By Mary Lou Kilian
Editor

Watertown  – Joan Washburn wanted to serve her country and so she joined the Air Force in the years after World War II. Four years later, she took advantage of the GI Bill, enrolled in nursing school and then re-enlisted… in the Navy. As a Navy nurse, Joan worked in Washington State, Guantanamo Bay and in Maine
Marilyn McGillan wished her high school years in Manchester, N.H. – with friends and clubs, proms and sports – could have lasted forever. Her dreams for the future included a career as a reporter for the U.S. News and World Report.

Rose Mary Rossi was the ultimate career woman in the New York City area, climbing the ladder as an intensive care nurse.

And Martha Emery knew she wanted to be a Sister – she began formation as a Sister of Good Shepherd near her home in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and left a year later to enter the Sisters of Mercy.

On the outside these woman were leading active, fulfilling lives. On the inside, they each knew that something was missing.

While in Washington, Joan was invited to join a friend on a visit to a monastery in Vancouver and discovered that this was a life she needed to explore.

Marilyn, whose life of prayer was never eclipsed by high school fun, was convinced as a teenager that God was calling her to religious life. Her parents weren’t so sure and only gave permission after she spent a year in the working world.

Rose Mary wanted to be a Sister right after grade school and always found time for prayer groups and retreats while building her career. She finally answered the question “what do I really want to do in my life?” and began to pursue a religious vocation at the age of 54.

Martha, who spent her childhood “hiding in my tent and reading spiritual books,” left the Mercy Sisters after six years and prepared to enter yet another religious order for the third and final time.

Today, the lives of these four women have converged; they each left careers, family and much of the “outside world” to share their lives as cloistered sisters in a monastery in northern New York.

Sister Mary Elizabeth (nee Joan) Washburn, Sister Marilyn McGillan, Sister Rose Mary Rossi and Sister Martha Emery now form the community of the Sister Adorers of the Precious Blood in Watertown.

This year, they join Precious Blood Sisters from around the world in celebrating the 150th anniversary of this religious order.

About the Community
The Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood is a contemplative community of pontifical status founded in 1861 by Catherine Aurelia Caouette in St. Hyacinth, Canada.

As the Civil War began to ravage the United States, Catherine followed her desire to give her life to the adoration of the Precious Blood of Jesus.

With three other women, she established a community devoted to adoration, reparation and suffering for the salvation of the world.

Today there are 19 monasteries of the Precious Blood.

Like their Sisters around the world, the women in the local community are devoted to a life of contemplation, following the mottos: "Adoration, Reparation and Suffering" and "Fidelity, Constancy and Generosity"
“Many find our way of life – a contemplative life of prayer – a bit mysterious,” the Sisters write in their community newsletter. “But a faith view understands and appreciates the value of constancy in prayer and reparation for the sake of the world.

“While God permits evil here on earth – wars and famine and terror – He also inspires people like Catherine Aurelia to give their lives to counteracting the darkness by lighting up the world with their good works,” they wrote. “The Catholic Church depends upon contemplative communities and on their intercession for the needs of the world.”

A typical day
A typical day in the Watertown monastery begins at 5:30 a.m. when the rising bell rings.
Morning prayer starts at 7 a.m. as the Sisters pray the Liturgy of the Hours together and spend time in meditation before Mass at 8.

Msgr. Paul Whitmore, chaplain for the past two years, celebrates daily Mass for the Sisters and for Catholics from around the area who regularly fill the chapel.

Breakfast follows before the Sisters spend two hours in the work of the monastery. This includes the distribution of hosts to parishes across the diocese, and selling religious articles and cards.

The Sisters gather for midday prayer at 11:30 a.m. followed by dinner.

From 1 p.m. to 3 they enjoy personal time for private prayer, exercise or rest. The women join together again at 3 p.m. for prayer, spiritual reading and various work projects.

Evening prayer and meditation begins at 5, followed by supper at 6:15 A recreation hour is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8 when they often watch the news or movies. An hour of reparation, night prayer and reading concludes the day.

A priority for the sisters is adoration of the Blessed Sacred. In addition to daily hours of adoration for each of the women, an Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place for an hour Thursday evenings and for the full day on the first Sunday of the Month.

In addition, the Sisters participate in a retreat on the last Sunday of every month with a Holy Hour with Benediction and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during the afternoon that day.

The community observes “Constitutional Enclosure” which means that the Sisters are permitted to leave the house, with permission from the superior for genuine spiritual and physical needs. These include participation in special diocesan liturgies, trips to the doctor and a yearly home visit.

A rewarding life
In September, the Sisters elected Sister Marilyn to serve as superior of the local community and Sister Martha as the assistant superior

In the coming year, they expect a young woman from San Bernadino, CA., to enter the house at Christmas time.
Another plans to come in April, Sister Marilyn said.

Together, the Sisters will continue to “direct all their energy toward a deepening of their relationship with God, (knowing that) their life together in community witnesses to the Presence of God here on earth.(www.sisterspreciousblood.org)

“God called me to the most rewarding life I could have imagined,” Sister Marilyn said. “Happy and blessed are those who follow where He leads.”

Further information about the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, Precious Blood Monastery in Watertown, is available at 315-788-1669 or www.SistersPreciousBlood.org

Sister Rose Mary Rossi spends a moment in prayer in the chapel

Sister Mary Elizabeth’s life has been marked by service to God and country.

One of Sister Martha Emery’s responsibilities is as cook for the community.

Sister Marilyn McGillan , newly elected superior of the local community, is shown at the monastery’s organ.

A community portrait at the Precious Blood Monastery on Pratt Street in Watertown, features, from left Sister Mary Elizabeth Washburn; Sister Catherine Gee who recently moved to the Precious Blood community in Manchester, N.H.; Sister Martha Emery, Sister Rose Mary Rossi, Sister Marilyn McGillan and everybody’s best friend, Molly.