4. MENTOR, serving as

guides, models and wis-

dom figures in the faith,

prioritizing time to be pre-

sent to and active with

young people.

5. INVITE, encouraging

our youth to be open to

discernment of a religious

vocation.

At St. Scholastica Monas-

tery we are striving to cul-

tivate a culture for voca-

tions. We offer our house

of discernment as a place

to do just that. It is a sacred

space for single, Catholic

women who are seeking

the will of God in their life,

no matter the kind of voca-

tional call. Come step for-

ward in faith; let us walk

with you.

—Sr. Kimberly Prohaska, OSB

A Culture of Vocations: The House of Discernment

The Gatekeeper

C ulture. What is it?

It is most easily

defined by considering the

verb “to cultivate”—“to

prepare or loosen the

ground or break up the soil

about growing plants, or to

foster the growth of, or to

acquire a skill. To improve

by labor, care or study. To

make society or to make

friends. To win the favor of

someone. To apply oneself

to improving or developing

one’s manners.”

Lately, in most religious

life circles we have been

hearing the desire to create

a ‘culture of vocations’.

How might we create a

culture of vocations? First,

we need to determine what

is a culture of vocations. It

is something that the church

already teaches and endors-

es by virtue of our baptism.

As Catholics we are called

to live out our vocation by

our daily living out our

profession of faith. Creat-

ing a vocation is not ours

to claim but we need to

respond to and support our

calling from God in any

way and every way we can.

We can create a vocation

culture in our homes, our

parishes and our communi-

ties. The Catholic Update

lists five steps to take in

creating a culture of voca-

tions.

1. PRAY, not only “for

vocations” but helping

young people develop hab-

its of prayer.

2.EVANGELIZE, provid-

ing a firm foundation in the

Catholic faith, emphasizing

vocation awareness at eve-

ry level of religious educa-

tion.

3. EXPERIENCE, provid-

ing opportunities to put

faith into action and to

make connections between

service and spirituality.

Inside this issue:

Vocations &

Volunteering

2

VAB Member:

Mrs. Peggy Brandebura

2

Benedictine Bookends 3

Come & See Opportunities 4

Finding Formation

—Sister Alice O’Brien

5

Monastic Word 6

Consider Your Call, Tak-

ing the Monastic Plunge

6

Special points of interest:

• Meet a member of our

Vocation Advisory Board

• Vocation Events

• Come and See opportunities

• House of Discernment

• Benedictine Bookends

• Prayers for vocations

S t S cho las t i ca Monas te r y, Fo r t Sm i th , A r kansas

November 2012

Volume 3, Issue 7

W ith all the right sizing and

reconfiguring of religious life

today we are experiencing some of

our own right-sizing and reconfigur-

ing here at St. Scholastica. We have

been blessed with three women who

are seeking their call from God to be-

come members of our community.

In this search for a deeper relationship

with God in the monastic life, Debra

New Faces of St. Scholastica Monastery!

Page 2 The Gatekeeper

Meet our Advisory Board Member: Peggy Brandebura

“My Ministry is a volunteer one.

I coordinate the RCIA for Immacu-

late Conception Church in Fort

Smith, Arkansas. This encompasses

both adults and children in our di-

verse Anglo and Hispanic communi-

ties.

I also minister to the Adult Catholics

who have not received the sacra-

ments of Eucharist (Holy Commun-

ion) and or Confirmation, preparing

them to receive these sacraments.

and Susan are live in affiliates while

Judith recently became a postulant.

Debra, a nurse practitioner, is origi-

nally from Trinidad, and comes to us

from New York and recently Canyon,

Texas.

Judith, a native of Florida, comes to

us from Little Rock where she has

spent most of her life. She is a teacher

and is eager to minister to the poor

and marginalized of society.

Susan is originally from New Jersey

and comes to us from Louisiana

with a desire of service to others in

joy. Prior to coming to the sisters

here she worked in retail. Each of

these women of God are called in

her own unique way. We hold them

in both heart and prayer as they step

forward in faith and in their contin-

ued formation process.

—Sr. Kimberly Prohaska, OSB

Many of these adults were never cate-

chized and often not immersed in the

Catholic traditions. Some have not at-

tended Mass as children or as young

adults. I walk their faith journey with

them and share my faith journey with

them. We grow together in our Catholic

faith. I serve the Vocation Advisory

Board in whatever capacity they need

me to serve. I truly feel I am a servant

and God will use me where He wills. I

have served on the board since 2007. I

am married, have 4 children and 1

grandchild.” —-Peggy Brandebura

Af�iliateDebraBoucaud PostulantJudithTimmerman Af�iliateSusanRocheny

Peggy Brandebura

my God, my God,

it takes some be-

lieving!”

… “It is true that

God shapes the

lives of men in

the ways of jus-

tice, and that the

righteous find

expression of his

Justice, like John

the Baptist, as the forerunner, clears

the road for the coming of the Christ

himself. And when he comes, he is

compassion. He is love...Oh God for-

bid that our lives display the sterile

correctness of men who have learned

what justice is, but never tasted mer-

cy.”

