S. Julie Peak renews her monastic profession

      witnessed by S. Jennifer Kehrwald, prioress, and the

      monastic community.

   S. Jennifer Kehrwald, prioress, adds her signature to

  S. Julie's renewal document of her monastic profession.  

     S. Julie Peak OSB renewed her monastic profession for two years during Evening Prayer on Sunday, August 1at Sacred Heart Monastery.  In the ceremony, she renewed her profession of obedience, stability and fidelity to the monastic way of life according to the Rule of St. Benedict and the lived tradition of Sacred Heart Monastery.  Reflecting on her renewal, S. Julie says," I feel very blessed to be able to renew my profession to this community and the Benedictine way of life.  It was such a powerful moment, to again promise myself to God and to this community.  I really treasure the opportunity to renew my profession and to experience the sisters pray for me and promise their support in this continuing journey."

   S. Julie is the daughter of the late Charles and Betsey Peak and grew up in Illinois. She earned degrees at the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign and did post-graduate work at the University of Michigan.

   She entered Sacred Heart Monastery in August, 2004 and made her first profession in August 2006. Sister Julie currently serves as monastery archivist and also ministers to the elderly at Avera Yankton Care Center and assists with other ministries within the monastery. Of her ministry she says, "I enjoy working in the monastery archives, to be able to preserve the heritage of our sistes who have gone before me for the sisters who will come after me.  There are times that I am just in awe of what our sisters have accomplished and the legacy they left us.  I also enjoy doing other tasks around the house that allow me to serve our sisters in small ways.   She is a member of the board for the Yankton Community Garden and in early August was elected as a member of the board of the American Benedictine Academy. 

         In a gesture of openness, S. Julie extends her

     hands while she and the community sing the "Sucipe"

  (Uphold me O Lord) following her profession renewal.