Four New Spiritual Directors Are Commissioned June 1

Vol. 43, No. 2
ST. SCHOLASTICA MONASTERY, Fort Smith, AR
Sister Cecelia Brickell, Rev. Victoria Fishel, Sister Rachel Dietz,
Betsy McNeil and Kimberly Workman at graduation June 1
Four New Spiritual Directors
Are Commissioned June 1
Sister Cecelia Brickell, Rev. Victoria Fishel, Betsy
McNeil and Kimberly Workman were commissioned
as spiritual directors at an afternoon service in the
monastery June 1. The four women had completed
a five-year course of study consisting of Retreat in
Daily Life; Introduction to Spiritual Direction; Spiritual
Classics; and two practicum years that gave them
the opportunity to engage in supervised spiritual direction.
“Spiritual direction and the five-year formation program has become one of the major ministries the
Benedictine Sisters offer for the well-being of the
Diocese of Little Rock and the ecumenical Christian
community in Arkansas,” Sister Rachel Dietz, Program Director, said. “Formerly, the Sisters served
the church primarily as educators of children. As
they age, they have readied themselves to continue
serving the church in the ministry of spiritual direction. The alumnae of St. Scholastica Academy made
July, 2014
a significant financial contribution towards scholarships for the Sisters training for this ministry. The
Sisters are very grateful for their assistance as it has
opened up a new ministry for them at a critical time
in community history.”
Sister Cecelia looks at the five-year experience as
a gift. “My experiences with spiritual direction (as a
directee, a student, and a director) has given me a
renewed appreciation and deeper understanding of
St. Paul’s theology of the Body of Christ. We truly
are essential to each other and gifts to each other,
even if it doesn’t always seem that way,” she said.
“I have become increasingly aware of God speaking to me through my director, my fellow directors in
supervision and through my directees as they share
their spiritual journeys with me. St. Benedict was so
wise in advising that each person should have the
opportunity to speak and be listened to attentively.
What spiritual direction teaches really is openness to
God and each other as we travel the spiritual journey
together.”
Ten directors have now completed the spiritual director formation program and are working with directees --Sisters Rachel Dietz, Stephanie Schroeder,
and Cecelia Brickell of the monastery; Surennah
Werley, Mike Boze, and Alice Nahas of Fort Smith;
Betsy McNeil of Rogers; Rev. Victoria Fishel of Tulsa and Kimberly Workman of Heber Springs. Several more will be beginning their first practicum year this fall.
Retreat in Daily Life, a thirty-week experience based
on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, will begin a
new session in October, 2014 at the monastery and
two northwest Arkansas locations. It may be taken
on its own or as the first step in spiritual director formation. For more information, contact Sister Rachel
at (479)783-4147 or by email at rachel@stscho.org.
To see more pictures of the graduation, click here:
A Message From the Prioress
Dear Friends one and all,
We are drawing near the end of the Easter Season as I share a few words with you in
this issue of Horizons. During this holy season we heard from the readings at the liturgy
about being good shepherds to and for those with whom we share our lives, whether
they are members of family, community, co-workers or those we come in contact with
each day.
On the eve of the beautiful feast of Pentecost three of our sisters will celebrate their
sixty years of monastic life. They are Sisters Madeline Bariola, Stephanie Schroeder and Rosalie Ruesewald. They have lived their baptismal and monastic call faithfully in their daily gift of life. We are grateful
for their example of fidelity to their promises and their ways of sharing our charism of hospitality with
others.
On Sunday, the day we celebrated the Solemnity of the Ascension our chaplain Father David gave
us a thought provoking homily on our call to discipleship. In the gospel story we heard how Jesus passed
on to his apostles his ability to help people in their time of need by lifting their burdens. He commissioned
them to do three things, which I believe is the call to all of us as baptized persons: to spread the Gospel
to all; to live our baptismal call as an example of discipleship; and to teach as Jesus did while he was
here on earth. We live Jesus’ commandments by fidelity to our Christian call with love for one another, our
willingness to help one another on our journey of discipleship. I find this a very challenging call.
I wish all of you, our friends, benefactors, Oblates, volunteers, donors, alumnae, and advisory board
members blessings and safety in whatever journeys you may be taking this summer. We are grateful to
all of you for your love and support.
Sister Rachel Dietz, OSB, LCSW was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arkansas Chapter of
the National Association of Social Workers at their
annual conference in Little Rock April 4.
She holds a Masters Degree in social work from St.
