Recent News -- Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel

The Benedictine Sisters of Queen of Angels Monastery have elected Sr. Donna Marie Chartraw, OSB, to a four-year term as Prioress. She will be formally installed on June 17, 2007 at the Monastery. Sr. Donna Marie will succeed Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB, who has served as the community’s Prioress since 1999.

As Prioress, Sr. Donna Marie will be responsible for providing spiritual leadership for the Sisters and for overseeing the life and work of the religious community, which was established in Oregon in 1882.

The election completes a months-long discernment process by the Sisters. Consistent with Benedictine values, major decisions are made by the entire community and are based on individual and group prayer, reflection, and discussion. Once the election process begins, the community works to reach consensus through a process of careful listening, prayer and discernment. The election was guided by facilitators, Sr. Mary Catherine Wenstrup, OSB, of Covington, Kentucky, and Sr. Maria Tosto, OSB, of Ferdinand, Indiana. Sr. Kathryn Huber, OSB, President of the Federation of St. Gertrude, served as the presider at the election.

“We had a very peaceful and unifying process of discernment and election,” said Prioress-elect Sr. Donna Marie. “I feel much support from the community and I am looking forward to working with the Sisters.”

Sr. Donna Marie Chartraw is a native Oregonian, who was born in 1941 in Lebanon. One of five children of the late G. F. and Marie E. Chartraw, she attended St. Mary’s School in Albany before moving on to Mt. Angel Academy for her high school education. She entered the Benedictine Sisters’ community and professed vows on July 11, 1960. Sr.Donna Marie received a bachelor’s degree from Mt. Angel College in 1963 and a master’s degree in education from the University of Oregon in 1970. She taught in Catholic grade schools for 40 years before retiring from teaching in 2001. Most her teaching career was spent at St. Mary’s School in Albany, where she taught first grade for 27 years (1975-2001). She also taught in schools in Lebanon, Shaw, Silverton, Portland, and Oregon City.

Since 2001 Sr. Donna Marie has been the Liturgical Music Leader at the Monastery and has worked part-time in several ministries. She has served on the Monastic Council since 2003.

The Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel are celebrating their 125th Anniversary in 2007. The Sisters currently have 40 vowed members and sponsor St. Joseph Shelter and Shalom Prayer Center as their primary ministries. They also produce and market their popular Monastery Mustard, and serve others in a variety of ministries, including schools, parishes and pastoral care work.

For more information on the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel, please call the Benedictine Foundation at 503-845-2556, or email benfoundation@mtangel.net.

Sr. Gertrude Feick, OSB, formerly Sr. Sara Feick, made her perpetual monastic profession during the celebration of the Eucharist on Saturday, February 10, 2007 at Queen of Angels Monastery. In the presence of her family, friends, principal celebrant, Fr. Paschal Cheline, OSB and seven concelebrants, and members of the Benedictine Sisters’ community, Sr. Gertrude promised stability, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience. At her request, she accepted the name of Gertrude from Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB, prioress, as a sign of her commitment to the spirituality of St. Gertrude the Great of Helfta. St. Gertrude was a 13th century mystic and monastic renowned for her simplicity, humility, and love of liturgy.

Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer said, “I appreciate very much Sr. Gertrude’s joy, enthusiasm for and commitment to our monastic life. Her love and dedication to the liturgy, to our community life, and to our community works are inspiring and are very beautiful gifts to our community and to the Church. With much gratitude and joy, I welcome her as a perpetually professed member of Queen of Angels on this holy day, the Solemnity of St. Scholastica, patroness of all Benedictine women.”

Sr. Gertrude said the profession liturgy was “a very profound experience. The entire day was grace-filled and joyful. The rite of profession is incredible – the words, movements, prostration, kneeling . . . it was wonderful. And all the people there were so supportive and generous.”

Sr. Gertrude was born the youngest of seven children of the late Louis A. and Martha J. Feick and was baptized as an infant in the diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. After coming to Mt. Angel in 1999 to attend classes at Mt. Angel Seminary, she became a volunteer at Queen of Angels and experienced praying, living and working with Sisters. She professed temporary vows in April 2003. Sr. Gertrude earned a master’s degree in theology from Mt. Angel Seminary. Her current ministries are providing hospitality to groups at the Monastery and Shalom Prayer Center, and playing the organ at the Divine Office.

The International Prayer for Peace Day Steering Committee recently announced eight International Peace Award Winners, including Sr. Antoinette Traeger, OSB of Queen of Angels Monastery. Sr. Antoinette was one of two people selected for being a model of “Living in Peace.” The awards were presented in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2007, though Sr. Antoinette did not receive hers in person.

Sr. Antoinette Traeger has been a Benedictine Sister for 62 years. She has served in numerous leadership positions at Queen of Angels, including stints as the first administrator of the Benedictine Nursing Center (now Providence Benedictine Nursing Center), as prioress for 12 years, and as director of Shalom Prayer Center for 14 years. Sr. Antoinette, still very active at age 82, presently serves as director of Oblates, teaches Prayer of the Heart, provides individual spiritual direction, and is a member of the community’s Eco-Justice and Peace Committee. The award citation noted that “Sr. Antoinette has dedicated her life to God as a Benedictine woman . . . (and in her life and work) has brought the heart of peace to countless numbers (of people).”
Other honorees are: for National Prayer, Fr. Damir Stojic, SDB, Bosnia-Herzegovina/Croatia and Dr. Emenike Ukazim of Nigeria Prays; for Praying for Peace, Adrian Wright of Norfolk, England; for Acting in Peace: Mama Maggie Gobran, known as the Mother Teresa of Cairo, Egypt, and Br. John Mary Lugemwa, OSB, Uganda; and for Living in Peace, the Rev. LaKotahasie Frazier, Virginia.

The International Prayer for Peace Day is in its third year. For more information on the work of The International Prayer for Peace Day Steering Committee, visit www.praying4peace.org.

Sr. Antoinette Traeger Receives International Peace Award