When Becky Lambert transferred to St.
Mary's University, she likely had no idea that Winona would become her home for
the next eight years. As a student
she was a regular presence around the Catholic Worker, often taking house
shifts during evening meetings and building solid relationships with both
live-in community members and guests.
As she approached the final months of her senior year, she began the
discernment process to become a live-in volunteer herself. By the time she moved in she probably
had a better idea of which cupboards to put the dishes in than some of us who
were currently living at the house.
Over the course of the last four years Becky has been a part of all of
the changes and adventures, big and small, that have brought the Catholic
Worker to where it is today.
Though we have had quite some time to
get to know her, there are many things about Becky that remain a mystery,
largely because she is not one to speak about or display her feelings. When it comes to intellectual conversation, however, she
is rarely without response. She is
a reader, a learner, and a listener.
These skills and interests provided for many superb book recommendations,
insightful breakfast conversations, and a healthy amount of outrage at the
latest news story on the wire. Her
degree in political science shown despite her anarchist philosophy. Rarely have I encountered such a
staunch believer in non-government who understood the inner workings of the
beast to the extent that she does.
When Becky is not reading, most likely,
she is working. She has a sincere
love for getting dirt under her fingernails. Her long time employment in Winona was on a vineyard just outside
of town. She also gardened, bonded
with the backyard chickens,
singlehandedly remortared the Bethany House basement, and took on
various other less desirable projects around the houses. She has always been eager to learn a
new skill and put it into practice, for which we are eternally grateful!
Unlike many of the live-in volunteers
at the Catholic Worker, Becky spent time living at both of the houses (and in
the process, in nearly every volunteer bedroom) and came to truly see the
unique differences and similarities that exist in the hospitality that is
offered on our block of Broadway.
She spent over a year sharing the Dan Corcoran House with single women
and families and more than a couple years living with single men at Bethany
House. She has often spoken of the
growth that the combined experience has inspired.
We are excited to see where life leads
Becky as she moves on from Winona.
At this point she is living in Chicago and planning to join No More
Deaths in their work on the border in southern Arizona. After a visit earlier this summer she
was compelled to make a committment of some kind to the unending work of
providing water and first aid to those crossing the desert, which is now highly
militarized due to national and regional immigration policies. We honor and affirm her decision
to pursue new and challenging experiences, but we will surely miss her. Her presence has been a part of the
houses for twice as long as she has lived within these walls, it will take some
time to fill in the gaps that she leaves in the fabric of this community.
Thank you Becky, you have blessed us
with your light and we send ours out to you!