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Spring 2017 Missionary Benedictine Sisters P a g e | 1

FROM THE PRIORESS’S DESK

Jean le Noir and Assistants, Noli Me Tangere from Breviary of Charles V France (Paris), 1364-1370

JESUS, RISEN, CALLS EACH ONE BY NAME

Jean Vanier in his last Chapter of the book “The Gospel of

Relationship” gives us this introduction: “The Gospel of

John started with a marvelous relationship that is the

source of all relationships: In the beginning was the Logos,

and the Logos was in relationship with God, and the Logos

was God. Now, it finishes with another beautiful

relationship.

On this day, close to the tomb where the body of Jesus had

been laid, we find Mary of Magdala, her heart filled with

grief. She is a woman who has suffered a broken

relationship. She was plunged into a kind of solitude,

anguish, and depression because the one she loved is dead,

under atrocious and traumatizing conditions. Her heart is

profoundly broken! On this first day of the week, Mary of

Magdala comes to the tomb because she wants to anoint

the body of the one she has loved with aromatic oils.”

We again celebrate the feast of feasts, the 50 days of Holy

Easter. When we go to the empty tomb let us take along

all the women traumatized by war, terrorism, catastrophes,

and loss of loved ones. Let us ask the Risen Lord to call

them by their name, and that they can hear Jesus’ voice

and get hope, strength and love, while they enter into a

new relationship with Jesus.

And may we all deepen our relationship with the Lord this

Easter Season in listening when Jesus calls each of us by

name and then go out to proclaim, “I have seen the

LORD!”

Blessed Easter to all who read this Newsletter!

Sr. Pia Portmann, OSB

“Let them prefer

nothing whatever to

Christ” ~ St. Benedict

Norfolk Priory News


SEEK CONFERENCE FOR COLLEGE

STUDENTS

By Sr. Michael Marie, OSB

During the days of January 3-7 a marvelous event took

place in San Antonio, TX. Over 13,000 college students

gathered from across the United States all seeking to hear

about and prayerfully find a closer relationship with Jesus

Christ.

It all begins with knowing the FOCUS (Fellowship of

Catholic University Students) missionaries. Since 1998

FOCUS has grown from a handful of missionaries on one

campus to more than 550 missionaries on 125 campuses

across the country. These missionaries are young college

students or new graduates from various universities and

colleges. Their work is to go for a designated number of

years to a college campus and there interact with the

students, inviting them to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ and

to the Catholic church.

Seek 2017 was the event which gathered all the students

whom the FOCUS missionaries had been journeying

with. The event included outstanding keynote speakers

for each day and then many impact sessions on a great

variety of topics. For example: Women Made New;

Theology of His Body; How to Read the Bible as a

Disciple; The Two Greatest Poverties; These are My

Attractions. What’s My Vocation? You of Whom The

World Is Not Worthy and many more.

Daily mass was a focal point of each day and an adoration

chapel was available throughout the conference. In

addition, there were many displays from various religious

groups and Catholic orientated companies.

Sisters Inviolata, Fidelis Marie, Rita Marie and Michael

Marie attended this event where there was ample

opportunity to meet young men and women who

expressed that they had been thinking about a priestly or

religious. Young men and women sincerely asking for

prayers for particular concerns in their life.

A special challenge was issued by our Pastor here in

Norfolk, Fr. Dan Andrews, that we take a group photo of

all the students at the event who are from Norfolk. Well,

Sr. Fidelis Marie and Sr. Inviolata actually made it happen,

regardless of the huge crowd and the trouble of having

everyone at the same location at a particular time. I believe

we only missed 2 people in this photo.

It was well worth the 17 hour (each way) bus trip from

Nebraska to Texas. We ask your prayers for all these

young people that they may continue to give their lives to

Jesus Christ.


FIRST QUARTER OF 2017 IN

WINNEBAGO

By Sr. Frances, OSB

Carpe diem! Tempus volat. Ausculta! Ora et

labora! Wisdom of ancient sages and from the Rule of

Benedict are on the menu of the weekly half hour Latin

club meetings at St. Augustine School. The club started

two years ago with a membership of 14, but various sports

and exercise programs have made inroads on attendance.

