Benedictine Sisters of Virginia: Celebrating 150 Years

I have the pleasure of being great-niece to one of the holiest women I have met, Sr. Andrea Verchuck, OSB, or as the family calls her, Aunt Zuzu. Aunt Zuzu has been a religious sister with the Order of St. Benedict since she was 15 (she is now in her late 80s) and in addition to being a loving, kind and prayerful woman, she is also incredibly intelligent, witty, a world traveler and a true leader. In other words, I - and everyone who meets her - learn a lot from her.

Every once in a while I go to visit her and the sisters at St. Benedict's Monastery in Bristow, VA. The monastery is situated on acres of land, set back from the road, and is a quiet and peaceful place for reflection. When I made my annual Christmas visit last month, I learned that this year the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia are celebrating their 150th anniversary on May 1, 2018. That is to say, 150 years of a Benedictine presence in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and in 2019 they will celebrate 125 years of having a presence in Bristow.

One of the very creative ways they are celebrating this milestone and drumming up interest among the public is by doing a daily email countdown, called Countdown 150, for the 150 days leading up to May 1. Each day they send a message that contains a picture, a story, a related psalm and a prayer that delve into the deep history of the community. With roots in Virginia going back to the immediate post-Civil War years, there is much to cull from. From stories of typhoid to a (supposedly) haunted cabin, and the vision of those early pioneering nuns - who basically showed up to the wild lands of Bristow with nothing but prayers and the good will of those around them - the story of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia is fascinating. You can jump into the action by reading the first 35 days here and sign up to receive the updates directly to your inbox here. I highly recommend!

During that visit, and while Sr. Joanna showed me their recently-made "Meet the Sisters" video (see it at the top of their Facebook page here - see if you can spot my dear Aunt Zuzu) and explained about the countdown, I realized this was absolutely something I had to write about. So, in my January article for Catholic Stand, I did just that:

The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia: Celebrating 150 Years

It has already received a higher than usual number of shares, and I believe this can be attributed to a few things. One, given the breadth and depth of their presence in the Commonwealth, they've got a few friends. That includes the generations of children educated in their schools in Richmond, Bristow and elsewhere; individuals served in their ministries, which include literacy services, transitional housing for homeless women and children, and a clothing ministry in Appalachia; and then their community right there around them. Something I realized particularly on this most recent visit is that although the nature of a Benedictine monastery is to be self-sufficient, the sisters do still rely heavily on the community for many of their needs and wants, and the public often happily meets them in their needs. For example, all the sisters get their hair cut monthly by a stylist who loves the community and donates her services in kind. Little things like that you wouldn't even think about, on the outside of monastic life.

The other reason I think this article is resonating with people is because of the notion of Benedictine living. I don't mean "the Benedict Option," which I haven't read, but rather the actual Benedictine way of living, pronounced in their motto, "Ora et Labora:" Work and Pray. It is seeing Christ in others, which is, as Sr. Joanna told me, rather counter to the current secular way of doing things. But then, following Jesus is defined by its counter-culturalism.

In their guest house there is a sign that says something along the lines of, "All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ." This comes from the Rule of St. Benedict, which forms the foundation for the sisters' way of life.

Aren't we all crying out for that? To be welcomed by others with love, as if we were Christ? Where else do you receive that kind of reception? Aside from your dog, of course. It's a radically different thing than what we receive on the metro, in traffic, waiting in line at the DMV, at an interview, etc. And it's genuinely what it's like to be a guest at the monastery, and, I assume any Benedictine monastery around the world. Those who experience it don't soon forget it, and those who learn of it hunger to experience it.

Religious orders come and go, and St. Benedict's has been long-lasting, the proof of which is seen in Virginia. As the sisters enter this jubilee celebration I will be keeping them and the future of their community in my prayers, and I hope you will, too. St. Benedict, St. Scholastica and all the others of this blessed order, pray for us.

Latest radio; speaking at St. Timothy's; the Wise Men and other announcements

Howdy, and happy new year! 2018 is off to a glorious start, if you ask me. Here's a few reasons why:

This Tuesday - the first day of the work week after the holidays, and an excellent way to begin the new year - I joined John Harper on Morning Air to discuss the second installment of my continuing series on lay vocations, which you can read here. The audio of the interview is archived here and my portion begins at 42: 26. It is always, always fun to be on the program, and this time we talked about a few saints who were lay people (Pier Giorgio Frassati; St. Martin de Porres, etc.) and I got worked up toward the end about how this whole idea of lay people being the body of the Church and central to its mission is not all that new, and just needs to be rediscovered. So there you have it.

Morning Air has also asked me to be a correspondent during the March for Life happening here in DC on January 19, so I will pop into the show now and then to give an update about what's happening on the ground. This is my first March for Life, and I am looking forward to formally joining the movement for lots of reasons, but particularly because of all the causes I have become involved with the past year related to quality - and dignity - of life for the disabled and elderly. I've learned being pro-life doesn't just mean advocating for the unborn, but also the disabled and elderly, too. Looking at where my heart, and service, have been since returning to the Church, these are the primary areas I've given my time. It just took a while to make the pro-life connection, but then sometimes I'm just a little late to the party, I suppose.

And finally, a very exciting thing happening: I have been invited to speak at a young adult retreat at St. Timothy's Church in Chantilly, VA! This is a big deal!! The event is in February and I will share more information as it develops. God is very good, for so many reasons.

Today, by the way, is the Epiphany. I have always been fascinated by the Wise Men, and the juxtaposition of their royalty with what they found in Bethlehem. Coincidentally, as I make my way through the 9-month "19th annotation" retreat at Holy Trinity, today is the day for meditating on the arrival of the Magi, so I spent some time with them this morning. Here is what I have found: they stand as a symbol of the Christian life. They sought Jesus, found him, fell down in worship, and offered their gifts (Matthew 2:10-11). Maybe we can even lose the word "symbol" - what they do is literal, as it should be for us.

