My primary ministry is being present for the Liturgy of the Hours, the Eucharist, and being obedient to my Sisters. That truly is my PRIMARY ministry. As for “labora,” I am a gardener inside the monastery and outside the monastery. Inside the monastery, I care for the Monastery plants and, when needed, assist any Sister with care of her plant. Daily, I take out the compost collected from our kitchen. Outside on the monastery grounds, I give care and harvest our asparagus, rhubarb, gooseberries, and aronia berries. I also tend an area of the flower garden by planting and caring for flowers. Making sure there is clean water and food for the birds is another ministry I delight in doing. My part-time ministries are doing dishes and assisting with liturgical needs.
Being a Benedictine Sister is integral to my life and ministry because I try to follow the Rule of Benedict and Scholastica in doing ALL for the honor and glory of God. Whether I am watering plants, trimming plants, repotting a plant, scrubbing pots, pulling weeds, pushing a wheelbarrow or harvesting, I am constantly calling on God for assistance. I ask God for help in treating ALL as vessels of the altar.
** To facilitate Sister Delores’ ministry, a shed constructed in 2021with materials recycled from other monastery buildings was gifted to her as a place to store her bird feed and garden seeds.