Submitted by Amy Alstad as an article to the May 29, 2026 issue of Weekly Wisdom.

Dear Holy Wisdom Community,

It is a real pleasure for me to feature Quinn Casey in this next installment of our ‘Community Joy’ series. Erin conceived these articles as a way to lift up what is good, true and joyful, as well as highlight community members whose contributions and connections to Holy Wisdom might not be visible to many. Quinn’s grandparents, Biby Gubler-Casey and Bob Smith, will be familiar to many in the Sunday Assembly community. For the past couple years, Quinn has been an integral member of the land care volunteer team. Because of her work schedule, she is primarily volunteering evenings and weekends. I am deeply grateful for her generous contributions of time and energy, and I hope you enjoy reading about her connection to this place.

Blue skies,

Amy

From Quinn, in her own words:

I come to Holy Wisdom weekly to work on the grounds, whether that be mowing trails in the prairie, tending to the memorial courtyard, weeding, mulching, planting, or whatever else is needed. I’ve been working in horticulture for a few years, so I have the honor of getting to drive the monastery tractor and use some of the other fun equipment to manage such an expansive and intricate area. I coordinate with the land management team but usually do my work on my own and use the time for prayer and contemplation. I’ve always felt that I connect with God most deeply when I’m working with the land. It’s a gift to have time to slow down and reflect. It makes me feel grateful for the world that I live in, for my ability to contribute to it, and witness the miracles of nature.

The first time I ever visited Holy Wisdom was for the celebration of life for my grandmother, Biby Gubler-Casey when I was thirteen. I remember the monastery being a place of solace for me, where I felt comfort while going through the tumult of my first experience with grief. We planted the serviceberries that still grow (albeit dilapidatedly) along the side of the monastery where we spread my grandmother’s ashes. Amy has agreed that we can replace these trees with something more suited to that side of the monastery someday, though I admire the perseverance of these skinny little serviceberries- growing through a harsh environment with the determination of my grandma!

My grandfather, Bob Smith, was Biby’s husband and my dad’s step-dad. He was a priest as a young man and left the priesthood in his late 20’s. The explanation for why he made this choice varies depending on who you ask – ranging from disagreement over certain church doctrines to “loving women” – all respectable reasons in my opinion. Having him as a grandfather was one of the greatest gifts in my life. He was deeply loving, intelligent, and fun, and embodied his spiritual values in everything he did. He taught me how to practice spirituality in my own way from a young age, encouraging me to focus my prayer on gratitude. Holy Wisdom meant so much to him. I think it exemplifies his idea of what a place of worship ought to be. Everything that Holy Wisdom stands for reminds me of his values and the way he lived his life.

Towards the end of his life, my Grandpa Bob got really into a song by Iris Dement called “Let the Mystery Be”. It’s not his usual type of music at all, and my family still likes to laugh when picturing him jamming out to a folky country song. The lyrics of the song are what he connected with most, here’s a snippet :

Everybody’s wondering what and where we all came from. Everybody’s worrying about where we’re gonna go when the whole things done. But no one knows for certain and so it’s all the same to me. I think I’ll just let the mystery be.

The song goes on to examine different ideas of what awaits us at the end of life. The singer concludes that her form of faith is to “just let the mystery be”. After a life devoted to the study and practice of religion, I believe my grandfather came to a similar conclusion. As a former priest and a man of his own, strong convictions, I think he practiced a religion that drew from so many inspirations but was a form all his own. Holy Wisdom was the place where he felt at home in that practice, and I’m sure he didn’t make that choice lightly. This is also where he chose as his final resting place alongside my grandmother.

As we all know, participation and membership in organized religion is absolutely tanking among young folks today. I have a hard time explaining to people of my generation why spirituality is important to me. For many, it carries a connotation of intolerance, rigidity, or dogma. As a gay woman myself I can certainly understand where these assumptions come from. But Holy Wisdom is a unique place. Here, I feel that the culture is guided by the principles of religion that my grandfather sought to live by – acceptance, kindness, gratitude, community – to name a few. When I stand in the prairie, I feel the loving energy that exudes from everyone who continues to build this place together.

I grew up in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, then went to college and lived in Washington DC for a while, where I met my wife. We spent some time in the Philippines together where I studied and taught ceramics before settling down here in Dane County. I now work as a horticulturist at Epic.

The post Community of Joy: Quinn Casey appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Schedule

6:00 pm – Taizé will begin

Cost and Registration

There is no cost to attend the Taizé prayer, but please register below by May 21st so we may plan accordingly.

The post Taizé Prayer for Pentecost appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Come as you are. No experience needed — just a willingness to pause, listen, and write. You’ll leave with new words, insights, and connections.