Yes, the physical health of our children needs to be given

priority over electives because obesity and diabetes need

to be nipped in the bud as much as possible by early

preventive medicine.

Lent has inspired many of us to reduce clutter in various

aspects of our lives, and so the writer is trying to

reduce/replace a flood of words by pictures in this report.

One challenge is that the photographer is also the writer of

this article, and she is engaged full-time in school. For a

person trained in ‘ancient’ communication methods it is

easier to put into action the ‘reduce/reuse recycle’ motto

than to have the camera, iPad and iPhone constantly in use.

It is a struggle for me…. The young ones, even little school

kids, have no problem with that and they are more than

willing to oblige as photographers and even technology

teachers. It is their world.

Events: Sr. Madeleine made the papers for her part in

having the legislature strike off from the Nebraska law

books the “religious dress prohibition” for

teachers/employees in public schools.

Sr. Deana and Sr. Jane are engaged in the food pantry,

thrift store, parish nursing, home visiting and other

outreach as well as teaching in the Parish Religious

Education (CCD) program. Sr. Frances is full-time

librarian, church sacristan and visits the elderly at the

Macy health center on Saturdays. Bible study and Fr.

Mark’s new evangelization program for parishioners also

involve the sisters.

The great highlight for us was the arrival of Sister

Gabriella in February. She is the new Mission bookkeeper

and accountant. Besides learning to master the system for

the finances of our four parishes and the K-8 school, Sister

Gabriella is definitely a bright new light in our

community.—A blessed Easter to all our readers!

HONORED AT SPIRIT CATHOLIC

RADIO DINNER

By Sr. Ann Terese, OSB

On the evening of Feb. 28, 2017; Sr. Cecilia, Sr. Andrea,

and Sr. Ann Terese attended in Omaha a Spirit Catholic

Radio fundraiser as honorees representing the Missionary

Benedictine Sisters of Norfolk. We were one of 4

honorees, each from a different sub-station of the Spirit

Catholic Radio (the area’s only Catholic radio station


heard across most of Nebraska, western Iowa and other

parts of the Midwest) listening areas. The Station

recognized our help in promoting Spirit Catholic Radio;

by being long-time spiritual prayer partners, by providing

space for the first remote broadcast from our monastery,

and helping to distribute premiums to care-a-thon donors

which happen twice a year. Sr. Ann Terese was a

volunteer for the station in its beginnings before she

entered the monastery. The sisters were greeted and

congratulated by many friends, several who came just to

honor the MBS sisters.

The evening started with a social hour; then came dinner

for approximately 450 attendees; and lastly, station

updates, presentations and noted speaker, Christopher

Check. The “Spirit Award” was given to Mr. Check,

president of Catholic Answers, which produces Catholic

Answers LIVE, a call-in program and a most highly rated

Catholic radio show airing 2 hours every weekday. Mr.

Check gave an informative talk about defending the family

and our Christian beliefs.

VOCATION MINISTRY ROUND-UP

By Sr. Inviolata, OSB

Vocation Visitors

It has been a wonderfully busy time with vocation events.

We have had several vocation visitors over the last 3

months. The Holy Spirit is definitely working in our

community. There is a sense of hope and excitement with

regards to vocation promotion. Seeing the young people

come for a visit, to check out if this might be where God

is calling them, and especially for me, accompanying them

and discerning with them their vocation is a grace that only

God can accomplish.

It really is an honor for me to work in Vocation Ministry.

Having to explain to someone else why I love this life

enables me to put into words feelings and thoughts that

otherwise remain unspoken. I see it as a deepening of my

own sense of calling and my commitment to living as a

Missionary Benedictine Sister, as I journey with these

young ladies in their own discernment.

Even though these ladies come to visit individually, I felt

the need to plan a weekend where they could all be

together, get to know one another, and share their stories

of where they are. That was a dream that was realized

April 7-9 when I managed to get them all at the monastery.

What an inspiration that was, not only for me, but also for

the community. It was wonderful weekend and the Sisters

did an amazing job of connecting with the visitors.


You know a vocation weekend was a success when they

don’t want to leave at the end. It was great seeing them

interact with the Sisters and with one another. I spend

Saturday morning with them in prayer and reflection on

where they are in their discernment, and what they feel

God is asking of them. For this session, we use the call of

Peter from Luke 5:1-11 and I had questions for reflections.

