Remember
From the Prioress
Karen Rose, OSB, Prioress
“P“Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are given new birth into a living hope.”
1 Peter 1:3
ilgrims of Hope” is the motto chosen for the Jubilee Year of Hope declared by Pope Francis, which we are now celebrating. How fitting that so close to the start of this year, we are celebrating eight sisters who were, each in her own unique way, pilgrims of hope. As you read their stories, take time to reflect on how they remained faithful over the decades to the hope they expressed on the day of their perpetual profession. That hope is summed up in the words of the Suscipe which every sister sings at her profession and which is sung again at the time of her funeral:
“Receive me, O God, as you have promised, and I shall live; Do not disappoint me in my hope.”
(Psalm 119:116)
There is something comforting in recognizing how hope begins, ends and underpins a sister’s monastic life and commitment. That sense of hope is passed on to those of us who survive, as we assert with Peter our belief that Christ’s resurrection births us into “a living hope.”
How do we make that living hope something real in 2025, the Jubilee Year of Hope? During Advent, I asked our sisters and oblates to begin a
practice of reflecting on hope. I invite you to do the same by reflecting on the following question: What gives me hope in my community, in the Church and in the world?
After reflecting on the question, whether alone or with others, write down three hopes—for your community, the Church and the world—together with some ideas for how you might contribute to making those hopes a reality. Throughout the Year of Hope, prayerfully revisit these personal hopes and consider how things have progressed, changed or been revised, and keep asking yourself how God has been present in your hopes and in your actions.
May God bless you throughout this Year of Hope!
Hopefully in Christ,
Karen Rose, OSB Prioress, Consultant Editor
Amanda Hackett Editor, Graphic Designer
Alyssa Tasto Assistant Editor, Staff Writer
Julie Schleper, OSB Staff Writer
Renée Domeier, OSB Proofreader
On the Cover: The Crucifixion Group and a tombstone in the monastery cemetery. Taken by Alyssa Tasto.
Photos: Carleen Schomer, OSB, Karen Streveler, OSB, Marina Schlangen, OSB, Nancy Bauer, OSB, unless otherwise noted or supplied by individual sisters or Saint Benedict’s Monastery Archives.
Printing: Palmer Printing
Our Mission We, the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., are a monastic community of women who seek God in our daily lives according to the Gospel and the Rule of Benedict. Through our ministry of prayer, work and community living, we listen and respond to the needs of the Church and the world.
Remember is published annually by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn., and commemorates the sisters’ life, work and hope for eternal life with our Lord, Jesus Christ.
cemetery. Taken by Alyssa Tasto.
Remembering Our Sisters
In the pages of this magazine, you’ll read about eight incredible women who dedicated their lives to serving God, the Church and the world as Benedictine sisters.
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A talented writer, Sister Owen Lindblad wrote articles for many magazines and even published a book: Full of Fair Hope: A History of St. Mary’s Mission, Red Lake, Minnesota.
Left: Cover of Full of Fair Hope
Right: S. Owen greeting Tigger, one of two pets for the convent at St. Mary’s Mission. This photo is pictured on page 201 in Full of Fair Hope.
Sister Rita Budig was the founding director of St. Benedict’s Center and served as its executive director from 1977 to 1995. It is now called St. Benedict’s Community and is operated by Ecumen.
Sister Telan Hu loved language and culture. She taught English at various universities in Taiwan, where she was born. At the College of Saint Benedict, she taught Chinese and directed the China Study Abroad Program.
Photo: S. Telan teaching conversational English in the 1960s
Photo: S. Rita at a farewell party at St. Benedict’s Center in 1995
Owen Lindblad, OSB • Page
Rita Budig, OSB • Page 7
Telan Hu, OSB • Page 8
Sister Mary Jane Cournoyer was a spiritual leader and spent 16 years as a chaplain of a nursing home in Altoona, Wis. In 2004, she received the Spiritual Leader of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Health Care Association.
Mary Jane Cournoyer, OSB • Page 9
Colleen Haggerty, OSB • Page 12
Many in the Central Minnesota community know Sister Colleen Haggerty for her influence at the St. Cloud Hospital, where she served for 25 years.
