Sister Karen Rose Elected 18th Prioress of Saint Benedict’s Monastery

Sister Karen Rose was elected as the 18th prioress of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., on Saturday, February 25, by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict. She will be installed on Sunday, June 4, at a special ceremony in Sacred Heart Chapel.

S. Karen currently serves as the director of mission advancement at Saint Benedict’s Monastery and will succeed Sister Susan Rudolph, who has served as prioress since 2017.

The canonical election concluded Saturday afternoon after a discernment process that began in October 2022 and culminated in a two-day chapter process that began Friday, February 24. The prioress is elected for a six-year term and is the spiritual leader of the community, which currently has 157 sisters. She is also the chief executive officer of the corporation and represents the monastery on the corporate board of the College of Saint Benedict and the corporate board of St. Cloud Hospital, two institutions founded by Saint Benedict’s Monastery.