On Thursday, July 11, we celebrate the feast of St. Benedict. This is always a special day for us, but perhaps more so this year as we celebrate 165 years in the diocese of Covington.
Benedictine history goes back to 450 AD and a lot has changed in all those years. Having had the privilege of visiting Monte Cassino, Benedict’s monastery in Italy, I could appreciate all the Benedictine men and women who went before me. Whether they were scholars, teachers, healers, or any number of other things they were most importantly people of prayer. 
As we look at ourselves today we know that prayer is the ground of our life. Several times a day we come together to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, an ancient prayer of the church. We are joined to Benedictines world wide who are doing the same. Their prayer may be in a different language or format but it is essentially the same.
In our community annals it is stated that the sisters arrived in Covington in 1859 and began a school for German immigrant girls. The sisters lived in a small rented house under “inconvenient circumstances.” We can only imagine what that means! The school and the community grew and we are their daughters, carrying on their legacy of prayer and service. The service takes some new forms—our school, Villa Madonna Academy, spiritual direction, peace and justice work, care for the elderly and hospitality.
As we begin this year of celebration and remembrance we ask you to join with us in gratitude to the sisters who came before us and all they have done for the church of Covington and beyond. We ask your prayers as we continue to move forward with their legacy as our guide.
As Benedict says, “That in all things, God may be glorified.”