A Long Term Commitment

Diane and Neal Smith have a long-term commitment to each other and to Holy Wisdom Monastery.

For most of their 53 years of marriage, they have also been involved with the monastery.

Diane’s involvement goes back even further. “I was 14 years old when I started my freshman year at the Academy of St. Benedict for girls. I didn’t want to go but my parents made me,” she laughed. “I wanted to be with my friends.”

Diane attended the high school from 1963 to 1966 when the school closed. “It was so different from what I expected. The sisters created an atmosphere of openness to learning, creativity and self-searching. They really helped me realize who I was and awakened my own spirituality. I felt like this place was home.” Even though she wished she could have graduated from the Academy, Diane understood that the sisters needed to close the school in order to reach more people. “They couldn’t do that just through a girl’s high school.”

Fast forward several years when Diane met Neal in college where he was studying business. A classmate who had the sisters as a client, needed an assistant. Neal stepped in and the sisters became one of his clients while he worked part-time at a CPA firm while attending college. He was hired in 1986 as the director of asset management, appointed director of administration in 1989, and eventually served as executive director of the monastery until his retirement in 2011. His work was vital to many projects including caring for the land and construction of the new monastery building. He continued to serve as an advisor to the sisters and Board member after his retirement.

Diane has also continued to be involved by singing in the Sunday Assembly choir, serving as a greeter and sacristan, outreach through Luke House and participating in other volunteer opportunities.

This commitment to the monastery led the couple to include Holy Wisdom in their estate plans. When asked why they wanted to do that, Neal said, “Holy Wisdom has been an important part of our lives. It’s the right thing to do.” Diane agreed. “This is a community that takes care of each other. The monastery is such a tremendous gift and feeds my heart and soul. We want to give back for all we’ve received.”