“I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me
might not remain in darkness.” John 12:46
May the light of your love grow ever brighter
as you celebrate anew the birth of the Christ child
into a world yearning to overcome darkness
and to be transformed into Love.
Merry Christmas!
Monastic Life Is...
Sister Patricia McGreevy, OSB, 92, died on December 27, 2025, at Mount St. Benedict Monastery in Erie.
Bring fire and warmth to your wintery hearth and join us for a spiritual celebration and retreat on the eve of the Feast of St Brigid on January 31 from 1 -7 p.m. Read more and register.
Sister Helen Heher, OSB, 81, died on December 23, 2025, at Mount St. Benedict Monastery in Erie.
As Advent draws to a close, the monastery begins to look like Christmas. On Sunday evening sisters trimmed the Christmas tree in the monastery community room then gather for prayer and caroling.
To close the first half of the Benedictine Peacemaker's monastic immersion year, Sister Carolyn Gorny-Kopkowski and program coordinator Michelle Scully led the three program participants in a morning of retreat and reflection based in creation spirituality. In the 1990s, after studying Creation Spirituality in Chicago with Matthew Fox, Sister Carolyn began creating and leading spirituality programs connecting the paths of creation spirituality to each of the four seasons. Though it has been many years since Carolyn has coordinated these weekend retreats, she was delighted to guide the Benedictine Peacemaker program participants. “It was wonderful to be able to share my experience and knowledge of creation spirituality with these young women through this morning retreat,” Carolyn said. The morning held space for prayer, learning, conversation, and an art reflection. Pictured are Benedictine Peacemaker participants Emily Brandt (left) and Erin Falk with Sister Carolyn.
Oboist Sister Anne Wambach and pianist Sister Charlotte Anne Zalot were guest performers at the two Christmas concerts presented by the North East Choral Club at Parkside Methodist Church in North East. They played three holiday pieces on the oboe and keyboard, including “Mary Did You Know” and “Go Tell It In On the Mountain.” The North East Choral Club is a women's community choir. The choir offers their concerts free of charge and collects donations to benefit local charities.
Join Benedictines for Peace in a Silent Peace Walk Tuesday, December 16, 7:00 p.m. in Perry Square. The special focus is peace in Gaza, Ukraine, and Suday.
In her most recent post, Katie Gordon, who lives at Pax Priory and ministers at Monasteries of the Heart, did some archival research on Sister Rosanne Lindal-Hynes application to the diaconate...in 1994. Read "No commission report can shake integrity. Two Benedictine sisters who applied for the diaconate and what it teaches us."
