Canticle - Monastery of St. Gertrude · Profession: Twice As Nice In front of nearly 100 witnesses...

CanticleCWinter 2004 A Journal of Our Life

St . Gertrude ’s

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In Loving Memory ...... 3

Who’s In Charge? ....... 4

Hear God Calling? ...... 6

Thanks, Turkeys! ....... 7

By Darla Anglen-Whitley

Profession: Twice As Nice

In front of nearly 100 witnesses Jean Ihli andMichele Bateman, deliberately, carefully and some-times tearfully, prom-ised their lives to themonastic communityat the Monastery of St.Gertrude in the Rite ofTemporary Professionon Thursday, Novem-ber 16, 2004.

“I promise fidelity,stability and obedi-ence,” both womenvowed, “and to seekGod in the Monasteryof St. Gertrude untildeath.”

When Prioress Jean Lalande asked the gatheredsisters if they would receive Ihli and Bateman asmembers of St. Gertrude, the community responded“Yes, with joy we accept and will support them!”

Then Ihli and Bateman knelt at the altar and sang“Receive me, O Lord, as you have promised, that Imay live, and disappoint me not in my hope.”

Sr. Janet Barnard, Vocation Director, said “Thereare many Benedictine monasteries in the UnitedStates that haven’t had a profession for severaldecades. We have six women in initial formation,or one-tenth of our population: two novices andtwo postulants moving into the novitiate, plus sev-eral women in the beginning stages of looking atlife with us here at St. Gertrude’s.”

Sr. Jean Ihli, 65, is from Boise. “I have always beeninvolved in the church,” Ihli said. “After I retired,

it seemed God wassuggesting that Iask the sisters inCottonwood if Icould join them.”

Much to her de-light, the sisterswere willing to con-sider her applica-tion. She sold herhouse and movedinto the monasteryfour years ago. Ihlihad been involvedin the monastery’s

Oblate program before entering and knew manyof the sisters.

“Moving into the monastery wasn’t too difficultbecause I had established relationships with thesisters already,” Ihli recalls.

Sr. Michele Bateman, 51, is also from Boise andtook a different path to the monastery.

“I thought I couldn’t become a sister because Iwasn’t a raised Catholic, and I had been married,”she said. She was delighted to discover she couldpursue her calling to enter religious life.

“My daughter and grandchildren weren’t surprisedat my decision to enter community,” Bateman con-tinues. “I am excited that they were able to be herefor my profession.”

Sr. Jean Ihli, left, and Sr. Michele Bateman, are the two newest

women to make profession at the Monastery of St. Gertrude.

04_WinterCanticle.pmd 12/6/2004, 2:37 PM1

St. Gertrude’s Canticle: A Journal of Our Life is published three times each year by the Development Office at the Monastery of St. Gertrude. Sr. Mary KayHenry, OSB, Director of Development. Darla Anglen-Whitley, Editor. (208) 962-5061 EMAIL [email protected] • www.StGertrudes.org

2 St. Gertrude’s Canticle

Greetings

from the PrioressDear Friends,

Advent greetings! As you read this we arewell into this liturgical season. Advent is atime of anticipation, a time for looking for-ward to the coming of Jesus into our livesin new ways. John the Baptist reminds usto “prepare the way of the Lord.”

In anticipation, we look within ourselvesand reflect upon our lives and the changesthat will prepare us for the return of Jesus.Change is a fact of life, a call and a chal-lenge to grow. Somewhere I read: “To liveis to change and to grow is to changemuch.”

As Benedictines we are called to be apeople of change, a people dedicated togrowth. Living the monastic life is notabout living behind walls, separated fromthe world. The threefold promise we makeat our Monastic Profession includes fidel-ity to the monastic way; stability in thiscommunity; obedience to God, to the pri-oress, to each other; and, ongoing dialoguewith the needs of our world. This promisedemands change and growth, a processknown as conversatio or conversion.

Conversion is vital to us as a community.We choose to meet as a total community atleast four times a year to plan for our fu-ture needs, to assess our life and our min-istries, and to discern new directions andnew leadership.

