Sister Eunice

I always knew I wanted to be a sister. While attending Rosati-Kane High School in St. Louis, I felt I wanted to be a missionary sister and serve in foreign lands. I read all I could about missionary orders. That changed when one day, two Benedictine Sisters from Oklahoma visited our school and spoke about how few Catholics there were in Oklahoma and that it indeed was missionary territory. 'Missionary Territory', that was it!

I entered this Benedictine Community the year after graduation, knowing very little about monastic life. This was a whole new world to me. I was impressed by the Rule of Benedict and the impact that it had through the centuries on the Church and all of Europe. Discovering that the Rule was the application of the Gospel in our daily lives - prayer, work, creativity, cooking, serving table, answering the door, caring for the sick, and the daily chanting of the psalms convinced me that this was where I belonged.

Community is very important to me. I find it supportive, loving, caring, demanding, and yes, even hard at times. But the Rule shows us the way; it gives us the model for living community life-a life lived with others in the Spirit of Christ. A life of listening to and learning from each other.

I have celebrated my Golden Jubilee and am thankful each day that I discovered Benedictine Monastic Life in Oklahoma and have indeed carried the Good News of the Gospel to the many children I taught in parish and vacation Bible schools. Most importantly, to me, is the gift I received of learning to live the Gospel message in a Benedictine Monastic Community. This I cherish above all else.