Sister Mildred Slabenak celebrates 70 years as a professed Benedictine Sister and shares her thoughts on Jubilee.

“Jubilee is a time to celebrate, praise and glorify the Lord with music and song, giving thanks for the many blessings received.

Gratitude is shown to loved ones and those lives I have touched.  Their sacrifices and generosity helped bring about success to my endeavors.

Jubilee is also a time for refueling.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, I am energized and strengthened to continue living a life of joy, peace and good works.

Sister Virginia Kallus (on the left in the photo) writes: “My life has been a very happy one.  I just celebrated my 65 year anniversary as a vowed religious and every day I praise the Lord for calling me to the Benedictine life.

Every day I keep in step with our community prayer life being present for Divine Office and later the Eucharist.  I am one of the cantors.

After retiring from teaching the primary grades back in 1989, I was delighted to be offered a new ministry of serving the elderly Sisters in the St. Walburga Care Center here in the Monastery.  I have been involved in serving others all my life and now my heart is willing to serve these Sisters as I keep watch that all is well.  Ministering to them is for me a rewarding experience.  When I observe their difficulties of mind and body, I can see the face of Jesus in His agony and I believe these Sisters are very pleasing to Him.”

Sister Josephine Kallus (top right in the photo) shares: “God has blessed me in many ways.  I have been in this Benedictine community for 65 years serving the Lord and the Sisters with my whole heart and soul.

It has been my pleasure to serve the Sisters as a chauffeur, driving them to their various destinations.  I was a beautician before I entered the Monastery and I have been able to continue using my beautician skills in cutting and styling the Sisters’ hair in our beauty shop.  I now have an assistant who comes once a week and I am grateful for her help.

Another ministry I have is contacting people who had worked for us or have a connection with us.  I spend time with them on the phone, listening to them and consoling them in their sickness or their family concerns.  I then ask the Sisters to keep them in prayer as every morning we pray for all those for whom we have promised to pray.

I am most grateful to God for giving me the graces and health to live a life of prayer and service in this Benedictine community.”

Sister Mary Patricia Fallon (in the center of the photo) shares:  “From my youth to the present time, I have found fulfillment in living in this Benedictine community, immersed in our sacred liturgies.

I found excitement and anticipation as I embarked on my variety of ministries: teaching grades K-8 for 20 years; serving as an administrator at three schools; over 25 years as Secretary of our Community and Corporation; in leadership of formation of Sisters in simple vows; to my years of retirement and assisting in the Monastery.

When I entered this Community, prayers were regularly in Czech.  I came from a fine Irish family, but I set about to learn Czech so that I might fully participate.  My parents reminded me of their marriage vows and told me I was making the same kind of commitment to the Benedictine Sisters.  My nine brothers and sisters have gifted me with 140 nieces and nephews over the years.  But I have never had one day of regret at my choice in life.

Sister De Paul Stava  This 65th Anniversary has truly been a time to celebrate my wonderful life in this Community.”  “This 60th Jubilee year was a time to give thanks to the Lord for His goodness to me.  I cannot believe that I just celebrated 60 years in this Benedictine community.

I can remember entering in 1949, and the celebrations of 25 years in 1976, and 50 years in 2001.

The Lord has blessed me in so many ways.  I pray that I may continue to serve God faithfully for whatever years I have left.”

Sister Benita Jasurda (at the top of the photo) also celebrated her 60th Jubilee this year.  She shares:  “I would like to give thanks to God, my Benedictine community and my family for the many blessings bestowed on me - my education, the ministries where I have served: administration, teaching, youth and campus ministry.

I have also had the opportunity to travel from Lisle to the Holy Land, Rome, Italy, Poland and Slovakia.

God’s greatest blessing to me is the gift of being a member of this Sacred Heart community.”

Sister Judith Ann Heble writes:  “For me, celebrating a golden jubilee is a time to look back and count all of the blessings that have been an integral part of a full life!  As I look back on the years since my First Profession in 1961, I give thanks to God for blessing me so abundantly; to my community for providing me with so many rich and fruitful opportunities; and to my colleagues and friends for supporting me throughout the years.

What can be more delightful than to be able to enjoy an 18-month sabbatical during my jubilee year?  Not everyone has that opportunity.  It gives me reason to pause and breathe in gratitude and to begin the next fifty years with joy and hope.”