Volume 3, Issue 4
September 2010
Special points of interest:
• Consider Your Call Discern-
ment Retreat July 8-12 2010
• Benedictine Bookends: What
a monastic reads ...
• Vocation Booths: Benedic-
tine Presence is Everything!
• Vocation Calendar: Who’ s
Who...
Inside this issue:
might be calling the par-
ticipants to a đeeper anđ
specific relationship to
Gođ.
The women who came
to the retreat varieđ in
backgrounđ, age, culture
but all felt the neeđ to
come anđ see like never
before.
This retreat is unique in
that it is a joint effort of
vocation đirectors from
both
St.
Scholastica
Monastery anđ Subiaco
Abbey. It is đifferent in
Cindy Johnson, Crystal Dore, Roxana Rodriguez, Abbot Jerome,
Katy Johanan, Sister Alice, Jennifer Verkamp and Sister Kimberly
that the vocation đirectors know that seekers for their
communities are seeking the same thing, anđ this seek-
ing đoes not know genđer. Yes, both the Abbey anđ
the Monastery are autonomous anđ govern as each
shoulđ—one as a women’s community the other as a
men’s community.
Both communities offer other opportunities through-
out the year to experience monastic life, with weekenđ
live-ins. This is important to anyone who is seeking a
possible vocation to religious life, but few communi-
ties offer joint experiences from both the women’s anđ
the men’s monasteries.
This experience often helđ in the summer months is a
five đay event that arranges for the retreatants to not
only experience the life of prayer, but to join in minis-
try, to đine with the members, to have sessions about
the monastic life, anđ to learn how that is liveđ out in
each of our monasteries.
(Continued on page 3)
The Gatekeeper
S t . S chola s t i ca M onas ter y Fo r t Smith, A r k a nsas
Consider Your Call Discernment Retreat
This summer’s vocation
điscernment retreat helđ
extra
appeal
for
the
women who came to St.
Scholastica. The retreat
hosteđ five women inter-
esteđ in learning more
about the monastic life
anđ how this way of life
2
2
3
3
4
5
6
God is Here: (Sr. Rose
Λshour, OSB)
Vocation Opportunities
Consider Your Call 2010
Benedictine Bookends
Prayer Impacts
What Draws Me
Monastic Word & Do you
Know...
His voice
“But” Said, I, “ I’d like to
This time I heard no
voice,
But faith told me,
“Often you hear him
but seldom see.”
So listen and look,
see him, not only hear.”
Then down the pathway
where I stood,
I saw a boy, a girl, a man,
a woman.
His face was there—in
theirs, the image of God.
I heard it in the trees and in the
wind
He spoke to me in sunshine and
in rain.
Flowers, birds and squirrels
echoed his, “Yes, I’m here.”
All these spoke of Beauty.
Vocation Oppor tunities: How is God calling you?
Come and See Weekends may
OBSERVERSHIP PROGRAM
ously and be willing to commit
just be the thing for you! Here
are some scheduled times. if
these do not fit into your time
frame consider making one
suited just for you!
September 24-26, 2010
November 19-21, 2010
December 10-12, 2010
January 7-9, 2011
February 11-13, 2011
to at least one month of living
in the monastery. She can keep
her employment and still join
us as an Observer.
For more information about this
great experience
call the vocation
office today!
This program is open to any
woman who wants to learn
more about the monastic way
of life in a formation like setting
so as to deepen her discern-
ment as a potential postulant of
St. Scholastica.
Λn interested candidate must
Page 2
The Gatekeeper
God is Here
Sister Rose Ashour, OSB
have been to the monastery for
479-783-4147
a visit at least 3 times previ-
STORAGE OR CLUTTER
Sister Rose Ashour, OSB
Boxes here, boxes there
So many boxes, so many
things.
God, don’t let me
get boxed in
with all my boxes.
―Sister Rose Ashour, OSB
Boxes everywhere.
What do I store in boxes?
Useful things
Useless things—things that matter,
things that don’t.
Sister Rose Ashour, OSB
he’s so near.
―Sister Rose Ashour, OSB
Little Bee, Łittle Bee. What an
interesting title to a book. Why am
I đrawn to the text? Well, it may
have everything anđ yet nothing at
all to đo with the fact that I have
this thing about books, movies, or
music with the worđ ‘bee’ in it.
