From the Prioress Lessons from the Sequoia Trees:

Last September, I had the opportunity to visit Sequoia National Park in California and stand in reverence before the largest tree in the world: a sequoia named the General Sherman Tree. This tree is 275 feet tall; for me to look up at it is comparable to a mouse looking up at a person who is 6 feet tall. It would take 15 adults, arms outstretched and hands connected, to encircle the tree. General Sherman is over 2,200 years old. That means it was growing at the time of Jesus’s birth, was already centuries old when St. Benedict of Nursia was born and was 450 years old when the United States was founded. 

Sequoia roots are shallow but spread wide. They entangle with the roots of neighboring sequoias, forming a mesh that helps them all maintain balance and stability. 

The General Sherman has been threatened by fire, drought, disease, earthquakes, high winds, blizzards, and human beings. Yet it remains majestic and powerful, commanding honor and respect. 

As I stood before this massive tree, I felt small, insignificant, very young, awed, energized, and humbled. I also felt special, honored, privileged, and blessed to be surrounded by such beauty, antiquity, and magnificence. 

As I gazed upon this tree, I reflected on the human giants I’ve encountered in my life. Topping the list are Jesus, St. Benedict, St. Scholastica, Hildegard of Bingen, Gandhi, Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa, Pope John XXIII, and the sisters in my community. And the list went on. The “treeness” of these men and women spoke volumes to me of integrity, courage, strength, and endurance. 

The image of this enormous tree invited deeper reflection into the intricate root system of our faith — our fundamental beliefs and the powerful traditions passed on to us. Our roots began with St. Benedict and St. Scholastica in the 5th century and have since spread across every continent, connecting us to one another. These roots have provided strength, support, and nourishment to the human community. They are deep, thick, and far-reaching, entwining friends, students, coworkers, donors, neighbors, relatives, and employees throughout the world. 

“As I stood before this massive tree, I felt small, insignificant, very young, awed, energized, and humbled.”

Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger

Like the sequoia groves, our communities face threats — not only from natural disasters but more so from human forces such as white supremacy, nationalism, elitism, racism, the overconsumption of natural resources, war, greed, the misuse of power, hatred, violence, arrogance, and self-centeredness. Yet because our roots are so deeply interconnected, they keep our faith strong. We can stand tall in our beliefs and uphold one another in love and prayer. Through acts of generosity, self-giving, and prayer, we form a network of inner strength, diversity, and power — a living shield that protects us from these threats. Our hope and trust in the power of God keep us strong and faithful. 

We are profoundly grateful for our donors, whose names appear in this issue of Threshold. You have helped nourish and sustain our roots. We are proud to stand with you like the sequoia trees, our roots intertwined to form a grove that gives glory and honor to God who has created us. It is a joy to know that right in the middle of our little piece of the world, our loving God, who is bigger and more magnificent than General Sherman, is connecting us and embracing us in one great, loving hug.

Sister Mary Elizabehth Schweiger, OSB

Prioress, Mount St. Scholastica