Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Events

S. Jerome Leavy

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Rejoice with us as we celebrate and give thanks for our Sister Jerome Leavy OSB, (Dr Mary Leavy) longtime educator and mentor, who entered the fullness of life on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at the age of 86. She was born in the Bronx, New York, on October 21, 1939 to Virginia and Harold Leavy and moved later to Miami, Florida.

She entered the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, Saint Leo, Florida in June 1958.  She served in many capacities in her Benedictine community, including twelve years as prioress.

In addition to her many years of service in various Catholic schools, her external ministries also included the role of academic administrator at Saint Leo College and faculty member at the University of South Florida’s College of Education.  At USF she directed the Student Observer Program and taught “Diversity in Education”. Deeply respected by colleagues and beloved by her students, Dr. Leavy was known for her wisdom, kindness, and commitment to preparing future teachers with both skill and compassion.

Her life of service reflected her faith and dedication to others, leaving a lasting impact on university communities and beyond. She will be remembered with gratitude by the many lives she touched.

She is survived by her many friends at Concordia Village of Tampa where she was a longtime resident and her Benedictine community.

 A Vigil service on Monday, September 8th at 7:00 pm at Holy Name Monastery (12138 Wichers Road, St. Leo, FL). Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at Holy Name Monastery on Tuesday, September 9th at 10:00 am followed by burial in the Saint Leo Abbey Cemetery. 

Donations in her memory may be made to the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, P.O. Box 2450, Saint Leo, FL.

 

 

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Make a Will Month

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Did you know August is

Make a Will Month?

 

People often put off making a will. Why? Some believe they don’t own enough to have a will. (They probably do.) Others believe that everything will automatically go to their spouse or children, so they don’t need to do anything. (It may not.) And still others simply don’t like to think about the fact that they’ll die someday. (But they will.)

August is Make a Will Month…and for good reason. If you don’t have a will, making one is the only way to ensure that everything you’ve built or been blessed with goes to those you intended to have it.

And if you do have a will, here are three quick things to check off your list:

  • Keep your will in a safe, secure place. Let a family member or two know where it is, and who prepared it for you. Be sure your Executor has a copy.
  • Pull it out every three to five years and see if anything needs to be changed. Sometimes your circumstances have changed. You may have sold some things or purchased others. Sometimes outside circumstances change. The person you named as Executor may no longer be able to serve in that capacity. You may have switched banks or insurance companies. So take a look.
  • Make sure you’ve named beneficiaries wherever you can — on insurance policies, investment and retirement accounts and so on. And check those to make sure they’re all up to date.

Here’s something else to ponder. As you think about your will and your legacy, consider including a gift to the Benedictine Sisters of Florida in your planning. There are lots of ways to do this, and all of them allow you to continue supporting the good work of the Sisters even after you’re gone.

Thank you for the love and support you’ve shown the Sisters. We thank God for you daily in our prayers. Please keep us in yours.

 

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Summer Feast day for Saint Benedict

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How many books written in the sixth century are still in print today? How many of those are in active, everyday use by tens of thousands around the world today — not only monks and nuns, but oblates and other lay people? The answer is one: The Rule of St. Benedict — what the author, whose feast day we celebrate this Thursday, called “this little rule that we have written for beginners.”

At the heart of his Rule lie the four guiding principles which are the foundation of daily life for the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. These four — community, prayer, service, and hospitality — can light the way to a deeper daily spirituality for anyone.

Community

Benedict understood that community, like family and friends, can be messy. Rooted in scripture, the Rule offers a cure: “No one is to pursue what is judged better for self, but instead what is judged better for someone else. To their companions, they show the true love of sisters or brothers…” How would your own world be transformed if this became the way of life for you and those around you?

Prayer

Benedict’s guidance for prayer might surprise you. “God regards our purity of heart and tears…not our many words. Prayer therefore should be short and pure…” Prayer, Sister Joan Chittister writes, “is meant to call us back to a consciousness of God here and now.” How would your day be transformed if it were laced throughout with short, simple prayer that opened your eyes to the Divine in your daily life?

Service

We often view work, especially work that benefits someone else, as a burden, something we have to do but would rather avoid. Instead, Benedict reminds us that work is a privilege and serving others is an honor — something that has been true since the day Jesus picked up carpenter’s tools, then laid them down to heal, to feed, and to save the lost. “…live by the labor of your hands, as our ancestors and the apostles did…” says Benedict. How would your workdays be transformed if you saw each as a gift from God and an opportunity to serve others in Jesus’ name?

Hospitality

Possibly the most challenging 11 words in the Rule are these: “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” How would you welcome Christ if He came to your door today? How would our neighborhoods and towns, states and nations be transformed if each of us welcomed everyone everywhere as Christ?

As you can see, St. Benedict wrote something that is as practical today as ever. Our prayer for you, today and always, is that you find yourself in a loving community, that you infuse your days with prayer, that you cultivate a heart for happy service, and that you welcome even the most unlikely person as Christ. When you do, you will find more contentment than you can imagine.

 

 

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Juneteenth

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Have A Proud and Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

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