… “Love is only true love when it

shows itself in fidelity, in faithful-

ness”.

Toward the end of the book is the fol-

lowing statement, “The thing life is

fullest of is the thing we find the hard-

est to believe in. New beginnings.

The incredible gift of a fresh start.

Every new year. Every new day. Eve-

ry new life.” What new life do you

need to find as gift today? Why not

pick up the pages as written by Penel-

ope Wilcock and see how God will

sate the potential pangs in your own

heart?

—Sister readers of St. Scholastica &

Sr. Kimberly Prohaska

T he hawk and the Dove, first

came to me through a friend

when I was a junior sister in 1994.

Some books like this one stay with a

person long after the reader has said

hello to the first turning of the cover

to the final word on the concluding

page. This work of fiction and its

sequels are now often used as part of

spiritual direction and for those who

are seeking a call to monastic life.

The author, Penelope Wilcox, does a

masterful job in opening the doors to

ancient-medieval monastic life and

the allowing of relationships found

there to unfold in the pages that fol-

low.

“Set in a medieval monastery and fol-

lowing the lives of the brothers of St.

Alcuin, this three-in-one package con-

sists of books 1-3: The Hawk and the

Dove, The Wounds of God, and The

Long Fall. While the characters be-

long to another century, their strug-

gles are our own-finding one's place,

coping with failure, living with im-

possible people, and changing when

we realize that we are the impossible

ones. Rich with imagery and emo-

tion, these tales depict love in action

and love given in the most trying of

circumstances.

Penelope Wilcock takes a course that

far too many Christian fiction writers

never dare to take-writing a love story

about God and the human person, and

love between monastics in Christ

rather than the typical romance be-

tween man and woman. A true minis-

try to the lonely of heart, Wilcock's

captivating tales of monastic life re-

flects the timeless human struggle

of people learning to love God

and to receive his grace.”

“The abbot, Father Peregrine,

embodies both eponymous

birds. He is the human hub con-

necting his brothers' tales; how-

ever, in a sense the true hub of

the trilogy is Jesus Christ, who is

exalted throughout.

It is a rare piece of fiction that moves

me to worship as this did. The

rhythms of the Benedictine days with

their measures of prayer, work, wor-

ship, and community sets the mood of

the writing, as well, making it a

peaceful sort of read. It also gave me

hope for my own weaknesses and lim-

itations and the way they impact my

community.”

I have asked the sisters who have

read the book to share some of their

favorite quotes from the text and we

now share them with you. This quote

is especially appropriate for those

seeking their way:

“...But when it came to the great,

lonely yearning that was opening up

inside me, they didn't seem even to

want to hear the question, let alone try

to answer it. I went to church every

Sunday, and I listened to what they

said about Jesus, and I believed it all,

I really did; but was there anyone any

-where who cared about it enough to

behave as if it were true?"

…“they will each face the truth of

their own heart in God's presence.”

…“Peregrine stopped and looked at

him wearily. ‘Surely Christ has borne

our grief's’, and then groaned, but oh

Benedictine Bookends: What a Monastic Reads! The Hawk and the Dove Tr ilogy by Penelope Wilcock

Page 3 Volume 3, Issue 7

“They will each face the

truth of their own heart in

God’s Presence”

Prayer for Vocation Seekers!

May Monastic Plunge!

When: May 23-27, 2013.

The program allows for both women

and men seekers to live within the

cloister and experience the daily life

of the monastic community.

Participants will have sessions that

include topics that are pertinent to the

Benedictine way of life, while having

the opportunity to meet like minded

seekers.

The retreat includes presentations on

The Holy Rule of St. Benedict, Dis-

cernment, Lectio Divina, Obedience,

Stability and Conversatio Morum.

During the four day event, there is

time for prayer with the sisters of St.

Scholastica Monastery and brothers of

Subiaco Abbey, opportunities to share

in ‘in-house’ ministry, to talk with the

vocation director about a possible

call.

Come and See Oppor tunities:

Page 4 The Gatekeeper

Participants will take an active role in

the common prayer and common ta-

ble. There will be tours and day trips

to Hesychia House of Prayer and

Subiaco (men’s community) and St.

Scholastica Monastery and interesting

places around Fort Smith.

This opportunity is for women ages

17-50 and men ages 18-45. We invite

you to visit our website to register

today!

Observership & Day Experiences!

Observership: This program allows

seekers to have a more in depth expe-

rience of monastic life as lived by the

sisters of St. Scholastica. Applicants

for the program experience monastic

life as they live at the House of Dis-

cernment for one to three months.

Participants join the sisters for com-

mon prayer, common table and recre-

ation. Observers are assigned a ser-

vice that helps with day to day needs

of the monastery. As an Observer,

there are opportunities

for classes on the Holy

Rule, and Introduction

to Monastic Life and

for personal spiritual

growth. This opportunity allows

for self reflection and the experi-

ence of monastic life at a deeper

level than that of day or weekend

opportunities. Observership pro-

grams are adapted to each individ-

ual inquirer and can be designed to

fit any economic and employment

schedule. Inquire today!

