Rebecca Mayer, OSB
September 1, 1937 – December 29, 2015
Sister Rebecca (Irene) Mayer was born on September 1, 1937, in Mott, North Dakota, to Joseph J. and Rose (Harle) Mayer. Raised on a family farm with her sister and two brothers, she learned the values of faith, hard work, and community.
At age 12, Irene first felt drawn to becoming a religious sister, inspired by a teacher’s reflection on the call to religious life. Following her high school graduation, she entered Annunciation Monastery in Bismarck, North Dakota. She became a novice on June 20, 1955, receiving the name Rebecca, and professed her monastic vows on July 11, 1956. Three years later, on July 11, 1959, she made her solemn profession.
Music and liturgy became Sister Rebecca’s lifelong passions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, a master’s in music education from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, and a master’s in liturgy from Saint Joseph College, Rensselaer, Indiana.
An active member of the North American Association of Benedictine Musicians and the National Pastoral Musicians Association, Sister Rebecca generously shared her gifts. She taught music at Cathedral School in Bismarck, Saint Joseph’s School in Mandan, and Saint Patrick’s School in Dickinson, all in North Dakota. For a decade, she served as associate director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Bismarck and contributed to the diocesan RENEW program, fostering faith development across the region.
Sister Rebecca’s dedication to liturgical excellence was evident in her leadership in revising the monastery’s books for the Liturgy of the Hours. Beginning in 1990, she guided the creation of ten volumes of new prayer books for the sisters of Annunciation Monastery, a decade-long labor of love. Her musical compositions, included in these volumes, continue to inspire and uplift the sisters through their daily prayer.
Beyond her musical contributions, Sister Rebecca served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Mary in Bismarck and the lay advisory board for Garrison Memorial Hospital. Most recently, she worked in the monastery’s development office and served as organist at Saint Alexus Convent and CHI Saint Alexius Health Chapel.
Sister Rebecca faced her cancer journey with remarkable courage and an unwavering positive spirit. She inspired all who knew her with her love for God, dedication to liturgy and music, and her joyful commitment to monastic life. Reflecting on her 50th anniversary as a Benedictine sister, she shared:
There was always someone in community who would support me through any challenge I encountered, and it’s still that way. I am always lifted up by God and this community of sisters.
Sister Rebecca entered eternal life on December 29, 2015. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on January 2, 2016, at Annunciation Monastery.
Her legacy lives on in the music she composed, the lives she touched, and the community she faithfully served.
Tribute prepared by Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck, ND.