Vocation Story of
Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, OSB
Subprioress

Growing up on a farm in Northeast Kansas with three brothers and four sisters was very formative for developing a contemplative spirit and hospitality. These two values I "caught" from my parents as a child.

My dad usually did not speak until he was sure he had an audience. I always enjoyed riding on the tractor with him. When he was alone plowing the fields and mowing the lawn, he did his thinking and praying. Because he always seemed so content, I "caught" his contemplative spirit as a basic means for coping with life.

My mom, on the other hand, was busy in the kitchen and I was her helper. Hired men worked on the farm, so we were always setting another place at the table. To my amazement, I watched my mom stretch the fried chicken and cherry pie. There was always room at the table for one more. She was so gracious; I "caught" that a welcoming heart is important in life.

The above key experiences were instrumental in feeling God's call to religious life and specifically to the Atchison Benedictines. I recall as a postulant, praying, "Be still and know that I am God." (Ps. 45) I thought, "That is what my dad taught me." Through contemplation, quiet, and reflection one comes to know God. Benedict began his Rule: "Listen carefully, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart." I love the contemplative dimension that is essential to living this life and the challenge of listening with my heart.

The following line from the Rule of Benedict had a powerful impact in my life: "All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ." In this line, I recognized what my mother had been doing for years, which had fostered within me a true appreciation of the importance of hospitality.

Having lived the monastic life for almost thirty-seven years, I find that I still draw upon the gifts my parents gave me. They are essential, life-giving, and absolutely necessary to maintain a contemplative stance in all that I do. Taking time each morning to "be" in God's presence helps me throughout the day to see Christ in my sisters and in the people I meet. Nurturing a welcoming heart I find I am enriched by the many manifestations of God that are part of my daily life. As I live with my sisters, I find that I continue to "catch" the spirit of Benedict, drawing me ever more deeply into the heart of God.

Email Sister Mary Elizabeth at maryliz@mountosb.org

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