Photo: S. Colleen (middle row, front) and the renovation team for the hospital chapel in 1990. Other team members included Sisters Linda Dusek (standing, back) and Joyce Iten (middle row, back). Supplied by St. Cloud Hospital Archives.
Georganne Burr, OSB • Page 14
Margaret Mandernach, OSB • Page 13
Sister Margaret Mandernach was musically gifted and played many instruments, including guitar, piano and harmonica. She entertained guests for many years at the monastery’s annual donor appreciation event!
Sister Georganne Burr (right) co-founded the Saint Therese Center for Special Ministry in 1986. She served as a grief counselor and the center’s director until June 2008. The Saint Therese Center closed upon her resignation.
Michon Lanners, OSB • Page 15
Sister Michon Lanners had a heart for hospitality and served in many ways, including through spiritual care, education and, most recently, as coordinator of the monastery guest house.
Photo: Serving at St. Therese Nursing Home in New Hope, Minn.
In Loving Memory: Owen (Joan) Lindblad, OSB
April 7, 1933 – November 18, 2023
Sister Owen (Joan) Lindblad, age 90, died on November 18, 2023, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Joan Lindblad was born in Ashland, Wis., the youngest child of four and only daughter born to Elmer and Rose (Meyers) Lindblad. She attended Beaser Grade School in Ashland until her family moved to Bremerton, Wash., in 1940. Joan’s family moved frequently over the next 10 years. She recalled that she “felt the first stirrings of God’s love” in her life at Redondo Beach, but it was her piano teacher in Tacoma, Wash., Sister Clarilla Ernster, who guided her to monastic life.
On September 2, 1950, Joan entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn. She was received into the novitiate on June 18, 1952, as Sister Owen. She made first monastic profession on July 11, 1953, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1956.
S. Owen earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in philosophy from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. She continued her studies at the Diocesan Teachers’ College in St. Paul, Minn., and St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Later, she attended an Upper Midwest Writers Conference at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.
S. Owen served as a teacher in various schools in Central Minnesota, including St. Mary’s Cathedral. She was a creative writer and storyteller who also had a gift for music, serving as organist and choir director in Greenwald and Pearl Lake. Her writing career continued into the 1980s and ‘90s, when she served as senior writer for Escape to Minnesota Good Times magazine and as feature writer for St. Benedict’s Center’s Carousel magazine. She also wrote for Vocational Biographies in Sauk Centre, Minn., and critiqued and edited essays and poetry published in the Japan Times. She wrote and published eight parish and family history books and began working in the Saint Benedict’s Monastery Archives in 2000.
The outdoor world was where S. Owen felt much of God’s love. She loved flowers, keeping track of rainfall, the changing of the seasons, and animals— she especially enjoyed cats and birdwatching. She was passionate about decorating with the change of liturgical seasons as well. With her theatrical imagination, she shared humor and joy with those who knew her. One Halloween, S. Owen dressed as a fortune teller and led guests on a whimsical nighttime walk guided by only jack-o’-lanterns and flashlights!
With many changes beginning early in her life, S. Owen often yearned for a lasting home, a sentiment reflected in her archival autobiography which holds detailed memories of the many places she lived. Now, we rejoice with her as God lights her way to her eternal home.
Top Right: S. Owen working in the monastery archives
Left: S. Owen (right) and Sister Philip Zimmer with the monastery’s Fourth of July parade float in 2007, celebrating our sesquicentennial
In Loving Memory: Rita (Anthony) Budig, OSB
December 24, 1934 – December 6, 2023
Sister Rita (Anthony)
Budig, age 88, died on December 6, 2023, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Rita was born to Anthony and Lucy (Martin) Budig as their sixth child. She had two brothers and five sisters growing up with her on her family’s farm near Wadena, Minn. She attended District #53 Grade School and Wadena Public High School in Wadena.
On September 8, 1954, Rita entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn. She was received into the novitiate as Sister Anthony on June 6, 1955, made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1956, and made her perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1959. She returned to her baptismal name in 1968.
S. Rita earned a bachelor’s degree in business education with minors in economics and secondary education at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. She also obtained a Minnesota Nursing Home Administrator’s license in 1973, became a certified retirement housing professional in 1995, and obtained a Certificate of Spiritual Direction in 2005.
