for more than two decades. Born in Huron, and raised in Miller, South Dakota, Sister Maribeth initially thought she’d attend college in Huron as her siblings had, due to the close proximity to family, its good financial aid package and overall convenience. After she visited it though, she knew that “it was just not a right fit at all. Something in my heart just wasn’t right.” She was referred by her priest in Miller, Father Donald Molumby, “to check out Mount Marty College.” He specifically mentioned visiting the monastery next door too. Maribeth’s family faithfully attended church and followed Benedictine traditions, such as praying together at breakfast before school every morning. These Benedictine values served the young woman well in acclimating to life at a Catholic Benedictine college. That first college visit in 1984 was especially memorable, because there had been torrential amounts of rain. It was flooding all over Yankton, and the campus was under water as well. The tour was especially interesting to Sister Maribeth, because she went to all the different buildings by way of the underground tunnels that networked throughout the grounds. After the tour at Mount Marty, however she described feeling something different that was special, and unlike what she felt at the prior college. The atmosphere felt warm, inviting, and like home to her. Even though she didn’t have a car and was three hours from home, Sister Maribeth decided to attend Mount Marty. It was a little bit of a hardship at first, since this was her first time away from home, but she soon had a “huge group of friends that hung out together all the time. It was like a built in support system.” These friends remained tight throughout their college years. Being born the youngest into a family with two older brothers, and two older sisters, Sister Maribeth felt certain she’d follow their footsteps of “getting married, and have twelve kids” of her own, but God had other plans. During her freshman year at Mount Marty she was invited by Sister Martin to attend a retreat at the monastery. At first she declined, but a persistent Sister Martin said, “Now don’t say no so fast.” So the then eighteen year old hesitantly agreed to go, but only if she could bring some friends. In all a dozen classmates accompanied her the first time! Her thought was, “There was safety in numbers” she relates with a chortle. This was a wonderful retreat because it brought Sister Maribeth and her college roommate, who had been “fighting like cats and dogs” so much closer, and they actually stayed up late every night of the retreat talking and became really good friends by the end. In Sister Maribeth’s sophomore year she attended another retreat after feeling deeply shaken by the unexpected death of her good friend, Father John; the priest for the college and monastery at the time. Again Sister Martin reached out to Sister Maribeth, saying that she knew the death had been hard on her, and going to the retreat might give her some time to help her sort out her feelings about this loss. This time she brought only six others along however. Through her increasing exposure to campus ministry and activities at the monastery such as these annual retreats and involvement with the implementation of the Prayer Partner Program in her junior year, the young student felt herself becoming more and more drawn to living a sacred life at the monastery. She learned that the nuns at the monastery were d orlur or W Yo tdoning Ouesig D vSISTER MARIBETH continued on page 18 Designing Your Outdoor World NATURESCAPING DESIGNS Landscaping • Property Care Holiday Decorating Call Us Today 605.661.1205 Naturescapingdesigns.com Laurawnsd@gmail.com HERVOICEvJULY/AUGUST 2018v9