to flee the world. The allows us to offer retreats targeted for special reality, however, is that men and women who live groups, as well as our popular annual retreats, such EMAIL: the monastic tradition have always reached out to as “Come to the Quiet” and “Centering Prayer”. [email protected] share their spirituality. [email protected] This fall we are offering retreats for church secre- [email protected] In the 6th century St. Benedict, who taught the im- taries and women in pastoral leadership, gather- [email protected] portance of hospitality, said a monastery will never ing women in similar ministries to share across [email protected] be without guests. His observation continues to denominational lines. This winter we will offer [email protected] be true today. Here at the monastery, we welcome our first “fiber-craft” retreat, aimed at knitters and a steady flow of nearly 1,200 guests each year crocheters wishing to integrate their spirituality WEBSITE: coming to share our way of life and spirituality. and love of craft. www.StGertrudes.org See “Outreach” on page 7 Greetings from the Prioress Dear Friends, weaknesses of body or behavior. ... No nancial options in order to carry out our monastics are to pursue what they judge mission to the world. Exciting and worth- while challenges, indeed! This Canticle’s theme is “Outreach”—a better for themselves, but instead, what call that is deeply rooted in our Judaeo- they judge better for someone else.” As we meet over these next months, we Christian heritage and in our Benedictine will strategize on how to deepen and legacy as well. So, how do we as a community commit ourselves to the happiness and well being strengthen our own inner life, so as to place the fruits of our ongoing transformation in Many Old Testament stories give inspir- of the human family today? How do we service of the world. ing examples of those who reached out to determine the direction our outreach will others in spite of their own needs. I am take? Another dimension of our outreach is each sure you all remember Abraham and his sister’s individual ministry. On August 4 extravagant hospitality to strangers. In Jesus we see someone we gathered in chapel to ritualize our con- whose entire life was spent tinued commitment to service. As Prior- Ruth has always been one of my favorite ess, I was deeply touched as each sister examples of loving outreach. Accompany- reaching out to others. came forward to be missioned for service. ing her mother-in-law Naomi back to her Each held a deep desire to serve, whether homeland after both of her sons had died by praying for the needs of the world, do- always impressed me as an act of gener- mestic service in the community or a min- ous outreach, certainly more than what was istry reaching out to the needs of the wider required of her. We spent a week last November setting our community. direction statements for the next six years. In Jesus we see someone whose entire life We decided as a community to focus our Each sister was given a container of soil was spent reaching out to others. Through communal and individual energies around and some seeds as a reminder to plant the his ministry he empowered many to move four goals: seeds of healing hospitality, grateful sim- beyond their fears and limited vision. His 1) Grounded in our contemplative call, plicity and creative peacemaking gener- invitation to be people for others who en- we will grow in our global awareness and ously and joyfully. gage in causes greater than themselves has will actively engage in peace-making and echoed through the centuries and contin- works of justice; As I sign off on this letter, I am filled with ues to inspire others to make a similar com- 2) Seeking God together in commu- gratitude for each member of this commu- mitment. nity, we will consciously choose a healthy relational style of life that will sustain us; nity, our employees, our oblates, our vol- 3) Eager to journey with the Gospel as unteers, our donors and our friends. I am Nor does St. Benedict overlook the call to our guide, we will develop and provide knowing more each day what a blessing be people for others. I love how he puts it structures which will shape, strengthen and you are. Your outreach is generous, unself- in Chapter 72 of his rule: “They exercise the leadership gifts of each mem- ish and never-failing. [monastics] should each try to be the first ber for the good of the community; and to show respect to the other, supporting 4) trusting and embracing God’s prom- with the greatest patience one another’s ise for the future, we will seek creative fi- St. Gertrude’s Canticle: A Journal of Our Life is published three times each year by the Development Office at the Monastery of St. Gertrude. Sr. Mary Kay Henry, OSB, Director of Development. Darla Anglen-Whitley, Editor. (208) 962-5061 EMAIL [email protected] • www.StGertrudes.org 2 St. Gertrude’s Canticle Got Free Time? Give It to a Good Cause The sisters of St. Gertrude often wear Placida, who has been sewing for families many hats. While their vocation is serv- in need for the past 15 or 20 years. ing God, their vacation often is too. From piano lessons to crocheting to Sr. Aelred Oakley’s recreation often Scottish dance, there’s no shortage of tal- proves priceless for others, too. Skilled in ents to share with those in need. Scottish dance, Sr. Aelred regularly enter- tains patients at a Grangeville nursing “My real job,” said Sr. Placida home with jaunty dance numbers. Wemhoff with a smile, “is director of maintenance. ... Sewing is a hobby.” “Their faces light up when Sr. Aelred takes the stage and the music starts,” Postulant When she’s not mowing lawns, monitor- Donna Palm said of the nursing home resi- ing operations or tinkering with the boiler, dents. “It’s smiles all around.” Sr. Placida can often be found in the sew- ing room, fashioning fabric donated to the Novice Mary Mendez has used her gift Sr. Placida Wemhoff enjoys using her talent monastery into clothes for the poor. for knitting for the greater good. Earlier for sewing to give joy to those in need. this year, she created a collection of infant “When some white cloth in various wear for premature babies to give to the Sr. Jean Ihli devotes her free time to shades, linens, satin and lace came in, I poor. She also knits baby booties that look taking the Eucharist to those in our lo- decided to make some baptismal and like miniature tennis shoes to sell in the cal community who aren’t as mobile as First Communion gowns,” said Sr. monastery gift shop. they used to be. In Loving Memory: Sr. Mildred Lustig Sr. Mildred Lustig, 91, died at the Monas- tery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, ID, on “We must attempt to bring ourselves May 30, 2005 after a brief illness. into God’s presence through prayer, Born Esther Elizabeth Henrietta to Victor remembrance and spiritual sayings. George and Mary Elizabeth Jansen Lustig God’s presence is a mighty place to be.” in 1913, Sr. Mildred grew up the fourth of 11 children on a farm near Greencreek, ID. Her religious devotion began at an early nize the Idaho Medical Record Associa- age, when she and her siblings would re- tion (now the Idaho Health Information cite 4,000 Hail Marys on the way to school Management Association). She served during Advent. Encouraged by her mother, terms as vice president, director, and jour- Esther joined the monastery’s formation nal editor before her retirement in 1979.