Sister Hildegard cherishes her life as a Benedictine, where the community’s entire day is centered around God and Eucharist is a way of life.

Her work processing invoices and checks for the altar bread department provides an even greater opportunity to share prayer with the vendors and parishes the Sisters serve. “I pray for the parishioners who eat our breads and specifically for those who suffer from Celiac’s Disease and use our low-gluten breads,” she said.

Sister Hildegard enjoys reading mysteries and working in the monastery’s library and in the gardens.

“We emphasize living simply,” she said. “It is important to be good stewards of God’s creation.”

Sister Mary Hildegard Zerwas, OSB
Clyde

For many years, Sister Laurentia has been the designated hitter in the altar bread department. Known as a floater, she fills in wherever needed, assisting in a variety of roles from baking, cutting, sorting and packaging.

Though her responsibilities have been many, Sister Laurentia has performed them all with one important thought in mind.

“I enjoy knowing I am doing the will of God because I’m there in obedience,” she said. “I am doing something for the goof of and the support of the Congregation.”

Sister Laurentia also enjoys the camaraderie of community life with others dedicated themselves to the same ideals she has.

“We are very ordinary women dedicated to a single purpose,” she said. “We laugh, we cry and we enjoy many of the same things as others in the world do.”

Sister Laurentia transferred to the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1978 after a career teaching elementary school as a member of another religious order.

Sister Laurentia Doyle, OSB
Clyde

Sheila was first hired to help out around the altar bread department with cleaning and painting projects more than 25 years ago. Just a few short months later she was asked to work in production and has been a member of the staff ever since.

Like many employees in the altar bread department, she does a little bit of everything from laborer to shipper to baker to mixer. This includes shipping breads to the Sisters’ bulk order patrons, ordering supplies and assisting with quality control.

“I enjoy that I get to do different things throughout the day,” Sheila said. “I also love the atmosphere being very family-oriented. The Sisters are very understanding of our family needs.”

In her spare time, Sheila enjoys cooking, attending her children’s ballgames and scrapbooking.

Sheila Schieber
Employed: 26 years

After working in day care for many years, Manessa was hired by the Benedictine Sisters to work in their altar bread department.

Among her duties are baking, inspecting sheets that have been baked and working in the atonizing room where the breads are prepared for cutting.

Working with a group of Catholic nuns wasn’t quite what she expected when she first started.

“They are completely different that what I had in mind,” Manessa said. “They are a lot of fun to be around. They can always make you smile when you’re having a bad day.”

When she’s not working, Manessa enjoys camping, bike riding and spending time with her husband and young son.

Manessa Runde
Employed: November 2007