Meet Sister Jennifer Kehrwald
“Being a native of Yankton I was taught by the Benedictine Sisters all through grade and high school. As I neared high school graduation I prayed a lot about what I should do next and felt called to religious life. Like all high school graduates I wanted to go someplace farther from home. So I toyed with joining the Medical Missionary Sisters. I didn’t have a missionary bone in my body though and when a Benedictine Sister whom I respected invited me to ‘come and try it out’ I did.
As time went on and I learned more about Benedictine life my call became stronger and with God’s grace I preserved through all the ups and downs. What I didn’t expect though was to find a deeper call to foster community wherever I was called to minister. This became for me the meaning of who I am as Benedictine.
I graduated from college with a secondary education degree and began teaching. Helping to create a supportive community among my coworkers was important to me. Whether I was in Memphis ministering to battered and abused children, accompanying high school students on a foreign study trip, functioning as a health care administer creating a sense of community among the staff and residents was of prime importance. No matter where I was, I was bringing the charism of my Benedictine community with me. There is much talk about creativity and efficiency in the workplace. There is not enough talk about how a caring supportive environment nourishes creativity and efficiency in the workplace. I will continue to live out this call to form community wherever I am and I have wonderful memories of the relationships I have already enjoyed as a result.”
Sister Jennifer celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2016.
Sister Jennifer Kehrwald
Vocations — Join us!
Find out what it takes to be ONE HEART in loving Jesus, your Sisters, and the world.
Benedictine Sisters
Sacred Heart Monastery
1005 W. 8th St.
Yankton, SD 57078
605-668-6000
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