Sister Sharon Hamsa

Before returning to Mount St. Scholastica in 2022, I ministered for many years as a teacher, first in Corning, Kansas, then at Mount St. Scholastica Academy. Finding my niche at the college level, I taught math for more than twenty years each at Longview Community College in Missouri, and Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas.

During my last five years at Donnelly, I added another ministry, setting up and coordinating the Campus Cupboard, where Donnelly students can get food, hygiene items, and school supplies for free. 

Currently, I serve at Sophia Spirituality Center, preparing food for the different retreat groups who come to enjoy the silence and opportunities for spiritual growth.

I entered the Benedictines primarily for the communal and prayer life, and the care we have for one another. When I entered, I knew we were a teaching order and, fortunately for me, teaching was something that I liked. As the years passed, the community supported me in discovering other talents, including liturgical dance.

While I’ve been making and decorating cakes for many years, I have my own space in the monastery for that ministry, which allows me to bring joy to the community and others with each unique creation.

For me, liturgical dance was a different form of prayer and a connection with God. It allowed me to share not only with my community, but with other parishes and those of other faith traditions. I wouldn’t have had this experience if I wasn’t part of this community.