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| The monastery in Ogden, Utah |
Sixty-seven years ago during WWII, a group of Sisters left Minnesota
for Ogden, Utah. They established a hospital to serve the huge influxes of
workers that flooded into the area to help with the war effort. Their philosophy,
"Caring for the sick as if they were Christ in person."
When local leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, nicknamed Mormons, learned of this great service to many of
their faith, they decided to give a little back. This Saturday about 230 volunteers
from the Saint Cloud Stake came to Saint Benedict’s to serve the Sisters.
Local congregations in a geographical area are known as a Stake
in the Mormon Church. The Saint Cloud Stake asked these congregations to send
volunteers to help in what is called a “Day of Service.” People came as far
away as Alexandria and Elk River to serve the Sisters.
Cheri Moore, a Stake leader led the volunteer’s efforts. She
worked with Sister Jean Schwartz, the Volunteer Coordinator for the Sisters at
Saint Benedict’s. Old and young came together to clean, paint, spruce up the
cemetery, and helped to prepare the garden for winter.
A surplus of volunteers was sent on assignments for the City
of Waite Park. City officials directed the volunteers as they cleared garbage
from parks and drainage ponds and removed weeds from the ice rink and children’s
baseball diamond. Some of the youth grumbled when the weeds seemed to never end,
but the adults encouraged them on. Tasks that would have taken days of work
were finished in a few hours.
Diana Rogers,
from Elbow Lake, was asked as she pulled weeds, why she came so far. “Serving is
a very important thing to do,” she said with a smile. That sentiment was seen
all Saturday morning as the volunteers worked hard. At 1:00 pm, the work ended,
lunch was served, children giggled, and tales of the day’s labor were shared.
The Sisters of Saint Benedict have officially come home from
their mission in Ogden, Utah. They served with distinction, helping to create Ogden
Regional Medical Center. They quietly served for 67 years, practicing what can
only be called true religion, the unconditional love for others.
Douglas Ward
Public Affairs Media Specialist
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
St. Cloud Stake
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