Abbey News – Page 5 – Abbey of St. Walburga

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2020

“In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him,

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be

through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it…

He was in the world,

and the world came to be through him,

but the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own,

but his own people did not accept him…

And the Word became flesh

and made his dwelling among us…”

–John 1:1-5, 10-11, 14

We rejoice with you on this glorious day as we celebrate the day on which God gave us the greatest gift—His very self. May you receive Him with great joy! Many blessings on you this Christmas and always.

Farm Manager’s Coronavirus Perspective

November 14, 2020

March 22, 2020, was a normal Sunday at the Abbey of St. Walburga. The only difference was that we weren’t able to allow guests to come to Mass that morning, because there happened to be a global pandemic going on and everyone in the entire world (so it seems) was in “lockdown”…but for cloistered nuns, it was business as usual. After all, we have been practicing social distancing for centuries. It’s already our practice to leave our monastery as infrequently as possible, limiting our contact with the outside world; so you could say we’re experts! All joking aside, what an experience this has been. It’s as if everyone is going through a big collective “novitiate.” Like a monastic novitiate, it’s a time of trial and testing and pain; it’s a time of growth and self-discovery that can lead to deep joy. I like to think that our Abbey’s role in all of this is to witness to that possibility of joy and hope. Maybe just knowing that there are nuns out there crazy enough to freely choose this lifestyle can give others courage to get through it.

We have a number of elderly sisters in our community, so we have had to be very cautious not to expose them. For six weeks we made do with what we had on site, never visiting a grocery store (but gratefully assisted by donations of food and paper goods from kind supporters). During that time, the role of our humble milk cow suddenly became much more important; and as one of the milkers, I experienced the satisfaction of being able to provide something we couldn’t have had otherwise.

In the Rule, St. Benedict recommends that monks have as many necessities as possible available within the cloister “so that there is no necessity for the monks to go about outside of it” (RB 66). Making cheese has not been possible at the Abbey since we sold the modular buildings; a re-model of one of our outbuildings into a “cheese hut” seemed to meet innumerable delays. However, come March of 2020, motivation spiked to make the “cheese hut” a reality—speedily! This project was finally completed in July, and we were able to produce our first hard cheese in two years…just in time, we hope and pray, for everything to return to normal. (We regret, though, that we are not currently able to make our cheese available for sale.)

On Sunday, May 10, 2020, we were happily able to allow guests in our Church again on a limited basis, with masks and distancing in place. Without them, we were missing a part of ourselves. We hope that you, wherever you are, are finding light along your pandemic journey; know that some nuns in the middle of nowhere are praying that you do.

A practical note: if you live nearby and want to come to Sunday Mass, please call ahead as we have to reserve seating to make distancing possible.

Fall Foliage

October 15, 2020

The blowing wind, the mild, moist air, the exquisite greening of trees and grasses – In their beginning, in their ending, they give God their praise.
Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

Despite looming smoke from the nearby fires, it is still a beautiful fall at the Abbey of St. Walburga

Renewal of Vows

October 7, 2020

On this day, the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, two of our Sisters renewed their monastic vows for another year. Join us in praying for them in their final year of the Juniorate as they continue to prepare for their solemn vows.

Visit our website to learn more about the stages of monastic formation in our community: Becoming a Nun

After the renewal of vows, the Sisters’ handwritten profession cards are placed on the altar for the remainder of the day

2021 Calendar for Sale

September 12, 2020

Wall calendar features photos from our Abbey to accompany you throughout the seasons, and it lists feast days and other liturgical celebrations kept by our community.

For each month, we share a phrase or two from the Liturgy of the Hours—for us Benedictines—the Opus Dei, the Work of God, the Divine Office.

Price: $14.95 each

To order your calendar, visit our website at walburga.org or contact the Abbey: 970-472-0612, giftshop@walburga.org

Honey Bees

August 8, 2020

Sister Maria Gertrude smokes the hives in order to check on the combs

Thanks to our friend Martin, we now have two thriving hives of bees again. Since this coming winter will be their first one here, we likely won’t harvest any honey this year to make sure they have enough for themselves. Needless to say, we look forward to enjoying the fruit of their labors in years to come, so long as they can survive the cold weather and the bears!

A Tribute to Our Pilot

July 29, 2020

A reflection by our Prioress, Sister Maria Josepha, OSB on the 17th anniversary of Mother Maria-Michael’s Abbatial Election

I think the book Strangers to the City by Michael Casey is a great title for her life, because Mother truly is such a stranger to the city. She would rather be here, living the monastic life with us, and especially praising God in the Divine Office, than anywhere in the world. She always admonishes us to “prefer nothing to the love of Christ” (using the words of St. Benedict), and her life is a visible testament to this fidelity to the monastic life, seeking God above all else. If Mother was not in the monastery, I think she may have been a pilot. But the Lord has made her into a different kind of pilot, nonetheless. Just as He made His apostle fishermen into fishers of men, so He has done for Mother Maria-Michael. As her passengers, we know that we are headed for eternal life. The flight may have turbulence, but I do believe that with her as the pilot of our community we will all be brought together into everlasting life.

