A New Pilgrimage
It started like a typical day. I was sitting in my development office, going over emails, filing pending documents, returning phone calls and checking things off my to-do list.
As I was focusing on a task, I heard a knock on my door. It was the prioress. She asked if I could come to her office for a moment. I said yes and followed her down the hall. It was not uncommon to have meetings from time to time with her, as she often wanted updates on projects I was working on, but those meetings were usually scheduled — this one was not. And so, the walk down the hall to her office seemed much longer than normal.
I got to her office, sat down and she asked me how my day was and what projects I was working on. I answered her, she shared affirming words, and I thanked her. Then there was a pause in the conversation.
The next few moments are a bit of a blur to me now, but I do remember this: She asked me to begin work in the Archives as the archivist. She went on to say that she felt the gifts I had would fit well with the role, and there would be time to be trained before I took on the position full-time.
For me, this conversation came as a complete surprise. I had been working in development for many years, first as a development associate, then the added responsibility of planned gift specialist, and for the past few years, director of development. I was using the skills I had been trained in before joining the community and growing them each day.
Now, I needed to prepare for a real change. Was I ready? After a few tears flowed down my cheeks, knowing I would be saying goodbye to a job I loved, I began to get ready for a new challenge. Yet, I grieved. And then I remembered, I had at one point said in a survey we did at the monastery that the Archives was an area I would be interested in. I love detail-oriented work and love to research, and guess what? That is just what I was going to begin to do.
As I now walk down the steps to the Archives, I realize that this journey each day is like a pilgrimage. It’s not the straight hallway I was used to in my old job, yet a new destination to travel to. When I open the door to the Archives each day, I have the privilege of helping people research family history or monastic community history and use many of the skills I had in my development role.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new. Each day is like a new gift, being unwrapped, for others and for me, a little at a time. And, for that, I am grateful.
Nina Lasceski, OSB
This article was featured on page 14 in the fall 2026 issue of Call.