Louis University and has worked in the counseling field
in the Dioceses of Tulsa and Little Rock for more than
thirty years. She is currently the Director of the monastery’s five-year Spiritual Director Formation Program.
Every January she coordinates a Silent Directed Retreat
based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. She
also maintains a small counseling practice with an
emphasis on Marriage and Family Counseling.
Upon receiving this honor, Sister Rachel said: "Being a
social worker has been a great gift to me as it is there
that I see the face of God."
Vol. 43, No. 2
Horizons
July, 2014
Horizons is published three times a year by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, P.O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, AR 72913. Phone: 479-783-4147.
Email:Monastery@stscho.org Website: www.stscho.org FAX: 479-782-4352. Anyone is welcome to be on the mailing list at no charge.
Maryanne Meyerriecks.........Managing Editor
Sister Elise Forst, OSB.........Editorial Advisor Calvert McBride........Printers
From the Development Office
by Sister Elise Forst, OSB
Dear Friends,
Your response to the fall appeal letter was heartwarming. Your generosity in helping us care for
our dear elderly Sisters enables us to keep our Sisters who need special care here with us. It is
important to them, and to us, that they be able to participate in community as much as they can
and that we are able to visit them often. As you see in this issue of the newsletter, two of our
Sisters in the Infirmary have died since the last newsletter. It always seems though that there are
others who are reaching the stage where they need the help offered by our devoted Infirmary staff.
We also thank those who supplied items from the Wish List. Your concern and care for us is a daily reminder to
keep you and your loved ones in our prayer. In this time of great change in our community, we depend on your
prayers for us.
May all of you have some time for relaxation and renewal this summer.
If you know any people who may enjoy seeing Horizons,
please send their names and addresses to Sister Elise
Forst, P.O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, AR 72913 or email elise@
stscho.org. If you want to receive Horizons by email only,
contact Sister Elise at elise@stscho.org.
Please remember us when revising
or making your will. Our legal name is
St. Scholastica Monastery,
Fort Smith, Arkansas.
WISH LIST
Infirmary
- Inexpensive White Towels/Washcloths
- 4 Non-cloth Lift Recliners
- Extra Long Twin Sheets (Any color/pattern)
- Heavyweight White Anklet Socks
IT Department
- Tablets, Laptops, & Flat Screen Monitors
- Wireless Devices & Accessories
- Networking Equipment (Routers, Switches, Etc.)
USB Flash Drives, External Hard Drives, RAM
(2 GB minimum)
- Web Cams, Power Supplies, & Battery Backups
- Any other technology-related items
Sisters’ Needs
- Help with membership dues for Mercy Fitness Center
Retreat Center
- Kitchen Volunteers to assist at retreats
- Volunteers to help with maintaining the Labyrinth
- A set of ear phones for the CD player in Merton Lounge
- Monetary donations to the Formation in the Ministry of
Spiritual Direction Scholarship Fund
Gift Shop
- Volunteers for occasional work
On May 9, sisters and staff held a farewell party for
retiring Nursing and Infirmary Director Brenda Pereira.
In her almost sixteen years at St. Scholastica, Brenda
saw 78 sisters go home to heaven. Although she was
frequently on call, she loved her job and the sisters who
were in her care. Last year she began an arts and crafts
program for the sisters, who made switchplates, bubble
art, ornaments, and other items as room decorations and
gifts for friends.
Brenda was feted with cake, ice cream, balloons, gifts,
music, dancing, and lots of hugs. Sister Elizabeth Rossi,
who has just recently moved into the infirmary, was inspired to write a poem about Brenda. In the photo above,
Sister Elizabeth reads through her tears:
“We love you and will miss you in every way.
May God love and bless you day by day.”
Three Diamond Jubilarians
Reflect on 60 Years
of Monastic Life
On June 7, Sisters Madeline Bariola, Rosalie Ruesewald, and
Stephanie Schroeder celebrated their diamond jubilees at a
Mass presided over by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and followed
by a reception and dinner in their honor.
In their own words, each reflected on the gifts and challenges
they have experienced in sixty years of living the monastic vows
they first professed on June 24, 1954.
Sister Madeline Bariola is our Center Hospitality and Maintenance Director.
“I am deeply touched by the way God has tended to me all these years. And how these years
have flown! It all began for me when, as an eighth grader, I heard Sister Annunciata ask us what
high school we’d be attending in the fall. At the ripe old age of 14, I answered calmly and surely,
‘I’m going to the convent.’ Well, the rest is history!
“I do remember her telling us all, ‘Pray that God will help you make decisions about your future.’
And I did that, so all I can say is that God was tending to me.
