Benedictine Sojourners

Community      •      Prayer      •      Service

Benedictine Sojourners is a new way of living in community with Benedictine Women of Madison, an inclusive Christian community at Holy Wisdom Monastery.

• Benedictine Sojourners is for single, Christian women with no dependents.
• Benedictine Sojourners is a 6-12 month experience, renewable up to 2 years.
• Women must attend an Exploring Benedictine Community Retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery prior to becoming a Benedictine Sojourner.
• Women considering becoming a Benedictine Sojourner may make a personal retreat to help them decide whether or not to attend an Exploring Benedictine Community Retreat. Contact Sister Lynne Smith to schedule a personal retreat.

As a Benedictine Sojourner you:

• Experience an inclusive Benedictine community.
• Follow monastic practices, including a simple lifestyle and celibate living.
• Taste and develop a rich prayer life.
• Share your gifts and receive the community’s gifts.
• Receive room and board, and a monthly stipend
• Find your place in the community’s mission weaving prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth.

What do Benedictine Sojourners do?

• Benedictine Sojourners live, learn, pray and work with the sisters at Holy Wisdom Monastery.

  Benedictine Women of Madison

• Attend Sunday worship.
• Participate in daily community life, Liturgy of the Hours and centering prayer.
• Meet together with the sisters on weekdays for shared reflection and planning.
• Work 30 hours/week at Holy Wisdom Monastery using skills of each participant. Examples:
  • work with the Sunday Children’s Ministry
  • serve on the Sunday worship hospitality committee
  • lead prayers or retreats
  • work in the sisters’ vegetable garden, the orchard, the prairie and monastery grounds
  • blog, take photos, write with a team for the sisters’ website and publications
  • assist in guest services; greeting guests, cleaning rooms, performing office tasks, helping with food services, etc.

Additional opportunities for Benedictine Sojourners:

• Study Benedictine spirituality in weekly session.
• Perform justice work in the Madison area.
• Enjoy leisure activities on evenings and Saturdays.
• Form relationships among Benedictine Sojourners and with members of the sisters’ community.

When could I begin?

Applications are accepted year-round. Applicants are asked to indicate preferred starting and completion dates for service.  Final decisions on dates will be made as part of the interview process.

For a printable brochure about this program, click here.

How do I apply?

1)  Attend an Exploring Benedictine Community Retreat  (retreat dates: April 12-14, 2013; July 19-21, 2013; October 4-6, 2013).  This may be scheduled before or after submitting the application. You may schedule a personal retreat to help you decide whether to come for an Exploring Benedictine Community Retreat.

2)  Complete and submit the application form:  Click here for online form.  Click here to view application form as pdf.

3)  Contact three references (other than relatives) and ask them to submit a letter of recommendation.  Please include an employer (current or former) or supervisor of a service related placement, if applicable, as one of the recommendations. Click here for online form (page link can be copied and pasted into an email request to your references).  Click here to view letter of recommendation form as pdf.

4)  Complete and submit two reflection questions.  Click here for reflection questions.

 

For more information on becoming a Benedictine Sojourner or attending the Exploring Community retreat, contact Sister Lynne Smith, OSB at (608) 831-9305.