Dates/Times – Sundays from 10:15 am-12:15 pm

• Jan. 25
• Mar. 1
• Jun. 7
• Nov. 1

Schedule

• 10:15 am – Welcome, housekeeping, and settling in
• 10:30 am – Guided meditation
• 10:45 am – Writing session #1 with optional small-group sharing
• 11:00 am – Contemplative walking and writing session #2
• 11:30 am – Writing session #3
• 11:45 am – Sharing in big group (optional)
• 12:15 pm – Close

Leader – Rebecca Jamieson

Rebecca Jamieson is the author of The Body of All Things (Finishing Line Press, 2017). She is the recipient of a 2025 Wisconsin Writers Award, the 2024 Tupelo Press Prose Prize, and is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Rattle, The Offing, Mid-American Review, and Entropy, and she’s currently at work on a collection of personal essays. Rebecca lives on Ho-Chunk land in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, baking, or cuddling her two cats.

Cost

$50/person

Registration

Limited to 25 people. Please register by June 4, 2026.

The post Ink & Insight Mindful Writing Circle appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Taizé Prayer will replace midday prayer on March 20 in the assembly room. Please join us following prayer for lunch in the dining room.

Schedule

11:00 am – Taizé will begin

12:00 pm – Lunch

Cost and Registration

There is no cost to attend the Taizé prayer, but please register below by March 13th so we may plan accordingly for lunch.

The post Lenten Taizé Prayer & Soup Lunch appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Please join us following Taizé prayer for lunch in the dining room.

Schedule

11:00 am – Taizé will begin

12:00 pm – Lunch

Cost and Registration

There is no cost to attend the Taizé prayer, but please register below by March 13th so we may plan accordingly.

The post Lenten Taizé Prayer Service appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Come as you are. No experience needed — just a willingness to pause, listen, and write. You’ll leave with new words, insights, and connections.

Dates/Times – Sundays from 10:15 am-12:15 pm

• Jan. 25
• Mar. 1
• Jun. 7
• Nov. 1

Schedule

• 10:15 am – Welcome, housekeeping, and settling in
• 10:30 am – Guided meditation
• 10:45 am – Writing session #1 with optional small-group sharing
• 11:00 am – Contemplative walking and writing session #2
• 11:30 am – Writing session #3
• 11:45 am – Sharing in big group (optional)
• 12:15 pm – Close

Leader – Rebecca Jamieson

Rebecca Jamieson is the author of The Body of All Things (Finishing Line Press, 2017). She is the recipient of a 2025 Wisconsin Writers Award, the 2024 Tupelo Press Prose Prize, and is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Rattle, The Offing, Mid-American Review, and Entropy, and she’s currently at work on a collection of personal essays. Rebecca lives on Ho-Chunk land in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, baking, or cuddling her two cats.

Cost

$50/person

Registration

Limited to 25 people.

The post Ink and Insight Mindful Writing Circle appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Come as you are. No experience needed — just a willingness to pause, listen and write. You’ll leave with new words, insights, and connections.

Dates/Times – Sundays from 10:15 am-12:00 pm

• Jan. 25
• Mar. 1
• Jun. 7
• Nov. 1

Schedule

• 10:15 am – Welcome, housekeeping and settling in
• 10:30 am – Guided meditation
• 10:45 am – Writing session #1
• 11:00 am – Contemplative walking/break
• 11:15 am – Writing session #2
• 11:30 am – Sharing
• 12:00 pm – Close

Leader – Rebecca Jamieson

Rebecca Jamieson is the author of The Body of All Things (Finishing Line Press, 2017). She is the recipient of a 2025 Wisconsin Writers Award, the 2024 Tupelo Press Prose Prize, and is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Rattle, The Offing, Mid-American Review, and Entropy, and she’s currently at work on a collection of personal essays. Rebecca lives on Ho-Chunk land in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, baking, or cuddling her two cats.

Cost

$50/person

Registration

Limited to 30 people.

The post Ink and Insight Mindful Writing Circle appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Step Into the Magic!

Are you ready for an afternoon bursting with wonder, adventure, and unforgettable stories and songs? Join our community for an inspiring gathering of storytellers, musicians, and singers—an event where the power of words and music truly comes alive.

From heart-pounding journeys to faraway places, to laugh-out-loud moments, soulful tales and music that touch your heart, our performers will take you on an unforgettable ride.

This isn’t just a performance, it’s an experience. One that brings people together, celebrates creativity, and weaves a kind of magic that sparks your imagination and strengthens our sense of community.

Come for the music and stories… stay for the magic!

