PHOTO: Benedictine Sister Sean Douglas, OSB (standing) describes her process for carving reclaimed wood into a beautiful end table.
Throughout Lent, elder Sisters at Our Lady of Rickenbach enjoyed a range of presentations from Benedictine Sisters who shared about their hobbies and works.
Sister Ruth Elaine Starman, OSB told Sisters about the community’s beehives she helps tend to and also shared about her formation program in Rome, Italy. Sister Sean Douglas, OSB visited to talk about woodcarving and shared the latest pieces she has created using century-old reclaimed wood from around the monastery.
“Reclaiming lumber like this is a lot of work, especially the floor boards, which were walked on for over 100 years, and have a lot of old finishes to be removed,” Sister Sean said. “They also need to be planed and the sides cut smooth. The pieces of barn wood that are used for some items are also very old. Over all, it is a way to use a lot of beautiful wood in creative ways, and no two items are exactly the same.”
Sister Jane Heschmeyer, OSB and Sister Rebecca Leis, OSB updated Sisters on work in the altar department.
“It was a pleasure to share the low-gluten story with our Sisters and to 'show and tell' through pictures, the current production process with them,” Sister Jane said said. “With several of the Sisters having formerly worked in the altar bread department or in the low gluten area, they showed special interest in the presentation.”
Our Congregation has been blessed through this particular 'work of our hands' and we are proud to continue the work of providing eucharistic bread for members of the Church who can not tolerate gluten.
The presentations are the brainchild of OLR Director Sister Cathleen Marie Timberlake, OSB who strived to find new ways for the older and younger Sisters to interact outside of prayer times and other religious events.
“Our elder Sisters enjoyed these programs so much,” Sister Cathleen Marie said. “These opportunities remind our younger Sisters of the institutional knowledge our elder Sisters have and how their fidelity to religious life has helped our Congregation grow and thrive for 150 years.” |
