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December 2018
Volume 12, Issue 12
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Dear friend in Christ,
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given."
(Isaiah 9:6)
I'm starting this letter with a Christmas quote because, here at the monastery, we are in the midst of the Christmas season. Outside, it may feel as if Christmas is over, but we'll keep Christmastide until the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, January 13. At that point, we will move into the liturgical season of Ordinary Time (winter). It's a beautiful tradition to keep an extended Christmas season, a reminder of the significance of God become human.
It's also truly enjoyable to keep up the celebrations after the Advent period of waiting. We don't wait miserably, but with a mounting sense of excitement. Schola rehearsals reach a peak for the Christmas services, the bakery, kitchen and individual sisters prepare Christmas treats, trees and decorations appear around the monastery and sisters and staff enjoy one another's company at social events which help us celebrate one another. Nevertheless, these activities are part of the waiting and it's wonderful to make Christmas a longer period for festivity after the build-up.
What most people celebrate as New Year is part of the Christmas season. On January 1, we’ll be focusing on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother God, another reminder of the great miracle of Christ's birth as a human being, who had a human mother.
We do, however, know that January 1 is also New Year’s Day 2019! That means that a new tax year begins. If you are still planning an end of year gift which counts for the 2018 tax year, we have prepared a
guideline
to help you make sure it reaches us in time.
Thank you for many ways in which you have supported the sisters throughout 2018 and for the many kindnesses you have shown us.
May 2019 bring you peace, joy and many blessings!
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Karen Rose, OSB
Director of Mission Advancement
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Sister Judy Kramer left during the last week of November for El Paso, Texas, where she is helping provide assistance to immigrants through January 5.
S. Judy was responding to a call from the
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) for communities across the United States to send helpers. Here at home, we are keeping an information and prayer board to support S. Judy in her mission.
Photo: Sister Judy Kramer (left) with two Victory Knoll sisters
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Thanks to your generosity during Give to the Max, we surpassed our goal and raised enough money to install our new phone system! Thank you to all of our supporters for helping us enhance our technology so we can more easily minister to all who are spiritually hungry, no matter where they may live. Also, thank you to Sister Tamra Thomas, our technology coordinator, who helped get the new system up and running.
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In Loving Memory of S. Mary Jo Donaldson
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Sister Mary Jo Donaldson entered eternal life on December 4, 2018. Her presence will be missed both here and in Eau Claire, Wis., where she spent much of her life, but we rejoice with her in her coming home to God.
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Sister Nina Lasceski (center) is a member of the
Great River Chorale
. On the first weekend of Advent, they performed a concert at St. Mary's Cathedral and Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The concert was called "What Sweeter Music" and was a program of Christmas music from the British Isles. The Cantabile Choristers and Cantabile Girls' Concert Choir also performed.
Pictured left to right: Sisters Mariterese Woida, Mary Reuter, Nina Lasceski, Karen Rose and Georganne Burr.
Photo: S. Thomasette Scheeler
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The
Art and Heritage Place
received a fun surprise during St. Joseph's Community Winter Walk on November 30. After performing at the Heritage Center, the Dwyer family, an instrumental and singing group known as “The Song of My People,” stopped over and entertained guests at the Art and Heritage Place from 6:45 – 8 p.m.
Pictured left to right: Joe Meyer, John Dwyer, Jim Dwyer and Lane Triscko
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Thank you to all our friends who returned their Christmas prayer cards, which were hung on trees at Saint Benedict's Monastery and Saint Scholastica Convent. If you have not yet returned it, please do so whenever you are ready. It is our joy and honor to pray for you.
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To add some fun to finals week, the
College of Saint Benedict hosted a late-night pancake breakfast, at which some of our sisters helped serve.
Pictured: Sister Sharon Nohner (right) serving breakfast with a CSB student
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'Tis the season for cookie decorating! Sisters Nina Lasceski, Tammy Shoemaker and Laura Suhr decorated cookies for a monastery Christmas party hosted by the mission advancement department.
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Sisters at Saint Scholastica Convent made some ornaments to adorn their Christmas trees.
Pictured: Sisters Rosemary Lenneman (left) and Kara Hennes working on an ornament
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Thanks to all our friends who joined us Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Photo: Nancy Bauer, OSB
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We may not have had a white Christmas, but an after-Christmas snow storm added some beauty to the monastery campus.
Photo: Amanda Motz
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Haehn Museum Exhibit Extended Though 2019
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"It's All God's Work," the current exhibit at the
Haehn Museum, has been extended through December 2019! Plan a visit to marvel over the beautiful works of the monastery's former art needlework department, which operated for 101 years. While there, take a look in Whitby Gift Shop.
The Art and Heritage Place is closed from December 23 through January 21. It will re-open on Tuesday, January 22.
Photo: Tommy O'Laughlin
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Thank you for sharing your time, talent and treasure with us as we respond to the needs of the world. Your partnership is vital to us as we strive to bring a ray of hope to a dark world.
If you'd like to partner with us to support our mission and ministries, you can make a secure online donation to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict below.
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With steadfast gratitude,
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Karen Rose, OSB
Director of Mission Advancement
Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict
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