BENEDICTINE RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER
Prayer and Meditation

hearing the voice of God in one's life

Guests are welcome to join the monastic community for daily prayer

by Peggy Thompson

from the An Experience of Color and Spirit

By S. Sarah Voss OSB

Click on the title to view description

Click on Calendar to browse by month

Sept
14 19 School of Lectio Divina
17   Taizé Prayer
20 + Shape of the Divine: Working with Clay as Spiritual Practice
21   Is Spiritual Direction Right for Me?
22   Poetry Reading by Michael Dennis Browne
27   Men's Contemplative Spirituality Group
28   Lectio 101: The Word of God
Oct
5   Benedictine Spirituality for the Frazzled
13   Bio Spiritual Focusing Enrichment
14   Steps Toward Healing Wounds of the Past
15   Taizé Day of Reflection
15   Taizé Prayer
16   Intro to Centering Prayer
20 Centering Prayer Enrichment
21   Praying the Psalms
25   Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
Nov
5 6 A Time to Remember: A Retreat for Women Whose Mothers Have Died
11   When Thinking Gets in the Way of Praying
15   Psalms for the Liturgical Year
19   Taizé Prayer
20   Recreating Christmas as a Religious Holiday
22   Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
26   Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina Retreat
30   Praying with Scripture through Advent
Dec
11 + The Christmas Village Exhibit
17 18 Taizé Retreat
17   Taizé Prayer
27   Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
31 Jan 1 Crossing the Threshold
       

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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Monthly Prayer

Taizé Prayer (new monastery)

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.

The Taizé community is an international and ecumenical community founded in 1940 by Brother Roger in France. Click here for a video introduction.

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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group (new monastery)

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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Daily Prayer

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.

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.

Weekly Prayer

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 in the journey of life.

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SEPTEMBER

Exhibits
A new series of exhibits on art and spirituality will be offered throughout the year. Announcements of the artists and themes can be found at www.stpaulsmonastery.org.

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Weekly Centering Prayer Group

Wed., Sept. 8, 6:30-7:20a (each Wednesday)
No cost
Centering Prayer is a form of prayer that takes practice. Each week the monastery hosts a time for those seeking to deepen their experience under the guidance of S. Virginia Matter OSB.

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School of Lectio Divina
Tues., Sept. 14, 1p thru Sun., Sept. 19, 1p (FULL)
(also Feb. 25 thru Mar. 2 OPEN)

S. Meg Funk OSB
$700 includes lodging and meals

The Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery is offering the School of Lectio Divina to adapt the ancient monastic riches of sustained lectio divina to contemporary people. Through an intensive retreat experience set in the rhythm of life at St. Paul’s Monastery, participants receive teaching about lectio, spend time meditating on a sacred text significant for them, have the opportunity for individual spiritual direction, and participate in reflective conversation with other participants. In addition, the Center will provide a variety of on-going support activities and resources after the retreat participants make sustained lectio core to individual prayer and spiritual development. Limit 15 guests. Email benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org for Feb. 25 – Mar. 2 application materials.

Click here for a description of the School of Lectio Divina.

Click here for a PDF copy of the application form.  

Click here for a Word copy of the application form.

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Taizé Prayer
Fri., Sept. 17, 7-8p (third Friday of every month)

Monastic Community
No cost
Taizé prayer uses simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence to create an environment for encountering the mystery of God. Walk-ins welcome.

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Shape of the Divine: Working with Clay as Spiritual Practice
Mondays, 6:30-8:30p, Sept. 20 thru Oct. 25

S. Virginia Matter OSB
$150 includes materials
Under the direction of experienced potter S. Virginia Matter OSB, learn how making hand-built vessels can aid the process of meditation. Register online.

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Is Spiritual Direction Right for Me?
Tues., Sept. 21, 7-8p

Peter Watkins
No cost
There are times when a deep conversation about one’s spiritual questions and insights can deepen one’s relationship with God. That is the role of spiritual directors. Come and learn more about the process and whether it is suited to your spiritual needs. Register online.