“As I look back at all the ministries I’ve had, the 28 years at St. Joseph’s Orphanage were my
most rewarding and fulfilling. I was young and energetic back then, and that has been my way of
life ever since! Be happy, be alive, and know that God is always there, still tending.
“I like living in community. It can be hard at times, but also a great comfort. It seems like we all go through the same
trials and share the same common joys. There’s a sense of camaraderie through it all. The daily schedule of prayer,
work, leisure and being with my sisters always nourishes me.
“My advice to young women is the same as Sister Annunciata’s was to me so long ago. ‘Pray that God will help you
make decisions about your future.’”
Sister Rosalie Ruesewald works with Social Awareness, Hispanic Ministry,Music
Ministry, and the Partners in Benedictine Education Program.
“Sixty years? Only by the grace of God! A few years of restlessness and resistance to the whole
idea preceded my entrance into the monastery in August, 1951. During my third year at university I realized I had to give monastic life a try. I did and from the beginning it seemed to ‘fit.’ The
rhythmic life of prayer, work and leisure appealed to me, although it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
“After the formation period my mission assignments included teaching grade and high school,
directing the vocation and formation programs, campus ministry, music ministry, and earth care
programs (which I especially enjoyed). For the past 25 years I’ve been involved in social justice ministry which includes working for peace, immigration reform and an end to the death penalty.
“I am grateful to have lived to see the changes Vatican II brought to the Church. It is heartening for me to see Pope
Francis focus on the poor and marginalized, as Jesus did. My dreams include seeing the Catholic Church to one day
be known as a peace church that takes the commandment, ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill,’ seriously, and I long to see the time
when women worldwide are recognized and affirmed with real equality. Knowing that education is the key to this, St.
Scholastica Monastery has begun a scholarship program primarily for girls in Guatemala. It is a blessing to be a part
of this growing project.
“As I see it, a ‘call’ to a certain way of life is a mystery. Whatever way of life you feel called to, pray about it and be
open to surprises.”
Sister Stephanie Schroeder is the monastery Liturgist, a spiritual and
retreat director, and director of the Springfield, MO oblates.
“I am the fifth child of eleven--four sisters and six brothers--who grew up on a small dairy farm in
Windthorst, Texas. My mother and father were very loving and caring. My faith was nurtured in
numerous and ordinary ways. Family bonds were created and strengthened through fun, work, and
sharing work on the farm. Church was a very important part of our lives, both for worship and social
activities. We prayed the rosary as a family each evening and prayed before and after each meal.
“I was taught by the Incarnate Word Sisters in elementary and high school. Although the thought
of a religious vocation would enter my mind, I would usually push it aside. Mom and Dad would
take several of us to St. Scholastica Monastery when my sisters, Sisters Barbara and Marietta,
became novices or professed their vows. I loved the sisters and the monastery. I was attracted to the simplicity of
their prayer and their hospitality. It was so much like our family and prayer life. This is what stirred and helped me to
recognize my vocation and know this was where God was calling me.
“Some of the ministries I’ve been involved with in the past sixty years have been twenty years of teaching first through eighth
grades in elementary school; high school religious education; retreat ministry to youth and college students; directing religious
education and RCIA programs; serving as vocation director and working with the diocesan vocation director to start fifth grade
vocation days and other programs; and serving on the National Liturgy Worship Forum steering committee. Each of these
ministries had its own experiences of joys, sorrows, and blessings so it is hard to see which ones I enjoyed the most.
“In addition to my current work as Director of Liturgy I take care of the chapel environment; give retreats, mostly directed retreats; am a certified spiritual director and help with the spiritual director formation program; take care of the
rose garden and hydrangeas and use these flowers to decorate the chapel.
“My call to monastic life has been and continues to be a gift and a blessing. Choosing a life vocation is one of the
most important decisions a person will ever make and it is difficult to know if one has a calling to religious life because
the calling is a mystery. God uses our very personal and ordinary life experiences to let us know what our calling is.
