Sister Mary David Walgenbach, OSB , Benedictine Sister

Growing up on a farm in Iowa, I would often walk down to the pasture with the cows and I would talk to Jesus while I walked. Thus began what I call my "walking relationship" with God, which has seen me through my life.

My hometown had 600 people and four churches of different denominations. Early in my life I knew the benefits of being ecumenical because of this close community. My parents even sent me to the public high school which further developed my sense that we all have the same God. After high school I felt a call to religious life, but my family said I had to wait to be sure. Usually women in my hometown became a nurse or teacher, got married, and settled back down on the farm. I knew that was not for me. I moved to a larger city and became a nurse. This is where I met the Benedictine sisters and went through the formation process, making my final profession in 1966. After joining the community, I obtained a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and a Master's in Theology. My life as a sister has encompassed a variety of roles, including being a teacher, an administrator and a land conservationist.

Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue has always been important to me. I remember being at an ecumenical retreat in the sixties. Praying alongside people of different denominations and sharing stories revealed the similarity of our humanness and our faith. Rather than noticing the differences, I felt the deep connectedness we shared. That was where my ecumenical heart got its seeding. I thought if we can come together for these retreats, why not as a monastic community? In the years I attended these retreats, I consulted with some other Benedictine sisters in leadership roles about extending membership in our monastic community to women of any Christian denomination. They supported the idea and encouraged us to prayerfully begin the process of becoming a fully ecumenical monastery.

Over the next 15 years, our community drew on the expertise and prayers of a broad network of supporters as we navigated this new path. In particular, the Federation of St. Gertrude to which our monastery belongs was a strong foundation for us during this time. Along the way, many significant issues related to an inclusive monastery were raised for consideration. Everything from how to celebrate communion in an ecumenically sensitive way, to delving into the theological implications of an inclusive community to ensuring that all the civil and canon law requirements for the transition were addressed. Once all things were in order, we made our promises of obedience, stability and conversion of life to God and to the community of Benedictine Women of Madison. The remarkable thing about this community, united in its commitment to the Benedictine way of life, is that each individual member retains the denominational affiliation she has when she enters the community.

We have created a vibrant, faithful community. Our work is dedicated to prayer, hospitality, justice and care of the earth. In addition to restoring almost 100 acres of native prairie, woodlands and wetlands, we are also building a new "green" monastery that will meet the highest level of environmental and energy-efficiency standards. We welcome individuals to come to the monastery on personal retreats that encourage renewal and spiritual growth. Groups also come for guided retreats. Each guest that arrives at the door is always invited and encouraged to pray and worship with us. It gives my soul great hope to see our vision of an inclusive community come to life. It is good to nurture my "walking relationship" with God in such a place of beauty.

Sister Mary David is currently prioress of Benedictine Women of Madison, guided daily by the desire to make the monastery an inclusive place for people of all Christian traditions.
Founding Congregations: Sisters of Divine Providence; Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston; Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament; and Dominican Sisters of Houston.