Prioress begins service to community

Intermountain Catholic

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Sr. Danile Knight, prioress of Mount Benedict Monastery, stands with previous prioress Sr. Mary Zenzen as their Benedictine community of religious women give a blessing in the installation rite Oct. 8 in South Ogden. According to Diocesan Administrator Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, 165 Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict have served in the Diocese of Salt Lake City since their arrival at St. Benedict Hospital in Ogden in 1946. IC photo by Christopher Gray

SOUTH OGDEN—Although the mountains rise in their fall beauty to a blue sky with white clouds behind the windows of Mount Benedict Monastery in South Ogden, it is the form of the mountains and their sharp crags of granite which place the vista uniquely in the Northern Wasatch. In the same way, the story of Catholic life in Utah is punctuated with many stories which define it. For the sisters of Mount Benedict Monastery, it has been over half a century since their story has been added to that of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. With the installation of Sister Danile Knight as prioress Oct. 8, the story is set to continue.

"As another prioress is installed," said Diocesan Administrator Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald in his homily at the installation Mass, "it is appropriate for us to be filled with gratitude for what has been and filled with hope and expectation for the future yet to unfold."

Joining the Benedictine community of women religious, president of the Federation of Saint Benedict Sister Michaela Hedican, Abbot Casimir Bernas of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity in Huntsville, priests and deacons from the Diocese of Salt Lake City, other religious women working in the diocese, and supporters and friends of Mount Benedict Monastery gathered to, in the words of previous prioress Sister Mary Zenzen, "witness to what we are doing here, and by being here give your ‘yes’ to the leader our community has chosen."

According to Sr. Danile, the experience of discerning as a community the selection of the new prioress was "an awesome experience. It was not simply a matter of coming together and casting ballots. Instead, we do it by discernment. We all know before the vote is cast who will be elected because we have discerned as a community over those days."

Although Sr. Danile is now the leader of Mount Benedict Monastery, she is not without significant guidance. Months before her election, the community gathered to form ideas for their future work. "Last March we had a meeting and we discerned and put together directional statements for how we want to proceed for the next four years," Sr. Danile said. "Now I’m going to sit down with the sisters and prioritize, so that they as a group can give direction to the new prioress telling where the community wants to go.

"I can’t go ahead and say we’re simply going to do one thing or another. It’s the community that will work together and accomplish our goals. I’m not alone as the prioress. We do it together," she said.

In his homily, Msgr. Fitzgerald marked the close ties between the Benedictine community and the Diocese of Salt Lake City. "I have always felt, as one who spent eight years being educated by the Benedictines and also six years working in their seminary, that their presence here is not only a blessing but also of tremendous importance for the maturity of our church," he said. "The Benedictine community was established here 60 years ago, which isn’t very long considering the Benedictines have been around more than 1500 years. But the fact is the Benedictines have been here for more than half the age of our diocese. During that time, if I calculate somewhat properly, 165 different Benedictine sisters have served in Utah. But each one did that, the blessing of ministry, and are part of the foundation stones of what we celebrate today," he said.

"The monastic movement which we celebrate here today expresses an immense service of charity toward neighbor," he said. "The ideals presented in the Gospel are lofty: Love one another as I love you. Lay down your life for your friends.

"Do not look upon yourselves as slaves, because you are my friends, Jesus says, if you do what I command. Benedictine life, the life of the Oblates, and of every Christian, requires that kind of diligence. Being the light, being the love of Christ to others, requires daily sacrifice," he said.

"Saint Benedict’s advice to superiors, and specifically today to Sr. Danile, is challenging and demanding. As we heard from Sr. Mary, the superior takes the place of Christ in the community. She must lead with deeds before using words. Any lack of goodness the Lord finds in the flock will be accounted the fault of the shepherd. In all, seek first God’s kingdom.

"But then we have that lovely consolation for us in the Gospel: ‘it was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, that will be given.’

"So this is a wonderful celebration, a transition of gratitude for all that has been and hopeful expectation for what God’s providence will unfold. The Benedictine community, the oblates, all of us here, and your many other friends, Sr. Danile, welcome you and support you as the new prioress," he said.