In November we met to begin our processof discernment for our next prioress. Withfacilitated leadership we began the first stepin the process: Direction setting. By the endof our time together we had set directionsfor the next six years. The directions state-ments we set for ourselves spring from ourmission statement and encompass peaceand justice making, healthy and healing liv-ing practices, developing leadership giftsand skills in our community members andfinancial stability as we fulfill our mission.

Using our direction statements we will meetagain April 3 - 8, 2005, to discern threethings: 1) what leadership qualities wouldbe needed to help us move in these direc-tions? 2) who among us possesses thesequalities? and 3) who is the one person thatGod is calling to be prioress for the nextterm? I ask for your prayers for us duringthis very important time of discernment.

This issue of The Canticle is full of the goodnews about our two newly professed, Sis-ter Jean Ihli and Sister Michele Bateman.We are so happy that God has blessed uswith these two beautiful, committed womenwho have joined us on our monastic jour-ney.

You will also meet Dave English, Construc-tion Supervisor for Bouten Construction,Co. It is Dave’s job to make our dream ofbuilding Spirit Center come true. Everywall he puts up brings us closer to fulfill-ing this hope God has given us of provid-ing a place of spirituality and peace to ourretreatants and guests.

May you have a blessed Christmas and ahappy New Year. Know that you are re-membered in our prayers and in the cel-ebrations of the liturgies of this season.

May our gracious God who wants to sharelife and love with us, bless you and drawyou ever closer to the Incarnate Word, Jesusour Saviour.

Sr. Jean Lalande, OSB


Winter 2004 3

Surrounded by her monastic community,Sr. M. Aquinas(Irene Margaret)Schaecher, 91,died November25, 2004. She wasborn in Cotton-wood on June 25,1913, toTheodore andCatherine BellerSchaecher. Her

family moved to Alberta, Canada, in 1920,and she returned to the states in 1930 tojoin her sisters, Sr. Rose and Sr. Assumpta,at St. Gertrude’s. She made her monasticprofession on August 27, 1931.

A passionate lifelong learner, Sr. Aquinasrelished teaching and was a favorite of hermany students. She taught at GuardianAngel School in Colton, WA; St. Gertrude’sAcademy and St. Joseph’s School in Cot-tonwood, ID; St. Maries Academy in St.Maries, ID; St. Paul’s School in Nampa,ID; St. Anthony’s School in Nezperce, ID;the Keuterville and Greencreek schools,and St. Mary’s School in Boise.

In 1968, she headed for Bogota, Colom-bia, to teach at Colegio San Carlos. Whilethere, Sr. Aquinas received word that shehad been elected Prioress by a Benedictinecommunity in Covington, LA, a surpriseand new leadership responsibility. Sheserved in that capacity for two years.

She shared her compassion and love withunderserved groups throughout Idaho andWashington. She served as Director of Nov-ices and Sisters in Temporary Professionand as Director of Maintenance at the mon-astery.

Sr. Aquinas was preceded in death by herparents, and siblings: Lawrence, Ray,Gertrude Albers, Sr. M. Rose and Sr. M.Assumpta. She is survived by her monas-tic community and her nieces and nephews.

In Loving MemorySr. Marcella (Clementine Elizabeth) Riener,

95, died January28, 2004, at themonastery. Shewas born October11, 1908, to Johnand Mary HutflesRiener, inGreencreek, ID.

She joined theMonastery of St.

Gertrude in 1927 where she made her Mo-nastic Profession two years later.

She was a much-loved teacher in Chewelahand Colton, WA and in Ferdinand, Genesee,St. Maries, Keuterville, Cottonwood,Greencreek, Grangeville, Nampa,Pocatello, and Rupert, ID. In her retirementshe visited patients in the hospital andsewed clothes for the poor and for the preg-nancy counseling center in Lewiston. ThePregnancy Center presented her a plaqueof appreciation during her 90th birthdayparty.

Strong and gentle, prayerful and industri-ous, gracious and humorous, smiling andopen-minded are words frequently used todescribe Sr. Marcella. She loved being aBenedictine Sister and was featured in thecommunity’s vocation appeal because shehad told Prioress Jean Lalande that “theonly thing I want for my future and ourfuture is that new women will answer God’scall to come to the monastery and learn tolove our way of life.” She also loved herfamily heritage and liked to share that shewas born in a homestead house on the NezPerce Reservation near Greencreek.