On July 17, the anniversary of Mother Maria-Michael’s Abbatial Election, we celebrated with a picnic supper. Mother enjoyed an ATV ride to our picnic site.

As Prioress, Sister Maria Josepha was in charge of planning the celebration. Here she drives the Mule loaded with folding chairs to bring home after the picnic.

June Photo of the Month

June 30, 2020

Hummingbird enjoying sugar water in our Guest Courtyard

One sign of Spring at the Abbey is the presence of hummingbirds. While the human visitors here are lacking due to COVID-19, there is no shortage of winged guests begging our hospitality in the form of sugar water.

She Fed a Multitude

May 3, 2020

In memory of our Sister Augustina (1925-2019) on the anniversary of her monastic profession, May 3, 1950

When our Sister Augustina Höchbauer died October 8th, she left many delightful memories of her caring, humor, wisdom, and love to those who knew her.

Growing up in Hundsschweif, Bavaria during World War II sharpened her awareness of those suffering or in need around her, and she brought this deep care for people with her when she entered St. Walburg in Eichstätt and later when she came to the foundation in Boulder. As cook in the Abbey kitchen, she did not limit herself to feeding the sisters and guests, but also fed any comers, including dogs, cats, and a local skunk.

Later in life when she no longer cooked, she was still very concerned that those around her were well fed. During many a community supper, she would look up from her wheelchair and spot a sister down the table who hadn’t been served yet. Tilting her own bowl in the direction of the Sister, she would inquire, “Would you like some soup, Sister?” Only after she had offered each part of her supper to each Sister would she eat it herself. Sr. Augustina seemed convinced that all young Sisters were ravenous at all times, and she would save the cookies and candies she received in a special tin in her room. “Not now, Sister, I eat it later,” would be the explanation. But later: “Do you see that box?” she used to whisper conspiratorially to her assistants. “Open it up. There is something nice for you inside.”

Her caring attitude toward people around her extended beyond feeding them. She had a particular knack for correcting with humorous affection. To the Sister who drove her wheelchair with greater speed than grace, Sr. Augustina would say with a playful shake of her finger, “If the police catch us, they give you a speeding ticket!” Another helper cleared her throat excessively. When the racket did not subside, Sr. Augustina said with a twinkle, “I’m terrified! Do you hear the bear growling in here? I think he eats me up!” Once, when a younger Sister was trying to give physical assistance too efficiently, she cautioned her: “Sr. Scholastica doesn’t like it if she has to sew my head back on.” Since she offered rebukes as affectionately as she offered cookies, it was never in doubt that all would be forgiven and forgotten.

Sr. Augustina’s example was one of practical wisdom, and her great love for the Lord shone through it. On Sundays, the Sister assigned to help her after Mass would offer her coffee, a snack, a German magazine, a walk in the garden, and anything else she could think of. The answer was usually an off-handed, “nein!” (“no!” in German). As the assistant began running out of ideas, Sr. Augustina would say at last, “You know what I really want, Sister? What I really want is to go to Church.” It was no surprise when Sr. Augustina greeted her final illness with the same joy and wit as ever. She smiled at her visitors and sang to her helpers as they put her to bed the last time. She suffered bravely to the end. All her cares and quips and efforts flowed naturally from her life of joyous love and hope in God.

But one wintry night a few years before she died, Sr. Augustina herself best summed up this love that fed everyone she met. In the midst of lively stories of her childhood and merry quips about bedtime, she suddenly paused and smiled at the Sister assisting her. “I think about it so often…I’ll actually look at God,” Sister Augustina said. “I want so badly to see Him…”

by Sister Maria-Raphaelle, OSB

Plotting Good

April 25, 2020

A reflection on the joy of Christ’s Resurrection by Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

If the evil one plots evil against others, I think that God must all the more plot our good. Now have you ever heard of anybody plotting good for another? No, because “good” doesn’t seem like it’s something to hide. “Plotting” implies that you’re creeping around waiting for the moment to do something; well what if that’s exactly what God is doing? What if God is just waiting for the right moment to plop good into our laps? I think He likes to keep us waiting sometimes so that we are all the more surprised when the good happens. It’s like when you turn around and you find unexpectedly delightful. There are so many ways in which God plots good for us, and if we can join Him in that and look for the little good we can do for each other, then we are participating in that joy of Christ’s giving.

After Jesus’ Resurrection He is really funny; His personality really seems to delight in surprising people. Think of that wonderful image of Christ sitting on the beach making breakfast for His friends, telling them how to have more success with their fishing efforts, and just waiting for them to catch on to the fact that it is Him (John 21). We will be able keep our minds on the good things if we try to imitate Christ’s example of plotting good, always thinking of ways we can surprise one another with unexpected acts of love.