The Budig siblings learned early on to work, play and share all they had with one another. In the 1930s and ‘40s, the family experienced the struggles of life during World War II and later mourned the early death of their father, Anthony, at age 55. Reflecting on her childhood, S. Rita wrote about her reliance on God during difficult times, revealing how she was “grateful to God for guiding [her] journey in the past and into the future.”
On her call to monastic life, S. Rita wrote, “I came to religious life to seek God. I know that God is seeking me even more…” Her ministries throughout her life varied with her wide skillset, but her primary ministry was in spiritual and physical health care. She served at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud from 1958 to 1973 in various business and administration roles. She sequentially served as an administrator for two nursing homes and became administrator of Saint Scholastica Convent and Monastic Health Services in 1996. She was greatly admired for her dedication, leadership, vision and ability to connect to and care for others.
S. Rita (center) joyfully welcoming guests to the Spirituality Center
When her physical health began to decline, S. Rita left health care and became a spiritual director at the monastery’s Spirituality Center. Following a diagnosis of cancer, S. Rita continued to lean on her relationship with God, who she felt was leading her as a friend and companion through her final journeys in life.
One of her sisters reflected at the time of her death that S. Rita’s lifelong desire was to “fall into the arms of God’s love.” We rejoice with her now, seeing this desire come to fruition as she enters eternal life.
S. Rita was named an honorary member of the Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance in 2000
In Loving Memory: Telan (Christine) Hu, OSB
December 16, 1932 – December 7, 2023
Sister Telan (Christine) Hu, age 90, died on December 7, 2023, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Christine Hu, named Jui-Chiao by her parents, was born to Zi-Liang Hu and Liao Shan in Taipei, Taiwan. Among her two brothers and one sister, she was the second oldest child. She attended Peng-Lai Grade School and Blessed Imelda’s School in Taipei.
Born into a Buddhist family, Jui-Chiao converted to Catholicism when she was 16 years old, at which point she was baptized with the name Christine Maria. She traveled to the United States with the purpose of entering Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn., which she did on April 6, 1953. On June 16, 1954, she was received into the novitiate as Sister Telan. She made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1955, and her perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1958.
S. Telan’s impressive academic achievements began soon after her arrival. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English with minors in biology and philosophy from the College of Saint Benedict (CSB) in 1958. At the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., she earned a master’s degree in education with a minor in English. She continued to study at various universities including Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. Her subjects of interest were theology, linguistics, Chinese language and literature, and expository writing.
S. Telan held a position teaching biology at St. Boniface High School in Cold Spring, Minn., then went back to Taiwan, where she taught at the National Taiwan University, Junior Nursing College, and National Cheng-Chi University. Returning home, she taught Chinese at CSB before returning to Taiwan in 1970 to teach English at Fu-Jen
Catholic University. In 1972, S. Telan returned once more to CSB, teaching a multitude of classes under various subjects and serving as foreign student advisor and director of the China Study Abroad Program.
Small in stature but not in spirit, S. Telan was beloved by her students and colleagues. Remembered for her kindness and deep love for others, S. Telan strove to serve and was known to cook celebratory meals for her sisters on special occasions.
After her retirement from CSB in 2005, S. Telan served as hostess at the Haehn Museum. As her physical health began to falter, she continued to embroider dish towels for Whitby Gift Shop for as long as she could, turning to God for strength though her body grew weak.
S. Telan had a great love for her sisters, friends and students in this world. We rejoice with her as she now meets her Lord, her own beloved teacher and friend, face to face.
Below: S. Telan (back right) and Sister Josue Behnen (back left) with two sisters in China
Top Right: S. Telan loved to embroider
In Loving Memory: Mary Jane (Georgene) Cournoyer,
February 22, 1925 – December 25, 2023
Sister Mary Jane (Georgene)
Cournoyer, age 98, died on December 25, 2023, at the St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, Minn.
Georgene Cournoyer was born to William and Mary (Herbert) Cournoyer in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Born after her twin brother, George, she was the sixth of seven children. When Georgene was 10 years old, the family moved to Eau Claire, Wis., where she attended St. Patrick’s Grade and High School.
