December, 2016
My Dear Friends in Christ,
It is often said that change is the only constant in life; most of us prefer certainty. Change requires a
certain amount of faith and courage because in times of change we sail into unchartered waters. We
can’t help but worry about what lies ahead for us.
During this past year we Sisters of Mother of God Monastery have been considering and grappling with
“what lies ahead for us.” Our community is aging and we are beginning to realize our own needs for
care and support. This year the community’s mean age reached 80! Given this reality, we began
difficult conversations about ministry and the care needs of some of our Sisters. Two very important
truths became clear to us.
The first was that we are unable to continue to physically and financially support our ministry at Benet
Place Assisted Living. When we opened those doors 20 years ago there were very few programs of its
kind in the Watertown area with only 32 units available. Now there are over 240 units available to those
needing assisted living services. Times have changed. What was once a scarcity is now abundant!
Although it was a very difficult decision for us to make, we closed Benet Place Assisted Living on
November 1st, 2016. At this time, we also made the commitment to keep the Benet Place
Independent Senior Apartments open.
The second realization was that after more than 50 years as a community our deepest desire is to
remain together here at the Monastery for as long as we possibly can. In order to do that, we have
created a supportive care unit in one of the wings of the Monastery and have hired staff to help us meet
the physical and social needs of our elder Sisters. An important area of focus will be exercise and
muscle strengthening to maintain their mobility and healthiness. It has been recommended that we
purchase two pieces of equipment that would be extremely beneficial to the Sisters.
The first piece is a NuStep machine that is designed to optimize muscle movement and is stress-free on
the joints. The second piece is an exercise mat table that is 20 inches off the floor, along with a spin
stool for the nursing assistant. This will allow our Sisters to safely stretch, relax and rehabilitate without
needing to leave the Monastery. Together the cost of these items, with delivery, is approximately
$8,000. Would you please help us purchase this equipment for our new supportive care unit?
Our Community of Benedictine Sisters has been very blessed by the support you have given us as we
serve in our ministries. As we enter the Christmas Season, your presence is ever felt.
May you and your loved ones have a Blessed Christmas and God’s Peace and Joy in 2017!
Sister Marlene Minnaert, OSB
Prioress, Mother of God Monastery