Bristow BulletinBenedictine Sisters of Virginia

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INSIDE:✚ Sister Andrea Verchuck✚ Labor Day Celebrations✚ The People’s Banquet

✚ Volunteers Arrive✚ Donor Portrait: QMT Windchimes✚ Make a Gift in Your Will

Each of the Bristow-based ministries of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia – Transitional

Housing BARN, BEACON, Linton Hall School, Sunfish Swimming, and Benedictine Pastoral Center, has its own mission. Yet all are intrinsically connected to one another. Their relationship is a visible expression of our Benedictine understanding of community, where the gifts of each individual are shared for the support of all.

For our ministries, the Shared Services Team reflects the ideal of mutual cooperation. Our Vision Statement says, in part, that “we commit ourselves in a spirit of peace to conserving,

Shared Services: Business the Benedictine Way

using, and sharing our gifts, resources, and heritage.” This is essentially a commitment to a relational stewardship, a sharing of services that ensures that no one is left wanting what is needed.

The Shared Services Team, which is headed up by Mary Finnigan, Chief Operating Officer, includes

Sister Joanna Burley and Sister Andrea Westkamp

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Lauren Stewart, Development Coordinator; Judy Brown, HR Administrator; Marianne Racca, Director, Development & Programs; Kayne Karnbach, Associate Director of Development; Maureen Tanner, Director of Finance; Ronald Majano, IT Support Specialist; David Funk, Linton Hall School Maintenance Manager; Jessica Cluff and Hina Ahmad, Staff

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What, dear sisters and brothers,is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life!

(Rule of Benedict, Prologue: 19-20)

For those called to it, the Benedictine monastic life fits like a close, smooth glove

that warms, protects, defines and strengthens the hand. There becomes a familiarity in it that generates both comfort in the routine and confidence in the face of the surprises of daily life. It is both grounding and freeing; strangers become lifelong companions and humble service tempers ambition. It is, quite simply, the heart’s best response to the voice of Love.

In his Rule, Saint Benedict quotes Psalm 34: Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days? For fifteen-year-old Josephine Verchuck, that yearning and desire led her in 1944 from the small, mining town of Crabtree, Pennsylvania to the Benedictine Monastery in Bristow, Virginia. Now almost 70 years professed, Sister Andrea Verchuck is a treasured amma, a wise elder of our community.

Born the seventh of eight children to Polish immigrants during the Great Depression, Sister Andrea learned the values that would later serve as good building blocks for community life. “In a close-knit family that had its ups and downs, it was important to love and care for and defend one another. My siblings challenged me not to behave selfishly, to be considerate of others. My faith and prayer I learned mostly from my mother, and she

showed us all what hospitality and care for the poor was about. Never did a poor person come to ask for help, nor a homeless person to ask for food who was turned away. My father, who was self-taught in English and many skills, gave me the greatest example of the privilege of learning.” Those things: love and hospitality, faith and prayer, care of the poor and the importance of learning – those values instilled by her family found ready expression in the Benedictine way of life.

Sister Andrea’s first mission as a young professed was to Saint Charles School in Arlington, Virginia. At age 17 she began as a 3rd grade teacher, and over the years taught also at Saint Benedict School (Richmond) and Saint Leo School (Fairfax), and was principal at Saint Rose of Lima School (Hampton) and Sacred Heart School (Richmond). At our own Linton Hall, in the days of the military academy, Sister Andrea was both prefect and teacher of the boys, and at Saint Gertrude High School (Richmond) she taught religion and French in addition to being a guidance counselor for the girls. “Probably the greatest challenge of my young life in community was the awareness that I would have no children of my own. But through prefecting and teaching I have been given the privilege of caring for many children. God’s plan is always a good plan.”

Called to leadership by her Sisters in community, Sister Andrea first served as subprioress under Sister Ernestine Johann. In 1979 Sister Andrea was elected our ninth prioress, serving in that role until 1987 and then again from 1999-2003. She has served as

Benedictine Portrait: Sister Andrea Verchuck

well on the Formation and Vocation teams, on the Monastic Council, and as a board member of many of our ministries. During her leadership a renovation of our chapel gave us the Vatican II understanding of the relational quality of the Mass and the importance of seeing Christ in each other; we gather around the Eucharistic table rather than in ranks of rows. It reflects, as well, the very Benedictine understanding of the importance of community. “I have learned over time that it is by journeying together that we go to God and that has brought me much happiness and peace.”

Today Sister Andrea remains a vital and energetic part of the community fabric. She continues to serve on the Monastic Council and on the Vocation Team and assists the prioress and subprioress with administrative tasks. Perhaps most of all, Sister Andrea loves to sing, and the community has been blessed to have her as leader of song, cantor, and member of the choir, the Schola. Relaxation takes the form of baking, sewing and re-designing clothes, and reading. There is usually a jigsaw puzzle in progress on the community room table, and Sister Andrea will be there in the evenings, most often

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The People’s Banquet On August 27th, many of our Sisters spent a lovely evening at the Hylton Memorial Chapel in Woodbridge volunteering to serve food and provide comfort to the most vulnerable in our community.