Books such as The Secret Life of
Bees, or Akeelah and the Bee, The
Bee Gees, Winnie the Pooh the
Bee line to Honey or even the
more đirect title, Bee Movie about
a cute animateđ bee. There are
things out there that I have yet to
ađđ to my bee list, Kissing the Bee,
anđ Bee Season. There is so much
out there about bees. I am not sure
why I have this fascination with
these bee titles, or themes about
bees. More often than not I am the
first one to flee from our buzzing
honey-making frienđs. I just đon’t
want to meet the frustrateđ enđ of
a bee that matters more to the bee
than to me!
So, what about Little Bee? This
text written by Mr. Chris Cleave
starts bout telling the reađer the
following, “ WE DON'T WANT
TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH
ABOUT
THIS
BOOK.”
“It is a truly
special story
anđ we đon't
want to spoil
it.
Nevertheless,
you neeđ to
know some-
thing, so we will just say this:
It is extremely funny, but the Afri-
can beach scene is horrific.
The story starts there, but the book
đoesn't.
Anđ it's what happens afterwarđ
that is most important.”
What Mr. Chris Cleaves says is
true enough, anđ although this is a
work of fiction what the message
conveys is not. I began with the
first page, wanteđ to reađ the
next, finđing myself in real
places anđ in real connection
with the characters Cleave
writes about.
Cleave states, “Once you have
reađ it, you'll want to tell eve-
ryone about it. When you đo,
please đon't tell them what
happens either. The magic is in
how it unfolđs.”
—Sr. Kimberly R. Prohaska
Volume 3, Issue 4
Page 3
Benedictine Bookends (What a monastic Reads) : Little Bee
Consider Your Call Discernment Retreat
(continued from page one)
During the retreat participants
have ample time to reflect anđ
meet the other members of the
monastery or abbey as well as
have opportunities to share with
as Vision Vocation Match anđ
Google. Some learneđ about us
through personal invitation of an-
other sister or through parish bul-
letin announcements. No matter
like minđeđ persons who are seek-
how women come to learn about
ing just as they are.
us they come to see what we are
about. They come to seek the an-
swers that are singing questions in
their hearts.
—Sr. Kimberly R Prohaska, OSB
How điđ the women who came
finđ us? Most encounteređ us via
the internet anđ our webpage.
Some điscoveređ us by intent, that
is, through vocation searches such
Katy Johanan, Cindy Johnson, Crystal
Dore, Roxana Rodriguez and
Jennifer Verkamp
of the monastery, also known
as our infirmary, are our pow-
erhouse of prayer. Myriads of
time and loving prayer have
been lifted up in all kinds of
prayer and one of the most im-
portant is our prayer for voca-
tions.
There are several sisters who
pray the rosary each day spe-
cifically for those who are en-
tertaining the notion of a call or
vocation to religious life.
The community has for a num-
ber of years included the
names of serious discerners on
the community prayer calendar
so as to pray by name for the
Another way the sisters are praying
for vocations is through the annual
World Day of Prayer for vocations.
The vocation committee of St. Scho-
lastica offers a special prayer ser-
vice on behalf of women who are
thinking about the life.
Most recently the community has
begun a weekly prayer for vocations
that is prayed together at the end
of vespers. The prioress leads this
prayer and the sisters respond. On
First Friday the community also
prays a novena to the Infant of Pra-
gue for specific intentions of voca-
tion seekers. This is a prayer cus-
tom that reaches back into the his-
tory of the community of St. Scholastica and we are happily reap-
Page 4
The Gatekeeper
Prayer impacts Vocations
The Sisters of St. Scholastica
through this prayer that women seekers are finding their way to
have a terrific prayer life. The
live out their life as a religious sister of our community and else-
sisters who reside on third floor
where.
women who have expressed an
ing the fruits of that prayer. Please pray for vocations!
interest in religious life. It is
The image to the left is a piece that was
compiled by Sister Simon Edelhuber who
joined the monastery in 1940. Sister
Simon after many years of dedicated ser-
vice entered her eternal reward on Febru-
ary 17, 2006 at the age of 95.
The vocation prayer listed above is the
work of the monastic community.
Some say it’s in the water, or đou-
ble the trouble while others offer
the proof of genetics. Whatever the
cause, it is still wonđerful to en-
counter the faces of twins, iđenti-
cal or fraternal, boy or girl, it’s a
joy to the heart to meet those who
share connections with more than
just a đate of birth.
