Rev. Donna Vande Kieft
While in chaplain training, I was introduced to Sister Marietta Miller, a Benedictine nun from South Dakota. She introduced me to Benedictine spirituality founded on The Rule of Benedict, written by a monk who lived in sixth-century Italy. After undergoing a major deep religious experience, Benedict established 12 monasteries.
The Rule of Benedict, like the Gospel principles it is steeped in, has continued to guide spiritual seekers through the ages. Monasteries have always been built on the principles of prayer, hospitality, stability, fidelity, and conversion of life. I recently visited St. Gertrude’s Monastery in Idaho. As most monasteries, it is located in a peaceful, pastoral landscape with mountains, hills, trees and beautiful well-maintained buildings. The stones used to build St. Gertrude’s were carried from a nearby quarry by the Swiss German-speaking nuns who arrived in the 1800s. The red twin steeples can be seen from miles around.
When you volunteer at a monastery you become a monk in residence, taking part in the daily prayers, meals and community life. They continue to operate the monastery using the Rule of Benedict as their guide. The sisters are progressive, well-educated, faith-filled strong women who continue working in various capacities at the monastery until they need assistance. They remain fiercely independent, refusing wheelchairs and using a walker only if absolutely necessary. They were unhappy with the new life-line lanyards they’re required to wear in case of emergency. Sister M is nearly blind and deaf in her 90s but comes regularly to prayer. Occasionally, she says in an outdoor voice, “Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on!”
The priest in residence has adopted a feral black-and-white cat he named Tuxedo. Tuxedo roams at night and sleeps on Meinrad’s lap during the day in between the priestly tasks that he does for the community. Meinrad too refused the life-line device and everyone holds their breath as he proceeds to the altar with his cane to say mass!
After your second day Sister R assigns you to dish duty in the kitchen—dark side and light side. I got the dark side, which includes scraping, washing, and rinsing the pots, pans, and utensils used for cooking the meal. Sister P is the supervisor for the maintenance crew, whose job is keeping up with all the buildings and property. Besides the huge monastery building, there is a large spiritual retreat center, a farmhouse, a bed and breakfast for travelers, a museum, and a gift shop. Sister P is well into her 80s, strong and vital. The men are challenged to keep up with her and the tasks she lays out each day. Another volunteer and I were assigned to Sister P and the outdoor landscape, weeding, and cleanup as the forest was thinned with chainsaws!
Once a month after Saturday Vigils prayer, the sisters maintain silence until after evening prayer on Sunday. It is an experience eating together and maintaining silence on Sabbath Sunday. You can actually hear the still small voice within—could be habit-forming.