Sister marie

You may have seen Sister Marie Baker, dressed in overalls, farm boots and work hat, driving the lawn mower at top speed on the grounds of St. Benedict’s Monastery or pulling a wagon laden with pumpkins attached to the golf cart. S. Marie is a farm girl at heart, having been born and raised on a small grain farm south of Regina.

Marie attended teacher’s college in Moose Jaw and went on to teach at Kirby Schools, a one-room country school with seven grades. Early in her teaching career, Marie heard the call to religious life. Because of her association with the sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, she felt that somewhere down the road she might inquire. The voice persisted and Marie responded: “Why me?” After about four years her response changed to “Why not me?” And so she joined the RNDM Sisters and even served as their Provincial Superior.

Yet there was an inner core of her being that had always been attracted to the monastic way of life. Through much prayer and discernment she decided to try out the monastic path at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Winnipeg. And here she is, a most versatile woman, spiritual director, gardener and organist. She loves the garden, classical music and being of help anywhere.

Sister angela

Sister Angela was born and grew up in the village of Winnipegosis where the Sisters had a hospital. As a teen she began a lifetime of work in health care, first becoming a health care aide and later graduating from St. Boniface School of Nursing as a registered nurse. Most of Angela’s work was in pediatric nursing. She has many delightful and some sad stories to recount of her work with children.

Acquainted with the Sisters from an early age, in her 20’s, she joined the community where her sister - Sister Gabriel - was already a member. Today she may be the voice you hear when you call St. Benedict’s; Angela also trains the young women who are the receptionists you meet or hear when you contact the monastery.

Angela loves nature, delights in the deer that visit us and is especially fond of the sounds of creation and of music.

Sister Mary

Sister Mary Coswin grew up in Winnipeg’s inner city where she attended public schools until grade 8, then became one the first resident students registered at St. Benedict’s Academy in its first year of operation.

Asked what drew her to a religious community, Mary says she was “moved by the beauty of the stained glass windows in the monastery chapel. I especially loved the night prayer when we (the girls) sang and prayed as the setting sun blazed through the gorgeous windows. And it certainly helped to feel, not just loved but liked by the sisters.”

After a few years of teaching Mary was asked to serve in community in various positions, including as Director of St. Benedict’s Retreat and Conference Centre where she planned and directed programs and offered spiritual direction 23 years.

Because Mary is drawn by beauty she loves to take photos and make cards, to watch dance and witness growth in people.

Sister virginia

Having read a newsletter from the Benedictine Sisters concerning their Indian Mission, Virginia felt called and so decided to move from Indianapolis and her large family to Queen of Peace Benedictine Community on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. Her father was a benefactor of St. Ann’s Mission where the Benedictine sisters devoted decades of work to the Ojibwa (Chippawa) aboriginal people.

In 1977, after much prayer and discernment, she came to Winnipeg and then on March 25, 1980, formally transferred to St. Benedict’s Monastery. In 1988 she became a Canadian citizen, retaining her U.S. citizenship as well.

Virginia designed and led four Benedictine 30-day retreats, was involved in hospitality, spiritual direction, directed retreats at St. Benedict’s Retreat and Conference Centre, serving as Director of the Centre.

Sr. Virginia served as Prioress of St. Benedict’s Monastery for a total of 16 years and is now home from a well-deserved sabbatical rest in Beech Grove, Indiana, her home state. “Ginny” loves graphic arts, reading, theatre and enjoys ballet.

She finds monastic life and ministry fulfilling and has always been happy with her life choice and with any of the work she has been called upon to do. She recalls that 60 years ago, when she responded to God’s call, she did so with her whole heart and soul.

Sister dorothy

Regarding community life, Sister Dorothy Levandosky maintains, “I think it has been a continuance of ‘family’ in the sense that being a Benedictine is an endeavor to continue to grow in every which way. For me, growing up has meant being faithful to my call, expanding my personal horizons through the joys and challenges of community, viewing each person and event God sends my way as a call to growth, a call to love.”