Georgene entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., on September 10, 1944, was received into the novitiate on June 21, 1945, as Sister Mary Jane, and made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1946. In 1948, she volunteered to join a group of sisters in Eau Claire to establish a new monastery. She made her perpetual monastic profession with the first class at Saint Bede Monastery, Eau Claire, on July 11, 1949.
S. Mary Jane had a lifelong passion for education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from St. Scholastica College, Duluth, Minn., and two master’s degrees: one in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the other in religious studies from St. Mary’s College in Winona, Minn. She also attended Bemidji State College, Bemidji, Minn., and the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind.
S. Mary Jane’s 45 years of education ministry began in Watkins, Minn. She once commented that because she was such a new teacher, she had to look up the meaning of the word “phonics” to be sure of what she was teaching. As evidenced by
the success of her students, she learned deftly.
Blessed with the gift of listening, S. Mary Jane made an invaluable impact. A former student recalled, “…after I totally screwed up in my life, she never judged me. She only encouraged me to do better and come back to God.”
S. Mary Jane spent the next 16 years as chaplain of a nursing home in Altoona, Wis. She served as a consultant when the facility was expanded, and it was not uncommon for her to rise late at night when the call came to comfort the dying and their families. In 2004, she received the Spiritual Leader of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Health Care Association. Her co-workers, who nominated her, praised her dedication.
As she retired to Saint Scholastica Convent, S. Mary Jane continued her ministry of healing, seeking to help others however she could. With zealous hospitality and a well-known sense of humor, she made a point of visiting with and assisting sisters whose activity was limited.
Reflecting on S. Mary Jane’s life and Christmas Day passing, one sister says heartfully, “…we need not be amazed that [she was] called to heaven on a joyous Christmas morning.”
Left: Celebrating her 60th jubilee
Top Right: S. Mary Jane (right) and her twin brother at age 19
Look Up and See the Sun
Mary Reuter, OSB
“…walk and live in the reflection of God’s glory.”
These words are at the heart of the legacy my mother left for her family. They are at the heart of Christian life. They call us to celebrate Jesus’ passion, dying and rising that continue in and through us. These movements carry us to Easter—and Ascension and Pentecost— the coming of the Spirit. Easter happens through shifts to fuller lives anchored in God and God’s reality, perspective, energy, gratitude and joy. Movements such as these can occur gradually through pain, letting go, loss and suffering as well as through experiences we consider enjoyable and appreciated. Some are dramatic and sudden. Resurrection moments can occur in any situation.
Dad died suddenly of a heart attack on October 7, 1970. Mom was devastated. She didn’t eat. She resisted conversations and activities. Many nights she struggled with sleeplessness. Mom moved into depression that held her in bondage.
One morning, about two months after Dad died, Mom looked out her kitchen window. The sun was about to rise over the horizon. Soon it became brilliant and warm. She began to see with new eyes and a refreshed heart. Her depression started to wane. She began to return to feeling and acting as her usual self. Easter began to break through.
Mom responded to the sunrise by writing a poem that expressed her resurrection moment.
Photo taken by Terry Willey
Look Up and See the Sun
Look up and see the sun.
You cannot see the full brightness of its rays; Your eyes are blinded by its brilliance.
Look out and see the beauty of growing things that the radiance of the sun helped to make grow.
Look down and see the little things that grow small in stature, but still need those same rays to make them grow.
Look inward into yourself. Open the doors and windows of your being, your heart, your soul, your mind. Let the rays of this beautiful sun enter in there, too, to fill those dark corners with sunshine and erase the gloom and shadow. Remember then that God made that sun to shine for people and growing things, for light in dark places and warmth where it is cold.
God also made the sun to shine on quiet things. The dewdrops sparkle; the snow in its beauty glistens; a sunset reflected on a quiet lake is an awesome, beautiful sight.
Remember then your God! God gives the sun a command of such powers! Think of the strength God will give you to rise above the clouds of despair; to walk and live in the reflection of God’s glory.
