News of the Sisters

A Look Back

1912 - 100 Years Ago
- Permission was received from the Sacred Congregation in Rome to borrow money for the construction of a new chapel and the Academy building (later named Howard Hall). Archbishop Christie laid the chapel corner stone on June 16th.
- August 2nd the cornerstone of the Academy was laid by Archbishop Christie.
- A building appeal was made and over $1000 was received in donations that ranged from 25 cents to 25 dollars.


1937 - 75 Years Ago
- 27 inches of snow fell on February 1 & 2.
- The Annals for September 20th report: "The installation of the oil system for heating the convent and chapel is completed and we are well satisfied with it."
- The Annals for November 17th report: "Today, the Feast of St. Gertrude, we chanted Lauds for the first time. It took a good many practice periods until we were acquainted with some of these long canticles."
- Sister Agatha Hess died on December 18th . Sr. Agatha was Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters from1901-1916 and 1925-1931. Agatha Hall is named after her.


1962 - 50 Years Ago
- Sister Joeine Darrington celebrated her Silver Jubilee. The Annals report: "Sr. Mary Joeine has piloted Mt. Angel Academy as principal through the recent Northwest Association accreditation having been principal since 1957. Sister has spent most of her teaching years at the motherhouse, directing high school and college classes and shouldering administrative duties. In 1941 she received her MS from the University of Oregon, writing on the Mt. Angel Creamery for her required dissertation. At present she is working toward her doctorate at the University of Portland."
- Sr. Rebecca Pirkl and Sr. Alice Ann Schaefer made their first profession on July 11th. Novices who received the Benedictine habit and white veil were: Sister Joan Pokorny and Sr. Jerome Zerr. Sr. Rene Foster is also celebrating her 50th this year as a professed religious.
- Mother Mary Gemma Piennett was Chair of the Northwest Regional Sister Formation Conference and was re-elected in 1962 as regional vice chair of the Major Superiors' Workshop at their meeting in late August.
- The Benedictine Nursing Center was one of ten nursing homes in Oregon to receive accreditation from the National Nursing Home Association. Construction of a $92,000 addition to the BNC began in September. Sister Antoinette Traeger, administrator of the BNC, was appointed to the Case Detection Committee of the Marion County Tuberculosis and Health Association. She was also re-elected as nursing home representative to the Oregon Catholic Hospital Association.


1987 - 25 Years Ago
- On March 28th, Sister Damian (Dorothy Jean) Beyer was elected prioress for the first time.
- Sister Jo Morton professed first vows on May 2nd.
- Sister Jill Aigner's book, Foundations Last Forever; Lectio Divina, a Mode of Scripture Prayer, sold out the first printing of 1500 copies and went into reprint.
- Bethlehem Retreat Centre (a ministry of the House of Bread, the daughter house of Queen of Angels Monastery) was dedicated on April 12th.

- Sr. Donna Marie Chartraw, prioress, represented her community at the most recent semi-annual meeting of the Oregon meeting of the NW Association of Bishops and Religious Superiors (NABRS). Sr. Donna Marie noted the agenda for this meeting always starts with personal sharing, followed a presentation and discussion on a special topic. The topic of this meeting was vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

- Sr. Jo Morton will celebrate her 25th Jubilee as a religious on Sunday, June 3, 2012.

- Following Easter Sunday services, Sr. Maureen Niedermeyer retired from her position as Director of Music at St. Mary Parish. Sr. Maureen, who has been the driving force behind the monthly Taize Prayer services at the Monastery and the annual Founders' Day Concerts said, "I have loved being with wonderful and dedicated musicians and staff, so saying goodbye will be hard, but I look forward to being more available to my community. Also, having more leisure time will allow me to practice my harp more and do some creative projects."

- There are now more new flavors of Monastery Mustard to choose from. Royal Raspberry and Mystic Marionberry are the latest concoctions of mustard chef Sr. Terry Hall. See www.monasterymustard.com for details on ordering.

- Sr. Teresa Henscheid was featured in the March 16 issue of the Catholic Sentinel as part of the Sentinel's look at gardening practices of Catholic institutions. An excerpt from the article: "Sr. Teresa, 76, maintains the leafy legacy (at the monastery). The slim retired registered nurse grew up one of 14 children on a southern Idaho potato farm and knows her way around a plant - which are many and varied at 40-acre Queen of Angels Monastery."


                       

Provide Support for the Benedictine Sisters

Want to provide support for the Benedictine Sisters in painless, hassle-free way? The Sisters have enrolled in eScrip, a program that pays a percentage of purchases made at participating merchants to non-profit groups like the Sisters. If you shop at Safeway and have a Safeway Club Card, you can enroll in the eScrip program and have a percentage of your everyday grocery purchases donated to the Sisters every time you use your Club Card. To enroll, log onto www.escrip.com and go to the “Members/Supporter” section. Follow the directions under “Register Now” – the Benedictine Sisters Group ID # is 9614388. There is no cost to you!

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