St. Scholastica anđ St. Beneđict
are calleđ the Holy Twins. It was
with this thought in minđ that sis-
ters of St. Scholastica Monastery
entertaineđ the gift of twins anđ
triplets.
triplets for a đay of
learning
about
The
Holy Twins, anđ tour
the monastery. Twin
đay also incluđeđ the
gift of an ice cream
social for all the sis-
ters followeđ by rec-
reation anđ swimming
The Verkamp,
Schmitz
anđ
Triniđađ Fami-
lies are blesseđ
with an abun-
đance of look
alike, birthđay
sharing family
Volume 3, Issue 4
Page 5
Seeing Double? Holy Twin Day:
Sister Kimberly Prohaska
Verkamp, Schmitz & Trinidad Twins
for the twins anđ triplets. ‘Twin
đay’ was thus born or rather born
đouble in the monastery!
—Sr. Kimberly Prohaska
members.
Sister Kimberly, who boasts of her
own twin brother Kirk, inviteđ the
Verkamp anđ Triniđađ twins anđ
What draws me to St. Scholastica Monastery
There was something most genuinely familiar about the community of Benedictine Sisters
who reside and live out their vocation at St. Scholastica Monastery in Ft. Smith, Arkan-
sas. There was and continues to be a beautifully mysterious presence of reassuring peace and
comfort that touched upon all my senses. During each visit to the community I was blessed
with a true purpose as to what God was asking of me revealing himself to me in very signifi-
cant ways as I experienced life with the sisters. As such, the desires of my heart, mind, body
and soul for the love I have for Jesus Christ was more than an inclination to continue my rela-
tions with the sisters more deeply. My own inner rhythm seemed to fit like hand to glove, in
complete unison with the manner in which they are living. It was this unmistakable truth that
Postulant
Sandra Nelson
led me to investigate St. Benedict and the Rule that governs their way of life.
The more I discovered, the more I found that my charism coincided with this life so well, I began to envision the pos-
sibility to reach higher, above to the heavens, just by being present there to grow in relationship with God and others like
no other place I've experienced. The structure of prayer, community time, ministry and personal time for learning, medi-
tation/reflection and recreation is balanced in such a way that I had recognized it in myself and the manner in which I
feel called to live this gift of life to be quite similar to these sisters who had been chosen by God.
My cup over flows with gratitude and love for I have been accepted by this community to enter as a Postulant on Sep-
tember 14, 2010. I look forward to continuing my journey with this community, and believe my gratitude, joy and the
love I have, giving of myself in prayer, community life and ministry is where communion with God feeds and nourishes
my soul. It is the fuel for acts of kindness, charity and love (hopefully) reflecting something of divine guidance and
grace. I feel I am ready to accept whatever the personal growth challenges may be and trust in the Holy Spirit to pro-
vide what is needed to fulfill God's purpose.
Amen!
— Postulant Sandra Nelson
Come and See Monastic Experience
For Women and Men ages 18-45
St. Scholastica Monastery
1301 S. Albert Pike Ave.
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903
To attend this annual summer retreat contact:
Sr. Kimberly R. Prohaska at 479-783-4147
June 23-27, 2010
Monastic Word of the Month
(Good) Zeal
(Noun) fervor for a person, cause, or ob-
ject; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic
diligence; ardor.
*(Check out Chapter 72 in the RuIe of St. Benedict
for more about good zeal)
St. Sc hoIastica Monaster y
For t Smith, Arkansas
1301 S. Albert Pike
PO Box 3489
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72913
Phone: 479-783-4147
Fax: 479-782-4352
Cell: 903-283-3132
Ε-mail: vocationdirector@stscho.org
Check out our website!
Http://www.stscho.org
The Gatekeeper
Vol. 3
Νo. 4
Gatekeeper is published quarterly by the vocation office of St. Scholas-
tica Monastery PO Box 3489 Fort Smith, Arkansas 72913. Vocation
Department Email: vocationdirector@stscho.org Telephone:
479.783.4147.
Anyone is welcome to be on our mailing list at no charge.
Sr. Kimberly Rose Prohaska…Editor, Design, Photos, Circulation
Sr. Elise Forst……………………….Advisor, Copy Editor
Sr. Rose Ashour……...,..…..……….Contributor
Postulant Sandra Νelson……………Contributor
Do you know a woman we’d like to know?
Does she have listening heart-like ours?
A Heart filled with passion for being a God seeker?
We are Benedictine Sisters:
Committed to seeking God, rooted in a rich monastic tradition.
Women who seek to be a voice for the voiceless—by living a life
balanced in hospitality, simplicity, and in the wisdom of the Gospel.
We join together in prayer, community life and service to help create
a loving world! Come live out our 20/20 vision by sharing in our
dream of being a prophetic and contemplative community!
Do you know a woman who would like to know more about us?
We’d like to know her too...
Please share with women
information about the sisters of
St. Scholastica!
Write, or Call today!