She was preceded in death by her parentsand her siblings Clem, Joe, Carl, George,Elizabeth Wessels, Mary Baerlocher, TeresaSchmidt, Anastasia Schmidt, andMagdalene (Sr. Celestine). She is survivedby her monastic community and numerousnieces and nephews with whom she re-mained very close.

Sr. Stephanie Marie (Joan) Wardle, 61, diedJanuary 31, 2004,at St. Mary’sHospital in Cot-tonwood. Shewas born April18, 1942, to BudJennings andCecilia MarieThinnes Wardlein Ogden, UT.

Following her graduation from Utah’s We-ber State, Ms. Wardle taught school untilshe joined the Monastery in 1966. Thereshe made her Profession as Sr. StephanieMarie in 1968.

Sr. Stephanie served in a broad array ofministries which included teaching inCatholic schools in Cottonwood andLewiston, directing youth ministry in Boiseand Religious Education Programs inRupert, and serving as Pastoral Associatein Lava Hot Springs and Soda Springs, ID.

She served for 19 years as counselor anddirector at drug and alcohol recovery cen-ters in Boise, Nampa and Caldwell, ID. Shealso established and managed a soupkitchen at the Community Christian Cen-ter in Garden City, ID. Her last seven yearsshe worked in Mission Services at St.Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood, andClearwater Valley Hospital in Orofino, ID.

The Idaho Statesman featured Sr. Stephaniein “Portrait of a Distinguished Citizen” in1983 and in 1990 the Idaho Board of Alco-hol and Drugs selected her “Counselor ofthe Year.”

Sr. Stephanie was creative, persevering,courageous, intelligent and committed toacting on behalf of the poor.

She was preceded in death by her mother,and is survived her monastic community,her father, and brothers Robert and Tim,both of Ogden, UT, and their families.



Exactly who is in charge of making thingshappen at a construction site? Who makessure things are ordered anddelivered on time? Whodoes the hiring and firing?Dave English, ConstructionSuperintendent for BoutenConstruction, Co., in Spo-kane, WA, is the man “incharge.”

When I asked Dave if Icould interview him aboutthe project, he had one con-dition: “Don’t make me looklike a dork,” he said.

Well ... ahem.

Dave is no stranger to St.Gertrude’s. He was here 11years ago when the sistersremodeled the kitchen. Backthen he made several goodfriends in the area. He alsotrained for a marathon in thelong evenings while awayfrom his wife, Dana, and their five chil-dren.

He has renewed his acquaintances since re-turning to Cottonwood in September. Heis also back to running marathons.

“I have lots of time in the evening to train.In fact, the last marathon I ran was when Iwas working here before,” Dave told me.

I asked him about Spirit Center and if hefound this project different from others hehas worked on. I wondered if building astructure for a group of sisters was, well… different.

Dave was quick to point out the obviousuniqueness of Spirit Center: commercialbuilding sites are typically located in busy,commercial areas of cities with lots of noiseand activity.

“This is completely opposite of a typicalbuilding site,” Dave said. “It is so quiet and

peaceful here … and the cows on the otherside of the fence … what could beat that?”

Of course, the rural location offers somechallenges as well.

“We plan very carefully when we purchaseour supplies. If we run out of or forgetsomething, we can’t just run down to themega supply store and get it.

“The guys at the building supply in Cot-tonwood – Gem Builders – are great towork with. If they don’t have it, they canget it within a short period of time.”

The small town atmosphere is refreshingas well. The morning of our interview, oneof the carpenters accidentally injured hishand. “An emergency room visit in a citytakes at least six hours just to get seen by adoctor. We were in and out at St. Mary’s

Hospital in less than an hour,” Dave said.“The guy is back on the job.”

Another unique aspect ofSpirit Center is its woodenconstruction. Today, mostcommercial projects aren’twood-framed.

“The carpenters are lovingthis project because it is awooden structure and it isthis big. It is designed withunique angles to take in theviews. These are challeng-ing and interesting to thecrew.”