— Margaret Reuter —
Mother’s poem tells of her coming out of her tomb. She moved from being caught in her lack of hope and energy to resurrection, to Easter. I suspect the next stanza of Mom’s poem, if she were to write one, would reflect something of the perspective of Sister Joan Chittister, a Benedictine sister from Erie, Pa., when she describes the heart of Easter:
“To celebrate Easter means to stand in the light of the empty tomb and decide what to do next. Until we come to realize that, we stand to misread the meaning not simply of the Easter gospel but of our own lives.”*
Our foundational call is to allow Jesus’ vision and action to live in and through us. We move toward full life in Jesus Christ as we let love expand our hearts and give expressions of love to all creation.
Our final steps into Easter might face us with questions such as these: In your daily life, how did you live your journey of dying and rising? What tombs have you walked out of and into the light of your Easter resurrection? What will it be for you to live forever in God’s glory? How will you now live and proclaim, “Alleluia—Praise be to God”?
*Joan Chittister, OSB, as quoted by Brian Bruess, president of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University
This article was originally published as a blog on the monastery website on June 25, 2024. Blogs are published every Tuesday. Read more at www.sbm.osb.org/spirituality/blog.
In Loving Memory: Colleen (Joanne) Haggerty, OSB
May 29, 1932 – January 11, 2024
Sister Colleen (Joanne) Haggerty, age 91, died on January 11, 2024, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Joanne Haggerty was the eldest of four children born to William and Olive (Okeson) Haggerty in St. Paul, Minn. Joanne deeply loved her family throughout her whole life and was always proud to claim her roots as “a buttermaker’s daughter and the daughter of Olive.”
Joanne attended grades one through seven at the public school in Hillman, Minn., grade eight at St. Anthony’s School in Watkins, Minn., grades nine through 11 at Kimball High School, Kimball, Minn., and 12th grade at St. Boniface High School in Cold Spring, Minn. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., on September 12, 1951, and was received into the novitiate on June 18, 1952, as Sister Colleen. She made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1953, and her perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1956.
S. Colleen earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and a minor in philosophy from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph and completed her dietetic internship of graduate study at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also studied at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud and Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
The St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud occupied a special place in S. Colleen’s heart. Here she began her work in health care ministry as a dietitian in the mid-to-late 1950s. Over her 25 years at the hospital, she held various positions and took on responsibilities that expanded far beyond those of the dietary department, including the coordination of major building projects. This work showcased her undeniable gifts of planning and leadership, and she continued to be a strong presence at the St. Cloud Hospital until 2019.
S. Colleen’s gift of leadership was utilized upon her return to Saint Benedict’s Monastery in 1980 when she became coordinator of the physical plant. In this position, she oversaw the complete renovation of Sacred Heart Chapel, a project that highlighted her spirit of perseverance. In 1991, she was elected to the office of president of the Monastic Congregation of Saint Benedict (formerly named the Federation of Saint Benedict) and continued to serve on multiple boards.
Along with her many achievements, S. Colleen enjoyed gardening and camping. She was also fond of parties and good food, despite her dietetic expertise. Her sense of humor, strength, creativity and persistence in the face of adversity are fondly remembered by many.
“Daily I’ve thanked God for the message I heard in God’s call, which I did not understand, but I could not resist … Throughout my life, I tried to hear God’s call in all that I was asked to do,” S. Colleen once said. We rejoice now in her coming home to the loving God who called her.
Left: S. Colleen (left) serving at the St. Cloud Hospital. Supplied by the St. Cloud Hospital Archives.
Top Right: S. Colleen was an avid sports fan!
In Loving Memory: Margaret (Mildred) Mandernach, OSB
April 4, 1936 – July 5, 2024
Sister Margaret (Mildred)
Mandernach, age 88, died on July 5, 2024, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Margaret Mandernach was the seventh of 13 children born to Peter and Catherine (Lieser) Mandernach in St. Martin, Minn. After attending grade school in St. Martin and high school in Little Falls, Minn., Margaret entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn., on September 12, 1956. She was received into the novitiate as Sister Mildred on June 18, 1957, made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1958, and her perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1961. In 1991, she returned to her baptismal name.
When S. Margaret was about three years old, she recalled that her mother took her outside to see two apple trees in bloom and said, “Isn’t God good to give us such beauty?” This moment instilled in S. Margaret a lifelong appreciation for God’s goodness in the beauty of creation.