Sister Dorothy’s many years in the classroom provided her with much variety – junior high and senior high, religious education and counseling. She retired in 2019 from her long and esteemed career in the Calgary Separate School System. She is now Administrator of the community.

Sister Dorothy will always be a farmer’s daughter at heart; community has been the fertile ground where her love for prayer, solitude and a listening heart has been nourished.

Sister Dorothy loves to provide organ accompaniment for the sisters at the Liturgy of the Hours, to do calligraphy of special documents and to travel.

Sister carmelita

One of Sister Carmelita (Angela) Martynuik’s first responsibilities in the orphanage, where she spent a few years, was to keep watch that the farm’s turkeys didn’t wander into the chapel. She recalls that once while attending to this task she’d be listening to the Sisters praying and singing in Polish. “It was so beautiful. I didn’t understand a word (it was in Polish), but it was lovely.”

As Sr. Carmelita grew older, she felt more and more drawn to the life of the Sisters. At age 18, after having experienced working away from the orphanage for several years, she entered the Benedictine community.

Soon after making her monastic profession, Sr. Carmelita began her nursing career in Johnson Memorial Hospital in Gimli. She later trained at Misericordia School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1955. She served in several of the community’s hospitals and was a great nurse.

Sr. Carmelita looks back on her monastic commitment and nursing years with happiness. She has always been a people’s person, very gentle and caring. Shehas a great memory for stories from our history.

Sister marcelline

Helen was 17 when she arrived in Arborg as a postulant in 1952. “When I entered, I made three wishes: that I could play the guitar, that I’d go to the missions, that I’d become a nurse.” Although Marcelline didn’t get to any distant missions, she did learn to play guitar and became a nurse, taking her training first in South Dakota as an LPN, then becoming an RN.

She nursed in Gimli, Birtle, and Winnipegosis, and a full 38 years in Russell until she retired. She retired and soon became one of two mangers of St. Benedict’s Place until 2021 where she also engaged volunteers to help entertain and keep the seniors active .

“Marci” comes from a large family and has close ties to her nieces and nephews, though she is the only one of her siblings alive now.

She says, “There’s a call to daily conversion in me that I’m always mindful of.”

Sister gerarda

By the time Sophie (Gerarda) was nearing her 16th birthday, she was being drawn to the Benedictine Community in Arborg. After all, she had been taught by the Benedictine sisters for nine years.

Early in her monastic life Sister Gerarda began teaching. While at St. Benedict’s Academy in 1962, an invitation came from the Federation of St. Gertrude for Benedictine sisters to assist in a new venture to teach in Bogota, Colombia. She eagerly volunteered her services and spent the next two years as a missionary. While there she learned the language, had many interesting experiences and came home with a parrot and a monkey. Pacho, the parrot lived a long life and entertained many but Chico did not adapt well to the climate.

Sister Gerarda’s career has been varied; having earned her doctorate in Education, she became Associate Professor at St. Francis Xavier’s University in Antigonish then later in charge of staff training and adult inmate education at Manitoba Provincial Corrections. She served as Executive Director at St. Joseph’s Residence and when she retired began St. Benedict’s Foundation.

The ministry that is closest to S.Gerarda’s heart is that of practicing the corporal works of mercy, visiting the sick, the elderly, and offering support to grieving family members, friends and benefactors. She also remains an avid reader and sports fan.

Sister Filomena

Sister Filomena Silva joined the monastic community from her birthplace in the Azores via Toronto where she lived for 20 years, working for Doubleday Books and catering meals.

Being from the sea Filomena loves to swim and is also at home in the garden, growing vegetables and tending the flower bed. Since coming to St. Benedict’s 20 years ago, she has also learned to cook and we love her cornbread, Portuguese dinners, even the liver she cooks just right.

After serving at St. Joseph’s Residence, a personal care home, for 15 years, Filomena now enjoys more time to work in Food Service, the garden and around the new monastery. She has abundant energy and a hearty laugh. She makes friends easily and has befriended many fellow Portuguese through her work and Immaculate Conception Parish.