The afternoon was spent with our formation members. It

was fun with playing games and just visiting with them

about formation and what it is like to be in the monastery.

Some of them had a chance to visit with Sisters

individually, which I have found is an immense way of

getting them to articulate who they are and where they are.

The rest of the weekend was spend just mixing and

mingling with the community.

I am so grateful to God for every one of them for being so

brave and open to discovering what God has in store for

them. I am immensely grateful to the community for their

warm welcome that makes these ladies feel at home when

they come for a visit. In addition, the community dedicates

a lot of prayer time to the vocation promotion efforts, and

when I connect with these ladies, I know it is God listening

to and answering all the prayers of the Sisters. Thank you

so much Sisters. You definitely make my work easier!! It

doesn’t matter where these ladies end up in the future, but

knowing that I am part of their journey is a gratifying and

fulfilling ministry. May God bless the work of our hands.

Vocation Talk at St. James/Seton School

For Catholic Schools Week Sr. Celine was invited to speak

on Vocations to the 425 students at St. James/Seton School

in Omaha NE. They were divided into three group, each

over 135 students. She had prepared a power point

presentation which she could talk from. The youngest

group (K-3) asked very profound questions like: Do you

pray, what do you do for fun, can you do anything you

want to do, etc. These students must have had a course

before they came to the presentation. Hopefully some

seed for a vocation was planted in their hearts.

Vocation Days with Sixth-Graders

Every year the Archdiocese sponsors a vocation day for

6th graders. A day for the students of the city schools is

planned for fall in Omaha whereas the day planned for the

rural schools is in spring, hosted in Schuyler at the

Benedictine Retreat Center. Because we have limited

space in Schuyler the program is planned for two days,

asking the schools to choose which day they want to

attend. This year we had 142 students on the first day and

118 the second day with 40 students in the evening from

the local public school. Groups were made according to

gender and within that group they were divided into

smaller group. About 10 religious, men and women,

shared their vocation story or the story of their

community. Each student was able to hear two

presentations as well as from the keynote speakers, Sr.

Celine and Br. August from Mt. Michael’s Abbey,

Elkhorn Ne. Each group also had ½ hour for adoration. It

was a fast moving day but because some students travel

over two hours to attend we need to keep the day

short. We religious were happy for the day as the students

responded well. We trust that we have touch some hearts

and exposed them to the possibility of a religious vocation.


CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

ACTIVITIES

By Sr. Fidelis Marie, OSB

Jan 29- Feb 4th was Catholic Schools Week for Norfolk

Catholic Schools. At Norfolk Catholic the CSW

committee planned the following activities.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY - CELEBRATING

OUR PARISH Students & Faculty helping at all

Mass times

MONDAY - CELEBRATING OUR

COMMUNITY Norfolk Catholic Shirt / Uniform

Pants & Silly Socks All School Kick Off

Assembly. High School joining Elementary for a

service project

TUESDAY- CELEBRATING OUR STUDENTS

PeaceBuilder/ House Shirts or Religious Shirt /

Uniform Pants Talent Show –

WEDNESDAY - CELEBRATING THE

NATION Patriotic Shirt / Uniform Pants Holy

Hour for the Nation - Rosary & Adoration

THURSDAY - CELEBRATING VOCATIONS

Mission Jeans Day - Vocations Missionary

Benedictine Sisters joining Elementary for lunch

Guest Speaker - Fr. Jim Keiter - Parish Concert -

Mikey Needelman

FRIDAY - CELEBRATING OUR FAMILIES

Dress Up Day Grandparents Day Lunch, Sing-A-

Long, All School Mass at

Our sisters were a part of the celebrating vocations day on

Thursday. Many sisters signed up to eat lunch with the

elementary students during their three different lunch

periods. The sisters and students alike enjoyed visiting

with one another.

Also that day the high school students had a guest speaker

come in to speak with them about faith. Afterwards the

boys and the girls went to a panel discussion with Q&A’s.

I was able to speak on a panel for all the high school girls

along with a laywoman, and a married woman. We spoke

on what our vocations entail and how God is present to us

in them. We also encouraged them in their vocations as

students and shared our faith with them.

