2012 Year of Women Religious at 401 E. 20th Street, Covington, KY 41014 US - A year celebrating women religious

The diocese has welcomed women religious for over 150 years. Currently there are five houses (institutes) of women religious: the Passionist Nuns, the Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence, the Sisters of Notre Dame, the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker and us, the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery. There are quite a few other sisters who live in and serve the people of the diocese: the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm who run Carmel Manor and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Over the years many other communities of women religious were here and left behind institutions and buildings that still serve our people, such as the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor who opened St. Elizabeth Hospital and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, whose former (La Salette) Academy building in Covington provides affordable housing for the elderly. We come and stay and we come and go — at all times being faithful to our particular call, charism and mission.

As different religious institutes we follow different rules and have different charisms. We Benedictines follow the 6th century Rule of St. Benedict and his mandate to seek God in community, prayer (liturgy of the hours and “lectio”) and work. What all women religious have in common is our baptismal consecration that finds its fullness in our complete consecration to God through profession of vows.

During this coming year we hope to find ways to communicate to this diocese our gratitude for their generous support, and stories that reveal the meaning and lifestyle of each institute and plant the seeds of a vocation in many women. Join Bishop Foys and each religious institute in this diocese and help us accomplish our hope for the future. Help us get out the word that the Church needs women religious.

Sister Mary Catherine Wenstrup’s reflection is also online at stwalburg.blogspot.com. It has been reprinted here with permission.