And here we have found our way back to my favorite topic: how are you offering your gifts up to God, to further His kingdom? Food for thought in 2018, and perhaps the most important question you will ask yourself all year. 

The Call to the Lay Vocation - Part II!

I'm really stuck on this lay vocation thing. And by that I mean, I feel called to explore this topic, both as it relates to me as a lay person figurin' it out, and for others who are doing the same.

My latest article at Catholic Stand, The Call to the Lay Vocation, Part II, is up now, on this very topic. In part II I focused on the examples of lay people who became saints, like Martin de Porres and Pier Giorgio Frassati. As I wrote there, I am convinced that lay people are an integral and important part of the church - you know, the church would look rather silly without us - and this is tied to the fact that God calls us all in a particular way. So, our job is to figure out what that calling is. Maybe "job" is too pragmatic a word - it is our mission, our purpose.

I will be back on Relevant Radio on January 2 at 7:45 AM to discuss all this and more. Tune in, homies! And read the text of the article, below.

p.s. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Call to the Lay Vocation, Part II

In my last article, I discussed the idea of the lay vocation: that all are called to serve God using their talents in ordinary living, and in doing so, fulfill the mission of their life. After all, the Church’s mission cannot be carried out solely by the clergy and consecrated religious folk. Luckily for us, many lay people have gone before as an example of how to live one’s life according to God’s plan. We know these people as our friends, the saints.

What can we learn, practically, from those who have lived out their vocation as laypeople, yet fully energized in the body of the Church? Can the example of those who lived long ago have relevance for our lives today? And why does it matter whether we strive to become saints, anyway, especially in a secular world which rejects holiness?

One wonderful truth about the saints is their great diversity. They are truly representative of the global Catholic Church, and of the Mystical Body of Christ. We have saints who are parents, doctors, soldiers, teachers, writers, philosophers, children and adults of all races.  One commonality they do share is that they have all formed their daily personal and professional lives in such a way so as to become witnesses to God.

Because of this great diversity, it is not difficult to identify those whose virtue and character can resonate for us, in the modern world, even if they lived long ago.

Four lay saints

Take, for example, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian man who turned away from a comfortable life in order to serve the poor. He was an intellectual and student, an anti-Fascist activist, a mountain climber, a jokester and of course, quite handsome. But his thoughts were always with the poor he served.

At Frassati’s death at the young age of 24, hundreds of people flooded the streets during his funeral procession. The rich people of his family’s circle were surprised by all the poor people paying homage to him. But the poor people were also surprised to find that their friend Pier was the heir of a wealthy, influential family.

St. Martin de Porres is another example of a layman living a life close to Christ. Being of both mixed race and illegitimate birth, St. Martin was forbidden from officially joining a religious order in his native Peru, even though this was his one greatest desire. Instead, he was allowed to live in poverty with the Dominicans as a volunteer.  He was allowed to perform menial tasks like cleaning and cutting hair. And yet, miracles surround his life, particularly related to healing and caring for the sick.  Despite living with ridicule and mocking over his heritage, St. Martin lived a life of enduring charity and mercy toward others.

The parents of St. Therese, Sts. Zelie and Louis Martin, were the first married couple to be canonized together.  They were canonized specifically for the heroic virtue of their marriage.

Before they met, Zelie and Louis each thought they were meant for consecrated religious life. After both had been rejected by their desired religious orders, they finally met one another. They  fell in love and began to build a family. They lived, by their own admission, for their children, yet were also business people and community leaders. In addition to having great faith, the Martins were practical people of the world, practicing their virtue in the public square and raising the family which ultimately produced five Catholic nuns.

Finding other lay saints

There are so many examples of lay saints. If you’d like further reading, check out Dorothy Day, St. Gianna Molla, Frank Duff, Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, St. Maria Goretti – the list goes on and on. Note that some of these people have already been canonized and others are on their way.  Frank Duff and Dorothy Day, for instance, are both designated “Servant of God,” the first step in the canonization process. This means we have the opportunity to study their lives even more deeply, a reminder that the path to sainthood is not precise, straight and predictable. God calls us each in many ways. And in each saint, we can find proof that it is not only possible, but necessary for lay people to use the circumstances of their daily lives to strive toward holiness and help lead others to Christ.

Be an instrument of peace

During the time I was finding my way back to the Catholic faith (the faith of my childhood), there was one prayer in particular which drew me in. It is the prayer of Saint Francis, and it begins, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”

It’s clear that we as lay people, making up the vast majority of the body of the Church, must have some definite purpose in its mission. To put it simply, God charges us  to be his instruments of peace here in the material world.

Our purpose in life

That may seem like a tall order, and yes, it can seem scary to turn one’s entire life over to God, not knowing what comes next. Pope Emeritus Benedict addressed this beautifully at the beginning of his pontificate in 2005. In a homily he stated, “It is really so: the purpose of our lives is to reveal God to men.”

In reverence to his predecessor, Benedict then went on to recall Pope Saint John Paul II’s famous “open wide the doors to Christ” speech:

“Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom?…If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.”

Living the mission

We must open wide the doors to Christ, who gifted us with life, and who asks us to be his hands, feet, eyes and ears on this earth, bringing our fellow travelers as close to the Truth as we can. He needs us for this mission! We will never find paradise here on earth, but we can journey together as God’s children, helping and learning from one another. It is our place to lead others to God, and you have already been equipped with all the talent and ability you need to witness to Christ in your life, and be an example to others who are seeking. Take heart from those who have gone before us.   Imagine a world where more people live out the call to be an “instrument of peace.” The world needs it now more than ever.