"Family Visit"...

In the Rule Saint Benedict advocates a balanced life of prayer and work. For most monastics it is a life-long effort to find that equilibrium. Fortunately, the common life contains within it some customs and structures that help us to stay on track. Each year the sisters have one week of silent retreat to nourish the soul. Then, we have one week of vacation for rest and holy leisure. We are given is a third week for "family visit." For sisters whose families live at a great distance, this is a particular gift.

Today, I leave for a week with my immediate family in Charleston, SC. It's not our "home" per se, but because we have migrated there, "home" is about the people not the place. My "Dear Old Dad", Ed Ix, Obl. SB, is there. My two sisters, my brother and their families are all within 30 minutes of one another. For the first time I'll be able to hug on all seven nieces and nephews. I will be in Auntie-heaven! Today, I praise God for this wisdom-life, for the blessing of Benedictine balance and for our prioress who encourages us to be present to our families. Blessings and love to you all...

- Sister Vicki

PS - Look for a new blog on Saturday, 9/20.

It's not easy being me...

When I make a mistake, it’s usually a beauty. I happily consider every invitation to speak and consult my prioress appropriately. I heard from a lovely parish group I met with last year and they asked me to come again in September. That “yes” felt so right. It was such a warm community of women – faithful women committed to the spiritual enterprise in their lives, in their families and in their parish. Well…to make a long story short, I said “yes” to another parish entirely! I had no idea this women’s group was a diocesan-wide program. I thought this one parish had this excellent program going and that I’d been booked for a second visit. I found out about the second parish when the first parish called to invite me back. Duh! All I could do was apologize to the friends I made last year at St. Gabriel and offer to come after the New Year.

Certainly there wasn’t too much harm done here. But the confusion has left me humble and shaking my head. I know God “writes straight with crooked lines,” but sometimes I feel as if I’ve completely lost my ruler! I know something good will come of my buffoonery, because something always does. Perhaps, there is someone I’m supposed to meet at Epiphany? Or, maybe the winter visit to St. Gabriel will be for someone’s good? I don’t know. I do know that this God, who stuffed all my neat little gifts and foibles into this clay jar, is NOT surprised by my blunders. This God just wants to turn them all into blessing. So, make friends with your next mistake and ask God to do something wonderous with your foolishness. God will.

Blessings and love to you all…

- Sister Vicki

Still listening...

I love this job. (I mean ministry!) I’ve had some great jobs before I entered the monastery. One summer in college, I scooped at Baskin & Robbins. One employee benefit was a FREE pint of ice cream at the end of every shift! The polyester uniform was a blessing as I expanded quite a bit that summer. The best years of my adult life were spent in the classroom. The last teaching job I had was in a co-ed Catholic high school back home in NJ. The five years I spent at Bayley-Ellard were the most fulfilling in terms of teaching as a ministry. I’ve done some other crazy things in the world, but these two were my very favorite.

As Director of Vocation Ministry, I feel as if I’ve found the “job” that fits all my weird little gifts and interests. I get to walk with faithful women one-on-one as they seek God’s will in their lives. I get to work with a fantastic TEAM of sisters who make our weekend programming possible. I get to teach a little, talk about our life to anyone who’ll listen, plan projects with other Benedictine monasteries and network with vocation directors of all different orders who minister in this area of the country. My “job” is never dull, always challenging and a constant reminder of why I knocked on the door six years ago. For all this I am truly thankful.

This past weekend we made five new friends – faithful seekers who traveled to Bristow for the very first time. Meeting each woman face-to-face for the first time was a total joy. What began in e-mails and phone calls finally became flesh. This weekend for new inquirers immersed us all in the fundamentals of Benedictine monasticism. We prayed together, ate together and shared our stories. Those five women are very much in my heart today and in our grateful prayers. I love my job – especially, after a weekend like this one. God is truly blessing us. And wherever these good women settle, the Church, too, will be blessed.

Blessings and love to you...

- Sister Vicki