Support Us
Thank you for considering a contribution to the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia. Your prayerful support bears faithful witness to the sisters’ monastic community. Supporting the Benedictine way of life is keeping a 1,500-year-old tradition alive with the sisters, helping them thrive in the peace of their monastery and helping others thrive through their ministries.
Ways to Give
Donor Spotlight
Carol Ruscin
Carol Rusin’s connection with the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia began in childhood through her aunt, Sister Mary Vincent Ruscin. Sister Vincent entered the Monastery in Bristow in 1934 at 23 years old, dedicating her life to prayer, service, and education until her passing in 2003.
“I knew her all my life,” Carol recalls warmly. “My family would visit her at the Monastery. She always sent my brother and me gifts for Christmas.”
As boys, Carol’s father and uncle both attended Linton Hall School with Sister Vincent’s encouragement and graduated from the eighth grade. Sister Vincent served as a licensed practical nurse in the school’s infirmary and was also a prefect.
In August 2023, Carol and her cousins gathered for a family reunion at the Monastery Guest House.
“We were greeted at the door with the most welcoming hospitality,” Carol says. “The Sisters were so gracious and excited to have company.”
As she and her cousins walked the grounds, Carol says, “I felt my aunt walking with us. It was a healing moment for all of us.”
Though Carol lives in Arkansas, distance has not diminished her connection. She participates as she can in the Monastery’s online programs such as Benedictine Bytes. “The impact is the same as if I was there.”
For Carol, supporting the Sisters is about honoring her beloved aunt’s life and work, and ensuring that future generations will experience the same warmth and connection with the Sisters that shaped her own life.
“The Sisters truly embrace and exhibit the Benedictine values. That really resonates with me. I think their community will grow and thrive and be there for a long time to come.”
As a new feature of our Place of Peace, we are establishing a prayer garden on the Saint Benedict Monastery grounds.
The Prayer Garden will feature:
- Three Prayer Pods – Peace, Gratitude, and Praise – with seating, to inspire prayer and quiet contemplation
- A gentle fountain offering the murmur of flowing water, inviting serenity and inner stillness
- Accessible walkways to ensure the garden is available to all
- Native Virginia plants and flowers
This very special garden will honor the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia’s history and legacy, and be lovingly dedicated to Sister Andrea Verchuck (1929-2025), whose life of faith, service, and compassion has touched the hearts of so many.
Join Us in Creating a Lasting Tribute
Your support will help bring this vision to life. Together, we can create a Prayer Garden that reflects the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia’s legacy – a sacred space that will continue to welcome and serve all in the community for generations to come.
Project completion is fall 2026.
You may make a donation to this special prayer garden project below. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, including memorial benches. Please call 571-248-2528 or email djobe@osbva.org for information.
Donor recognition:
We are deeply grateful for these distinguished donors and for all the many friends of the Monastery who have donated in support of this special garden.
Foundational Donors
- Bayliss Family
- David and Christy Cottrell
Seed Donors
- Dr. Margarite Arrighi
- Jerry and Mary Bergfeld
- Dr. Rowland Dwyer Jr.
- Gallagher Family
- Janis Family
- Page and William Kastelberg IV
- Kurt and Hoa Sobczynski
Sponsorships
- Balboni Family
- Dowgiallo Family
- Finnigan / Colgan Families
- Lovey Hammel and Jana Yeates Trust
- Bob and Margaret Kessler
- Bob and Paula Mosier and Family
- Paul and Harriet Muldowney
- Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Normand
- Ruscin Neices
There are many ways to support the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia. For questions about gifts of stock, in-kind gifts, IRA charitable distributions, or other giving options, please call the Development Office at 571-428-2528, or email.
If you would like to support the sisters by mail, checks may be sent to:
Benedictine Sisters of Virginia
Attn: Development Office
9535 Linton Hall Road
Bristow, VA 20136
