24-091 Benedictine Sisters 135th anniversary

22:42Please read read the first resolution, Madam Clerk.

22:45Okay. Um if you are here for the hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary of the Benedictine Benedictine Sisters of Florida, please step to the podium.

22:55I see them here on the front row.

22:58Is this a perfect?

23:02You can

23:02all come up behind Sister Berta.

23:05I'll go ahead and read the resolution first. Okay. Resolution number twenty-four dash zero nine one, a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, recognizing the one hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. Whereas the Benedictine Sisters of Florida have found were founded in eighteen eighty-nine, where Mother Dol Dolorosa Scanlon, Sister Josephine Fedung. Sister Agatha Geisler, Sister Boniface

23:36Feldman, and Sister Agnes Behe. Bec um came from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to East Pasco and Raz, the Benedictine Sisters created a legacy staffing. Saint Anthony and Saint Joseph's schools, and opened Hol Holy Name Academy, a boarding school for girls, from nineteen twenty to nineteen fifty nine. The Benedictine Sisters operated Saint Benedict's prep school for boys until they closed to focus on providing services for Saint Leo University. And Ras,

24:07in nineteen seventy, the Benedictine Sisters brought in their educational ex legacy with the opening of the Montessori School. They served as teachers and school principals in public, private, and periocal schools throughout the state of Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. And whereas the Benedictine Sisters have a solemn responsibility to pray daily for individuals and the world by using special intentions. They strive to be a resource for those in need, provide spiritual guidance,

24:37share their monas monastery home for those who seek peace from a stressful world, and help the elderly, hungry children those with special needs and the abused. ANRAS Benedictine Sisters at Holy Name Monastery serve as guardians of tradition, living and preserving the monastic way of life, generously opening their lives to others in hosp hos hospitality. ANRAS, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, have a history of serving on many boards, Pasco County boards,

25:08as Saint Leo, Town mayors and commissioners, parish ministries, locally and Catholic schools throughout Florida and volunteer at organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Sunrise Domestic Violence Shelter, and the Florida Elderly Children. Childhood Coalition. And whereas the Benedictine Sisters historic achievements have enriched the account the communities of Pasco County, And Raz the Benedictine Sisters at Holy Name Monastery continue to extend a welcoming hand, kind heart, and listening ear to those

25:38seeking to live their lives in harmony with others. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby recognizes the hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present and voting this tenth day of April. Mm-hmm.

25:57Okay. A motion?

25:59Mm-hmm. Second.

26:01All right, our motion is a good. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Motion passed. Sister Roberta?

26:08Thank you.

26:09Welcome.

26:11You know where we live, I hope.

26:15I certainly do.

26:17It's a well kept secret in Pasco County though. Pasco County was very small when we when our sisters first came. I think It had been an independent uh county for two years, maybe, when we came in eighteen eighty nine. I say we it's the generic, you know, all encompassing we we were not all here. Some of us are have been here though almost half of that history. So if you divide 135 and you

26:47get get the number that's a little around what my age is. So uh I appreciate that summary of of our uh existence here in Pasco County. We came to educate the children who were being taught on the pastor's back porch. And immediately the very next day opened three different schools, Saint Joseph, Holy Name Academy and Saint to go over the administration of Saint Anthony's School. And many of you I'm sure know

27:17people or yourself have had been in touch with people at that some of those schools. I have some business cards here if you allow me to give them to Clerk here or anyone. was interested in in having one of them.

27:33Right now we are ten at Holy Name Monastery. We do offer hospitality as was mentioned. Um so if you have an overflow of guests, give us a call, the number's on the business card there, and we can house you, we can feed you whatever it takes. Um we started out in a wood frame building. Some of you may know the history. It was a a wood frame hotel for Catholics only. There weren't too many Catholic tourists

28:03in the eighteen eighties. So they gave the building to the sisters. who lived there until nineteen eleven when we got the property up on Lake Jovita. It was moved on logs drawn by oxen up to the edges of the the lake. Now today if that happened you'd have the TV cameras out and everything else, moving a wood frame building. We lived in that until nineteen fifty-nine when it was condemned by the fire department. The Bishop did

28:34not immediately give us permission to rebuild, so Sister Chashanto went for the third time. Sat down in the Bishop Secretary's office and said, I'm not going home until he says yes. And then she began to cry. When the bishop left his office he said to the secretary, not to the sister. Tell that none I said yes. So we built the building that is now Benedictine Hall. the chapel there is a black box theater. The

29:04first performance in the black box theater was um Nuns on the Move and it was written by the students of Saint Leo and produced by them about the Sisters Kung from Pennsylvania. And the rest has really just been history. We've opened schools, we've closed schools, but to our credit, I believe we've been able to successfully pass on any of the ministries we've been involved in have successfully Successfully succeeded even after we

29:34left. So the Benedictine charism carries on here in Pasco County. And we we appreciate your calling attention to our 135th anniversary. I'm very grateful for that. We feel welcome in Pasco County on both sides of the county. So thank you very much.

29:54Yeah. Well thank you and um You've been a part of my life my entire life since I'm not 135, but I'm getting I'm getting closer, but hopefully I'll get there. But uh but seventy-eight years of my life, you've the sisters and your schools and all of the Saint Leo, the prep school, just on and on has been a part of my life. And y'all upheld

30:24a great part of the community in District One for all this time. And I guarantee you it doesn't stop here, it keeps going. So but uh we certainly appreciate all that you do in our community and I I can't be more grateful for all that you've done in my community.

30:49We appreciate that. And you gathered a lot of Catholics in the community. Um

30:55Well,

30:56if you go calling out names you almost have to be like you're in Kentucky and have to have blood work done to see if people can get married out. I mean there's so many Nathys, Bartholes, Sharpers and just it just keeps on and on. But there's large families, Catholic families that have come here because of the work y'all have done.

31:14And I understand Mother Rosemarie used to check in church who was present and on Monday morning She would go out to the ranches and say, I didn't see you and

31:28Commissioner Oakley.

31:32Went to Catholic school for a uh a bit of my youth, so um I just am really honored to have you all here today. I think it's the first time. Um I've been up here for twelve Years now, it's the first time, so um pleasure to to see you all and congratulations.

31:49The first time I spoke to the commission, one of the commissioners kept doing this and I thought she meant keep going, keep going. She really meant stop.

32:01That's cute. Again,

32:03Mr. Mariano, thank you. Yeah, the the work you have done has been phenomenal over the years. I've talked to many people who have gone to your schools and been thrilled. I will tell you, my daughter graduated from St. Leo and w the education she got there just propelled her life to to great new heights. Um so greatly appreciate everything you guys have done.

32:20Thank you. Mr. Mr. Weightman.

32:22Thanks, Chair. You know, the Sisters of Saint Leo, you know, our community really, we need to thank you all, not you all thanking us. You are truly woven into the fabric of Pasco County society for so many generations. And you're probably larger than you know, such a significant part of the character of Pasco County and East Pasco County. And what you all bring and have brought and and and given to our community is unmeasurable. And I don't

32:52think any of us here, anybody in in Pasco could ever show how appreciative we are for you all doing what you do in the great works and just keeping a Christian foundation alive and well uh in Pasco County. So congratulations on a hundred and thirty five years and hopefully another other five hundred and thirty five years there'll be another board that celebrates you all. So congratulations.

33:14I don't think I'm gonna make that so

33:16Okay.

33:16If y'all would like to enjoy me down below and we'll get a picture.

33:22Well you get one thing.

33:24I don't have it.

34:10Okay everybody right here please. Okay, thank you.

35:16I thought that was growth.

35:40Okay.