Photo: Prioress Sister Ramona Varela (left) and Sister Patricia Vereb show the many products available through ScriptSure Ink, their Congregation’s new business venture with the University of Arizona business school.
The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are making a new mark on the world with the launch of ScriptSure Ink while creating a unique business partnership with students at the University of Arizona.
The new business opened its online and retail doors in January and offers a variety of name brand and comparable ink and toner cartridges, filling the niche left by the closing of LaserMonks. The business will help support the Congregation’s three monasteries located in Tucson, Ariz., Clyde, Mo., and Dayton, Wyo.
The Sisters have been busy, having recently added Prayerfully Popped, a line of gourmet popcorn, to their portfolio of works, which already includes altar breads and liturgical vestments. As more religious orders battle diminishing numbers, aging communities and higher healthcare and insurance costs, it is vital they engage in new works that will sustain their monasteries while allowing time to concentrate on the call to monastic life.
“The Rule of Benedict is about maintaining a balance in our lives of work and prayer, which we have done successfully for more than 100 years with our altar bread business, which continues to thrive in tough economic times,” Prioress General Sister Pat Nyquist, OSB said.
Both ScriptSure Ink and Prayerfully Popped are the result of a unique partnership between the Benedictine Sisters and the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management.
University students work alongside Sisters in their Tucson, Ariz., retail store, learning how to manage a business and make it a success, putting into action concepts they’ve learned in class and getting hands-on experience in the business world.
“The opportunity to work with the students is an additional blessing,” Sister Pat said. “They bring so much energy and enthusiasm. It is a pleasure to share all that we have learned over the years about operating successful businesses with honesty, conscience and integrity, hoping they take those lessons with them in future endeavors.”
ScriptSure Ink offers a wide variety of high-quality ink and toner cartridges online and in the Tucson retail store, often beating the national stores in price.
“Individuals and businesses will see a cost savings when shopping with us, compared to the ‘big box stores,’’’ said Sarah Caniglia who serves as a business consultant with the Benedictine Sisters. “At the same time, customers are supporting the Congregation in their life of prayer and praying for the world. The Benedictine Sisters touch so many lives, and each purchase supports this as well as their charitable works.”
Unlike various not-for-profit ink and toner organizations that use outside companies, the Sisters help package and ship orders, which include a note to customers, reminding them they are always kept in prayer. However, the Sisters say there is more to it than that - they are also sharing their profits with several charitable causes.
“We are excited about how this new business will help us maintain our contemplative life and allow us to share more of our profits with a wide range of charitable causes in our own communities and around the world,” Sister Pat said. “It is our wish that customers feel a renewed sense of self worth, having made a purchase that supports a good and holy purpose.”
The Sisters are astute business women, having successfully run the largest religious altar bread production company for over 100 years.
“We put our trust in God and opened our hearts and minds to new works - keeping in mind they must be accomplished within our monastery walls,” Sister Pat said. “We will continue to engage in our altar bread and vestment ministries but also look forward to new avenues and opportunities like Prayerfully Popped and ScriptSure Ink.”
For more information, please contact one of the following:
Sarah Caniglia (Kuh NIG lee uh), (520) 488-8949 or sarah.caniglia@gmail.com, Sr. Pat Nyquist (NYE qwist), (660) 944-2221 or pat@bspa.us or Kelley Baldwin, (660) 562-7433 or kelley@bspa.us.
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