A new family at Lost Lake

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Uncategorized 1 Comment

Submitted by David Kelley (he/him), Friends of Wisdom Prairie It’s early spring. Tendrils of mist dance like sprites on the water. The lake’s surface is smooth like polished silver. Several ducks skim silently like shadows in the fog. This is Lost Lake, a relic of the glaciers, which covered much of Wisconsin until 10,000 years ago. Lost Lake is nestled in prairie and woodland just west of Holy Wisdom Monastery. You hike along the trail, which meanders around the lake. To your right oak trees rise like pillars, leaves rustling in the spring breeze. On your left emergent vegetation creates …

The monastic library’s doors are open

Holy Wisdom MonasteryUncategorized Leave a Comment

A few steps down the curving hall beyond the Oratory on the lower level of the monastery building, the library is open for use by all members of our communities and guests. It houses over 5,000 books on monasticism, liturgy, ecumenism, biblical studies and spirituality with emphasis on ecospirituality, contemplation and the divine feminine. In addition, we have several specialized sections. The Friends of Wisdom Prairie collection gathers popular works on ecology and nature, including field guides to flora and fauna that might be spotted while exploring the land. Magazines from Oneing to Orion and from Tablet to Time are …

Presence

Holy Wisdom MonasteryPastors' Stories, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Ryan Wallace does not remember how he first heard about the Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery in late 2019. He was already interested in contemplative practices and looking for a way to sustain his ministry. As he remembers, “I was in my early 30s and thinking this is what I plan to do forever. And I know that if I’m going to keep doing this, I’m going to need a way to approach ministry that will be sustainable through my entire career.” As part of the second cohort, Ryan was among those that had to navigate the pandemic …

Community of Joy – Al Heggen, Helen Christiansen and Aman Cara

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCommunity of Joy, Uncategorized 3 Comments

Dear Holy Wisdom Community, During these harrowing times, when the news often leads us to feelings of despair, I am determined to also keep our focus on what is good, true and joyful. Often, at Holy Wisdom, it is no surprise that what is good, true and joyful is often our community members. Please watch for articles into 2026 that highlight our community, who they are, how they are involved and what they find at Holy Wisdom. As a community of communities, I often see my job as finding the overlap on the Venn Diagram as to where the many …

Jacob Lawrence Shares Reflections on Summer Internship with Land Management

Amy AlstadUncategorized Leave a Comment

(Left to Right) Emma Kloes, Jacob Lawrence, Amy Alstad and Cortez Mitchell This week, we say goodbye to Jacob Lawrence, who spent the past 10 weeks at Holy Wisdom as the summer prairie intern. He was a fantastic addition to the coworker community in general, and the land management team in particular.  Next week, he returns to Yale Divinity School to finish the final year of his  Master of Arts in Religion with a concentration in Religion and Ecology. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors, and can’t wait to see where his curious and compassionate spirit leads …

Vicky Tzoumerka Knoedler Artist in Residence at Holy Wisdom Monastery

Holy Wisdom MonasteryUncategorized 1 Comment

Purpose: provide the quiet and sacred time and space for artists, writers, musicians and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to focus, create, advance or complete their work. We use the word “artist” broadly to include those working in visual, literary and performing arts, as well as individuals whose work doesn’t fit neatly into one of those categories. Overview: Residencies occur for three to four consecutive weeks during the summer months in the hermitage of Holy Wisdom Monastery. The dates will be determined by the guest services staff the year prior. The rent and meals are included in the …

About Felipe Saint-Martin

Erin TrondsonUncategorized 1 Comment

Felipe Saint-Martin is a culinary innovator whose journey spans continents and cuisines. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Felipe’s passion for food and adventure led him to New York City, thanks to a prestigious visa sponsorship from Gramercy Tavern – one of Manhattan’s most celebrated restaurants, renowned for its seasonal American fare and commitment to hospitality. At Gramercy Tavern, Felipe honed his craft as Lead Line Cook, developing expertise in charcuterie and fresh pasta, and immersing himself in the high standards of a world-class kitchen. Felipe’s pursuit of pasta mastery took him to Italy, where he studied under the family …

Holy Wisdom Monastery internal reorganization – what does this mean for me?

Erin TrondsonUncategorized 2 Comments

The Sisters of Holy Wisdom Monastery and the Benedictine Women of Madison Board have been working tirelessly to get documents and signatures in place to finalize the internal reorganization of Benedictine Women of Madison, the civil corporation of Holy Wisdom Monastery. We have previously presented to the community what is entailed, but we thought it a good time to review the reasoning for the restructuring with the full community as the July deadline is approaching. The main purpose of restructuring is to protect the longevity of Holy Wisdom Monastery (both the Sisters Division and the Ministries Division), by setting up …

Celebrating a new culinary partnership with Vitruvian Farms

Holy Wisdom MonasteryUncategorized 1 Comment

Submitted by Felipe Saint-Martin (he/him), Chef The Holy Wisdom Monastery Culinary Department is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with Vitruvian Farms, one of Wisconsin’s most celebrated organic farms. This collaboration brings together two communities dedicated to nourishing both body and spirit with the very best that our region has to offer.  Located just outside Madison in McFarland, Vitruvian Farms has earned a reputation as one of the premier organic producers in the state – if not the very best. Founded by Shawn Kuhn and Tommy Stauffer, Vitruvian Farms has been a leader in sustainable agriculture since 2010, focusing …

Executive Director April Board Report Summary

Erin TrondsonUncategorized 4 Comments

Hello Dear Community, I hope you all are enjoying watching spring unfold upon the prairie as much as I am. The coworkers, retreatants, and other community members share gratitude that we have this sacred place of Holy Wisdom Monastery in our lives. Holy Wisdom, the Sisters, the coworkers, the communities, the prairie and all that is held here is so full of hope, life, and love. I am inspired daily by the steadfast spirit of the place, how it saunters on in the face of despair, how it has for seven decades, and will continue to do so long after …