Day & Weekends:

Both day and week-

end opportunities

are available to any

seeker. Scheduling

is flexible. Organized Come and

See weekends can be found by

looking at our website: http://

www.st.scho.org

H eavenly Father, remind us

that when we pray

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in

heaven”

we commit ourselves to do your

will, whatever that may be.

Free us from the temptation to do our

own will rather than your will!

Give those you call to the priesthood

and religious life the courage to em-

brace your will with generosity and

self-sacrificing love.

Remove their fears

and fill our hearts with gratitude

that despite our unworthiness,

you would entrust to them

a role so great and necessary

in your plan of salvation.

Amen.

—Bishop Anthony Taylor

Diocese of Little Rock

Bishop Anthony Taylor

Finding Formation: Sister Alice O’Brien

"A recurring restlessness

for a few years, some

deep listening, but no

voice, lightning or thun-

der bolt."

“I heard God’s call through the people

in my life – at first, my family and my

elementary school teachers, then the

Sisters here in Fort Smith, after I made

a tentative response.”

“It seems like it was a gradual call

from fourth grade on: from an interest,

to a drawing, to a desire. I think it is a

continuing call, a call to listen, to seek

and to respond to God daily.”

That’s our story what’s yours?

—Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery

H ow does one know if one is

being called by God for a par-

ticular vocation? Sometimes the an-

swer to the question is not as clear or

concise as one might want but if we

pray and listen, the answer will come.

Whether extraordinary or ordinary it

will come if we are open to the possi-

bility of God.

Here are some brief responses to how

others have heard the voice of God

calling them in life.

“God called me through a total

stranger who I happened to overhear

telling her vocation story, and I knew

that, after two tries, it was time to pay

attention to God's calling me.”

“It was must have been around 1:00

am and the most beautiful full moon

night. My brother and I were at one of

my dad's ponds frog gigging. As we

were standing in deep silence drink-

ing in the beauty of the moon mir-

rored in the water I felt this sudden

jolt and tug in my heart. I remember

sighing and saying: ‘Oh no!’ My

brother asked, ‘What's wrong?’ I said,

‘Oh nothing’. But I knew...I had expe-

rienced this before but not as pro-

nounced."

I was called by God via Sister Ma-

ria DeAngeli to be Formation Di-

rector in January of this year. It is a

call that I take very seriously. Being a

Formator is a commitment to the

women whom I will help form as well

as the prioress and the entire commu-

nity. I am blessed to serve the com-

munity in this role. I truly believe that

the community members are all my

assistants in this endeavor. It is a chal-

lenging role because you are dealing

with different personalities. The

women who come with an interest in

our community come from

different backgrounds. They

have taken time to discern this

call from God, and I as forma-

tor help them to continue this

process through classes

(taught by different sisters),

prayer, one on one meetings

Vocation Telling’s—What’s your story?

Page 5 Volume 3, Issue 7

each week and accompanying them

along the way as a friend and confi-

dant. As part of this role, I pray daily

for our women who are discerning

with us and renew my own promises

to God that I made on my profession

day.

Currently, I am working with our

postulant. We meet weekly about

how she is adapting to monastic life.

We also meet every evening for

Compline except Wednesday when

we pray it with the community. We

have classes pertaining to monastic

life and take time

to discern further

the call of the pos-

tulant as she seeks

to become a full

member of the

monastery.

We hope other women will come and

seek God with Sister Alice—We in-

vite interested women to come find

Formation too!

—Sr. Alice O’Brien & Sr. Kimberly

Prohaska, OSB

Sister Alice O’Brien

1301 S. Albert Pike

Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903

Phone: 479-783-4147

Fax: 479-782-4352

Cell: 479-926-9665

E-mail: vocationdirector@stscho.org

S t . S cho las t i c a Monas t e ry

Check out our website!

Http://www.stscho.org

The Gatekeeper Vol. 3 No. 7

Gatekeeper is published quarterly by the vocation office of St. Scholastica

Monastery PO Box 3489 Fort Smith, Arkansas 72913. Vocation Depart-

ment 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

Srs. Pat Bolling, Cecelia Brickell, Maria DeAngeli ….….Contributors

Stephanie Schroeder, Rosalie Ruesewald……….Contributors

Postulant Judith Timmerman…….Contributor

Sr. Alice O’Brien..........…..Contributor

Monastic Plunge Experience

May 23-27, 2013

For Women ages 18-45

St. Scholastica Monastery

1301 S. Albert Pike Ave.

Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903

To attend this annual summer retreat

contact:

Sr. Kimberly Rose Prohaska, OSB

Please Call: 479-783-4147 or email:

vocationdirector@stscho.org

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?

Please share with women

information about the sisters of

St. Scholastica!

Write, or Call today!

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 hospitali-

ty, simplicity and 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 pro-

phetic and contemplative community!

Do you know a woman who would like to know more about us?

We’d like to know her too...

Monastic Word of the Month

Compline (Middle English, alteration ) of compli, from Old French complie, from

Medieval Latin , final (hour), from Latin past participle of to complete;

see complete. 1. The last of the seven canonical hours recited or sung

just before retiring. 2. The time of day appointed for this service.