I asked if it seemed he had60 sister “overseers” look-ing over his shoulder, peer-ing out the windows, andvisiting the site each day.

“It’s just great. The sistersare very interested inwhat’s happening here.

That makes the project fun.

“When things don’t go exactly as planned,the sisters understand that.They say, ‘Oh. Isee.’ They trust us to get it done right andsometimes that takes more time. They arevery willing to work with us.”

Many, if not all, commercial buildings andadditions are constructed with an eye to im-proving the company’s bottom line. Daveunderstands that Spirit Center is being builtin order to do God’s work and fulfill thesisters’ mission.

“This place is about helping out humanity,not some company’s pocketbook. I feelvery fortunate for this opportunity to workhere,” he said.

And if that makes him sound like a dork …then that’s just the way it is.

Dave English, Construction Superintendent, on the job at Spirit Center, our 21,800

square foot conference and retreat center. Dave expects the project to be completed

on time, even though the snow is beginning to fall. “The fall and early winter has

been mild and we made a lot of headway. I’m sure the sisters’ prayers had something

to do with that.”

Making the Sisters’ Dream Come Trueby Darla Anglen-Whitley


Tender Mercy by the hand of Sr. Carolyn Miguel


May God’s tender mercyshine on you

to guide your feetinto the path of peace.

Adapted from Luke 1: 78-79

~ Benedictine Sisters at St. Gertrude ~


Monastery of St. GertrudeMonastery of St. GertrudeMonastery of St. GertrudeMonastery of St. GertrudeMonastery of St. GertrudeHC 3 Box 121 • Cottonwood, ID 83522 • (208) 962-3224 • www.StGertrudes.org


Winter 2004 9

by Sr. Mary Kay Henry, Director of Development

D E V E L O P M E N T SD E V E L O P M E N T SD E V E L O P M E N T SD E V E L O P M E N T SD E V E L O P M E N T S

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my work as Director of Devel-opment is the personal contact I have with so many of you. It is aprivilege to invite you closer to the inner being and workings of whowe are and to be continually inspired by your faith and generosity.

You have brought so much life to our community both inwardly andin our outreach by sharing your own stories with us, asking why wedo what we do and how we see that serving the needs of the churchand the world today, and helping us see new possibilities for deepen-ing our own spiritual lives and assisting others to do so.

2005 will mark 100 years since the first small group of our sistersfrom Colton, WA responded to an invitation from John and GertrudeUhlenkott to begin teaching in Cottonwood. We rejoice that God con-tinues to sustain us here on the prairie through communal prayer,community life and many forms of outreach.

I hope our lives also help sustain you on your spiritual journey and Ihope each of you will have an opportunity to come and visit us at St.Gertrude’s this year. May 2005 be a year of blessings for you.

�

Have you thought about making a “planned gift” to the monastery?Here are several ways:

Plan a Gift in Your Estate. Your bequest helps ensure that we con-tinue our ministries into the future without affecting your assets dur-ing your lifetime. You can turn surplus life insurance coverage into acharitable gift, or purchase a new policy naming us the beneficiary.

Partner With Us in Your Giving. You can receive stable lifetimepayments that are taxed attractively when you create a charitable giftannuity. You can receive income to help you meet many family obli-gations from a charitable remainder trust. Increase your estate foryour children while delivering years of income to the BenedictineSisters with a charitable lead trust.

Always seek professional advice when considering any of these pos-sibilities. Your tax or financial advisor knows your situation the bestand can offer the most advantageous options for you, plus provideincome for the sisters of St. Gertrude.

Roof trusses for the conference center arrived in October.

Dan McGill took this photo of Sr. Lillian Englert from Hospitality House.

Foggy days in November didn’t stop the roofers.

Some roofing is complete and window installation is beginning.



Slow Down To Listenby Sr. Janet Marie Barnard

Wouldn’t it be nice if God called you onyour cell phone and told you what to do?Or one day, while opening your mail, yourlife’s road map fell out?

Unfortunately, this isn’thow God usually works inour lives.