Discernment helps to unlock the mystery as one searches for God’s will through certain signs. It is important that
one keeps an open mind and open heart to hear God’s possible call.” To see more pictures of the jubilee, click here:
In Loving Memory
Sister
Dolorita Thompson, OSB of
St. Scholastica Monastery entered
into eternal life on May 7, 2014, at
the monastery. She was born Beverly
Ann Thompson to George and Adeline
(Wortman) Thompson on January 23,
1931, in Council Bluffs, IA and grew up
on a Nebraska farm. After obtaining a certificate of Practical Nursing in 1951, Sister Dolorita enlisted in the US
Air Force. During the Korean War she flew to Pacific islands on medical missions to transport wounded soldiers
back to American hospitals. She entered St. Scholastica
convent on September 5, 1954 and became a novice on
June 24, 1955, taking the name Sister Dolorita. In 1979,
she went with a small group of sisters as a founding
member of a dependent priory, St. Benedict’s in Canyon,
TX. She returned to St. Scholastica in 1999. During her
nursing career she worked with child abuse and neglect
groups, in hospice work, and in home health care. After
she retired she was an active volunteer at Mercy Fort
Smith Hospice, receiving several Governors Awards for
volunteer service. She was preceded in death by her
parents and is survived by several aunts and cousins
and the members of her monastic community.
Sister Columba Moseley, OSB, en-
tered into eternal life on May 7, 2014 at
the monastery. LaDelle Maugaruite was
born on January 5, 1919 to Charles and
Mabel (Freville) Moseley in Shreveport,
La. She entered St. Gertrude’s Convent
in Covington, La., in 1934, becoming a
novice on January 5, 1935, and receiving the name of
Sister Columba. In 1971, she transferred to St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith. For a number of years,
she taught mathematics in high schools and Westark
Community College. After she retired, she volunteered
in accounting at the Community Clearinghouse, Fort
Smith, for 22 years, where she received the 1996 Volunteer of the Year Award. She was preceded in death
by her parents and one brother, Father Stan Moseley,
OSB, of St. Joseph Abbey in Covington. She is survived
by her religious family. Click on the sisters’ names to see
photo collages of Sisters Dolorita or Columba,
Memorial donations may be made to
St. Scholastica Continuing Care Fund,
P. O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, AR 72913.
Religious Vocations are
“Simply Benedictine”
The vocation team, Sisters Kimberly and Barbara, with the advice and input from the
Vocation Advisory Board, adopted the vocation theme (tag line) “Simply Benedictine”
in 2011 to describe their monastic way of life according to the Rule of St. Benedict.
The monastery offers many ways for young women to experience Benedictine life, from
“Come and See Weekends” to five-day summer discernment retreats to longer observerships at the House of Discernment.
Kathy Manie of Trinidad came to us from San Diego, California and has been visiting the
House of Discernment since April, learning about Benedictine spirituality and participating in the sisters’ daily life of prayer, work, study, and leisure. She has become an affiliate
of St. Scholastica Monastery and will continue to discern her call to religious life with this
community when her period of observership is completed.
Kathy and several other young women will experience St. Scholastica’s annual summer
discernment retreat on July 10-14, a time when they can pray, minister, and socialize
with the sisters while learning and discerning the path God is inviting them to pursue.
There are also several Come and See weekends scheduled for 2014--on August 8-10,
September 12-14, October 17-19, and November 14-16.
Sisters Barbara and Kimberly are always willing to visit parishes and schools to talk
about religious life. On March 9, they visited the Confirmation and RCIA classes at St.
Mary Church in Siloam Springs. On April 1, they participated in a Fifth Grade Vocation
Day at Subiaco Abbey, sponsored by northwest Arkansas Catholic schools and attended
by 191 children. On April 9, they gave an evening vocation talk at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
To register for the summer discernment retreat or any of the Come and See weekends,
contact Sister Barbara at (479) 783-4147 or vocationdirector@stscho.org.
St. Scholastica’s Novices Attend
Novice and Directors Institute
Twenty novices and 17 formation directors from 16 communities all over the United States met for two weeks in
May to pray and attend Mass together, participate in conferences and service projects, share stories of their faith
journeys and enjoy the sights of Nebraska.
Novice Michaela
Marie Boucaud
Sister Alice
O’Brien
Novice Judith
Maria
Timmerman
Each year, the American Benedictine Formation Conference holds a Novice and Directors Institute (NADI) so that
novices can get to know novices from other communities.
This year’s conference was held at Immaculata Monastery
in Norfolk, NE, and next year’s conference will be held here
at St. Scholastica Monastery.
One of their service projects involved assembling and
packing 8700 “Mercy Meals.” This organization utilizes
volunteers to package nourishing food that is delivered
by the Orphan Grain Train to needy children worldwide in
orphanages, refugee camps, feeding centers, and disaster relief centers.
Both novices enjoyed their experience there. “It was very
enlightening and encouraging to interact with other novices, sharing our past, our spiritual journey into the now
and our future aspirations in faith and hope as Benedictine women in formation,” Novice Michaela said.
