When I was a student at Benedictine College, I worked for the
Academic Dean, Dr. George Baumgartner, whose office was next to that of Sr.
Katherine Delaney. One day a sister stopped by to see Dr. B., but he wasn’t in
at the time, so she chatted with Sr. Katherine for a bit and then asked to
leave a message. I dutifully wrote down the message, and then said in my best office
professional voice, “And who shall I say this message is from?” Sr. Katherine
looked at me incredulously. “Don’t you know that this is the prioress, Sr.
Noreen Hurter?”
Sr. Noreen hastened to say, “That’s okay. How would she know
who I am if we’ve never met? It’s very nice to meet you.” She knew how I must
be feeling and was very gracious in responding to my embarrassment.
I learned more about humility that day than any book can
ever relay. In her thoughtfulness and lack of pride, Sr. Noreen showed me what
it looks like to integrate the Benedictine value of humility into one’s day-to-day
life. As we anticipate her funeral and burial, I am grateful for her example of
what it means to be Benedictine and for her many years of service to her
sisters, students, and friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment