Members of Our Lady of Grace Monastery celebrate jubilees

Two Benedictine sisters of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove recently celebrated jubilees marking anniversaries of profession of vows.

On May 20, Benedictine Sister Jennifer Mechtild Horner, prioress of Our Lady of Grace, celebrated the 25th anniversary of her profession of vows by renewing them on May 20 in the presence of her family, friends and religious community.

Benedictine Sister Anna Marie Megel renewed her vows on June 10 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of her profession of vows.

Sister Anna Marie Megel

Sister Anna Marie was born in Seymour and graduated from high school at the former Ferdinand Academy in Ferdinand, Ind., in the Diocese of Evansville, Ind. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Indianapolis and a master’s degree in education at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.

She entered Our Lady of Grace Monastery in 1965, professed simple vows in 1967 and perpetual vows in 1972.

Sister Anna Marie served in schools in the archdiocese at St. Barnabas School in Indianapolis, St. Anthony of Padua School in Clarksville and at the former St. Paul School in Tell City.

For two periods, Sister Anna Marie served as a missionary in South America: from 1979-89 in Colombia and from 1991-93 in Peru. She has continued to minister to Latino Catholics since 2001 at St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis, where she currently ministers as a pastoral associate.

She has also served her community as an administrative assistant to the prioress and subprioress and in the monastery’s health care.

Sister Jennifer Mechtild Horner

Sister Jennifer was born in Zambia in southern Africa and raised in South Africa. Her family moved to the United States in 1977.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, and a master’s degree in theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

Sister Jennifer entered the Benedictine Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho, in 1989, professed simple vows there in 1992 and perpetual vows in 1995.

In 2004, Sister Jennifer transferred her vows to Our Lady of Grace.

Beginning her ministry in education, Sister Jennifer later served as director of spirituality at the monastery’s Benedict Inn Retreat & Conference Center from 1998-2000. She then served as parish life coordinator of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greencastle from 2001-03.

Beginning in 2003, Sister Jennifer began service as chaplain at the University of Indianapolis and director of its Lantz Center for Christian Vocation and Formation.

Sister Jennifer was appointed her community’s vocation director in 2009, and was serving in that capacity in 2015 when she was elected the ninth prioress of Our Lady of Grace.
 

(For more information about Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, visit benedictine.com.) †