S. Margaret earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, in elementary education. She minored in English and philosophy. At the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., she received a certificate for studies in religious education. She also earned a master’s degree in theological studies at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif., and completed her Clinical Pastoral Education accreditation at Fairview Hospital in
Minneapolis, Minn., and Mother of God Priory in Watertown, S.D.
S. Margaret’s primary ministry was education, and she taught in various capacities over 41 years. She served in a traditional classroom setting, as well as in parish ministry and faith formation, sharing her time and talents with many parishes throughout Minnesota.
Music was an integral part of S. Margaret’s life. She came from a musical family and first learned piano under the instruction of Sister Dolores Super. She played the guitar, double bass and recorder. After attending a humor conference, she decided to add the harmonica to her repertoire.
S. Margaret loved to share music with her Benedictine sisters. She and Sister Ellen Cotone recorded a CD of their music entitled “Sisters in Sync.” S. Margaret and Sister Cynthia Schmit also entertained guests one Christmas at The Local Blend in St. Joseph with a harmonica performance.
The Benedictine way of life was one she initially resisted. As a young girl, she didn’t want to be a sister. However, God continued to patiently call her to her true path—she would write, “If I would stay in the convent, I could spend my life praying and learning about God and then go out and spread the Good News about God’s goodness…”
After a full lifetime as a Benedictine sister, we rejoice with S. Margaret as she beholds the Creator of all the goodness she cherished.
S. Margaret (left) making music with S. Ellen Cotone
In Loving Memory: Georganne (Dolores) Burr,
OSB
January 30, 1940 – August 22, 2024
Sister Georganne (Dolores)
Burr, age 84, died on August 22, 2024, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn.
Dolores Burr was the youngest of seven children born to George and Alvina (Peine) Burr in Hampton, Minn. She attended St. Boniface Grade School in Hastings, Minn., and Saint Benedict’s High School in St. Joseph, Minn. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph on September 1, 1957, and was received into the novitiate as Sister Georganne on July 11, 1958. She made her first monastic profession on July 11, 1959, and her perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1962.
From the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, S. Georganne earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She also earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
Serving in education from 1961 to 1973, S. Georganne taught at Saint Peter’s and Saint Paul’s Schools in St. Cloud and at Saint Joseph’s School in Pierz, Minn. She was also supervising principal at St. Joseph’s School for two years. S. Georganne continued her own education, completing one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education from the University of Minnesota Hospitals at the University of Minnesota.
In 1973, S. Georganne became the first woman to serve as a chaplain at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, and during this time, she became aware of the need for ministry for grief, loss and addiction. In 1986, she co-founded the Saint Therese Center for Special Ministry, serving as a grief counselor and the center’s director. She also coordinated Project Rachel, a
ministry of healing for those grieving the death of a child through abortion, in the Diocese of St. Cloud.
The Saint Therese Center closed in June 2008 when S. Georganne resigned as director of the center. She moved on to become life transition facilitator at Saint Benedict’s Monastery and the Spirituality Center, facing grief through this life transition of her own.
S. Georganne described herself as having “the ability to listen and let others express themselves.” As life transition facilitator, she hosted a Christmas Remembrance Tea for sisters who recently lost loved ones. Guests were invited to place a symbol of their loved one on the Christmas tree and encouraged to tell their stories—a fond memory for many and a testament to her devotion to compassionate listening.
S. Georganne adored her large family. She valued their love and their stories and held them in her heart at all times. If trouble arose, she ensured her Benedictine sisters kept the Burr family in their prayers. Her family was her main source of comfort in the days prior to her passing.
We rejoice with S. Georganne as she returns home to God, welcomed into God’s eternal family.
S. Georganne (third from left) leading a grief counseling group
In Loving Memory: Michon (Mary Ann) Lanners, OSB
August 1, 1935 – October 29, 2024
Sister Michon (Mary Ann)
Lanners, age 89, died on October 29, 2024, at the St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, Minn.
