When asked to participate in an interview about a car accident that nearly took her life 70 years ago, Sr. Beatrice Flahaven agreed, but under one condition. She didn’t want to be made to look like she was complaining… Read more!

Dear Friends, Our dear Sr. Bea died today at the monastery after a short illness. We will post her obituary soon, but meantime, here is her funeral information. Also, Sr. Marilyn Hettinger wrote a poem for her that we’d like to share. Peace to you.

Happy Easter! Read Sr. Phyllis’ Easter message as well as an Easter poem from Sr. Marilyn Hettinger.

Holy Week may not be the best context for a reflection about the goodness and beauty of intact community structures.  This is the week we recall the undoing of the life of Jesus, his walk through a switchback from acclaim of hosannas and a vilification that led to his execution by the state.  Like many a politician, he is praised one moment by a crowd, only to be vilified the next by a crowd. Continue Reading

Please continue to enjoy the Sisters’ reflections throughout Lent!

The other morning I woke up for the first time from a dream in which I’d been praying.  I don’t recall praying IN a dream before, though of course I don’t remember enough to know.  Have you? Continue Reading

Read reflections from Sisters Catherine Cleary, Ruth Ksycki, Marilyn Hettinger and Bobbi Bussan!

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage” (Ps. 84:5).

That verse became my mantra at 20, when I was home from college for Christmas, and learned that our Lutheran pastor would be leaving for another congregation (which would be his last before he left the ministry).  Continue Reading

When I was involved with congregational-based community organizing in Chicago, I disliked the staged protests we were encouraged to do — with lots of planned clapping and cheering, meant to show our power of numbers and commitment to whatever leader we were addressing.  It reminded me too much of the required pep rallies we had to attend in high school, expected to shout and clap as our cheerleaders symbolically demonstrated belittling and wiping out the “enemy” — our opposing team. Continue Reading

Sr. Catherine Cleary offers thoughts on the 1st Sunday of Lent.