Sister Stephanie to speak on Benedictine spirituality

Friday, Mar. 27, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — Benedictine Sister Stephanie Mongeon will return to northern Utah next month to visit, present an award at the Dream Builder’s Breakfast, and give a public presentation about spirituality.

The title of her April 12 talk is “Benedictine Spirituality Lived.”

Her goal for the presentation is to let those who attend see “that the Rule of Benedict is a guide,” she said. “It has been a guide since the sixth century. It was not written for priests or mystics or hermits; it was written by a lay person for lay people, for all who seek spiritual joy and eventually their heavenly hope.”

The Rule’s prologue counsels, “Listen carefully, my son and daughter. Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God and our ears to the voice from heaven. …” 

The thrust of Sr. Stephanie’s talk will be that all people are called to seek their Lord and to know their God “by very, very simple human ways,” she said.

She will focus on five aspects of the Rule, she said: awareness that God’s presence is everywhere, the importance of listening with the ear of the heart, the need for frequent prayer, the necessity of work in moderation, and community living and hospitality. 

“These are ways that help them live a life where they can truly be themselves,” Sr. Stephanie said. “I want them to sense a peace and a calmness in the fact that they are very loved by God and that they can share that with one another if they are just mindful of God with them constantly. I think if people just had that sense of their goodness we would have less violence in the world.”

Since returning with her community, which had been in Ogden, to the Benedictine motherhouse in Minnesota, Sr. Stephanie has been giving presentations to college students about this topic, she said. She agreed to give the talk in Ogden at the request of Yvonne Coiner, who had been the executive director of the St. Benedict’s Foundation, a non-profit the sisters had formed.

Coiner said she asked Sr. Stephanie to do the talk because she has been wondering how the sisters always are able to take the time to stop and listen to others. 

“I think people would be interested in hearing how you can do all these things; how do you find the energy and time with all the distractions we have at the time?” Coiner said.

A reception will follow the talk, giving people an opportunity to visit with Sr. Stephanie. 

“There are people who just want a hug from her,” Coiner said. “She gives the best hugs.”

While she is in Utah, Sr. Stephanie also will bake two Bundt cakes to be auctioned at the Dream Builder’s Breakfast, to benefit Catholic Community Services of Northern Utah.

“She prays over them before she puts them in the oven,” Coiner said. “They’re full of nothing but natural, whole grain good-for-your products.”

At the breakfast, Sr. Stephanie will present the Community Advocate Award to Coiner.

“I have just felt so rewarded to work with that woman through the years,” Sr. Stephanie said. “She is such a creative and hard-working, generous person. She just doesn’t spare herself.”

She also will say a few words in honor of the Trappist monks of the Abbey of our Lady of the Holy Trinity, who will receive special recognition at the breakfast. The monks supported the Benedictines’ work and also provided religious services; Sr. Stephanie said she particularly enjoyed the Good Friday services that the abbey hosted for the sisters.

WHAT: Presentation – “Benedictine Spirituality Lived”

WHO: Benedictine Sister Stephanie Mongeon 

WHEN: Sunday, April 12, 2-4 p.m. 

WHERE: Saint Joseph Elementary School, 2980 Quincy Ave., Ogden

Free and open to the public. RSVP to Yvonne Coiner, coineryvonne@gmail.com or 

801-458-2770.