Mary Ann Lanners was born to Joseph and Mary Anna (Kack) Lanners in Sisseton, S.D. She attended a Catholic elementary school in St. Leo, Minn., and Canby Elementary School in Canby, Minn. At age 13, she left home to attend Saint Benedict’s High School in St. Joseph, Minn. Mary Ann showed an early affinity for caring for others, enjoying her school vacations in time spent caring for her nieces and nephews.
On August 28, 1949, Mary Ann entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minn. She was received into the novitiate as Sister Michon on June 7, 1953, made first monastic profession on July 11, 1954, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1957.
At the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, S. Michon earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with minors in English and philosophy. She also studied at the College of St. Teresa in Winona, Minn., the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn., and St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, where she earned a master’s degree in educational administration for elementary grades.
S. Michon taught in various Catholic schools in Central Minnesota. She also served as principal at St. Augustine’s in St. Cloud and at St. Mary’s in Breckenridge.
Led by her compassionate spirit, she also ministered in health care, first as a receptionist in New Prague, Minn., and later as director of volunteers, auxiliary liaison and in pastoral care at St. Therese Home in New Hope, Minn. Reflecting on her work with the elderly at St. Therese Home, S. Michon said that she “learned what it means to be dependent, trust and believe in the help one receives from others.”
S. Michon was a creative administrator who focused on nurturing relationships—a clear theme in her various careers. She was dedicated to her students and families as an educator, to her guests as guest house coordinator at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, and to her patients and parishioners through her work in pastoral care and ministry.
Family was another set of relationships that S. Michon dedicated herself to, especially looking forward to leisure time with her nieces just as she had early on in life. Through her many different relationships, S. Michon was a strong, committed witness to Christ.
Further describing her work at St. Therese Home, S. Michon said, “I have learned to face my aging with grace … striving for the life that is beyond is worth it all.” We rejoice now with her as she experiences the eternal life for which she strived.
S. Michon (second from left) preparing to move to Minneapolis with Franciscan sister Bernice Ebner (left) with some help from Sisters Linda Dusek (second from right) and Colleen Haggerty
Cemetery Stewardship
Amanda Hackett
In the 2019 edition of Remember magazine, we shared that all donations received from that publication would contribute to a fund made specifically for stewardship of the monastic cemetery. We continue to take this commitment seriously and are excited to share the newest addition to our sacred space!
You’ve probably heard of a Roomba or similar device that vacuums your home on its own. Well, we’ve taken it one step further and added a robot lawnmower to our maintenance crew this past August! During the summer, it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even in the rain. There is a docking station that it returns to when it’s time to recharge.
Doug Bauer, the monastery’s maintenance supervisor, shared that the lawnmower learns as it goes and becomes quicker and more efficient with every mowing session. At first, it would take the lawnmower six days to mow the entire cemetery. Before it was shut down for the season this year, it had cut down its mowing time to about two-and-a-half days. Doug expects that by the middle of next summer, it will take the lawnmower less than two days to mow the entire cemetery. He also said that every week, the lawnmower saves the maintenance staff around four to five hours of labor.
This device not only saves us time and increases efficiency, but it also promotes good stewardship of the land. Since the lawnmower is continually mowing, the grass doesn’t grow as long, and the shorter grass clippings decompose faster and provide better nutrition for the lawn. This means the maintenance team can use less fertilizer to keep the lawn looking lovely, and it also saves about one-and-a-half gallons of gas each week.
This is the map that the lawnmower follows in the cemetery. The red areas indicate obstacles that it mows around, and the gray areas represent the areas that are mowed. Doug controls everything on his cell phone.
Called By a New Name
WPatricia Vincent Pickett, OblSB
hen the name Sister Mary Anthony Wagner is heard, I suspect many images of this incredible woman emerge in the minds of hearers. The first one to emerge in my mind is “M.A.” on the family room floor making posters with my Irish triplets and their three younger siblings.
“M.A.”?
Poster paper and paints, crayons, scissors and seven children—well, six—were industriously creating pictures of St. Placid and St. Benedict and ravens and caves.
S. Mary Anthony was right in the middle telling stories about Benedict and all his adventures. I was holding our almost two-year-old who was itching to answer the call of paint. The boys had been trying to teach her to say “S. Mary Anthony,” but she couldn’t say the sound of the letter “R.” She was making all kinds of sounds and getting more difficult to hold on to when all of a sudden, she squealed, “M.A.!” Everyone stopped. Erin was holding her arms out to S. Mary Anthony. From then on, it was “M.A.”
