This year, the Feast of St. Benedict on July 11 marked the 60th anniversary of Sister Donald’s monastic vows. We are hoping to have a celebration at some point during the coming months, but the timing and other details are uncertain, giving the prevailing caution as the pandemic eases.
In the meantime, a close friend of Sister Donald wrote the following tribute to her and to their friendship and asked us to post it on our blog:
” Sr. Donald and I met, by chance but never really by chance I think, shortly before the start of the new Millennium. My husband Jean and I were introduced to Sr. Jeanne-Marie and Sr. Placide, co-founders along with Sr. Donald, of Transfiguration Monastery; more recently we had the joy, as well, of meeting Sr. Sheila and Sr. Miriam and other friends, both religious and lay persons, connected with this place. Little by little we were shown the Benedictine Way of Life with its lived values of devotion to God, obedience and humility.
Right from the start I recognized Sr. Donald as my role model for leading the spiritual life and also as my special friend and confidante. Ever since our meeting I have always felt the warmth of her caring, witness the fact that she has called me almost daily during the year since Jean’s passing, has shared my concerns, and has offered prayers and blessings on my behalf. In spite of her multifarious duties and commitments both at home and nationally, she always has time to listen attentively to whatever I would like to talk about.
Jean always felt a special connection with Sr. Donald. together, they were able to sit together at the monastery and in our home talking about the history, religion, art, architecture and spirituality of the Christian Middle Ages. Sr. Donald always had, due to her own diligent scholarship, a new point for him to consider, another way to establish connections and to see, again and again, the ways that all studies worth their salt should always be related to God.
Sixty years of service to our Lord is in every way extraordinary! I would like to offer Sr. Donald my sincere congratulations on this special day and the wish that her life, her continued studies and writing, and her service at Transfiguration Monastery receive God’s fullest blessing.”
Katharine Le Mée
Transfiguration Monastery News 
I do not know the Sisters personally but that is a beautiful tribute and gives me many things to be thankful for.
This is a beautiful tribute to you and to your wife. ? or husband? cant figure that out …unless JEan is a French mans name and not an American Jean..the feminine?
Sister Donald,to me was a wise and perceptive listener way back when I met her on retreat in California.
I thought she was a great sport to have me to the tiny monastery one day where I realized she was more Sister Donatello than just plain old “Donald”… I only went back to the old sculpture of David and realized her love of HUMNITAS… and July 11. I was especially happy to hear about her work in Dorothy Day beatification.
Congratualations Donatello, Congratualations to you and much love coming your way.
Bettina
Jean was French. His name is the French form of John.
I’ve never met Sr. Donald, but I certainly commend her for her faithful service to God and to the Order. May the good Lord continue to bless her.
Sister Donald is a gift to all who have known her. Thank you, Lord, for her many years of service.
Thank you for the wonderful tribute to Sister Donald!
I have a favor to ask. A dear friend is going to be ordained to the Episcopal priesthood. I’d like to give her a book having to do with iconography. Can you recommend any?
In Christ, Rosalie
On Thu, Jul 15, 2021 at 6:49 AM Transfiguration Monastery News wrote:
> frohdog posted: ” This year, the Feast of St. Benedict on July 11 marked > the 60th anniversary of Sister Donald’s monastic vows. We are hoping to > have a celebration at some point during the coming months, but the timing > and other details are uncertain, giving the prevailin” >
Dear Rosalie, Sister Donald recommends “The Mystical Language of Icons” by Solrunn Nes, a Norwegian iconographer. How have you been? Well, I hope. Blessings, Sister Sheila