Through an event very aptly named the People’s Banquet, our area’s needy enjoyed an evening of delicious food and inspirational testimonies, all in an uplifting, loving, and joyful atmosphere. Spearheaded by Sultana and John Jones, the annual event brings together volunteers from local churches and charitable organizations throughout the county.

The Sisters were joined by several members of the George Brent Council of the Knights of Columbus, Benedictine Oblates and monastery staff. Of the evening, Sister Patricia Hagarty said, “It was an honor for us to serve our less fortunate neighbors through this amazing event. Service to the community is a central tenant of the Benedictine charism.”

The Labor Day weekend is the time the Benedictine Sisters traditionally have held ceremonies that mark major transitions in the life of the monastic community.

At Morning Prayer on Saturday, September 3, Sister Shirley Arce renewed her monastic profession. Sister Shirley serves as Assistant Sacristan for the monastery and teaches religion to the fourth grade class at Linton Hall School. She and Sister Julia Abdala will participate in formation classes on monastic life and related topics as they continue to prepare for Perpetual Profession. They are under the direction of Sister Glenna Smith.

At Evening Prayer, Kay Fitzgerald of Atlanta, Georgia was accepted as a postulant. Kay, a widow, was accompanied by her son and daughter-in-law as she knocked on the door and requested entrance. Following a tradition dating back 1500 years, Prioress Cecilia Dwyer asked Kay the question, “What do you seek?” to which Kay responded, “I seek God in this community of Sisters in this place.” The Sisters gathered welcomed her and sang the invitation of Saint Benedict: “Come, O my daughter; listen to me. I will teach you to reverence God.” As a postulant Kay will serve at BEACON Adult Literacy Program as she tests her vocation to monastic life. She is under the direction of Sister Glenna.

Labor Day Celebrations

Volunteers Arrive

Kay Fitzgerald with Sister Glenna Smith

Sister Cecilia Dwyer with Mo Shannon-Thornton (L) and Bethany Purkapile (R)

Two volunteers from the Benedictine Women’s Service Corps, sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Joseph, MN arrived in Bristow on September 1st. Bethany Purkapile of Portland, Oregon and Mone’Kai (Mo) Shannon-Thornton of Kansas City, Missouri will live and work with the Sisters for 10 months. Bethany, a political science major, and Mo, a philosophy major, are graduates of the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Their service will include work at both BEACON and BARN, as well as assistance with various monastic charges. They are in the care of Sister Joanna Burley.

Sister Charlotte Lange (r) with Adeline Cleveland

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The ministries of the Benedictine Sisters rely greatly on the generosity of our loyal donors. In this issue of the Bulletin, we introduce Patty and Jamie Baisden of QMT Windchimes®.

Twenty years ago, Patty Baisden was beginning a career in social work at SERVE when she met Sister Eileen Heaps. As so many have said before, “nobody could say no” to Sister Eileen, and Patty quickly found herself a member of the BEACON board. It was through that volunteer commitment that she and husband Jamie came to know the Benedictine Sisters. Since then, Patty and Jamie, through their business QMT Windchimes®, have consistently and generously shared their time, talents, and treasure in support of our many ministries.

For the Baisden’s, charitable giving is a basic life stance, molded by their life experiences. Patty grew up in the strongly community-minded Mennonite faith, where it’s “how you’re going to give back … not if.” When her family experienced a devastating house fire, the members of her church were quick to respond with volunteers, supplies, and all manner of support until the family could recover. “The outpouring was incredible…when there is a

Donor Portrait: Patty and Jamie Baisden of QMT Windchimes®

need you respond, it’s a way of life.” Jamie witnessed what he calls a “paradigm shift” when at a church service just after Hurricane Andrew had devastated south Florida. “A man stood up and announced he was leaving the next day to help, and asked for volunteers. Ten people stood up…these people, without pre-arrangement said I’m going. There was a need, and the response was let’s go do it.”

The Baisden’s relationship with the Benedictine Sisters is grounded in a common understanding of community service and stewardship. “We view QMT as not just an asset for us, but also an asset for the community, locally and globally. It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter where you are. If there’s a need, that’s what you do,” says Jamie. Patty adds, “And when we give financially, we have made the decision and committed to give. We start out from the premise of we’re going to give.”

On the QMT website, a page is dedicated to the business’ charitable giving. The list of beneficiary organizations is diverse – some are well-known and international while others are small and regional. Among

them are listed the ministries of the Benedictine Sisters: Transitional Housing BARN, BEACON, the Pastoral Center, and Linton Hall School.

