Consider yourself at home. Consider yourself one of the family…. Consider yourself one of us! (from the musical Oliver, lyrics by Lionel Bart)

Those words express the feelings we sisters have about the many volunteers who so generously and faithfully give of their time and skills to help us carry on our work and ministries at the monastery. About 50 of our volunteers joined us today for our first annual Volunteer Appreciation Day. Prioress Sister Kristine Anne Harpenau and Sister Dolores Folz, director of our volunteer program, thanked those in attendance for the countless hours and many services they have given to our community, helping in areas and projects such as activities, archives, bakery, Christkindlmarkt, community health care, garden, grounds, gift shop, hair care, housekeeping, Kordes facility, laundry, mission advancement, quilting, switchboard, and yard sales.

Sisters Rose Wildeman, Anita Louise Lowe, Mary Judith Fleig, Michelle Mohr, and Ann Francis Hillenbrand sing "Consider Yourself at Home" to express the sisters’ gratitude to the volunteers.

It was a lovely day for the sisters in our Hildegard Health Center to get outside in the monastery courtyard for activities.

They played a game of tossing water balloons as far as they could without breaking them. After that, a few brave sisters started tossing the balloons to each other. Only their activities director got wet.

About 30 visitors, representing nine Indiana counties, convened at the monastery today as participants in a "Connect with Southern Indiana" program. A University of Southern Indiana initiative, this program is funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment to boost Indiana’s retention of intellectual capital. Participants create new connections with others having similar concerns and interests, identify areas for collaborative problem-solving, and meet business and civic leaders, all while developing critical thinking skills. They meet in each of the nine counties for full-day sessions over a six-month period. The monastery was selected as the site for the meeting in Dubois County.

Sister Barbara C. Schmitz hold a sign she's ready to post in a hallway to direct visitors to their program in St. Gertrude Hall. Sister Barbara helped coordinate the "Connect with Southern Indiana" program held at the monastery on May 29. She was a participant in the 2008 program. 

Whether it's the lure of the magnificent structure of the "castle on the hill," or the listing of the monastery in the National Register of Historic Places, or its designation as an Official Project of Save America's Treasures... maybe it’s the impressive view from Interstate 64 on the outskirts of Ferdinand, or curiosity about a Benedictine monastery and the sisters who live there, or experiences shared by others who have visited the monastery... or because it's an ideal fieldtrip or travel package destination — whatever the reason, we have had a multitude of tourists and visitors to our monastery in the past few weeks. And according to our director of tourism, Sister Christine Kempf, that's not too unusual for this time of year. Today alone, she said, we had at least 170 visitors. Two groups — a group of more than 80 fifth and sixth graders and chaperones on a school fieldtrip from New Albany, Indiana, and a group of 30 senior citizens from St. Louis — had scheduled a guided tour in advance. Others, including travelers from Colorado, Ohio, and Indiana towns and cities, dropped by for a tour. Persons or groups interested in visiting the monastery and having a guided tour can check tour times on our web site.

Sister Christine Kempf shows a group of tourists a model of the monastery made over 70 years ago. Hanging on the wall behind her is a framed needlepoint picture of the Immaculate Conception given to the Ferdinand monastery by their founding monastery in Covington, Kentucky, in 1867.

The Academy Immaculate Conception/Marian Heights Academy Alumnae Association board of directors held their spring meeting at the monastery today. One of the main items of business was finalizing plans for the Alumnae Day Reunion the weekend of June 27-28. Another item was presenting the sisters with a contribution from the AIC/MHA Alumnae Association card party in Evansville on April 22. The board concluded their meeting with a luncheon at Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast in Ferdinand.  

Sister Kristine Anne Harpenau accepts a check for $2,724 from Kathleen Boink, past president of the Academy Alumnae Association board, and Janie Nunning, current president.

Sunday, May 10, is Mother's Day. If you're still looking for a special, heart-warming gift for your mother, visit our monastery gift shop, For Heaven's Sake, call 812-367-2500, or check the online store. You'll find a variety of gifts that will please and delight any mom.

Sister Charlene Ann Wheeless, manager of the monastery gift shop, looks over gifts specifically for mothers. Many other items at the shop make perfect gifts, such as music boxes, rosaries, CDs, angels, books, and candles, as well special items made by the sisters, including paintings, needlework, cards, floral arrangements, and wreaths.

We celebrated a joyous occasion at our monastery today. In the presence of community members, their families, and friends, our two novices made their first monastic profession in a special ritual during Evening Prayer. Sisters Doris Schepers and Gail Hamilton responded to the call to deepen their commitment to the monastic way of life by promising "stability in this monastery, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience," as prescribed by St. Benedict in his Rule 1500 years ago.

The Rite of Monastic Profession begins with a call and dialogue. The sisters in community call the novices forth from the assembly, and Sister Kristine Anne Harpenau, prioress, asks them to state their commitment to what they are about to profess.