Gifted Poet, Woman of Rare Integrity, Heart of Boundless Friendship

Sister Ellen Porter, OSB

Sister Ellen Porter, OSB, died at her home, Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, Erie, Pennsylvania, on August 22, 2008 after a long illness. She had celebrated her 60th birthday last month.

Ellen, a daughter of the late Alvin and Caryl Selinger Porter, was born in Pasadena, California. She was baptized in All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena, and confirmed in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Monrovia, California.

After high school in Monrovia, Sister Ellen completed an associate degree in nursing at Pasadena Community College, graduating with honors. She received the BA degree from California State University, again with honors, in 1986. She also studied psychology at the Pacifica Graduate Institute.

Ellen’s nursing career began at the Southern Inyo Hospital, Lone Pine, California, where she was part of the emergency services staff from 1971 to 1973. Since the tiny town of Lone Pine lies between Mt. Whitney and Death Valley, Ellen was able to hike and climb in places where the beauty of creation is especially vivid.

She also loved the beauty of the sea, and so she later lived and worked near it as a nurse in Monrovia and Ventura until 1983 when she served in pastoral ministry at St. Andrew’s Parish, St. John’s Regional Medical Center and, again as a nurse, at United Blood Services.

Sister Ellen came to Erie in 1995 for a retreat at the monastery. She stayed, to become a Roman Catholic and a member of our community, entering the novitiate on January 1, 2001. She made her initial monastic profession on January 1, 2001 and her perpetual monastic profession on January 22, 2005.

Ellen, a remarkable nurse, cared for sick and elderly Sisters and has been a staff member of the Alliance for International Monasticism. She was a published poet – her mother was also a writer – whose work reflects her search for God and her delight in the beauty of nature.

Preceded in death by her parents, Sister Ellen is survived by this Benedictine community and by her sister Caryn Porter of Hillsboro, Oregon; her niece, Valerie Robbins-Vickers and her grandniece, Grace, of Forest Grove, Oregon.

You can read the homily of Sister Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, prioress here.

Memorials may be made to the Benedictine Sisters, Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, 6101 East Lake Road, Erie, PA 16511.

This tribute was written by Sister Mary Ann Luke, OSB.

Sisters Convene for Learning, Leisure and Legislation

This is a time for ongoing formation, recreation and discussion of community issues. "LLL" began Tuesday evening, August 5, and continues throughout the weekend.

Sister Barbara E. Reid, a Dominican Sister of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, will share her expertise with the Sisters this week during Learning, Leisure, and Legislation Days, 2008.  Sister Barbara’s theme, Birthing Hope: Women Leaders in the Pauline Churches and in Acts of the Apostles, promises to be enriching and challenging.  She will offer “a study of selected passages from Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline letters that feature the ministries and struggles of women leaders in the early church and the wisdom they can offer us today.”

The Peacebuilders Initiative Web site, sponsored by the Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union speaks of Sister Barbara as “a sought-after biblical scholar known for her expertise in the New Testament and her ability to make the Bible come alive. …She skillfully relates contemporary issues to the biblical tradition.” 

Sister Dorothy Stoner, OSB, director of formation, says, “We look forward to welcoming Sister Barbara Reid, OP, knowing we have much to learn from her and her experiences.  And we will continue the conversation with each other that she will surely inspire.”

The Sight and Sounds of Summer

Sister Anne Wambach, OSB, executive director of the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House, invites you to read the latest Neighbor-to-Neighbor newsletter. Click and see what a busy place the Art House continues to be!

Her Fidelity Was Exemplary

Sister Joanne Huether, OSB

Sister Joanne Huether died on Thursday, July 31, 2008 at her home, Mount Saint Benedict Monastery, Erie, Pa. She had endured the limitations of age and illness for many years, always as active as possible and always patient in her inabilities.

She was born in Sharon, Pa., a daughter of John and Eva Pfeiffer Huether. She was baptized Martha Lucia at St. Joseph Church in Sharon and attended the parish school.

She entered the novitiate of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie on August 27, 1929, receiving the name Joanne. She made her first profession of monastic vows on August 27, 1930 and her final profession of monastic vows on August 21, 1933. Sister Joanne has celebrated her silver, golden and diamond anniversaries of profession. She was the oldest member of our community.

Sister Joanne was a graduate of Saint. Benedict Academy, class of 1931, and received the Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Villa Maria College, Erie. In addition, she studied for several summers at Pius X School of Music, Purchase, N.Y; at the University of Pittsburgh and at Marygrove College, Monroe, Mich., where her subject was art education.

Sister Joanne was an elementary teacher for many years. She served at St. Joseph School, Oil City; St. Mary’s and Mount Calvary Schools, Erie; St. Joseph and Sacred Heart Schools, Sharon. In summers, she taught religion to children in Oil City, Sharon, West Middlesex, Coalport and at St. Mary’s, Sts. Peter and Paul and Mount Calvary parishes in Erie.

When time and infirmity made teaching impossible, Sister Joanne assisted the librarian at Mount Saint Benedict and began the ministry that she continued until recent weeks. Aware through her own frailty of the value of companionship, she telephoned and wrote to dozens of people who were troubled, ill, suffering losses and in need of the support of her prayers and gentle encouragement.

Although her strength decreased from year to year, her fidelity was exemplary: Blind and wheelchair bound, she nevertheless ministered as was possible and was unfailing in participation in our community’s daily prayer until the day before she died.

As well as her parents, Sister Joanne was preceded in death by four sisters: Josephine, Evelyn, Helen and Ann and three brothers: John, Edward and Robert.

She is survived by her Benedictine community and by her nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Mount St. Benedict Monastery, 6101 East Lake Road, Erie, PA 16511

This tribute was written by Sister Mary Ann Luke, OSB.

You can read the funeral homily by Sister Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, prioress, here.