St. Walburga Monastery

The sisters met in small groups and as a total community. They searched out the qualities they wanted in a prioress for the next four years. They also looked at what would be needed in a leader to carry out the directions they set for themselves.

The canonical election began with a procession into the chapel. Sister Michelle Farabaugh (Pittsburgh) read Chapter 64 from the Rule of Benedict. The tellers and secretary of the election took their oaths to respect confidentiality and record the votes accurately. Sister Rosemary Kenny (secretary) is shown doing this at the altar. Three of the four tellers, Sisters Arline Zurich, Kathleen Sharkey and Roberta McDonald (tellers) await their turn for the oath. After this, each chapter member of the community comes forward to place her ballot in the special container that has been used as long as any member of the community can remember. (clockwise) Sisters Winifred Noon, Aedan Butler and Germaine Fritz are pictured doing this below.

Sister Sharon McHugh, O.S.B. was re-elected for the next six years as prioress of St. Walburga Monastery in Elizabeth, New Jersey. As "...prioress she maintains, preserves, and interprets the Benedictine charism in the monastery which elects her."