As I reflect on the 50 years since my first profession of monastic vows I probably would not have imagined having the strength to do some of the things I have done, especially those that required me to “step out of the box,” to take a stand on the edge or take on a new task. But with the strength of community, working and praying through good times and life challenges, I have done much more than I ever imagined I could do alone.

Community means so much to me. I have learned how to be strong and how to be weak, how to rejoice and how to mourn. I have come to understand that living in community is both miraculous and mystical. As sisters in community we are interconnected through the Rule of Benedict by which we live, the monastic vows that we promise, the charism we convey, the corporate commitment we uphold and the daily prayer in which we engage together. The psalms we chant each day speak to me and they often speak to me of the gift of community—the love of God made visible.

A short poem I wrote at a community weekend many years ago expresses for me the strength of community:

Flexible branches
Weaving in and around,
Supporting
Stretching - - -
Coming to the center
Walking to the edge
Seeking together
Healing
Enabling
Being

I am looking forward to the Golden Jubilee. Just thinking about sharing the celebration with community, family and friends and recognizing that I didn’t make it this far alone fills me with the joy of anticipation. Each day the excitement mounts. As that happens, my gratitude for the many blessings that have been mine in these 50 years grows and deepens.

Sister Marcia Sigler ministered in elementary education for 20 years before moving into health care as a nurse aide at Hamot Hospital. After leaving Hamot she became a nursing assistant in the infirmary at Mount St. Benedict Monastery where she continues to minister. Sister Marcia also served as a volunteer EMT for Fairfield Hose Company in Harborcreek Township and remains connected to that organization. For the past 35 years, Sister Marcia has been a weekly volunteer at the Emmaus Soup Kitchen.