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Poetry Reading by Michael Dennis Browne
Wed., Sept. 22, 7:30-9:30p
Freewill offering


“The mingling of both well-being and distress in us is so astonishing that we can hardly tell what state we are in. But the fact is, that is a part of being whole. We stand in this mingling all our life.” (Julian of Norwich)


Poets have a vocation to pay attention – to the world, to the events that shape us, to the intricacies of the human heart. Drawing on his extensive career as poet and teacher, Michael Dennis Browne will read and reflect on his poems as they grapple with well-being and distress. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, where he has taught from 1971 to 2010. Two of his collections of poetry have won the Minnesota Book Award. To Be Certain of the Dawn, a post-Holocaust oratorio written with the composer Stephen Paulus, was released as a CD by the Minnesota Orchestra on BIS Records in 2009. His most recent publication is What the Poem Wants: Prose on Poetry (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2009). Other publications include Give Her the River, a picture book (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004) and Things I Can’t Tell You, a collection of his poems (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2005). Register online.

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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
Mon., Sept. 27, 7-9p (fourth Monday of every month)

David Sagula
Freewill offering
This time of prayer and conversation is for men seeking to integrate contemplative spirituality into their active lives. The evening includes time with Scripture and silent prayer, as well as dialogue about men’s spirituality and personal experience. No experience with contemplative prayer is necessary. Walk-ins welcome.

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Lectio 101: The Word of God

Tues., Sept. 28, 7-9p

Steve Arnold
$25
An ancient spiritual practice, lectio divina is a prayerful reading of the Bible. In this session, participants learn how this practice can enrich their encounter with the Scriptures. Register online.

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OCTOBER


Benedictine Spirituality for the Frazzled
Tues., Oct. 5, 7-9p

Rev. Jane Tomaine, D.Min.
$25
Ever feel like a prisoner of your schedule? Looking for ways to restore balance and wholeness? Would you like to draw on God’s continual presence in your daily life? This evening program explores how the Rule of St. Benedict can help one stay connected to God in the fray and open
to that holy grace that infuses hope and peace. To bring the learning alive in day-to-day routines, participants will will receive practical tools to help live in the present moment, create a healthier balance and connect with God through creative ways during the day. Come and join others who are seeking a deeper relationship with God and explore how wisdom from the sixth century speaks in a living and relevant voice for today. Register online.

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Bio Spiritual Focusing Enrichment
Wed., Oct. 13, 7-9p

S. Virginia Matter OSB and S. Joanne Dehmer SSND
$20
An evening of enrichment and shared practice for those who have experience with Bio Spiritual Focusing. Offered in cooperation with Loyola Spirituality Center. Register online.

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Steps Toward Healing Wounds of the Past
Thurs., Oct. 14, 7-9p

S. Mary White OSB
$25
Faith gives us guidance toward freedom from the harmful effects of unhealed emotional pain, whether it be pain inflicted from outside or pain which is caused within. With a determined will and surrender to grace, participants will find inner peace and renewed energy for the future. Join this evening for a review of simple practices which open the way to healing. Register online.

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Taizé Day of Reflection
Fri., Oct. 15, 10a-8p

Victor Klimoski
$40 includes meals
A time of reflection flowing into the celebration of Taizé prayer. Theme: Cultivating the presence of God. Register online.

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Taizé Prayer
Fri., Oct. 15, 7-8p
No cost
Taizé prayer uses simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence to create an environment for encountering the mystery of God. Walk-ins welcome.

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Intro to Centering Prayer

Sat., Oct. 16, 9-3p

S. Virginia Matter OSB
$50 includes lunch
This ancient spiritual practice is a Christian way of meditating that teaches one how to listen for God’s invitation to deeper relationship. S. Virginia Matter OSB has been teaching Centering Prayer for over 20 years. Register online.

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Centering Prayer Enrichment
S. Virginia Matter OSB
Wednesdays, 7-9p, Oct. 20 thru Nov. 3
$35 for all three
These three sessions use teachings and dialogue to enrich one’s practice of Centering Prayer. Session 1: Prayer in Secret and The Discipline of Centering Prayer; Session 2: What Centering Prayer is Not and What It Is and The Basic Principles of Centering Prayer; Session 3: The Method of Centering Prayer. Register online.

