Introducing Sr. Mary Ruth Bernard!
You may have heard that we are expecting a few new faces around here soon. What you may have missed is that there is already a new face among us! No, this one isn't adorned with the bright white veil of a postulant, but rather the blessed black veil of a Solemnly Professed nun. Sr. Mary Ruth Bernard arrived on the 27th of August as a 3-year temporary transfer sister from our daughter monastery, Our Lady of Grace, in North Guilford, CT.
We'd like to introduce to you our Sr. Mary Ruth Bernard!
What is your (religious) name? Sister Mary Ruth Bernard of God's Word, op
When is your feast day? March 19
Where are you from? I was born in Stoneham, Mass. However, I moved to Topeka Kansas as a young child and remained there for 29 years. I then moved to Burlington, Vermont.
When did you enter the Order? I entered religious life in December of 1986.
What drew you to the Dominicans? I knew nothing about Dominicans when I first visited the monastery in N. Guilford, Ct. I had made a directed retreat during which it was made clear to me during prayer that God was calling me to the cloistered life. I visited a few monasteries of different orders. Only when I visited the Dominicans did I know that I was in the right place!
What’s been your favorite part of being a Dominican nun? Through the years community life has been a source of joy and support to me. The regular life of the monastery with its round of prayer, work, study and recreation grounds one in the depths of the rich tradition of our Roman Catholic faith which is indeed ever ancient ever new.
Is there a Saint you have a special devotion to? I have a great devotion to St. Joseph. A convert, I was baptized at age 23 in St. Joseph's Church, Topeka, KS. Then in Vermont, I was fortunate to join a vibrant, prayer filled parish also named for the great St. Joseph.
If there was one piece of advice you could give to young women discerning their vocation, what would it be? Dominican monastic life is lived by very ordinary people whom the Lord Jesus has called from various backgrounds to live simply in community away from the bustle of the world. Our greatest obstacle to holiness is inevitably ourselves.