Overall it was a good day and the students seemed to enjoy

all the activities of the week. Thanks for all the sisters who

participated and for those who prayed!

JOY OF WITNESSING THE BEAUTY

OF RELIGIOUS LIFE

By Sr. Celine, OSB

TEC #161 and TEC #42 TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) movement is numbered. It

is the best way to remember which one you have made and

how many there have been. The higher number is out of

Omaha. Out of Omaha grew the first Tec but many Tec’s

were held in the rural area. The Spiritual director, Fr.

Brown, lived in Omaha and he laid the ground work for

most of the Tec’s. A few years ago a spiritual director was

appointed for the rural as well as one for Omaha. The rural

Tec then started to number theirs from the

beginning. Therefore two different numbers.

Sr. Celine participated in both, the rural Tec #42 and Tec

#161 in Omaha. Tec #161 had only 19 candidates with 15

team members. It was held at Sheehan Retreat

Center. The Center is quite small and cannot

accommodate large groups. But the space did not dampen

any spirit. These young adults, seniors in high school and

older, entered into a prayerful spirit. The weather,

however, did change the course of events. A major ice

storm plagued all of Eastern Nebraska which hindered

parents from coming to the Sunday night events. Shortcuts

were also taken so that all could get home Monday

afternoon before another predicted storm would move in.

Tec #42 was held at Good Tidings Camp ground with lots

of space for shooting baskets and having fresh air. This

Tec had 32 candidates and 35 team members.

With both Tec’s Sr. Celine gave a talk. In one she shared

how she received her sign that the Lord was calling her to

religious life, and her other talk was on the Trinity as a

unity of love. Both talks she felt were well received.

These movements are very important to the faith life of

young people. They learn that others have the same

questions of faith that they have. Also by seeing the cross

of other Tec-er they feel support and know they can reach

out if they need help or encouragement. After each Tec I

come home renewed in faith and hope of our young

people. They are our church of the future. The more we

can expose them to witnessing their faith the stronger will

be the church.


MARCH FOR LIFE PILGRIMAGE

(January 25-30)

By Sr. Ann Terese, OSB

Preparing for the March his year, everyone was anxious

about the weather; having experienced being stranded in

the snow on the Pennsylvania turnpike for 24 hours last

year. With bad weather coming into Nebraska, the sisters

encouraged Sr. Ann Terese and Sr. Gabriella to head to

Omaha the day before in order to catch their buses which

were to leave from Omaha. Sr. Michael Marie and Sr.

Inviolata were to be on the buses leaving from Norfolk the

next day but much to the disappointment of the high

school students, the 2 Norfolk buses could not leave due

to the bad snow that came into the Norfolk area. That

meant that Sr. Michael Marie and Sr. Inviolata could not

come on the pilgrimage.

Fortunately the weather only caused a 4-hour leave time

delay in Omaha, and the weather cooperated for the trip

the next 5 days. It is always exciting to be on pilgrimage

with the students – experiencing discomfort and hardships

for the purpose of “saving babies”. As the mantra goes:

“How are we going to do it?”; Respond: “Through

sacrifice and prayer.” What a lesson for these high

schoolers to learn at this age.

After a 24-hour bus trip overnight, we arrived at our hotel

at 4:00 in the afternoon. After a bite to eat at the mall, we

headed to the “Life is Very Good Evening of

Prayer”. With approximately 5,000 other pilgrims, we

enjoyed the spirit of the Christian rock band and talk of

well-known speaker Mark Hart. The evening ended with

Adoration and Eucharistic Procession. Confessions were

available through the evening and taken advantage of by

the students. I am so edified at the respect and reverence

of the young people through the evening. They love

adoration.

