Mary David Walgenbach, OSB, prioress, leads the Associate ceremony on September 1, 2010 at Holy Wisdom Monastery with Mary Lynn Adams in the foreground.
On September 1, 2010, Benedictine Women of Madison welcomed Mary Lynn Adams as the first associate member of Holy Wisdom Monastery.
An Associate Member seeks God by following the Rule of Benedict as expressed through the mission and values of Benedictine Women of Madison, and by participating in the common life of the monastery.
The associate lives, works and prays at Holy Wisdom Monastery; she is not a professed member of the community. With the successful completion of a six month probationary period, the associate and community enter into a covenant, which can be renewed annually. Through this covenant, the associate commits to supporting and extending the mission, goals and aims of the monastery, and to nurturing a closer relationship with God by living Benedictine values through study, participation in the monastic prayer life, and sharing in the work of the monastery according to the gifts God has given her.
The associate must be physically, mentally and financially self-sufficient. Benedictine Women provide the opportunity to be nurtured in Benedictine spirituality, and share with the associate the wisdom, experience and friendship of community members.
Core values of the covenant apply to all associate members, but the implementation of these values can be tailored to the needs of the individual member and Benedictine Women.
Mary Lynn first came to the monastery ten years ago for a first-time personal retreat. She was impressed and came again, more often, and for longer retreats. Her favorite times were silent, week-long retreats in the hermitage.
Mary Lynn is the mother of two and grandmother of two. She is a CPA and currently employed at the monastery as the accountant. Mary Lynn was born and raised a Lutheran, became a Roman Catholic in her college years, and entered the Episcopal church in 1999. She was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church in 2005. She comes to us from Green Bay, and yes, she IS a Packer fan!
“I was drawn to the place as well as the sisters. I feel very close to God here, and I have a deep admiration and respect for their spirituality and their theology of ecumenism.” Mary Lynn also shared that before being introduced to the Rule of Benedict, she first learned its principles in the corporate world, where she saw firsthand the value of creating strong, supportive and nurturing relationships with customers, vendors and employees. For Mary Lynn, being an Associate member also allows her to immerse herself in prayer while sharing her gifts with the community at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Lynne Smith, OSB, Joanne Kollasch, OSB, Mary Lynn Adams, and Mary David Walgenbach, OSB finalize the Associate covenant.
Besides her accounting position, Mary Lynn participates in Sunday Assembly in various ways and is a prayer leader and organist for Liturgy of the Hours. Other ways of serving the community will be explored and developed during the coming year. You can welcome Mary Lynn as an Associate member by emailing her at madams@benedictinewomen.org.