Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Illinois
| June 2013
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Steps
Discerning your path in life
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Sr. Stefanie MacDonald, OSB (far right) prays with the Benedictine Sisters.
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Still on the road ... to salvation!
Sister Stefanie MacDonald prepares for her Final Profession
By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB
After 6 years in this Benedictine community, I will make my Final Profession in July. I am  living proof of St. Benedict's words of wisdom: "The road that leads to salvation is bound to be narrow at the outset."
It's been narrow at times, but I'm still on the road!
My Sisters have been instrumental in keeping me upright and moving in the right direction. They have always offered an understanding shoulder and a listening ear. They have become my new family, for which I am deeply grateful!
But this is no ordinary family. That is, while my Benedictine Sisters are here for me as companions, they are also here for and with me as prayer partners, scripture study mates, and seekers of God.
One of the books some of us are reading right now is The Road to Eternal Life, by Michael Casey, OSB. It's the perfect book to be reading before my Final Profession, as it discusses purity of heart. St. Benedict says purity of heart is crucial to our relationship of God.
What does that mean?
Casey says it means our heart "is free of interior conflicts, a will that is single, undivided and constant."
He also says this is not something that happens overnight, but is a process that happens slowly, over time, through practice. Its single purpose is "harmony of thought, word and action."
This is where my road has sometimes been narrow. Interior conflicts in my soul and heart have impaired harmony, for sure.
 But I have come to understand - with the help of my Sisters - that prayer really IS my saving grace. Walking with Jesus, through and with my Sisters, has helped harmonize my thought, word and action ... and widened my road considerably.
How does this relate to my Final Profession? Well, I am realizing we will never find purity of heart if we rely only on ourselves, in our own private apartments, in our own narrow lives.
We must walk with Christ, through and with our community (whatever "community" means to each of us), to begin to achieve that harmony.
Thank you, Benedictine Sisters, for walking with Christ through and with me.
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Save the Date!!
What kind of religious community are you drawn to?
Apostolic? Contemplative? Does your ministry come first? Or does your life of prayer take precedence?
Explore these questions with other inquirers during a unique discernment experience over Labor Day weekend featuring Sisters from a range of nearby communities, including Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican and more.
Tour the regional version of the national exhibit, Women and Spirit, to discover these Sisters' history. And screen the extraordinary film, "A Question of Habit" with Loyola filmmaker Bren Ortega Murphy.
You will end the weekend one step closer to knowing where you belong!
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Follow us on our Blogs, Facebook and Email
Read reflections from the Benedictine Sisters. Follow Sister Stefanie's ABCs. And join us on Facebook: You'll enjoy excerpts from the Psalms we pray at Lauds every morning, reminders of upcoming retreats and programs, photos from around the grounds. It's another way to begin to get to know us!
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Is our Benedictine Community right for you?
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We live a balanced life of prayer, work and leisure, together.
We go out for ministry - to teach, serve in parishes, work in social service agencies - but we come home for prayer, meals and leisure. That is, we pray 4 times daily together, we take our meals together, we enjoy quiet time and companionship together. And for those who work in administration or our retreat center, we work together too!
If you are drawn both to outside ministry and contemplation, and if you are drawn to monastic life in community, please contact us.
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 Quik Li |
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What are you waiting for? Join us for a day or a weekend!
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Try out life as a Benedictine and find out for yourself whether the life is for you!
Make arrangements to visit during an upcoming Benedictine Experience Weekend
Oct. 11-13, 2013; Feb. 28-March 2, 2014; April 25-27, 2014; May 16-18, 2014!
(See also the upcoming Labor Day Weekend event above.)
You'll pray, dine, and enjoy leisure time with us. You'll learn about our life. You'll
stroll the grounds and have time for silent reflection.
It's a great chance to try out Benedictine monastic life for a limited amount of
time, no strings attached.
Reply to this email for more information ... and visit our Web site
at www.smmsisters.org!
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