Schedule

1:30 pm – Doors open
2:00 pm – Monastic Monologues begins
3:30 pm – Reception and “After Glow”

Storytellers, Musicians & Emcee

Jane Barnard is a Madison-based writer, visual artist and watercolor teacher. She’s reading from her memoir-in-progress, entitled ” Poetry as Pain Relief,” about her spiritual journey of surviving dark times with beauty, with humor and grace. She celebrates the artists who have seeped into her bones, to soothe her loneliness and bring her joy.

You can learn more about Jane at her website.

Ann Baltes (right) and Bill Rosholt (left) are members of Sunday Assembly and have cherished being
connected to this beloved community of communities over many years, musically and
otherwise. They also consider it an extraordinary gift to have raised their daughter,
Grace, at Holy Wisdom as an ecumenical Benedictine. Ann has a background serving in
parishes and other settings in the areas of pastoral care, adult and youth faith formation,
liturgical music, and retreat facilitation. Bill works as a Systems Development Test
Engineer for Exact Sciences in Madison. Ann and Bill met as undergrads studying voice
and singing in choirs at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. They are both choral music
enthusiasts having sung continuously since high school students in various choirs in
Iowa, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Wisconsin. They have sung regularly in Madison and
surrounding areas as both choral artists and soloists with the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble,
Wisconsin Chamber Choir, Madison Choral Project, Cheers Madison, and Madison
Savoyards

Jean Feraca’s favorite 2024 Christmas gift is a coffee cup from an anonymous donor that reads, “I am Kind of a Big Deal in Wisconsin.” Famous as a talk show host on Wisconsin Public Radio, Jean was a writer before she became a broadcaster. The award-winning author of three books of poetry and the memoir, I Hear Voices: a Memoir of Love, Death, and the Radio, Jean teaches in UW-Odyssey, the humanities program she co-founded, and in Wisconsin prisons with the Prison Ministry Project.

Jean is a Sunday Assembly member, Benedictine Oblate since 2016, and one of the Monastic Monologues presenters. Jean’s a beloved voice of Wisconsin Public Radio and a true original. For 28 years, Jean was the host and producer on WPR’s Ideas Network, best known for the award-winning program Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders. Her work has beautifully blended humanities, poetry, curiosity, and community, making her one of the most respected and recognizable figures in public radio. She joined WPR in 1983 as a humanities producer and went on to host some of the network’s most memorable shows. Jean’s award-winning series, “Women of Spirit” was developed with the help of the Benedictine Sisters here at Holy Wisdom.

But what really makes Jean shine is her warmth, wit, and ability to laugh at herself. When asked about her funniest moments on air, she didn’t hesitate to share a few gems from her broadcasting life. There was the day she opened her own show with, “Good morning, I’m Jean Ferrara,” accidentally mispronouncing her own name. Or the time she invited her big brother on as a guest—“big mistake,” she laughs—only to have him greet her on air with, “You already made a mistake!” And then there’s the moment she’ll never quite live down: introducing “Wisconsin’s most famous baseball player… Brett Favre!”

Join us for a performance by Jean Feraca during Monastic Monologues and enjoy stories, humor, and insight from a master storyteller whose voice—and laughter—have been part of Wisconsin’s cultural fabric for decades.

Bill Frederick is the Director of Worship and Music at Holy Wisdom Monastery. He studied voice at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville while earning a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald Darrow. He has been leading music and liturgy in various Churches full-time over the past 40 years. 33 years ago, Bill and Steve Johnson founded “Enter the Season With Song,” a group of musicians who gather for Christmas and summer concerts. The group has recorded three CDs and has given every dollar raised from every concert, a total exceeding $250,000, to various charities.

Max Harris earned his B.A. in English from Cambridge University and went on to complete a Ph.D. in Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. Over the years, he’s taught in a range of fields—from Latin American Studies to Psychiatry at the University of Virginia, and Religion and Literature at Yale Divinity School. He’s also written six books, including Carnival and Other Christian Festivals (University of Texas Press) and Sacred Folly: A New History of the Feast of Fools (Cornell University Press).

Beyond academia, Max has pastored Presbyterian churches in England, Virginia, Maryland, and Wisconsin. But if you ask him what really matters, he’ll tell you it’s not the titles or the books—it’s his 52-year (and counting!) marriage to Ann, and the gracious, saving work of the Holy Spirit that continues to shape their life together.

Steve Johnson is the Director of Music Ministry at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Madison. He has worked for the past 30+ years in various churches as Director of Liturgy and Music. Steve studied voice and piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while earning a degree in k-12 music education.

Terry Larson is a previous Protestant pastor who prefers poetry, pollinator plants, preaching, progressive people, polite politicians, pithy plots, pleasing prairies, plentiful portions of produce and…alliteration.

