Lent is a call to weep for what we could have been and are not. Lent is the grace to grieve for what we should have done and did not. Lent is the opportunity to change what we ought to change but have not. Lent is not about penance. Lent is about becoming, doing and changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now. Lent is a summons to live anew. —Sister Joan Chittister
Make keeping the season of Lent a communal effort by joining our weekly vigil and praying with others who, like you, see Lent as time set aside to become more fully human, more holy. You are invited to join us for Lenten vigils each Saturday during Lent at 7:00 p.m. in the monastery chapel. The vigil includes short reflections from a different person each week: March 8, Sister Therese Glass; March 15, Sister Linda Romey; March 22, Sister Janet Goetz; March 29, Sister Val Luckey; April 5, Sister Ann Hoffman; April 12, Oblate Carol Vaccariello.
The March 29 Monastery Tour is filled. Please watch for another tour opportunity later in the year. Join our email list below to be notified.
Monastic Life Is...
“Earth Day 1970 made it clear that we could summon the public support, the energy, and commitment to save our environment.” —Gaylord Nelson
Will the same be said about Earth Day 2025? Let’s review a little history.
Join Benedictines for Peace and others on Saturday, April 5, at noon in Perry Square for Erie's HandsOff Rally, part of a national, non-violent effort to send a message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Learn more here. Fairness and equity are key principles of the Rule of Benedict and the gospel; we join the call to practice government with equity and fairness.
Erie News Now featured Erie's Catholic Sisters on their 5:30 newscast every day through Catholic Sisters Week, March 8-14. View Eva Mastromatteo's interview from Wednesday with Sister Mary Ellen Plumb and Oblate Jo Clarke. On Friday, she interviewed Sister Stephanie Schmidt and Sister of St. Joseph Mary Drexler. Eva, Sister Mary Ellen, and Jo are pictured.
Last Saturday at a gathering of about 300 persons demanding that Rep. Mike Kelly be present at a town hall to hear the concerns of people in Erie, GoErie.com interviewed Sister Jacqueline Sanchez-Small. Sister Jacqueline's comment was posted by Rachel Maddow on BluSky. Rep. Kelly has not held a town hall in Erie County since 2015. The protest, which was organized by a group of citizens, as well as French Creek Indivisible and Erie Benedictines for Peace, was held in Perry Square in downtown Erie. Listen to the interview and read news story here.
Everyday Sacred, Everywhere Beauty: Readings from an Old Monk's Journal, a collection of Sister Mary Lou Kownacki's writings published by Orbis books after her death from cancer in January, 2023, is a 2025 Illumination Award bronze medal winner in spirituality. The Illumination Awards recognize and honor the best books in Christian literature each year. "…if we’re wise we find a book like this one …with every hope we ever dreamed, and every word we remember of its insights, and all the joy and possibility it ever brought to all our wishes and all the promises we promised before these times to celebrate the rest of life." —from the Afterword by Joan Chittister, OSB
Erie Benedictine oblates celebrated their Benedictine sisters on Sunday in honor of Catholic Sisters week. With the collaboration of Michelle Basista, Development Associate, and oblate Cynthia Legin-Bucell and the technical assistance of Jim Wertz, the oblates created a twenty-minute video of personal thank you messages. "It was a very touching tribute, and some of us were moved to tears," said Sister Linda Romey.
The sixth interview from the Where Hope Is: Stories of Benedictine Influence oral stories project is available.
Please join us in prayer for homicide victim Canyon Andrew McGarvey, on Monday, March 10, 5:15 p.m., in the 1800 block of Fairmont Parkway, the site where Canyon was murdered on January 19, 2025. Take Back the Site Vigils reclaim the place where violence has occurred. We pray for all people who are harmed by violence: victims, perpetrators, bystanders, friends, families. We believe that a nonviolent way of life is possible. The 15-minute vigils are ponsored by: the Benedictine Sisters of Erie and Oblates, the Sisters of St. Joseph, Agrégées, and Associates, and the Sisters of Mercy and Associates.
