Fostering Community with “Partners in Prayer”

The Mount has revived the “Partners in Prayer” program, which was discontinued during the COVID pandemic. In this program, Benedictine College students are paired with a sister and join the community for Evening Prayer and supper once or twice a month.

Sister Martha Schweiger holds the record for being the prayer partner for the most students in one family: Andy, Michael, Kenny, Mary, and Patrick Green. This came about because Sister Martha was the companion of Sister Evangeline Green when Sister Evangeline was the prayer partner of her great-nephews, Andy and Michael. Before Sister Evangeline died in 2010, she said to Sister Martha, “You’ll have to take over.” Sister Martha gladly assumed the role of prayer partner for Andy and Michael, and this tradition continued for the other Green children who attended BC.

Patrick Green, Sister Martha’s current prayer partner, fondly remembers yearly or twice-yearly family visits to the Mount from the time he was a young child. The Green family, who live on a farm in Strasburg, Colorado, have numerous connections with the sisters and monks in Atchison. Along with Sister Evangeline, Sister Innocentia Green was a member of the Mount, and Fr. Andrew Green was a monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey.

Now a junior at BC, Patrick is majoring in theology with a minor in history and philosophy. He is excited to uphold the family tradition of being Sister Martha’s prayer partner!