Sister Michele (Shelly) Farabaugh

I am Sister Michele Farabaugh, also known as Sister Shelly and I am back for the second time around.

I entered the community in 1963 as an aspirant in High School and left "for 1 year" prior to making First Monastic Profession. (I thought I was jumping into a choice when I had little experience with other possibilities and it was the 60's.)

25 years later I came back to the community after getting 3 college degrees and owning 2 homes, living in Ky for over 15 years and I know that my heart never left 4530. My older blood sister, Sr. Michelle (Double L Michelle) belongs to this community and so I never lost touch. When I came back to the community and got acclimated to living again in community I made First Monastic Profession.

I have been back now for over 12 years and I am where I am meant to be and the journey to this place was as God called me. Two of us from our original Novitiate group are still in the community and when I am in 25 yrs. Sr. Judith Ann will be celebrating 50 yrs and so we will celebrate together.

I am a clinical Social worker and I love to work with people who have Mental Health or Drug and Alcohol problems. My life experience has been with many different groups of people in many different areas of the Eastern half of the US in religious settings and non religious groups.

One of my favorite parts of the Rule of Benedict is the first word "Listen" and the last words "we will make it." Silence and listening are critical to an inclination to God's word, work and love in our lives. In High School we headed all our papers with U.I.O.G.D. and that still is powerful for me "Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deo" - That in all things God may be glorified.