My relationship with S. Mary Anthony began when I was 14, and like a bright thread in a tapestry, she became part of our family life for the rest of her life. Our travels as a family took us from one coast to the other and up and down the middle. It became increasingly difficult to get to Saint Benedict’s Monastery and finally, after Erin was born, “M.A.” suggested I just make my final oblation as an oblate right in the midst of family, wherever we were, whenever we could arrange it.
That’s what we did. I became an oblate in our living room with all kinds of posters and prayers. “M.A.” held Erin when I signed my promise as an oblate.
The memories of that wonderful day came flooding back this morning when I renewed my promise to be Benedictine. Other memories of “M.A.” colored my morning, too. I remembered “M.A.” as my theology teacher when I was 16. Then, she became my son’s advisor at Saint John’s University when he majored in theology. She was part of his wedding and took part in Bill’s inauguration as president of St. John Fisher College. She worked with me on my dissertation and published part of it in Sisters Today. And, all through that, we wrote to one another about ordinary things.
She was with us in sorrow, too. The kids always thought of her as “Gramma” when they were little. When word came that “M.A.” died, there was no way to get from New York to Minnesota with everyone as word came just a day before her celebration of life. I knew she understood, just as she understands today. And, she really liked being called “M.A.” It put her in the middle of kids and family and the joy of a little girl who named her “M.A.” because she couldn’t say her “R”s!
This article was originally published as a blog on the monastery website on June 25, 2024. Blogs are published every Tuesday. Read more at www.sbm.osb.org/spirituality/blog.
Singing a Song of Thanks
To better steward our physical blessings and focus our energies on our ministries, our community has decided to build a new, smaller monastery on our grounds—which will need a new, smaller organ.
The purchase of this organ was the focus of our most recent campaign for Give to the Max, Minnesota’s annual online giving day, that took place November 21, 2024. With humble gratitude, we are thrilled to share that we far surpassed our original goal of $75,000—generous donors like you gave $118,600!
Left: Sisters Catherine Duenne (left), current organist, and Dolores Super, former organist
The organ is not just an instrument—it is an investment into our shared future.
By contributing to the purchase of this organ, supporters are:
» Glorifying God through the enhanced experiences of prayer and Eucharist.
» Honoring our Benedictine heritage, tradition and legacy through the continued development of current and future organists.
» Offering the gift of God’s presence and love to others through liturgy.
» Encouraging future generations to appreciate the timeless beauty of organ music and seek God through prayer.
» Building community as people of all walks of life come together to praise God.
The generosity of our friends and supporters will bring the Benedictine charism to life for years to come, shaping the hearts of those who will be blessed to hear its tune. THANK YOU!
If you would like to contribute to the organ fund, you can donate online at www.sbm.osb.org or by sending a check to: Saint Benedict’s Monastery, Office of Mission Advancement, 104 Chapel Lane, St. Joseph, MN 56374. Checks should be made payable to “Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict” and include “Organ” in the memo line.
The Office of Mission Advancement
104 Chapel Lane, St. Joseph, MN 56374-0220
(320) 363-7100 • www.sbm.osb.org
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Remember Your Loved One With a
Nina Lasceski, OSB
Memorial Gi
ft
Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. We give gifts to friends, family and co-workers for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and weddings. Gift registries sometimes help, and other times it is fun to be creative. Sometimes, we give a gift “just because.”
There are many ways you can give a gift to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, and you don’t even have to wrap it! More traditional ways to give are via check or credit card. Or you can go one step further: Did you know you can give a memorial gift in memory of someone you loved?
If you have a pre-planned funeral, why not have your memorial gifts designated to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict? You can also decide to include our community in your estate plans. Or, if you’d like to honor a loved one who is still living, you can choose to do that, too.
Talk with your financial advisor, tax preparer or attorney on how you can give a gift to our community today. For more information, contact Sister Nina Lasceski, director of development, at (320) 363-7051 or plannedgiving@csbsju.edu.