Practicing kinship at the monastery

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Living in Community 1 Comment

As a student of theology and ministry studies, I’m often busy reading and writing theological propositions, exercising my critical eye as a reader, and learning the arts of ministry like preaching and spiritual care. I find myself thoroughly convinced of the veracity of many theological arguments and of the necessity to rethink traditional models and modes of religious community. I know many things to be true and spend an exorbitantly large amount of time demonstrating it. Such is the life of a graduate student. Since coming to Holy Wisdom Monastery, I’m wondering if I feel any of those well-reasoned propositions …

Living our intention

Lynne Smith, OSBLiving in Community, Sunday Assembly Leave a Comment

“Ceremony focuses attention so that attention becomes intention. If you stand together and profess a thing before your community, it holds you accountable.” Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, p. 249. On July 15, 2018, we celebrated the first profession of Denise West as a sister at Holy Wisdom Monastery during the Eucharist on Sunday morning. Denise has been with us about three years, and this is the next step in making a commitment to community life with the sisters at Holy Wisdom. Benedictines are good at ceremony; we call it liturgy or ritual. In the profession ritual, Denise stood before …

Rodent wrangling and ambiguity

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCare for the Earth, Living in Community Leave a Comment

This week, on Tuesday morning, a group of us headed over to the garden. We hoped to beat the day’s heat and get some weeding and other work done before it became unbearably hot and humid. Sister Paz Vital and I were working in a fenced-in garden plot that contained rows of okra, cabbage, radishes, kale and a huge grouping of tomato plants. Suddenly, I heard a rustling in the corner of the garden near where we were working. The many, many weeds in that corner shook. A rabbit emerged, bounding through the garden. “BUNNY!” I yelled to Sister Paz. …

Daily prayer

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

All are welcome to join the sisters in daily prayer: 7:35 am-7:55 am: Centering Prayer (Tuesday-Saturday) 8:00 am-8:30 am: Morning Prayer (Every day) 11:45 am-12:00 pm: Midday Prayer (Tuesday-Friday); Mondays (Mid-May through August only) 4:00 pm: Lectio Divina (Saturday); in the Formation office area 4:30 pm-4:55 pm: Evening Prayer (Tuesday-Sunday); Mondays (Mid-May through August only) 4:55 pm-5:15 pm: Centering Prayer (Tuesday-Friday)

First Monastic Profession of Denise West

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

The Benedictine Sisters of Holy Wisdom Monastery invite you to celebrate a Eucharistic liturgy and First Monastic Profession of Denise West on Sunday, July 15, 2018 at 9:00 am in the assembly room at Holy Wisdom Monastery. There will be a lunch following the worship service. Please RSVP by July 1, 2018, Sunday Assembly members may sign up after Sunday Assembly. Oblates who are attending the July retreat will be included in the meal unless you opt out of Sunday. Everyone else, please register online. No gifts, donations are always welcomed. RSVP online

Guests bring a blessing

Lynne Smith, OSBHospitality, Living in Community Leave a Comment

  The sisters at Holy Wisdom have received a lot of guests recently. We greet the groups who come to use our space for their meetings and retreats. We get to know personal retreatants over meals in the community dining room. When I first came to the monastery, as an introvert, I found it taxing to have new people with us at every meal. Now I look forward to meeting them. Saint Benedict says that a monastery is never without guests. Indeed, we wouldn’t really be a Benedictine monastery without guests. We are called to provide hospitality and serve others. …

Daily prayer

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

All are welcome to join the sisters in daily prayer: 7:35 am-7:55 am: Centering Prayer (Tuesday-Saturday) 8:00 am-8:30 am: Morning Prayer (Every day) 11:45 am-12:00 pm: Midday Prayer (Tuesday-Friday); Mondays (Mid-May through August only) 4:00 pm: Lectio Divina (Saturday); in the Formation office area 4:30 pm-4:55 pm: Evening Prayer (Tuesday-Sunday); Mondays (Mid-May through August only) 4:55 pm-5:15 pm: Centering Prayer (Tuesday-Friday)

Caring for Common Ground

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

Interfaith ecological restoration training at Holy Wisdom Monastery People from different religious traditions and spiritual practices are invited to learn together how to do ecological restoration that helps to heal the land, and to share how their faith perspectives inform their care for the environment. Join and become part of an interfaith restoration community of practice! Workshop Topics: Concepts of ecological restoration, including hands-on skills for planning and implementing a restoration project Activities for engaging others in ecological education and restoration practice Dialogue about intersections of faith, ethics, and environmental care We Welcome Participants Who: Are interested in taking land …

Experience Benedictine Life at the Monastery

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

Are you a single, Christian woman, ages 24-50, without dependent children and interested in living in a monastery? This retreat is for you! Share a weekend with other women who are exploring their spiritual journey and seeking greater meaning in life Work, pray, eat and talk together with Benedictine sisters Learn how life in a monastery develops skills for personal, spiritual growth and community living Find renewal in our beautiful setting Learn about Benedictine Sojourners, an extended, 6-month community living opportunity at Holy Wisdom Monastery Ask questions and leave with a full heart Learn more and apply by following this link