photo by Kent Sweitzer

Your joyful generosity filled the monastery!

Thank you to all who supported Holy Wisdom Monastery this #GivingTuesday. Your generosity and love for your spiritual and ecological home was more visible and powerful than ever imagined.

While donations continue to stream in, we are excited to project that you far exceeded the original goal of $50,000 with $76,609 raised. More impressive yet, you far exceeded the original goal of uniting 150 donors with an incredible turnout from 182 donors.


It’s not too late to donate!

An ideal future awaits

Through your generosity, we are able to weave prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth into a shared way of life at the monastery, throughout the greater Madison area and beyond.

Thank you to these #GivingTuesday donors!

Barb & Dan Abbott

Stephanie Achten

Sandy Adams

Jane Ahlstrom

Amy Alstad

Phyllis Andersen

Anonymous (29)

Greg Armstrong &
Cheryl Bauer-Armstrong

Alissa Ballot

Ann Baltes & Bill Rosholt

Elaine Barber

Rebecca Bedell

Sarah Blair

Amy Bonomie

Sue & Charles Bradley

Carroll & Larry Bross

Mrs Stephanie & Reverend Tom Corum

Marie & Mike Crawford

Peg Davey & Tom Zanzig

Jean Delisle

Aaron Devett

Bob & Paula Dinndorf

Rita & Ed Emmenegger

Nancy & Gordon Enderle

Johanna Fabke

Matthew Felgus

Roberta Felker

Margie Ferstl

Kathy Schlimgen & Bob Fillingame

Mrs Kathryn & Dr Jerry Folk

Ruth Fothergill

Thomas Glaser

Jane Gogan & Gordon Hamnett

Louise Googins

Toby Grabs & Jen Kobylecky

Karen Rose Gredler

Sherri Hansen

Colleen & Kent Hartung

Mary Jon & Tom Hauge

Reverend Al Heggen &
Mrs Helen Christiansen

Patricia & Mark Herrling

Kathy & Neil Heskin

Mary Hoddy

Peter Hoff & Paul Patenaude

Sarah Hole

Jason & Angelina Huett

Monica & Drew Jefcoat

Alice Jenson

John Kalson

Janet Kane

Ilene Kelfer & Peter Lodde

Mary & Ray Kremer

Sharon Leinen

Jean Lindsay

Phyllis Lobdell

Abbie Loomis

Nell Mally

Sylvia Marek

Carin McClain

Michel & Patrick McGettigan

Carolyn McGinley

Terry McGinley

Charles McLimans & Richard Merrion

Melanie & Ed McManus

Maia McNamara

Gordy & Kristy Meicher

Julie Melton

Nancy Meyer

Brooke Miller

Dan Miller

Gay Miller

Dale Morgan

Brooke Moriarty

Ann Myers

Barbara Nehls-Lowe

Jayne Neuendorf & Al Reichenberger

Janet Neurauter

Laura Norby

Mary & Ed Peters

Naomi Petravich

James Phalen

Steven Powell

HollyBeth & Ronald Prince

Marian & David Quade

Peg Rasch & David Stute

Elaine & Dennis Schenborn

Phil Schleicher & Steve Schumacher

Sharon & James Schwarz

Tammy & Dion Shafer

Kathleen & Ron Shanovich

Adele & Kevin Sink

Lise Skofronick

Paul Slota & Nancy Thompson

Bob Smith

Mike Smith

Neal & Diane Smith

Sandy Smith

Carla Staab

Aggie Steichen

Therese & Michael Stevens

Holly & Scott Stoner

Pam Sulima

Joan B Sullivan

Melanie Tavera

Chris Todd

Nancy & David Topp

Maureen & John Van Dinter

Janine Veto

Jennifer Voichick

Monica Walker

Marian Wasierski

Paula Wehmiller

Kathleen Wessels

Sara & John Whalen

Tom Whitemarsh

Barbara Wilson

Dorothy Wobbe

Joyce & Gary Wodka

Kathy Woytych

Meicher CPAs

#GivingTuesday
Strategic Aspirations & Giving Examples

These aspirations and examples offer a glimpse of past needs and an ideal future for what Holy Wisdom Monastery and the community of communities need to achieve their aspirations and to serve the people of your community.


Prayer & worship

We aspire to be a beacon of Benedictine spirituality. The Rule of Benedict envisions a community that supports each person’s relationship with God and others.  The Rule highlights a balance of daily work and prayer.  All work is valued, provides service to others and is an opportunity for personal development.

The examples below offer a sample of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $10,000 provides new Liturgy of the Hours hymnals
  • $3,600 covers tuition for two sisters to participate in professional development conference
  • $1,000 maintains organ and piano for the year
  • $500 per week provides AV technology and maintenance for live streaming
  • $100 provides a stipend to a Sunday Assembly presider

Operational & environmental sustainability

We aspire to be sustainable in all of the monastery’s essential resources – human, natural, financial, and facility, which means that the monastery and prairie will be here for you as well as succeeding generations.  This includes the sisters’ community, Sunday Assembly, Oblates, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, coworkers, neighbors, and all supporters of the monastery and the sacred grounds.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $20,000 allows for purchase of a previously-owned work truck
  • $3,000 provided two touchless eco-friendly water bottle fountains for guests and volunteers
  • $1,000 per month allows us to acquire and maintain equipment, as well as supplies for worshiping and gathering spaces
  • $600 provides funding to replace each Retreat and Guest House mattress
  • $125 provides custodial supplies each month

Inclusivity, diversity & equity

We aspire to live ever more deeply into diversity, inclusivity and equity, so all may be one.  We can truly become one by living in right relationship with each other and the earth.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $1,900 supports four orphans in India through the SARTHI child-rights organization
  • $500 provides a retreat experience to leaders through our new social justice initiative: Community Respite & Resiliency fund
  • $350 provides 150 meals to Luke House guests
  • $300 supports one family in the Hispanic Family Christmas Sharing Project

Monastery without walls

The Monastery without Walls brings liturgies, prayers, presentations, concerts and other programs to the comfort and safety of your home. Access to the deep well of the Holy Wisdom community becomes accessible wherever you are.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $6,000-$150/retreat or event covers speaker fees for local, national and international speakers
  • $500 sponsors one month of musical concert offering
  • $400 covers one year of One License, a liturgical music copyright license for Sunday Assembly and daily prayer
  • $130 covers a weekend retreat scholarship
  • $80 provides one month of worship streaming and license

The land as a spirit-renewing resource

The 192 managed acres of prairie, woodlands, and Lost Lake, provides a natural environment which refreshes and deepens your spirit. The natural setting is also a serene outdoor learning lab for ecological education.

  • $15,000 provides controlled annual burns of the prairie lead to renewed growth
  • $10,000 sustains maintenance of our 4+ mile trail system
  • $5,000 covers quarterly repair and replacement of restoration and preservation equipment
  • $2,500 offers brush clearing and oak savanna restoration for one month
  • $1,500 provides installation of informational kiosk at prairie entrance
  • $1,500 provides snow removal per snow event (typically 35-40/season)
  • $1,150 provides a controlled burn for 10 acres (60 acres are scheduled in the 2021 land management plan)
  • $250 covers cost of educational lecturer
  • $170 provides one week of lawn care for the monastery grounds

Donate today