"We Join You to Celebrate"
St. Walburg Monastery marks 150 years
St. Walburg Monastery in Covington, Ky., celebrated their 150th anniversary of foundation on Sunday, June 7, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. They were a foundation of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie. Sister Mary Jane Vergotz, OSB, subprioress, led the delegation from Erie and presented the Processional Cross and Paschal Candle. A copy of a letter from the archives was also presented; it was written by Boniface Wimmer, OSB, at Latrobe, Pa., March 7, 1859 to the prioress of the Benedictines of Erie asking her to send Sisters to begin the new foundation. He suggested names of the Sisters he wanted and then described the land and houses he bought in Covington. Our copy in English is a translation by our late Sister M. Gertrude Schmitz, OSB, from the original in German, which we have in the archives as well.
Sister Mary Catherine Wenstrup, OSB, prioress of St. Walburg Monastery (third from left) greeted the Erie Benedictine Sisters. From left: Janet Staab, OSB; Mary Jane, OSB; Theresa Zoky, OSB; Janet Goetz, OSB; and Dorothy Stoner, OSB.
Following is the letter Sister Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, prioress, sent to the Covington prioress and Sisters:
Dear Sister Mary Catherine and Sisters:
History has linked our two monastic communities. The year was 1859 when three Sisters left the small community of 15 Sisters in Erie to establish St. Walburg Monastery in Covington, Kentucky. Today we celebrate a journey of 150 years of your community putting down deep roots and embracing the local Church in Covington. Our foremothers had the courage that came from lives centered in prayer and community to leave the familiar and embrace the unknown. The dynamism of the Benedictine charism has always been open to new ways to minister to the urgent needs constantly appearing on the horizon of our lives. May both of our communities be fitting daughters of these courageous women as we answer the call of the future.
We join you to celebrate all you have accomplished. The fruit of your presence and work is in the lives of the people that have been changed through the hospitality offered and the ministry lovingly bestowed by your members. You have received all as Christ. The reign of God can be glimpsed in the compassion and care of your works.
We come with gifts from our hearts offered with our love and prayers on this your jubilee. First, from our archives, Sister Janet Staab, our archivist, made you a copy of the letter written by Boniface Wimmer, OSB in the original German dialect in which he details the foundation in Covington, the property purchased, with a diagram of the plots of land. The letter also puts forth in a bold way a request for the release of particular Sisters from Erie to be the founding members of the new community. The translation of the document was made by one of our Sisters, Sister Gertrude, now deceased. The document is a piece of history that we share.
To join our prayers with yours, our Sister Audrey Steff, a hobby wood turner, made a cherry wood Processional Cross for use in your chapel. She did this in the name of all of us. We also offer a Paschal Candle made by another one of our Sisters, Sister Susan Freitag. Some community members helped with the various pourings of the wax. Though the two of them were the artisans the entire community’s heart is in these simple gifts.
Let us hold each other in prayer "preferring nothing whatever to Christ, and may he bring us all together to everlasting life." (RB 72:11)
With the joy of jubilee,
Christine Vladimiroff, OSB