St. Scholastica Monastery hosted the Chapter Meeting of the 10 international monasteries that make up the Federation of St. Benedict July 14 – 20.
During the Federation Chapter, Sister Lisa Maurer, a member of the Duluth Benedictines, was elected to serve a six-year term on the four-member governing Council of the Federation. Sister Lisa joins Sister Edith Bogue, also a member of St. Scholastica Monastery, who was elected to the Council in 2012.
The installation and blessing of the New Federation Council
Sister Edith, Sister Agatha, Sister Kerry (Federation President), Sister Nicole, Sister Lisa
The Council advises and assists the Federation president in her role of service to the Federation and the member Monasteries. When asked what it means to be on the Federation council Sister Edith said, “The Federation is our connection with the larger Church. The Council verifies the actions of the president, offers advice in complex situations, and seeks ways to move the Chapter’s Direction Statements forward.”
The Federation of St. Benedict was recognized by Rome in 1947 as a congregation whose norms govern the practices in the member monasteries. The Federation enables the member monasteries to provide mutual support to each other and to maintain and extend the Benedictine charism. Although representing many cultures (Taiwan, Japan, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico as well as the six monasteries from the continental US), all ten member monasteries are descendants of the first community of Benedictine women in America, founded by Benedicta Riepp, OSB in 1852.