For Sister Mary Marge Goeckner, OSB,2025 marks her 70^th year as a Benedictine Sister of the Monastery of St. Gertrude.
Since entering the monastery in 1955, Sister Mary Marge has had a wide and varied history of ministries and educational attainments. She served as a teacher at St. Gertrude’s Academy and other schools in Idaho, along with studying at St. Martin’s University, Lacey, Washington, and earning a master’s degree from Seattle University, before traveling to Rome where she focused on Monastic Studies.
When St. Gertrude’s Academy closed in 1970, Sister Mary Marge was instrumental in starting the Release Time program, which offered public school students an opportunity to receive religious education as part of the school day, though not on school property.
Sister Mary Marge returned to the monastery in Cottonwood in 1977 when she was elected prioress – superior – of the community. The second youngest prioress in the community’s history, she served in that capacity until 1985. She followed her term in leadership by embarking on a course in Clinical Pastoral Education, becoming a chaplain at Holy Family Hospital and Sacred Heart Medical Center, both in Spokane, Washington, over a 20-year period. During her summers, she studied in Zurich, Switzerland, earning a counseling degree.
Sister Mary Marge served as assistant prioress twice over the years, and in her retirement enjoys more time for embroidery, a skill at which she excels as evidenced by the beautiful tablecloths and other items that she has completed.
The Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrudeis a community which includes the Benedictine Sisters, the Oblate Community of St. Gertrude, the Koinonia Community of St. Gertrude,along with the monastery’s employees, friends and benefactors. While offering healing hospitality, grateful simplicity and creative peacemaking to the world, this community shares the Benedictine charism and spirituality through in-person and online programs available at Spirit Center, along with the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude on the monastery campus, and the Inn at St. Gertrude, a bed and breakfast.
More information is available on the website stgertrudes.org.