I’m a Benedictine sister, a member of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, Minnesota. I came to the monastery nearly 15 years ago, and have lived here ever since. In addition to our regular rhythm of prayer and work, I serve as the monastery’s Director of Oblates (lay women and men who apply the Rule of St Benedict to their every day lives), and as a Councilor with the Federation of St. Benedict.
Most of my time goes to teaching sociology: families, statistics, health and illness, social issues and social change, the death penalty, conspicuous consumption, and environmental sociology. Sometimes I have the privilege of teaching students in our Honors Program.
In my pre-monastery life, I was a teacher of country dance, a statistical and research consultant, an oncology social worker, board member with several small non-profit traditional music and dance organizations, and one of the worship coordinators at a student parish, among other things.
Hobbies. I have always been an avid reader and, since the first day I heard it in 1971, a National Public Radio fan – probably because of I’m just as “full of ‘satiable curiosity” as the Elephant’s Child in my favorite Rudyard Kipling children’s story.
In the last few years, I’ve taken up a few new hobbies: digital photography, graphic design, the open data movement, data visualization – and blogging.
Blogging. I started the first edition of Monastic Musings in 2004 after hearing two friends discuss blogging. When Google summarily closed my first blog because of a malware infestation, I mourned for one day – and decided to start again. I write about whatever interests me. In May of 2013, my posting on statistical and research topics moved to DataTalks while all the rest remain here.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Monastic Musings Too.
Peace,
Sister Edith