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Praying the Psalms
Thurs., Oct. 21, 7-9p

S. Carol Rennie OSB
$25
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. Register online.

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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group

Mon., Oct. 25, 7-9p
This time of prayer and conversation is for men seeking to integrate contemplative spirituality into their active lives. The evening includes time with Scripture and silent prayer, as well as dialogue about men's spirituality and personal experience. No experience with contemplative prayer is necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Freewill offering.

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NOVEMBER


A Time to Remember: A Retreat for Women Whose Mothers Have Died
S. Joanne Dehmer SSND
Fri., Nov. 5, 7p thru Sat., Nov. 6, 4p
$195 includes lodging and meals
$125 for commuters
We mourn the death of our mother all the days of our life. This retreat offers women an opportunity to explore the significance of mother loss. Hosted by the Loyola Spirituality Center at the Benedictine Center. Call 651.641.0008 to register.

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When Thinking Gets in the Way of Praying
Rev. Lisa Cressman, D. Min.
Thurs., Nov. 11, 7-9p
$25
Ancient monastics discovered that in their zeal to be faithful at prayer, they underestimated the sorts of distractions their minds could generate. The passage of centuries has not cured this problem. Enrich your ability to stay focused in prayer by joining Lisa Cressman to explore practical helps and time-tested monastic wisdom. Register online.

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Psalms for the Liturgical Year
Frank Rivas
Mondays, 7-9p Nov. 15 and 22
$40
In the Liturgy of the Hours, psalms composed centuries before Jesus nonetheless give voice to the breadth of the Christian tradition. There are, however, problems with the psalms; many, for example, assume that God should help us and “our people” just as God should punish those we identify as enemies. After millennia of conflicts in which God was invoked by both sides, we have witnessed the danger of this approach. Frank Rivas approaches the psalms by examining this ethnocentrism more closely by studying the Hebrew text and by examining our own hearts. Register online.

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Taizé Prayer
Fri., Nov. 19, 7-8p
No cost
Taizé prayer uses simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence to create an environment for encountering the mystery of God. Walk-ins welcome.

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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
Mon., Nov. 22, 7-9p
This time of prayer and conversation is for men seeking to integrate contemplative spirituality into their active lives. The evening includes time with Scripture and silent prayer, as well as dialogue about men's spirituality and personal experience. No experience with contemplative prayer is necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Freewill offering.

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Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina Retreat
S. Virginia Matter OSB
Fri., Nov. 26, 7p thru Sun., Nov. 28, 1p (also Aug. 19-24)
$180 includes lodging and meals
Experience a time of profound silence and praying the Scriptures as you enter into deeper relationship with God and self. Blends a rhythm of Centering Prayer, lectio divina, and prayer with the monastic community. Register online.

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Praying with Scripture through Advent
S. Virginia Matter OSB
$50
Tuesdays, 9:30-11a, Nov. 30 thru Dec. 21
Prepare for Advent by entering into key scriptural texts that open us to the miracle of the Incarnation. Register online.

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DECEMBER

The Christmas Village Exhibit
Open Dec. 11 thru Jan. 6, 9a-6p daily
Freewill offering
This elaborate display of hand-painted Fontanini figurines during the Advent and Christmas Season provides a three-dimensional interpretation of the nativity of our Lord.

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Taizé Retreat
S. Virginia Matter OSB
Fri., Dec. 17, 7p thru Sat., Dec. 18, 1p
$70
This retreat flows from the celebration of Taizé prayer. This month’s focus: heartfulness. Register online.

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Taizé Prayer
Fri., Dec. 17, 7-8p
No cost
Taizé prayer uses simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence to create an environment for encountering the mystery of God. Walk-ins welcome.

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Men’s Contemplative Spirituality Group
Mon., Dec. 27, 7-9p
This time of prayer and conversation is for men seeking to integrate contemplative spirituality into their active lives. The evening includes time with Scripture and silent prayer, as well as dialogue about men's spirituality and personal experience. No experience with contemplative prayer is necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Freewill offering.

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For more information or to register

Email the Benedictine Center or call 651.777.7251

St. Paul's Monastery | 2675 Benet Road | St. Paul, Minnesota 55109 | 651-777-8181 | info@stpaulsmonastery.org
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