Sister Stories
Sister Delores Dolezal
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 2021 with materials recycled from other monastery buildings was gifted to her as a place to store her bird feed and garden seeds.