Subprioresses

Sisters Philomena Fleck (Elizabeth, NJ) and the speaker, Karen Joseph (Ferdinand, IN)

Sisters Stella Marie Gough (Covington, KY) and Francine Stallbaumer (Colorado Springs, CO)

Sisters Mary Elizabeth Schweiger (Atchison, KS), and Evelyn Detting (Pittsburgh, PA)

Sisters Marie Therese Long (Tulsa, OK), Mary Elizabeth Cassidy (Ridgely, MD) and Mariella Hathorn (Chicago, IL)

On Sept. 20th, 2007, twenty-four Benedictine Sisters, ages 41-81 gathered together in Elizabeth, New Jersey for the 13th Annual Subprioresses’ and Monastery Coordinators’ Meeting and Retreat.   You can recognize these women because of their quick smile, willingness to serve, flexibility and love for their communities. We come together each year for the companionship and support of one another, to get some needed rest and relaxation and to reflect through the wisdom of a speaker on our monastic call to serve our communities as the subprioress and monastery coordinators. .
        On this day we were greeted graciously and warmly by the Sisters of St. Walburga Monastery as they met us at the airport, showed us to our bedrooms and answered questions. During our stay these beautiful sisters embraced us with their love and hospitality as we joined the community for prayers, meals and recreation. They toured us around their monastery, New Jersey and New York and attended to our every need. Since offering hospitality is one of the major responsibilities of the subprioresses and monastery coordinators, we could well appreciate every little detail of planning that had been done for us. After a welcome by Sister Sharon McHugh, Prioress, and Sister Philomena Fleck, subprioress, and partaking in an Ice Cream Sundae Bar, we slept well and secure. .
     Sister Karen Joseph, OSB was our presenter and her theme was: “Be Salt! Be Light! Be Fully Alive!”   She began her first session with Chapter 65 of the Rule of Benedict on the prior (subprioress) of the Monastery. She said “Benedict does not like the prior and this chapter is one of the hardest and harshest chapters in the Rule.” However, Sister Karen as a former subprioress, prioress and Prioress General of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, has the greatest respect for this position. The subprioress is called to be humble, flexible, working for the preservation of peace and love, and carrying out respectfully what the prioress (abbot) wants to be done. “When this is done well the impact on the community is powerful,” according to Sister Karen. .
     Using that as her starting point, Sister Karen invited us to reflect on the Sermon on the Mount. “Be salt!” she encouraged us, reminding us that salt is a preservative, gives flavor and is there for the sake of the whole. She posed the question: “How fresh is my salt?” Through her well received input, private reflection, small and large group discussions we also were encouraged to “Be Light”. “Keep in touch with your passion, with your fire for it creates energy, gives joy. We need to live from God’s heart, burning ourselves until our last breath.” Her last conference invited us “To Be Fully Alive.” We are only limited by our imagination. Sister Karen invited us to reach inside ourselves to discover what we really desire and to live authentically. With her powerful words, the subprioresses and monastery coordinators were never at a loss as to what to talk about. The sharing with one, two or three individuals, as well as the whole group was welcomed by all. We easily recognized the different issues, concerns and joys of one another. There is wisdom that is gleaned from one another. . We did enjoy the welcoming embrace of the St. Walburga community, sharing the wisdom of Sister Karen Joseph, relaxing, laughing and offering support and wisdom to one another. It is a gift to be a subprioress and/or monastery coordinator and we went from there with the desire to give our communities more flavor through being salt and light. We want to be fully alive.

Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger
Atchison, KS