70th Anniversary Celebration

A shared journey of the heart & spirit

Nearly 200 people joined us on Sunday, July 9, for a special 70th Anniversary Celebration of the sisters’ arrival in Wisconsin. The day began with worship at 9:00 am, followed by brunch, a short program and prairie tours. 

We hope you can connect with us during this anniversary year as we celebrate the past, appreciate the present and look forward to the future.

Through the decades

As the 70^th anniversary of the sisters’ arrival in Wisconsin is celebrated this year, it is important to share the history and culture of the Benedictine Women of Madison. What brought the sisters to this area? What influences shaped the mission, vision, and values? Who played key roles in what eventually became Holy Wisdom Monastery?

The focus of the 1950s is on the beginning of the Benedictine Women of Madison at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, Wisconsin. We invite you to read more and join us on the journey.

The 1960s, a time of great change and upheaval in the United States. Through personal and communal experiences in the 1960s, the Sisters of St. Benedict also felt drawn to change and transformation.

In the 1970s, welcoming Christians of other denominations and practices, as well as the Dalai Lama, helped form the ecumenical heart of the sisters’ community and St. Benedict Center.

The sisters began exploring new forms of monastic community in the 1980s – the ecumenical Community of Benedict, The Resident Program and the intentional Christian Bingen Monastic Community.

In the 1990s the sisters focused again on examining their future, their place in society and how they as a community would continue to seek God – how will our community move into the 21st century?