Fidelity to the monastic way of life is our primary ministry to the Church and to the world. This fidelity to prayer and community life is a ministry shared by all the Sisters and undergirds all other ministries. Within community, each Sister has some role to play in order to create and maintain a stable and loving monastic household. From the elected Prioress to each individual Sister, everyone serves one another in some manner within the community.
Our service within the monastery ranges from writing for community publications to washing dishes to preparing liturgical celebrations to serving in the sacristy to gardening and yard work to serving on committees. There are countless ways in which each sister is called upon to serve within the community. Individual gifts are not left untapped in service to the community, and sometimes gifts are even discovered through work within the monastery.
Community service is not just about accomplishing the work of the monastery, however. Service to each other is a fundamental way in which we grow in love. As St. Benedict writes in his chapter on Kitchen Servers of the Week, “such service…fosters love (RB 35:2).” Through ministry within the community, we grow in love as we serve one another in our monastic home.
