Meet Sister Michaeleen Muhovich

I was born and raised in Colorado, and joined Sacred Heart Monastery in 1961. I chose The Yankton Benedictines despite having been taught by the Benedictines from Chicago, because I wanted a career in health care. I practiced Medical Technology for 15 years, and then, after 5 years of graduate school, became a clinical psychologist for the next 15 years. I “retired” in 2005 due to health issues, and have worked with monastery computers since that time.

I write the above in some detail to indicate that God takes you where you are at every point in your life (for instance, my choosing of health care when I was very young), then God leads you to a variety of services meant to enlarge your heart and come to an understanding of the real importance of your existence on earth.

At this time in my life, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to meditate and study areas of scripture and

spirituality to which I gave only passing attention when I was busy with my various careers. My avocation (photography) which I took up in early 2000 has led me to a deeper appreciation of the beauty of creation that surrounds our monastery. My photographic point of view is to “Rest a Moment in God’s Time”, that is, to slow down and use all ones senses to praise God for all the beauty that has been given us. We are especially blessed here in South Dakota because we have four distinct seasons, each of which brings its own unique scenery.

Although religious communities do not have the large number of applicants that we had in past years, I do not fear what God has in mind for us, as we have each other and so many manifestations of God’s love for us. As I was writing this, one of the sisters called me to look at the lovely orange “wind” moon that was rising in the east sky, a phenomenon of March. Soon, five more sisters joined us in watching how this beautiful moon rose slowly in the sky, and another sister snapped a number of photos to try to preserve the vision. What more could we ask of our loving God than sharing God’s creation together!