Novice Judith echoed her sentiments. “Wonderful time
meeting other Benedictine women from across the country,” she said. “Such a blessing to pray, work, serve the
poor, and have fun together!” To see a scrapbook of the
NADI, click here.
Sisters Partner in Prayer with
Guatemalan Scholarship Students
and Former Mission Parishes
“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”
- Alfred Lord Tennyson
No matter how busy the sisters’ daily schedules are, they always
take time to pray. The sound of the monastery bells calls them to
morning, noon, and evening praise. On the second Saturday of
each month, they gather for a Day of Recollection, and each year
they make a five-day retreat.
The bulletin board in the monastery mailroom is filled with prayer
requests, submitted by phone, mail, email, and personally. Both
individually and as a community, the sisters pray for each petition. They remember deceased community members and oblates
for thirty days after their deaths and on their death anniversaries.
Each sister, employee, and vocation contact has a monthly prayer
day.
Sisters have made the commitment to be prayer partners to the
21 scholarship students St. Scholastica sponsors at Colegio San
Benito in Esquipulas, Guatemala. They have recorded video messages for their prayer partners, sent them notes and small remembrances, and prayed for them each day. Marielos, Sister Elizabeth’s prayer partner, wrote the “thank you” note pictured here. In
the photo at left, Sister Dolores Vincent enjoys her video message
from Cecilia.
The sisters also remember the parishioners in the missions in
which they served. Many have become prayer partners with
these parishes, making a commitment to pray for the needs
of the parish and welcoming individual prayer requests from
parishioners.
The sisters appreciate your prayers for them and their community.
They are strengthened by the bonds that are created and the compassion that is fostered as we pray for one another each day.
See Sister Elizabeth’s video message here.
Growth in the Partners in Benedictine Education Program Brings Hope to More Guatemalan Children
This year, the 21 Guatemalan children pictured here, including
nine orphans from Hogar Esquipulas, are receiving a good education at Colegio San Benito. And although the numbers in the
picture speak volumes about the generosity of this program’s
sponsors and donors, the mission volunteers pictured above
them, including Sisters Alice and Rosalie, oblates, a Subiaco student, and ESL students give us the whole picture.
Each little face has its own story of challenges and daily hardships faced and overcome, as mission trip volunteers, prayer
partners, and sponsors have learned.
The opportunity to see the impact that your sponsorship, donations, and prayer can make in each of these young lives is one
of the most rewarding experiences of getting involved in this program--as a prayer partner, a donor, an individual sponsor, or perhaps even as a mission volunteer. For more information, contact
Sister Rosalie at rosalie@stscho.org or (479)783-4147.
NEWS BRIEFS
On May 17-31, Sister Alice O’Brien
and Novices Michaela Marie Boucaud
and Judith Maria Timmerman attended
the Novice and Directors Institute in
Norfolk, NE.
On June 19-29, Sisters Maria DeAngeli, Regina Schroeder, and Dolores
Vincent Bauer attended the Federation
Chapter meeting at the Monastery of
St. Gertrude, Cottonwood, ID.
On June 27-July 4, Sisters Alice
O’Brien, Cecelia Marie Brickell and
Novice Michaela Marie Boucaud attended the Monastic Institute at St.
John University, Collegeville, MN.
On July 14-18, Sister Pat Bolling, who
directs the monastery choir, will attend
the National Pastoral Musicians Conference in St. Louis, MO.
Sister Hilary Decker will attend the
American Benedictine Academy Convention at Conception Abbey, Conception, MO from July 24-27.
OBLATE NEWS
Five new oblates--Alice Stuff, Constance Durkin, Candee
Foster, Emelia Carrington and Lisa Corry-- joined St.
Scholastica’s Oblate community on May 18. Three othersSteven and Cherry Atwell and Cindy Ashley--enrolled in
the oblate program. The enrollees are pictured at left with
Sister Hilary Decker, oblate co-director. The new oblates
are pictured with Sister Hilary in the photo at right. Annmaree Ludwig also made her oblation this month in her local
parish in Wisconsin.
A group of ten oblates from the Dallas oblate group made
a three-night retreat during the first weekend in June and
were able to attend the sisters’ jubilee Mass. In mid-July,
Sister Hilary will attend the American Benedictine Academy
Convention at Conception Abbey in Missouri. Co-directors
Sisters Rose Maria Birkenfeld and Hilary are planning next
year’s meetings which will include programs, book discussion, a retreat day and a few field trips. The next oblate
Mass and meeting will take place on September 21, 2014.