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BENEDICTINE RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER
Prayer and Meditation
hearing the voice of God in one's life
For more information or to register
Email the Benedictine Center or call 651.777.7251
Registering last minute?
While we welcome walk-ins, it is always wise to call 651.777.8181
to insure that an event has not been filled or cancelled.
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Lectio Divina
“Divine Reading” or “Praying with Scripture” is a way of responding to God’s invitation and entering into the Word of God with a listening ear. Through slow readings and silence, one is open to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Michael Casey descibes Lectio Divina as a 'means of setting aside the superficial to reach the heart of reality' in his book Sacred Reading.
Centering Prayer
When words and activity become too much, it is time for quiet in the arms of God. Centering Prayer teaches a person how to respond to God’s invitation to deeper relationship through contemplative stillness. Its roots are within the Christian heritage as taught by the Desert Fathers and Mothers and shared at the Benedictine Center through the work of Minnesota Contemplative Outreach. A regular centering prayer group meets on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:20a. Contact Sr. Virginia Matter for more details.
Pray with the Labyrinth
A hand made finger labyinth is available in the meditation chapel. Since the middle ages many Christians have used the labyrinth as a way to draw closer to God the the journey of life.
Come and Pray
Guests are welcome between 7:30a and 8:30p each day (Saturdays 8:30a-8:30p) to make use of the Meditation Chapel or public spaces for private prayer. Guests are welcome to join the monastic community for the liturgy of the hours. See the daily prayer schedule for details.
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Taizé Prayer
Monastic Community No charge
7–8p (Third Friday of each month)
Taizé prayer uses simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence to create an environment for encountering the mystery of God. This hour of quiet, gentle communal prayer can help dispel the accumulated
burdens of the week and free one for the renewal of a weekend. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome.
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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
David Sagula Free Will Offering
7–9p (Fourth Monday of each month)
This is a monthly on-going support group for men seeking to integrate contemplative spirituality into their active lives. Regular and occasional participants alike describe the evening as a comfortable place to dig deep with other men. The evening begins with Scripture and silent prayer, then introductions and conversation about men's spirituality and personal experience. The evening concludes with silent prayer. No experience with contemplative prayer is necessary, just an openness to its possibilities. Walk-ins are welcome.
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Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina Retreat
S. Virginia Matter $260 includes lodging and meals
Fri., Aug. 1, 7p thru Wed., Aug. 6, 1p
A time for profound silence and praying with the Scriptures. Register online.
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Yoga: A Discipline for Centering
Elisabeth Horst $90 for series
Wednesdays, Sept. 3 thru Oct. 8, 7-8:15p
(also Oct. 15 thru Nov. 19)
Yoga is an ancient practice that teaches the important role the body plays as an ally in the spiritual life, encouraging the alignment of body, mind, and spirit. In a chaotic, noisy world, such alignment can make an essential difference in living a centered life. Reconnecting body with breath, mind with spirit, physical alignment with energetic center, we rediscover the possibility of wholeness. As we ease physical tensions and move beyond internal hindrances, we open ourselves to creative potential. Physical benefits of practice also include increased stamina, strength, and flexibility. Register online.
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Living a Balanced Life
a series of retreats with S. Mary Forman OSB
 Living A Balanced Life is a series aimed at deepening an understanding of Christian discipleship. Master teacher S. Mary Forman OSB leads participants in a study of the Rule of St. Benedict and engages them in spiritual practices that incorporate its key principles. Living A Balanced Life offers a unique opportunity to "listen with the ear of one’s heart.”
Individual sessions
$165 including lodging and meals; $135 commuters
All three sessions for $450 overnight; $350 commuters
Session I: Prayer
Fri., Sept. 12, 7p thru Sat., Sept. 13, 4p
Benedict states, "First of all, every time you begin a good work, you must pray to [God] most earnestly to bring it to perfection," [RB Prologue 4, RB-1980]. Prayer expresses our relationship with God, who constantly draws us near that we, as Jesus did, might do God's will and trust in the Spirit to guide us. We will explore the differing meanings of prayer from the Benedictine tradition, our own personal history of prayer, and the ways in which prayer can help us set priorities for living a Christian life. Register online.
Session II: Work
Fri., Feb. 6, 7p thru Sat., Feb. 7, 4p
The word "work" conjures up many images, from manual labor to professional careers, from drudgery to the fine arts, from 9-5 and 24/7 to engagement in the creative activity of God, in which humans participate. We will explore the varied attitudes, types, and ways of working that are both death-dealing and life-giving. Register online.
Session III: Study/Leisure
Fri., Apr. 3, 7p thru Sat., Apr. 4, 4p
Benedict envisioned a balanced life as one in which prayer, work , study, and leisure help us know that God is with us in all we are and do. We will explore the meaning of leisure as a kind of Sabbath for body, mind, and soul and how a regular practice of study invites us to deeper prayer and living from our center. Register online.
