Our CommunityMonastic Life
Leadership
The spiritual leader of the Community is the prioress, who is described in the Rule of St. Benedict as holding the place of Christ. She is elected by all Sisters who have made their perpetual monastic profession. She is elected for a term of six years and may be reelected for a second term of four years.
The prioress appoints an administrative staff who respond to a variety of needs within the Community. This delegation of authority has its roots in Chapter 21 of the Rule of St. Benedict, where a sharing of responsibilities is described as central to Benedictine community life.
The prioress convenes and presides over the Chapter, the official gathering of all final professed Sisters, to carry out the corporate and Community business of the Monastery. The prioress is assisted in her guidance of the Community by the Council, a group of eight Sisters, which includes the subprioress, a Sister appointed by the prioress, and six members elected by the Chapter.
Because there are a variety of needs in a monastic community, there are a variety of committees through which the general membership of the Monastery can participate in policy-making and implementation of Community goals.
"The deepest desire of my heart is to be a shepherd after the heart of Christ. As I open myself daily to the Spirit of God, I am given the love, light, wisdom, and courage I need to serve our monastic community and to be a spiritual leader in the Church and the broader community."
— Sister Lois Eckes,
Prioress
St.
Scholastica Monastery belongs to the Federation of St. Benedict, a pont-ifical association of autonomous Benedictine
monasteries of women. The primary purpose of the Feder-ation is to unite its member monasteries for mutual support
and to maintain and extend the Benedictine charisms among contemporary Benedictine women.
Administrative staff left to right: Sister Mary Odile Cahoon, treasurer; Sister Barbara Ann Vierzba, subprioress; Sister Luella Wegscheid, administrative assistant; Sister Lois Eckes, prioress; Sister Sarah Smedman, director of Continuing Education and Life Development; and
Sister Martha Bechtold, director of Monastery Facilities .