Sister Antoinette (Verona) Tramp, OSB, 91, of Mother of God Monastery, died on Thursday, June 2, in Jenkins Living Center, Watertown, South Dakota. A Liturgical Wake will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 6, 2011 at Mother of God Monastery. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Monastery Chapel. Celebrant will be Father Denis Meier, monastery chaplain. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery.

Sister Cherylyn Dinsmore, OSB, age 72, of Mother of God Monastery, Watertown, SD, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 5, 2010, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, SD.  A Visitation/Memorial service was held at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Pierre on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.  A Liturgical Wake will be held at Mother of God Monastery in Watertown on Thursday, September 9, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the monastery on Friday, September 10, 2010, at 10:30 a.m.  The celebrant will be Fr. Denis Meier.  Burial will be in the monastery cemetery.

Cherylyn M. Dinsmore was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, SD, on August 20, 1938, the first of four children born to Frank and Matilda (Owens) Dinsmore of Midland, SD.  Sister Cherylyn graduated from Midland High School in 1956 as valedictorian.  She earned a B.A. degree in education from Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD, and became a certified teacher-librarian through Northern State College. Sister Cherylyn entered Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton, where she made her first vows in 1960.  She became a founding member of Mother of God Monastery in 1961 and made final vows on June 25, 1965.

Sister’s teaching ministry over the years included:  Stephan Indian Mission, Sacred Heart School in Glen Ullin, ND, Christ the King School, Webster, SD, and St. Mary’s, Aberdeen, SD.  She served two years as high school librarian at Stephan Indian Mission and nine years at Roncalli High School in Aberdeen.

Sister Cherylyn’s ministries in Pierre started in 1980, beginning as a part-time library helper at St. Joseph School and office worker at River Park for a few years.  She was then appointed school librarian, computer lab coordinator, and music coordinator for Ss Peter and Paul Church.  She played the organ for the Saturday night Mass on the eve before going Home to God.  Her motto in life was a quote given by her dad, “Pray as if everything depends on God; work as if everything depends on you.” Sister Cherylyn was an unassuming and dearly loved woman. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Sister Cherylyn is survived by her sister, Ruby (Dinsmore) Engelhaupt, of St. Paul, MN; her nieces and nephews; parishioners of SS Peter and Paul Parish; and her Sisters of Mother of God Monastery.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Matilda, and her two brothers, Vincent and Blaine.

Memorials may be directed to the Benedictine Sisters Foundation in honor and memory of Sister Cherylyn Dinsmore.

Sister Anaclete Fischer, OSB, age 97, of Mother of God Monastery, Watertown, SD died at 10:30 AM on Monday, January 24, 2011 at Maryhouse Nursing Home in Pierre, SD. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM at the Mother of God Monastery in Watertown on Friday, January 28, 2011.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 27, 2011 from 4-7:00 at Mother of God Monastery with a Liturgical Wake at 7:00 PM.

Burial will be in the monastery cemetery at a later date.

There will also be a visitation in Pierre at the Maryhouse Chapel on Wednesday, from 5:00-7:00 PM, concluding with a Rosary Vigil.

Anaclete Fischer was born on May 4, 1913 near Glen Ullin, North Dakota. Due to her father’s poor health, her family moved to town when Sister was 6 years old. German was spoken in her home but the town children spoke English. This was Anaclete’s first challenge when she began to attend school. Her teacher was very patient and gradually she learned to speak English. Her grade school years were spent at Sacred Heart School in Glen Ullin under the direction of the Benedictine Sisters from Yankton, South Dakota.

Throughout grade school, Anaclete was mentored by the Sisters and at the end of her eighth grade, she along with three other graduates entered Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton. After three years as an aspirant under Sister Bertha, she became a novice on August 11, 1931. Sister Anaclete’s first profession was on August 12, 1932 and her final profession was on June 24, 1938.

The day after her first profession, Sister went to teach in Richardton, ND for nine years. In addition to teaching, Sister Anaclete became well versed in plastering, painting and varnishing the school and convent home. In 1941, she was assigned for three years to teach at Sacred Heart School in Yankton, SD. Here, elderberry picking was one of the many duties of the sisters of this school. Sister Anaclete had her first experience working with Native American children in the summer of 1943. She was sent to Stephan Indian Mission and was in charge of thirteen boys. She received a good taste of mischief during this summer and in the autumn of 1944, Anaclete was assigned to teach in Stephan. Sister taught there for seven years and grew to love it.

Sister taught many different grade levels but mostly junior high. When she was asked to teach in Lincoln, NE, however, she taught senior high. She enjoyed the English classes and, although challenged by the algebra and Latin coursework, she worked hard and did not complain.

Sister Anaclete celebrated her silver jubilee of profession in 1957 in Yankton and on June 15, 1961, she moved with a group from her community to Pierre, SD to start a new Motherhouse. In 1967, this community known as Mother of God Monastery relocated to Watertown, SD. In the summer of 1982, Sister celebrated her golden jubilee, in 1992 her diamond jubilee, and in 2007 Sister Anaclete celebrated seventy-five years of Benedictine service.

She is survived by her nieces, nephews; and her Sisters at Mother of God Monastery.

• May 1st, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Hoven, SD
• June 5th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Polo, SD
• June 15th, 50th Anniversary Founders Day Celebration at Holy Name Church-Watertown – All are welcome to come to the Mass.
  
