Submitted by Toby Grabs, director of operations A Geothermal HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system uses ground source heat pumps to heat the air inside a building in the winter and cool the air in the building in the summer using the ground to either extract heat in the winter or take heat in the summer. Many people are familiar with high temperature geothermal heating being used to generate electricity in geologically active states like California where the geological forces, or a thin layer in the crust, cause the high heat present under the crust of the earth to …
Falling into Grace
During Lent we often consider what discipline we want to practice to bring us closer to God, our neighbor and ourselves. I have found that life tends to give me the practice to follow each Lent. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been reflecting on and seeking to cooperate with a kind of transformation that wants to happen in me. This Lent, my life has been calling me to give up an old identity as victim and take on a new identity in God. Thomas Merton used the phrase, “a hidden wholeness” to describe the identity in God that …
Inspired art
Submitted by Janet Neurauter, mission advancement consultant Jennifer Peters had an idea. An accomplished photographer herself, she thought about creating an exhibit with artists working in different mediums and how they could blend their individual work into a unified show happening February 2 – April 28, 2024, at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Her idea came to fruition when Francine Tompkins (acrylic painting) and Jennifer Angelo (fiber art), agreed to work with her on this idea. Each artist created three inspiration pieces and the other two then worked in their own medium, interpreting the original work of art. The result is the new exhibit, …
Tribute cards for Center for Clergy pastors
Submitted by Kathleen Owens, manager of clergy programming and communications The Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery is offering an opportunity to express gratitude to the pastors who have blessed your life! This year we are launching a new initiative to provide gifts to the Center for Clergy Renewal in honor and tribute of a pastor or pastors who is special to you. These tribute cards will feature a beautiful piece of art created by one of our cohort pastors, The Rev. Jessica Scholten. The message on the card will say: A $50 gift in your honor was made by …
A Journey of wonder and growth: from Kenya to America at Holy Wisdom Monastery
By Everline Jeruto, OSB Embarking on a remarkable journey from Kenya to America and finding solace and spiritual connection at Holy Wisdom Monastery, has been a life-changing experience for me. This incredible voyage has opened my eyes to new discoveries about myself, the intricate workings of God and the importance of personal growth. I owe my success to the collective effort and unwavering support of several amazing individuals and communities that have been instrumental in shaping my path. I am eternally grateful to the sisters at Holy Wisdom Monastery, Sisters Joanne Kollasch, Mary David Walgenbach and Lynne Smith who warmly …
Introducing Our New Executive Director, Erin Trondson
In this season of waiting, I wanted to send you good tidings of great joy that a new Executive Director has been approved by the Benedictine Women of Madison Board of Directors and she has accepted the job at Holy Wisdom Monastery! Her name is Erin Trondson, and she will be starting on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Erin wrote a beautiful letter of introduction that I wish to share with you. Dear Community of Communities, I am grateful to the members of the Search Committee and the Benedictine Women of Madison Board for their invitation to serve Holy Wisdom Monastery as the …
A Personal Connection
Submitted by Janet Neurauter, mission advancement Whether it is the people or the land, many people feel a personal connection to Holy Wisdom Monastery. For Susan Santner, her personal connection goes back to her childhood. “I remember coming here for picnics at my grandparent’s farm in the 1950s. There was a small white farmhouse, a huge garden and a barn nearby. We had chicken dinners on Sundays, and I played with my brothers and cousins in the yard. We had such a good time,” Susan remarked. It was Susan’s maternal grandparents, Stella and Thomas Kennedy and her great aunt and uncle, …
Center for Clergy Renewal Receives Grant from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity
Submitted by Nancy Enderle, director of the Center for Clergy Renewal and Kathleen Owens, manager of clergy programming and communications We are excited to announce that the Center for Clergy Renewal was selected by Leadership Education at Duke Divinity as a 2023 Collaborative Discernment for Project Sustainability grant recipient. Holy Wisdom Monastery will receive $15,000 to support discernment work around the sustainability of the Center for Clergy Renewal. The Center for Clergy Renewal was founded in 2018, when Holy Wisdom Monastery received a grant from the Lilly Endowment as part of the Thriving in Ministry initiative. The initial Lilly Endowment grant is ending in …
The Center for Clergy Renewal is Building a Community of Pastors
by Nancy Enderle, director of the Center for Clergy Renewal and Kathleen Owens, manager of clergy programming and communications In addition to what the ecumenical cohort of 18 pastors experience when they are in residence at the monastery for their Immersions, a major component of The Center for Clergy Renewal experience includes ongoing spiritual formation that occurs in a “monastery without walls.” This community is nurtured through: Ongoing virtual access to Holy Wisdom As part of the million-dollar Lilly endowment grant, The Center for Clergy Renewal made a substantial financial investment in 2019 to purchase and install equipment for streaming Sunday Assembly services and …
Wayne Sigelko’s Homily from July 2, 2023
Homily for July 2, 2023 – 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time One of the things I greatly enjoy about preparing to preach is rediscovering on a regular basis the fact that insight about the meaning of the readings we encounter each week in our liturgy can be found in unusual places. For instance, in preparing for this week’s homily I came across an article in the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review: “Today hospitality is seen as a matter of etiquette, not ethics, a gracious welcome extended to dinner guests, or the patrons of a restaurant. But in the Bible …