“The majority of our donations are undesignated. We have to be able to trust the people that are running that organization to use it most wisely. I trust that however it’s used, it’s going to be used wisely because each one of the Sisters individually, and as a group, is making a positive difference in the community. To give to the bigger pot, undesignated, increases the hand to share.”

The Baisden’s trust in the Benedictine Sisters is cherished and deeply respected. Their gift to us of freedom – the freedom to use their treasure wisely – allows us to respond wherever the needs are greatest in our Benedictine family of services.

A gift in your will to the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia ensures that the Benedictine Philosophy of community service and importance of place has a lasting impact through the work of our ministries.

Benefits of a Gift in Will:• Simpletoarrange• Noimpactduringyourlifetime• Easilymodifiedtoaddressyour

changing needs

Gift Language“I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the

Benedictine Sisters of Virginia, Inc., located in Bristow, Virginia [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for their unrestricted use and purpose.”

Questions? Contact Kayne Karnbach at 571-428-2503 or kkarnbach@osbva.org.

Making a Gift in Your Will

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Accountants; and Lanny Lankford, Grounds & Maintenance Manager. Each member of the Shared Services Team provides a vital operational necessity which, if entirely assumed by each individual ministry, would place a heavy burden on some. By sharing the cost of these services, however, the ministries contribute appropriately to the support of all, and none are left lacking.

Jennifer Mora Zuñiga, Executive Director of BEACON, is grateful for the resources available to their adult literacy program through Shared Services. “[They] are essential to all of the ministries, but especially BEACON because we are so small that our budget would not be able to support those (Development, Accounting, Technology, & Human Resources) services without the ability to share the cost.

Distributing the cost of services which include Development, Accounting, Technology Infrastructure, and Human Resources throughout the ministries enables each of them to be good stewards of their individual budgets. In addition, this consolidation of common resources allows for a centralized oversight, eliminating waste and ensuring the most efficient use of personnel, time and talent.

“Each of the ministries is a part of a whole,” says Liz Poole, Head of School at Linton Hall. “By sharing such things as development and human resources, together we are better able to have a sense of the big picture, of how we affect one another and how we can be mutually supportive.” This is the Benedictine way of doing business: community centered, sharing with one another our goods and resources, concerned for one another’s individual success.

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Transitional Housing BARN’s 18th Annual Festival of Trees

Join us for a fun-filled evening and benefit the homeless families that BARN serves.

Black tie optional or come dressed as your favorite rock star.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Hilton Washington-Dulles

Herndon, Virginia To purchase tickets or for more information

Call BARN at 703-369-1325 or online at www.BARNinc.org

Transitional Housing BARN, Inc. - 9541 Linton Hall Road Bristow, VA 20136 - 703-369-1325 - BARN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit

October15th- LHS Fun Fair

November12th- BARN Festival of Trees13th- LHS Open House18th-20th BSV Holydays/Holidays Sale

December9th-11th BSV Discernment Weekend

Fall Events

Bristow BulletinBenedictine

Sisters of Virginia

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9535 Linton Hall RoadBristow, VA 20136

SAINT BENEDICT MONASTERY9535 Linton Hall Road

Bristow, VA 20136703-361-0106

703-361-0254 fax

PrioressSister Cecilia Dwyer, OSB

cdwyer@osbva.org

Chief Operating OfficerMary C. Finnigan

mfinnigan@osbva.org

Director of Development and Programs

Marianne Raccamracca@osbva.org

Director of Vocation MinistrySister Andrea Westkamp, OSB

vocations@osbva.org

www.osbva.org

tackling the many shades of cloud and sky. Often she can be found at the portress desk, answering the phones and greeting visitors, or giving a tour of the chapel and a story from our Bristow history. And always there is the rhythm of daily prayer, communal, private, lectio, Eucharist.

Her offerings of love, service, hospitality, outreach, and “prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer!” extend far beyond our small monastery. Sister Andrea, along with Sister Celine Hendley, established a ministry to the poor of Appalachia that continues today under the oversight of Sister Henry Marie Zimmermann. Clothing and small goods are collected throughout the year and shipped to the mountains of Kentucky for distribution to the needy there. And in Mexico, two medical clinics built by the Benedictine Sisters of Mexico

City have been supported through the years with donations from the Bristow Benedictines and our friends, again by the concern and initiative of Sister Andrea.

“God is the director of all this,” reflects Sister Andrea. “It is a real value to look over a very long period of life and see that it is ordered in spite of the

disorderliness of my own being and actions. This life of faith and prayer has made me mindful of God’s love and being with us on life’s journey. I have been given many opportunities and challenges for which I am grateful. Moreover, I have come to the realization that gratitude is a key to happiness. I have great hope for eternal happiness!”

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