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In this continuation of Ep. 1, Becoming Ecumenical: Bringing Christians Together, we sit down once more with Sister Mary David Walgenbach and Sister Joanne Kollasch. Starting in 1966, the sisters take us along the hurdles and fundamental moments of growth into an ecumenical community throughout the 60’s, 70’s, and Vatican II.

From welcoming retreat groups for many different Christian denominations to hosting the Dalai Lama, the sisters have embraced the hospitality of St. Benedict, calling it “the everyday path to God that St. Benedict asks of people coming to the monastery.”

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You can listen to The Holy Wisdom Podcast at any of these online locations:

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The post ‘Becoming Ecumenical: The New Spirit of Vatican II,’ The Holy Wisdom Podcast appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

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Where can pastors and clergy leaders go for spiritual renewal and support? Being a leader in a faith tradition isn’t easy, and it can sometimes be difficult to find peers with the same calling. This need for connection and community naturally led to the formation of one of the newest communities at Holy Wisdom Monastery: The Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal (ECCSR).

Join us in this inspiring dive into the creation and meaning of the ECCSR experience with co-directors Reverend Nancy Enderle and Reverend Jerry Buss.

Where to Listen?

You can listen to The Holy Wisdom Podcast at any of these online locations:

Our Blog, under the “Podcast” Category

Anchor.fm

Apple Podcasts

Breaker

Google Podcasts

Spotify

RadioPublic

PocketCasts

The post ‘A Space for Clergy Renewal,’ The Holy Wisdom Podcast appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.

On January 10, 2019, we welcomed the Rev. Nancy Enderle and the Rev. Jerry Buss, the co-directors of the Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal to the coworkers at the monastery. Joanne remarked to me: “This begins another chapter.”

Her comment set me thinking about the chapters in our community’s story. The sisters’ community has authored many chapters in its life. They are a testimony to the sisters hearing and responding to the needs around them. If I were to write a summary of the chapters, it might go like this.

Chapter 1 – Hospital

When the Sisters of Saint Benedict first arrived in Sioux City, IA in 1897 they saw a need for health care and food among the working poor of the city. The sisters began a hospital and a nursing school to provide nurses to staff it. Long lines of working men came to the back door of the kitchen where they received sandwiches for their daily meal.

Chapter 2 – School

When the new bishop of Madison saw the need for a girls’ Catholic preparatory high school in Madison, he invited the Benedictine sisters in Sioux City to come to the diocese to start one. The sisters came in 1953 and opened the school in 1959.

Chapter 3 – St. Benedict Center, an Ecumenical Retreat & Conference Center

The documents of Vatican Council II inspired the sisters to invite the Interfaith Dialogue of Madison to hold their monthly meetings at the monastery. After a time, the Dialogue group asked the sisters to open an ecumenical retreat and conference center at the monastery: St. Benedict Center began (1966).

Chapter 4 – Community for the 80’s: new forms of community

The sisters’ mission took a new turn in 1980 after hearing Professor Giles Constable’s historical presentation at our International Symposium Commemorating the Birth of Benedict (480-1980).  After hearing this presentation, the sisters were inspired to start new ecumenical communities flowing from their mission: Community of Benedict, Sunday Assembly, Oblates of Holy Wisdom Monastery, etc.

Chapter 5 – Benedictine Women of Madison

By 1992 the sisters had shared their life for 25 years with all who came to the monastery. A visioning and planning group asked the question: are the sisters being called to open their membership to women of any Christian denomination? In 2006, with the blessing of our Federation of Saint Gertrude, they answered the question: we believe we are called.

Chapter 6 – Green Building

As an expression of Benedictine Stewardship, the sisters had cared for the land on which the monastery was situated ever since coming to Madison. They planted hundreds of trees, created grass waterways, restored acres of prairie, dredged Lost Lake. Responding to the deepening urgency to care for our fragile earth, the sisters embodied their care for the earth ministry by building a green monastery, certified at the platinum level of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

Chapter 7 – Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal

This chapter began in the spring of 2018 when Sister Mary David called together a group at the monastery to write a grant to the Lilly Foundation to establish the Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal. This chapter in the life of the community will bring clergy to the monastery twice a year for immersion in Benedictine spirituality and renewal for their continued ministry. We are excited to see what this new chapter will bring.

The post Beginning another chapter appeared first on Holy Wisdom Monastery.