God usually looks for usuntil we respond. And ourresponse is a journey – ourlife’s journey.

As Vocation Director,women often ask me “Howdo I know if I am called toreligious life?” They aren’thearing voices and haven’treceived emails with spe-cific directions, but theyhave persistent, insistent,“intrusive” thoughts thatreligious life might be forthem.

Some women see thesethoughts as the “call” to getinvolved in their parish, because, surely,they aren’t being “called” to religious life!They busy themselves in good work byvolunteering at the soup kitchen, visitingthe shut-ins, serving as Eucharistic minis-ters. Soon their lives are full, yet they stillexperience a sense of unrest. Some use thewords, “This isn’t enough. There must besomething more.”

My recommendation for women in thissituation is find a spiritual advisor and talkto them about what you are experiencingand feeling. This could be a trusted prayercompanion, a sister who serves in your par-ish, an impartial friend, a priest or mentor.

Listen to what they say; hear what otherssay about you. God often uses others toguide us.

I also suggest exploring a variety of reli-gious communities. Women and men reli-gious are listed in the diocesan directories.Call them up and talk; plan a visit to theircommunity. This is the time to begin find-ing out the truth about religious life andhow it is lived today. You will interact withthe vocation director and other communitymembers. Visit several religious commu-nities and discover the group that you feelcomfortable with, whose life and ministries“fit” you.

Discerning which religious community isright for you is a two-way street. You willlisten for God’s direction, and so will thecommunity. They will ask God if you areright for them, if you can fit into their fu-ture directions, if you have the spiritual and

personal maturity to live successfully incommunity.

Our modern lives arefull of activities andwe often don’t havetime to hear Godcalling us. We arebusy about findingpersonal satisfactionby doing God’swork, getting moretoys, more money,more prestige atwork.

Slow down and lis-ten once in a while!Out of the frenzy wemight find God’sclear voice, callingus to somethingmore, a new way tocontentment and sat-isfaction.

�

There are some great books and guidelinesavailable for anyone considering religiouslife. I suggest Vocations Anonymous: Ahandbook for adults discerning priesthoodand religious life, by Sr. Kathleen Bryant,RSC. It is available through the NationalCoalition for Church Vocations at 1-800-671-6228. Also see Vision, The Annual Vo-cation Discernment Guide or visit theirwebsite at www.VisionGuide.org. Most re-ligious communities have websites andthese are great places to go to get a feel forthe community, to learn about their mis-sion and meet some of their members. Ourwebsite is a wonderful place to “meet” us:www.StGertrudes.org.

“Come my daughter, draw near to me … and your being will always be at peace” the sisters

sang as Novices Michele Bateman, left, and Jean Ihli, right, were accompanied down the

center aisle of chapel by Sr. Agens Reichlin, Formation Director, on their way to becoming

professed sisters at St. Gertrude.


Winter 2004 11

VVVVVocation Eventsocation Eventsocation Eventsocation Eventsocation Events

Come and See Weekends

Reflection and discernment weekendsfor single women. Pray with theMonastic community and otherwomen exploring religious life.

January 28 - 30, 2005

April 8 - 10, 2005

May 27 - 29, 2005

TriduumAt the Monastery

Experience the three days priorto Easter at the Monastery.Participate in Liturgy and

Lectio with the Sisters

March 27 - 24, 2005

Monastic LivingExperience

A two-week opportunity forsingle women to share our monastic

life, prayer and work.

July 1 - 12, 2005

Visit us at

www.StGertrudes.org

[email protected]

A Gift to Us: Thanks, Turkey!by Darla Anglen-Whitley

Sr. Theresa Mary (formerly Sr. Leona)nearly didn’t become a sister because of aflock of turkeys.

Turkeys!?

Theresa Katherine Stroeing was born inWest Union, MN, October 5, 1915. Her par-ents, John and Katherine Mayers Stroeing,were the caretakers of a sheep farm ownedby the Benedictine brothers at St. John’sAbbey in Collegeville, MN.

Theresa knew she would be a sister by thetime she entered third grade. She had twoaunts, a great-aunt, a great-great aunt, andseveral cousins who were in religious life.All her grammar and high school years shewas taught by Benedictines, so it was agiven that she would enter St. Benedict’sConvent in St. Joseph, MN.