Janet Neurauter’s first time on stage was as a reindeer in her 2nd-grade holiday pageant and was actively involved in theater throughout school and with the Nicolet Players in Rhinelander, WI. She enjoys writing short stories and monologues and is working on her second play.

Originally from Michigan, Bill Santer II has called Wisconsin home since 1987. With a background in marketing, education and the arts, he now enjoys helping people find their perfect home as a realtor. At Sunday Assembly, Bill feels fortunate to be part of a welcoming, earth-conscious community that celebrates kindness, open-minded conversation and shared purpose. Whether he’s helping someone settle into a new home, concert-going, telling stories or connecting with his community, Bill brings a genuine spirit of curiosity, care and joy to everything he does.

Susan Santner is a passionate and versatile storyteller who loves to bring stories to life. She’s shared her tales at festivals, schools, libraries and community events across the region, captivating audiences of all ages. With experience as an actress, theatre director, puppeteer and library director, Susan’s creativity shines through in every performance. Her storytelling is lively, imaginative and full of heart, inviting listeners to step right into the world of her stories.

George Teague is a Madison-based cellist and teacher. He maintains an active studio at home and at UW-Steven’s Point. George received his performance degrees from Northern Arizona University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts.

Eivind Hansen Photography

Patrick Terry was born and raised in Janesville, WI, and has been heard on operatic stages across the world. Career highlights include singing Eustazio at the Glyndebourne Festival, Rinaldo with the Minnesota Opera, Rosencratz with the Bayerische Staatsoper and premiering Brett Dean’s ‘In this brief moment’ with the Elbphilharmonie. He earned his degrees from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, The Royal Academy of Music in London and was the first countertenor to join the Jette Parker Young Artist program at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Cost and Registration

There is no cost to register, but we ask that guests register so we may plan accordingly. We also ask that guests consider a goodwill donation to help support the monastery. There will be a physical donation box at the event for anyone who wants to donate in-person or you may make an online donation when you register with the button below.

The post Monastic Monologues: Sharing Joy appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

We are lucky at Holy Wisdom Monastery to have two talented chefs preparing delicious and nutritious meals. This has allowed Holy Wisdom Monastery to begin offering chef-prepared lunches and dinners on Sundays and Mondays. So now, retreatants, guests, members, coworkers, etc. are invited to make a reservation to have a chef-prepared lunch or dinner every day of the week. Lunches are $14.50 and dinners are $17.50.

We haven’t always been blessed with two chefs at the same time. Chef Robert Kauper started in 2016 and chef Lisa Hoon started in late 2017 as an occasional kitchen event helper through a temp agency. Her abilities and enjoyment for working in the Monastery kitchen were obvious from the beginning. She became our regular event helper whenever extra hands were needed in the kitchen and with the blessing of the temp agency, we eventually hired her on directly. In fact, her work anniversary was last month!

Lisa started working in the food service industry at the age of 14. In that time, she has worked in numerous different food service settings, from hospital and nursing home to corporate and fine dining, and even staffing private functions at high end residences like the Governor’s Mansion. Her event catering experience has been invaluable as we host increasingly more events, such as anniversary and retirement celebrations, birthday parties and wedding receptions.

Lisa likes many things about working at Holy Wisdom Monastery. She enjoys cooking for a crowd and loves how baking something as simple as a cookie can make people so happy. She hopes to see you soon for a meal or event at the Monastery!

The post Meals now served daily appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Our earlier article about the amazing chefs of Holy Wisdom Monastery from Weekly Wisdom resulted in requests for more information on how to reserve a meal in the Monastery Building. Without further ado, here are answers to the questions as well as some additional information on reserving a meal at Holy Wisdom.

We are taking numerous precautions such as bringing in a continual flow of fresh, warmed outside air into the dining rooms and allowing plenty of space for individuals to spread out while eating. Meals are eaten in either the large guest dining room or smaller community dining room depending on your preferences as well as whether greater distance between diners is needed or advised.

Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated with 48 hours advance notice.

Meal service reservations are available to overnight and meeting guests, as well as any Holy Wisdom community members.

Most meals are prepared “chef’s choice” and what is being offered won’t be known at the time of your reservation. Chefs Robert Kauper and Lisa Hoon are true chefs and they often use inspiration to help decide what will be made each day. The inspiration comes from several different factors such as what monastery-grown produce is available to them and catches their eye that day. And meals are usually served with a brief narrative from the chef!

Lunch is served at 12:00 noon and dinner is served at 5:15 pm.

To reserve a lunch or dinner, contact Brooke Livingston, our guest services manager, at 608-836-1631, x100 or blivingston@holywisdommonastery.org 48 hours in advance.

Shorter notice can sometimes be accommodated; call to inquire.

The post How to Reserve a Meal Prepared by the Holy Wisdom Monastery Chefs appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.