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Sister Mary Hildegard celebrates 50 years of monastic profession

Sister Mary Hildegard celebrates 50 years of monastic profession - (23-05-2016)

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Benedictine Sister of Perpetual Adoration Mary Hildegard Zerwas, OSB celebrated her golden jubilee of monastic profession on May 17 at her monastery in Clyde, Missouri.

Sister Mary Hildegard was born in Germany and entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1963 when she was 20 years old. She made her first monastic profession on March 12, 1966, and made her perpetual vows on March 6, 1971.

After her entrance, she worked in the printery for many years then as bookkeeper at the Clyde monastery. As a Junior Sister, she led the altar bread department at the Sisters’ former community in Kansas City, Missouri. She also served as sacristan, librarian and assistant prioress of the St. Louis monastery. Today, she works in the library and as portress of the Clyde community.

To celebrate her jubilee, the Sisters honored her with a reception after Day Hour and presented her gifts, including beautiful flowers.

Fifty years of monastic life has been a blessing, Sister Mary Hildegard said. 

“One of the greatest gifts of monastic life is that our whole day is centered on God,” she added. “Celebrating the Eucharist is, for us, a way of life, one in which we strive to live simply and to be good stewards of God’s creation.”