And she would have, except for the turkeys.

It just so happened that Candidate Theresawas assigned the care of the sisters’ turkeys.She soon found out that turkeys make hersick with a painful rash on her face andarms. She quit the monastery twice, return-ing after her skin healed. Each time she wasplaced on turkey duty and each time shehad to leave once more.

One day, after Theresa left for the last time,Sr. Margaretta wrote and asked Theresa tovisit St. Benedict’s again. While there,Theresa met Sr. Johanna Uhlenkott from aconvent in Cottonwood, ID. “I fell in lovewith her,” Sr. Theresa Mary remembers.

By the time the visit ended, arrangementshad already been made for Theresa’s moveto Idaho.

The next month, Theresa Katherine was ona train bound for Idaho to enter St.Gertrude’s. She made profession as Sr.Leona in 1938 and began a long career as acook. Sr. Theresa Mary is one of three sur-

viving sisters who cooked for the monks atSt. Martin’s Abbey in Lacey, WA.

Sr. Theresa Mary also taught grade schoolin Cottonwood, St. Maries, Grangeville,Rupert, Nampa, Lewiston, and Boise. Shealso did home care with the elderly and par-ish work at St. John’s in Boise. She retiredand moved back to St. Gertrude’s in 2000.

Despite the turkeys, Sr. Theresa Mary neverdoubted that God wanted her in religious life.

“I sometimes wondered why I moved allthe way to Idaho, especially those timeswhen my mother needed help,” she recalls.“But she managed. We buried her on her92nd birthday.”

Sr. Theresa Mary fairly sparkles whenspeaking of the love, acceptance and kind-ness of her monastic community. “It’s thebest thing about St. Gertrude’s,” she said.“There is so much concern in communityfor one another..”

With a resounding “Yes!” she believeswomen discerning religious life shouldconsider the monastery. “There is no placelike it on earth. It is a beautiful, prayerfulplace.”


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Look Inside …

Befriend the Earth!This document is printed on recycled

paper using soy-based inks.

How Turkeys Almost

Stopped Her Vocation

Slow Down and Listen:

Is God Calling You?

Twice as Nice:

Two Women Make Profession

Come Away to a Retreat

Visit us on the web:

www.StGertrudes.org

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Come to the QuietJanuary 21 - 28, 2005 (Fri. 7:30 p.m. - Fri. 1:30 p.m.)

Directors: Lillian Englert, O.S.B., Kathy McFaul & othersA silent individually directed retreat. Relax in God’s presence,surrounded by natural beauty and supported by a praying com-munity. The retreat differs in content each time but includes op-tional faith sharing, creative expression, body prayer and ritual.Weekend-only retreat is an option.

All Creation Praise! An Introduction toEcological Spirituality and TheologyMarch 4 - 6, 2005 (Fri. 7:30 pm - Sun. 1:30 pm)

Presenter: Teresa Jackson, O.S.B.Christians of varying backgrounds are exploring the connectionsbetween their faith and how they can see the earth as an expres-sion of God’s care for all creation. This retreat will be an intro-duction to the work of prominent theologians and writers on theconnections between ecology, spirituality and theology. Therewill be a special emphasis on women’s issues.

Air, Water, Earth and … Our FaithApril 15 - 17, 2005 (Fri. 7:30 pm - Sun. 1:30 pm)

Presenter: Carol Ann Wassmuth, O.S.B.Can we be people of faith without caring for our planet? Comeprepared to be challenged. Explore links between our faith andour actions. Prayerfully reflect upon and discuss our scripturesand contemporary teachings on the call to be good stewards.

Mother and Adult Daughter Retreat: Once Upona Time … Resurrection Stories in My LifeApril 29 - May 1, 2005 (Fri. 7:30 pm - Sun. 1:30 pm)

Presenter: Judith Brower, O.S.B.Each day Jesus calls us to new life in many and varied ways.This weekend will offer time for input and reflection on how thestory of each of our lives is given meaning by the Resurrectionof Jesus. This is no fairy tale!


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