Saint Benedict writes that monks are really monks when they live by the labor of their hands. (Rule of Benedict, Chapter 48). Manual labor is an important part of Benedictine life. It helps to keep us grounded and in touch with all who work by the labor of their hands. At Holy Wisdom Monastery our primary manual labor during the summer takes place in the vegetable garden. Learn more about Benedictine Life at Holy Wisdom Monastery, including manual labor by visiting our website or contacting Sister Lynne Smith, 608-831-9305.
Scholastica Sustainers Group Launched at Holy Wisdom Monastery
By Sister Mary David Walgenbach and Mike Sweitzer-Beckman This hot summer has dried up the prairie at the monastery, and we are doing our best to keep up with the uncontrollable heat. We’re fortunate to have several people helping to maintain the prairie: a couple participants in our annual Volunteer in Community program this past summer, two new participants in Benedictine Sojourners, a few dedicated volunteers that come every week, and our longtime groundskeeper, Paul Boutwell. The dry heat we’ve been enduring for the last month reminds me of the story of Saint Scholastica, the twin sister of Saint Benedict …
Sungold Tomato Sauce Recipe
Holy Wisdom Monastery chef Barbara Wright distributed this recipe during her cooking demonstration this fall. Enjoy! Sungold Tomato Sauce Ingredients: 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 quart tomatoes, cut in chunks, stems removed 1 large garlic clove, minced ¼ tsp. sugar Salt and pepper to taste Handful of fresh basil leaves Cooking Directions: Heat olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Add tomatoes, garlic and salt. Shake the pan as they sizzle. Flatten with spoon as tomatoes cook to release their juices. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking pan as needed. Reduce sauce by half, about 15 minutes. Taste. Add sugar …
The Growth of the Children’s Ministry at Holy Wisdom Monastery
The Sunday Assembly Children’s Ministry kids deliver 567 pounds of food to the Middleton Outreach Ministry food pantry. (Photo by Bob Marshall) For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. -Matthew 18:20, New Revised Standard Version There was a time when it was rare to see any children at Sunday Assembly worship at Holy Wisdom Monastery. About three years ago, a few volunteers went out on a limb to launch a children’s ministry here, possibly relying on the sentiment of this scripture from Matthew. Now the ministry grows dramatically each year. Children’s ministry began in 2009 with …
Sisters Attend Leadership Conference of Women Religious Annual Meeting
Sisters Mary David Walgenbach and Joanne Kollasch returned home from the recent meeting of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in St. Louis. Both sisters praised the ministry of leadership of the women religious in their communities, the church and the world.One of the many highlights of the meeting for Sisters Mary David and Joanne was the conveying of the LCWR Leadership Award to Sister Sandra M Schneiders, IHM of Monroe, Michigan. Sister Mary David has known Sister Sandra for many years when Sister Sandra returned from Rome to teach at the Jesuit School of Theology where Sister Mary David …
Ecumenism at Holy Wisdom Monastery
Sometimes visitors and guests at the monastery look at us quizzically when we say we are an ecumenical monastery. They might not ask the question outright, but they wonder: “How does that work?” We’ve held the vision of an ecumenical community for twenty years. Some people could not see the vision and others said: “It isn’t possible. You can’t do it.” Father Ken Smits, OFM Cap. who used to work with us in the area of liturgy wrote this about ecumenism here: “The ecumenism at Holy Wisdom Monastery is a practical ecumenism, grounded in hospitality, inviting development of community, which is fostered …
The Foundation of Two Ecumenical Benedictine Monasteries in the United States
by Sister Kathryn Huber, OSB Reprinted with permission from Alliance for International Monasticism, English Language Bulletin, 2011, No. 100. It is now forty years since Vatican II concluded, and Pope Paul VI entrusted the ecumenical movement to the monastic orders in a special way, because monasteries form a bridge between Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy. Monks and nuns are the heirs and direct witnesses of an undivided Church, since they existed before the East-West schism and before the Protestant Reformation. The ecumenical path of two female Catholic monasteries in the USA has led them to become non-canonical ecumenical monasteries. The first is the Monastery …
Exploring Benedictine Community Retreat Reflections
We describe our Exploring Benedictine community life retreats as a chance to: “…experience a taste of our Benedictine community life… ask questions, meet the sisters and interact with other single Christian women who are exploring their spiritual journey.” Six women attended our most recent retreat. We indicate it is to begin Friday, June 8, 2012, 7:00 pm and close Sunday, June 10, 2012, 1:00 pm. The beginning and the end clearly established. But now as I read the evaluations of the six women, along with Sister Lynne Smith’s and mine, I realize once again that the Holy Spirit’s time is different from our time. Do …
Madison Bach Musicians Return for Prairie Rhapsody Benefit Concert
For the third year in a row, the Madison Bach Musicians (directed by Trevor Stephenson) will return to Holy Wisdom Monastery to play at the annual Prairie Rhapsody benefit concert on the evening of June 28, 2012. This year, Trevor has put together a spectacular lineup of musicians to accompany him on the harpsichord, including Erin Cooper Gay (soprano) from Toronto and Chicago-based Anna Steinhoff (viola de gamba). Jacob Stockinger of The Well-Tempered Ear blog (and formerly the music critic for the Capital Times) wrote the following about last year’s concert, excerpted from his July 19, 2011 blog post: Several things made …
What to do on a Personal Retreat
Jesus told his disciples to “come away with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” We welcome all people to experience the quiet spaciousness of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Whether you choose to walk the nature trails, sleep, browse the library, join community prayer or find a spot near the lake to write in your journal, you open yourself to the inner journey. –From the www.benedictinewomen.org website We give first time personal retreatants at Holy Wisdom Monastery a list of suggestions on what to do with their time away, appropriately called What to do on a personal …