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.

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.

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.

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.