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The Jesus Prayer
S. Mary White OSB $25
Thurs., Sept. 18, 7-9p
The “Jesus Prayer” comes to us from Eastern Christians. For centuries it has been practiced by seekers hoping for a heightened awareness of the Divine Life within. It is based on the prayer of the publican in Luke’s Gospel: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Simple and short, it is a prayer suited for even the most active among us. Join us in practicing how you might use this prayer. Register online.
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Vigil for the Change of Seasons
Jackie Witter
$10 fee distributed to Feed My Starving Children, Catholic Charities, Water Wells for Africa, and Pax Christi International
The ancient practice of prayer at the change of seasons has long been a way of renewing faith and deepening commitment of life. The Center recaptures this practice, inviting people to a time of reflection, conversation and prayer focused on the greater needs of the human family.
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Intro to Centering Prayer
S. Virginia Matter OSB $50
Sat., Sept. 27, 9a-3p
(also Jan. 31)
Learn the ancient practice of contemplative prayer that quiets your faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence. Respond to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. Register online.
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Tai Ji: Meditation in Motion
Geri DeStasio $60 for series
Mondays, Oct. 20 thru Nov. 24, 6:30-8:15p
(also Mar. 2 thru Apr. 13)
Tai-Ji is a form of meditation that helps integrate body, mind, and spirit through motion. The movements are simple and easy enough for most people. Each session includes other traditional forms of meditation like lectio divina and Centering Prayer. Register online.
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Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina Retreat
S. Virginia Matter OSB $150 includes 3 days lodging and meals; $260 5 day
Fri., Nov. 21, 7p thru Wed., Nov. 23, 1p
(also Mar. 27-29 and Aug. 7-12)
A time for profound silence and praying with the Scriptures. Register online.
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Journey with Scripture through Lent
S. Virginia Matter OSB $50
Wednesdays, Feb. 25 thru Apr. 1, 9:30-11a
Walk the way to Jerusalem using lectio divina and sacred texts that tell of the Paschal Mystery.
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Transforming the Heart of the World:
Living as a Contemplative Today
a public event with Fr.
Thomas Keating
Fri., Feb. 27, 7-9p
$40
Hosted by the Benedictine Center of St. Paul's Monastery
at Transfiguration Catholic Church
6133 15th Street North
Oakdale, MN 55128
View map
Fr. Thomas Keating, himself a master and teacher of the contemplative journey, is world renowned for his work reviving contemplative practice from within the Christian tradition. He is the co-founder of the Centering Prayer movement and works tirelessly to help people “tune into a fuller level of reality that is always present.” Plan now to attend this rare opportunity with one of the spiritual giants of our time. He writes:
The modern world lies under a pervasive sense of anguish, of being abandoned, or at least experiencing God as absent. Yet events that seem to turn our lives upside down and inside out are part of God's redemptive plan, not only for us, but for the world in which we live. God may be preparing a great awakening for the world, if God can find enough people to cooperate in this mysterious plan.
Register online.
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Meditation and Painting
Peggy Thompson $85 includes materials
Saturdays, Feb. 28 thru Mar. 14, 9a-12p
Beginning and advanced students learn how to release the artist within under the guidance of this master painter and spiritual director.
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Singing Meditation
Ruthie Rosauer $25
Thurs., Mar. 5, 7-9p
Music brings joy and a spiritual dimension to our lives. Singing Meditation intersperses periods of song with periods of silence for meditation, prayer or contemplation. Taste the silence after a song or chant has been sung deep into your soul. Passion for singing is the only prerequisite for participating.
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Triduum Retreat
S. Mary White OSB $160 includes lodging and meals
Thurs., Apr. 9, 6p thru Sat., Apr. 11, 9p
Join our Benedictine Community in celebrating these most holy days of the Christian year and deepen your appreciation of the narratives, symbols, and lived experience of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The schedule includes worship, lectures, rest and free time. You will be home again for Easter Sunday.
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Psalms as Prayer
S. Carol Rennie OSB $25
Tues., Apr. 21, 7-9p
The Psalter has been a powerful source of spiritual inspiration for generations. Come and discover how the psalms can be a constantly fresh source of personal prayer.
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Poetry as Prayer and Communion
Jim Smith $25
Tues., Jan. 27, 7-9p
Poetry is a profound source for prayer as writers seek to image their encounter with the Divine in unique ways. Using a wide range of poems, Jim Smith shows they can magnify and call forth prayer-filled communion with self, others, creation, and God.
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For more information or to register
Email the Benedictine Center or call 651.777.7251
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