ATCHISON — The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica here, announced on Jan. 23 that they would no longer be a sponsor of Benedictine College.
“As our community and the world around us continue to evolve, we, the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, after much prayer and consideration, have discerned that it is time to discontinue active sponsorship of Benedictine College,” the Sisters said in a statement.
The present-day Benedictine College was formed in 1971 by a merger of St. Benedict’s College, a men’s college, and Mount St. Scholastica College, a women’s college. The monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison opened St. Benedict’s College in 1858, while the Benedictine Sisters established Mount St. Scholastica College in 1924.
“We believe that God continues to call our community to educate; to provide spiritual enrichment; and to serve the poor and advocate for them, especially women. Today that call is being manifested through our growing ministries at Keeler Women’s Center and Sophia Spirituality Center. It is also lived out through our care for the sick and elderly in our community and our care for creation,” the statement said.
“We are proud to call ourselves co-founders of Benedictine College, and we will continue to pray for its continued success. Although we are withdrawing from the governing responsibilities related to sponsorship, we will continue to support the college with hospitality at our monastery, collaboration in various college-related programs and activities, and in further developing relationships with students, faculty and staff. We continue to hold our alumni in our hearts and in our prayer as we listen to God’s call.”
Benedictine College and the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey also released a statement on Jan. 23 thanking the Sisters for their years of sponsorship of the college and acknowledging their role in its success.
“It is with heavy hearts but with grateful understanding, that we accept the decision of the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery to withdraw from the governing responsibilities related to sponsorship of Benedictine College,” the statement said.
“It is impossible to summarize a relationship that has been so rich and multi-dimensional, but the successes of Benedictine College would be unthinkable without the Mount. While the formal, juridical connection between us will end, our close relationship and our friendship in Christ will not.”