• June 19th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Zell, SD
  
• July 10th, 50th Anniversary Celebration Family Day Picnic/Pig Roast at the Monastery
• July 27th, 50th Anniversary Celebration Ice Cream Social/City Band at the Monastery – All are welcome.
• July 30th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Ipswich, SD
  
• August 7th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Richardton, ND
• August 21st, 50th Anniversary Celebration Open House-Benedictine Multicultural Center – All are welcome.
• September 18th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Brookings, SD
• October 4th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Fort Yates, ND
• October 16th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Ft. Thompson, SD
  
• November 20th, 50th Anniversary Celebration in Pierre, SD
• December 31st, Closing Anniversary Celebration Mass at the Monastery
  

• We have made Anniversary Calendars…  They are designed around our Charism and Mission Statement and include pictures of the Sisters through the 50 years that also relate to our statement.  Also included is a list of the deceased members of the community and a photo gallery of all present members.  If you are interested in this calendar, please call S. Johanna at 605.882.6640.  The calendar might provide the purpose of calendar for your household or you may just like one as a keepsake.  The  calendars are available for a free-will offering and the proceeds go to benefit the ministries of the Sisters…Here is a peek at the cover.

• We also produced a 50th Anniversary Book, “Shaping the Dream”, that tells our story from when our community began in 1961.  You can get your copy for a suggested donation of $10.00.

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  Anniversary Quilted Banner by S. Marlene Minnaert

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

We have many events planned for 2011 and this banner with come with us to the various places.  It includes our past two logos and our present one.

I am the youngest of a very devout Catholic family. We lived on the farm and it is there that I learned to love animals and nature. We prayed daily as a family. In spring and summer, we visited our various fields of corn and wheat and asked God’s blessings on a good harvest. So I believe my religious vocation grew out of this homey atmosphere of work, prayer and study-characteristics of monastic life. Entering the convent at the age of 17, seemed a natural thing to do. My oldest sister became a Benedictine and died at an early age. My mother always spoke so caringly about sisters and the work they did for the Church. In 1960, I was chosen as a founding member of Mother of God Monastery. This was the best thing that ever could of happened to me. The excitement of beginning a new foundation was thrilling. I knew I would have to work hard to establish this new community, but I felt I was up to the task. Now years later, I cannot say I am disappointed. Religious life has been good for me. I praise and thank God for all the people I have worked with and all the students I have taught. To be part of the Catholic Church and able to give to others the fruits of this great faith has been a blessing in my life. I have always loved teaching and know that my work is not yet finished, but what is in store I welcome with trust and faith.

When I was in the 8th grade, my teacher sent a note home with me to give my mother, asking her to stop after Mass on Sunday to see her. After the visit, Mother came to the car and said nothing. I was anxious to know what she wanted. At the dinner table, I asked Mother what she wanted. Mother said; “she thinks you have a vocation to be a Sister.” I tried to forget it and just lived a regular life. I did make a young girls retreat at Yankton. Then at the age of 22, I decided to visit with our parish priest. He made the arrangements and two weeks later, Mother and Dad took me to Sacred Heart Convent, Yankton, SD.

Listen. This deceptively simple admonition which opens the Rule of Benedict, has been challenging me all my years as a monastic. Sometimes I tended to listen to my own desires, at other times I felt I was doing a superb job of listening to God; most of the time my listening has been somewhere in-between.  But God can work wonders with half-hearted or confused listening or even with non-listening. With the help of the God-who-hears and my Benedictine community, I earned graduate degrees, expanded my cultural and spiritual horizons, and worked in a variety of ministries including teaching, parish work, Hispanic ministry, social justice, and prison ministry.
“Listen carefully. . . and I will say, ‘Here I am.’” Prologue, RB

God is always interested in a personal relationship with us. As a lover God speaks to us in many and varied ways, trying to get our attention. As I reflect on my life I realize that many times in my youth God was inviting me not only to a close relationship with him with sacraments and prayer but also to consider being a religious sister. Sometimes it was through a Presentation Sister who brought it up in a class or sent me a congratulatory note but I was not able to hear.  When I was really able to hear the call I was a senior in high school. This time the voice came through the spring vocation issue of a Catholic newspaper and as I read some of the articles I heard God asking me to consider this vocation. It took three more years of prayer before I was able to say, “If this is what God wants me to do, this is where I will be happy.” During this time I attended Mount Marty College and was able to learn more about Sisters and the Benedictine way of life. God speaks to us in many and mysterious ways so it is important to ask the Holy Spirit to help us “listen with the ear of our heart.” It is a life long task.

My roots began in Glen Ullin, North Dakota the third oldest of seven children born to Nick and Teresa Seeberger. My call to religious life was aided by faith-filled parents, the witness of teachers, and example of High School friends and classmates who preceded me in heeding the call to religious life. I followed good leaders. I entered Sacred Heart in Yankton in 1945. In 1961, I was a founding member of the newly formed Monastery in Pierre, later Mother of God Monastery was moved to Watertown. Educational experiences and degrees from Mt. Marty, Spokane, Washington, Boston, Massachusetts, and the Befriender Ministry enhanced my spiritual development. I taught all ages in the school system in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and California before spending the last six years in Parish Ministry in Howard, South Dakota. I had spent the previous 30 years being Religious Education Coordinator in Yakima, Washington. In all my teachings and parish ministry I found fulfillment, challenges, strength, and joy. I didn’t see my ministry as a job but doing what I love to do everyday.

I wanted to enter a Benedictine community because I desired to live monastic life in common with my sisters and in service to others. In order to test my ability I lived for a year as a lay associate with this community. I had the chance to examine my ability without commitment or microscopic examination. I had experienced the desire off and on for thirty-five years, and I had a very impressive divine initiative. Every month for three years I had three repetitive premonitory dreams that each eventually actually occurred at a monastery or convent. So, after 36 dreams and thirty-five years I had to give in and become a sister. I have never regretted it.