Member Spotlight November/December 2004:
Benedictine Sisters/Queen of Angels Monastery

All of us in Marion & Polk Counties know it's a special place. We've got it all - scenery, adventure, culture, history and spirit - and that's just scratching the surface. We've also got community. Community such as we have doesn't just happen. It takes hard work and dedication to build it. Our Spotlight Member for November & December has made dedication to community their life's work.

Mt. Angel, Oregon is the site of the Queen of Angels Monastery, home to the Benedictine Sisters. Don't let the term "Monastery" confuse you - it's not just for men anymore. The Sisters live a Monastic life, following the Rule of St. Benedict, and the community of 50 women is based at Queen of Angels Monastery. The Sisters' mission is to seek God in a balanced life of prayer and work, with simplicity, hospitality and service, including service to the poor, the local community and the universal work of the Church.

The Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel have a long history of service to the people of Oregon and the Northwest. Lead by Mother Bernardine Wachter, a group of Sisters and postulants from Switzerland settled in Gervais, Oregon in 1882. In 1887 the community moved to Mt. Angel, where they reside today. To meet the needs of the local Catholic population, teaching became a primary ministry of the Sisters', and Mt. Angel Academy was established as a boarding school for grade and high school students.

As time progressed, so did the Sisters' ministries and programs. Between its founding in 1882 and the 1970's the Sisters kept pace with their community's changing needs by providing needed services. In addition to Mt. Angel Academy, the Sisters established Mt. Angel College, which specialized in teacher education and later became a co-educational liberal arts college. The College operated until the mid-1970's while the Academy closed in 1964. At the request of the local community, the Sisters built and operated the Benedictine Nursing Center in 1957 to care for the elderly. The facility still exists today and is run by the Providence Health Care System.

In 1973, the Sisters opened Shalom Prayer Center, a retreat and spiritual renewal ministry, which continues to flourish today. In 1988, the community established St. Joseph Shelter, which serves homeless families and individuals. Mission Benedict also serves those in need by providing food boxes, clothing and other emergency assistance.

Always forward thinking, the Sisters are currently involved in two major projects. The first, "Benni's Mustard", is a specialty mustard available at the Monastery and a few local stores. It will soon be available by phone order or on their website, www.benedictine-srs.org. It comes in four flavors - original, garlic, honey and honey-garlic. Two more flavors are in development - cranberry and jalapeño. Sales of the mustard will provide revenues to help preserve and operate the Monastery.

In 2005, the Sisters will open the "Benedictine Sisters Retreat & Conference Center" at Queen of Angels Monastery. It will feature a variety of meeting, banquet, conference and overnight facilities available for rent by the public. This will be a major expansion of the Sisters' hospitality offerings currently available at Shalom Prayer Center, their retreat ministry.

Besides their dedication to service and to community, the Sisters' are known for warm hospitality. You are welcome to visit the Monastery and tour the historic buildings, enjoy the sunlit Queen of Angels Chapel, visit the Shalom Prayer Center, tour "the grove", and visit the 110 year old Giant Sequoia which marks the entrance to the Monastery.

To learn more about the the Benedictine Sisters or Queen of Angels Monastery, please visit www.benedictine-srs.org, or contact Steve Ritchie, Foundation Director at 503-845-2556 or sritchie@mtangel.net.