Day 2 started with bags packed, on the bus at 8:00, and

headed for the Immaculate Conception Basilica, our

National Shrine. After Mass and time to tour, we headed

for the March. With a weak agenda of how to get there, it

was just amazing how the Holy Spirit led us. Our whole

group from 6 buses merged together into the crowd of

about 800,000 people processing down Constitution Ave.

to the Capitol Building and past the Supreme Court. This

is the first year of 4 that I’ve had the opportunity to pass

by the Supreme Court Building. It was very surreal. This

is where Roe vs. Wade held court and made abortion

legal. The crowd took more time there. One memory I

hold is of 6 women and 1 man, all nicely dressed, age 50-

60, standing along the road in front of the Supreme Court,

holding signs “I regret my abortion”. They are sorry and

have been forgiven. Our young people were amazing and

sympathetic. We went up to hug them. They were hugged

by many. At 4:30 we finished the March, made 2 brief

stops at 2 monuments in DC; and then headed to

Philadelphia to a new hotel.


With a day and a half in Philadelphia; we prayed outside

an abortion clinic (always an impressionable time for all),

had Mass and tour at the St. John Neumann Shrine, toured

the historic sites (Declaration of Independence was signed

here) and on Sunday AM toured the Shrine of St.

Katherine Drexel. We had Mass at a newer large parish

church close to the shrine where we received a standing

ovation for being at the March. They were amazed at the

young people who came all the way from Nebraska.

There was much to reflect on the bus going home, once

again 24 hours through the night to Omaha. We share

Graces experienced on the trip, dialogue about abortion,

shared how we might continue our prolife commitment,

gave out honor awards, and watched fun movies for

something lighter. Some true bonding has happened

among the pilgrims.

WINTER WEEKEND RETRREAT

By Sr. Madeleine, OSB

In mid-January I had the blessed opportunity to help lead

a youth group retreat for St. Bridget’s Parish in Rockford,

Illinois. One afternoon in late 2016, I received a call from

Nic Frank, a youth leader and speaker whom Sr. Gabrielle

Marie and I had met at a youth camp in Georgia the

previous year. In planning the retreat for his youth, he

wanted to try something new and include consecrated

Religious for the first time. Consequently, Brother Peter

and I found ourselves at the retreat center of the Diocese

of Rockford with a large, and enthusiastic group of young

people one weekend in January.

Throughout the weekend, Brother Peter, Nic, his team, and

I helped the students to have fun, encounter Christ, and

bond as a community. The students who go to different

schools and are different ages became one during our

times of prayer, fun, and reflection. Brother Peter gave

outstanding conferences on Lectio Divina, while I led our

prayer time and reflected on vocation discernment. The most touching time was seeing the students’ desire to

draw close to our Lord during Eucharistic Adoration. As

the music lifted their hearts, our students rediscovered

Christ’s personal love for them through the Blessed

Sacrament. Another powerful session was the time for

Confession. With a number of young and inspiring priests

accompanying our group, we could see the Lord’s mercy

and love moving in the lives of the students through this

sacrament. Throughout the weekend, young women

asked many questions about Religious life, prayer, and

relationships. Many had never seen a Sister before, and

clearly expressed a desire to learn more in the months

ahead.

Despite the strong snow storm that awaited me back in

Omaha, I returned to Nebraska with a grateful heart and

an eagerness for us to participate in the life of this beautiful

parish in the future.


OBLATE NEWS

By Sr. Celine, OSB

In January, our oblates hosted the Sisters to a Sunday

afternoon tea. They brought goodies to share and

together with the Sisters we had a delightful time of

visiting and catching up with each other.

Our oblates, who were able, wanted to have some fun

with the Sisters and planned a party for Fat

Tuesday. They brought goodies and beads and the

Sisters ate and put on beads. It was a fun event before

we began the season of Lent.

An overnight retreat was offered to the oblates for

March. The theme was on the Prologue of the Rule

presented by Sr. Carole Ann Clark. Because of other

things going on in the parish we did not have a full

attendance but the 25 who were here said they could

have gone longer listening and gaining a richer

appreciation of the rule. In fact, there were a few who

requested if we could have something like this more

than once a year. This tells me that they are very

eager for a deeper understanding of the rule that they

follow. Our oblates truly are a gift to the community.

Wishing you all a Happy and Grace-Filled Easter

Season!! May we all draw closer to God and become

more deeply rooted in our Missionary Benedictine

Life.

Sr. Inviolata Mukhaabi, OSB and the Newsletter

Team

Norfolk Priory

Website: www.mbsmissionaries.org

http://www.mbsmissionaries.org/

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