BENEDICTINE TOUCHSTONE Summer 2017 Benedictine Nuns • St. Emma Monastery • 1001 Harvey Avenue • Greensburg, PA 15601 Website www.stemma.org • Phone: (724) 834-3060 • Fax (724) 834-5772 • Email [email protected] Let him write this document (his monastic vows) with his own hand; and let the novice make his mark, and with his own hand place it on the altar. Chapter 58 Rule of St. Benedict, “Admission of Brethren” 2 Benedictine Nuns Prioress’ Reflection By Mother Mary Anne Noll OSB The “It” factor, the altar and the New Covenant “It” is such a small word con- sisting of one vowel and one consonant but our experience of “it” can be mas- sive, overwhelming, and devastating as in the phrases, “What’s it all about?” or “It’s not fair”. These statements have caused me considerable grief—even though I have had a very blessed life! Every so often life seems to buckle up on us or we get caught in a swinging door. Sometimes our body seems to “turn on us” and unruly cells become a cancer- ous tumor or blood tests show red flags or the pancreas goes on strike. A generation of us blessed to have been educated by Sisters eternal covenant, shed for you and for the remission of our sins.” especially in Catholic Schools learned to offer” it” up. When Perhaps we should hear that as Jesus wanting to refresh, make something went wrong, we were advised to offer” it” up. Not current, update His covenant with me, making it a NEW applica- your favorite thing to eat? Offer “it” up. When you experienced tion with us each offering up of ourselves along with the bread pain or suffering or hardship, offer “it” up—with Jesus’ offer- and wine. We have the opportunity at each Mass to also renew ing so that this suffering or hardship could become redemptive and update our contract with God, to sign over our life THIS day, for someone who was in need of some spiritual help around the in THESE circumstances, with THESE people. We figuratively world. sign our card of commitment yet another time to keep our offer- Some years ago, it became somewhat fashionable to mock ing of self both current and complete. the idea of offering “it” up. If we don’t offer it up, what do we Currently another “it” makes the news constantly but our do with “it”? We can curse it or resent (continually re-play the culture uses capital letters and it becomes “IT” for information tape) “it” but the “it” is still there. technology! Whatis.com describes “Information technology What do we offer up each time when we attend Mass? Thir- (IT) as the use of any computers, storage, networking and other ty five years ago, the late Fr. Simon Toth OSB of St. Vincent physical devices, infrastructure and processes to create, process, Archabbey encouraged us during our community retreat to of- store, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data.” fer something “current” each day at Mass. To recall the past Our minds and our hearts constantly process, store, secure 24 hours or the past seven days and identify a specific blessing and create a pattern or try to make sense out of our experiences. or joy or a problem that got resolved and offer that to God. On Our perceptions color our judgments; our emotions help deter- the other side of the scale, to mention something specific that mine our perceptions. Our storage and retrieval of information “crossed” us or our plans or rubbed us the wrong way and offer and experiences either help us to heal and become freer or help “it” to God. us to create bondage. What is our basis After all isn’t that what Jesus did? He consecrated His ev- The Benedictine Touchstone is published ery moment to the Father. Is it not wonderful that “nothing was for our informational by the Sisters of St. Benedict of Westmo- wasted” in Jesus’ life? When Jesus prayed, “Father let this cup,” storage? reland County for our friends and benefac- this situation, this immediate future pass from me, He took on Continued on page 4 tors: every one of our similar prayers and situations. Publisher and Editor At each Mass, we hear the words of Jesus through the per- Mother Mary Anne Noll OSB son of the priest, “This is the cup of my blood, of the new and Development Director Barbara Mayer Graphic Arts and Design Benedictine Nuns Daily Prayer Schedule Susan Garrison 5:25 a.m ~ Vigils If you have questions or comments about 6:25 a.m. ~ Lauds this publication, please address them to: 7:00 a.m. ~ Eucharist St. Emma Monastery 8:40 a.m. ~ Terce* You are 1001 Harvey Avenue 11:40 a.m. ~ Sext/None* welcome to Greensburg, PA 15601-1494 5:00 p.m. ~ Vespers* join us! Phone (724) 834-3060 7:00 p.m. ~ Compline* Email: [email protected] * Times may vary; check with us. www.stemma.org Benedictine Nuns 3 By Mother Mary Anne Noll OSB A life given to God. How does it come about? Prioress’ Reflection By Sr. Margoretta, OSB The twenty-fourth! That day coincided with the day of the month The village of my beginnings had a fine my mother had chosen years before, as a member of the Rosary Catholic School of grades one through Society, to participate in their program to attend Mass and pray twelve, in which the Benedictine Sisters for vocations once a month. were the only teachers and daily Mass The next step was to visit the parish priest. Father was a very was a school event. There was one tall man and often considered unapproachable, not only because day during my high school years that of his very long feet, but because of his size and very deep voice I was helping one of the Sisters in the he could appear gruff. However, he had been our pastor for library after school, that she asked me, eighteen of my twenty years and I had grown to love and respect “Did you ever think of becoming a Sis- him. When I announced to him my intentions, he looked at me ter?” Of course I did, the desire to serve over his glasses and said, “You?!” Now that threw me a bit, but God and to sanctify myself was strong, but I was not sure that it I went on to ask for his blessing and to pray for me. That elicited was for me. the response, “Pray for yourself, then you’ll know you’ve been In this small village, the Church was the center of activity prayed for.” (Well, that didn’t go too badly). and there were few other influences to distract me. My family, After years of deciding and resisting, the twenty-fourth of too, was very much attuned to what our religion meant. Family April had come, the date which Mother Superior had chosen. rosary each evening and communal rosary, litany and benediction Fortified with Sunday Mass and a light lunch of my mother’s at Church each week, as well as stations (of the cross) during Lent chicken noodle soup and jello, it was time to depart. My 10-year- were instrumental in guiding me to think about the religious life. old little sister, who was sick that day and couldn’t go, clung to Mostly though, my mother was the example, for all of us, so much me and wept as we said good-bye. My father, who did not want so that later I found it difficult to distinguish between her and the to show his emotions, found a piece of farm machinery to work Novice Mistress (this made the transition easier at the convent). on at the other end of the fenced-in garden. I stepped into the After high school graduation, three years had gone by before I yard and waved good-bye as I walked to the car, taking with me decided to do something about following the call that was drawing the few items I required for my stay. The rest of the family did me. I arranged for a meeting with Mother Superior at Saint Mary’s not remember going, but I know I didn’t go alone. I was pensive Monastery and drove up to see her. When I expressed to her my during the hour-and-a-half trip, watching the scenery go by as I desire to enter the community, she asked, “When would you like knew that I would not be coming this way again, since at that time this to happen?” “As soon as possible” I answered, not wanting to we were not permitted home visits. give time to change my mind. She surprised me by saying, “How Continued on page 4 about the Sunday after Easter, that will be the twenty-fourth?” “They should value nothing whatever above Christ himself, and may he bring us all together to eternal life.” (Rule of St. Benedict, chapter 72, fin) Searching for a God-centered, spiritual community? St. Benedict’s words, written in the 6th century, are alive at St. Emma’s Monastery and strike home to women who truly seek God in a spirit of simple living and want to fulfill the reality of their baptism in the way they live. St. Benedict’s Rule is relevant today, is rooted in Scripture, and appeals to many who want a deeper relationship with Christ. Find out more about the Benedictine Nuns at St. Emma’s Monastery with a visit.