To protect our Sisters, the Monastery and Chapel are closed to the public. The Museum, Gift Shop, Inn, and our beautiful grounds are open.
Center for Benedictine Life
Our vision
Prayer awakens. Justice impels.
Compassion acts.
Thy Kingdom Come.
We are the Monastery
The Center for Benedictine Life
at the Monastery of St. Gertrude:
All of us: The Monastery of St. Gertrude is more than just the sisters; it is becoming the Center for Benedictine Life which includes sisters, oblates, employees, cohousing, volunteers, friends and benefactors.
Sharing Benedict: Our purpose is to share Benedictine spirituality, values and practices with the world.
With New Purpose & Leadership: St. Gertrude’s will continue into the future as the Center for Benedictine Life, creating new ministries and supported by new forms of leadership.
June 13, 2022
Join Us in Prayer and Fasting for Ukraine
Our prioress, Sr. Mary Forman, O.S.B., received the following emails this morning.
We ask that you pray with us for peace and wellbeing for all.
From Sr. Lynn Marie McKenzie, O.S.B.:
There are Benedictine nuns and sisters in Ukraine who need our prayers. I heard from the CIB Delegate of CIB Region 7 which includes Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania – she has been in touch with the abbess of the monastery of nuns in Zhytomyr Ukraine who said that the military base near them was destroyed by shelling last night. Some people in the area are coming to the abbey of the nuns to take refuge. I’m afraid that this will spill beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Let us pray for peace and especially for the people of Ukraine.
From Sr. Ann Hoffman, O.S.B., Director, Alliance for International Monasticism
Please hold the Benedictine Sisters at Immaculate Conception Abbey in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, the citizens of Zhytomyr, and all of Ukraine in your prayers. The city of Zhytomyr was under attack by Russian missiles early this morning (February 24). Some sisters have transferred to Lviv. The rest are staying. Families from their town are coming to the abbey because they don’t know what to do. Innocent civilians are being attacked.
Pray for peace!
Historical Museum
Spirit Center
Inn at St. Gertrude
Featured
Featured News, Events, Community Members
All are welcome!
Individual Retreat
flexible dates
St. Benedict said, “Listen with the ear of your heart.” Why? It is this type of listening that allows the hearing of divine wisdom and inspiration that guides our lives into ever-increasing fullness, peace, and joy. But sometimes the noise and blur of life make that difficult. That is why we offer you the opportunity to come to Spirit Center and listen.
Come to the Quiet
July 15 – 22, 2022
Come away for a silent, individually directed retreat with optional faith sharing, creative expression, body prayer, and ritual. Relax in God’s presence, surrounded by natural beauty and supported by a praying community.
Compassion Acts
August 12 – 14, 2022
Compassion Acts is an experiential retreat encompassing numerous topics including: empathy, compassion, self-compassion, perfectionism, forgiveness, suffering, disability, The Two Wolves at the Door, One Good Deed, and works of compassion. Over the course of the weekend, Sr. Kim will present each topic through personal stories and select videos.
Living as a Monk in Everyday Life
August 22-28, 2022
In this nine-month program, we will focus on how ordinary people can integrate Benedictine monastic prayer, values and structures into their lives outside of a monastery. The program begins with a week-long retreat at the Monastery of St. Gertrude. Over the next nine months participants will take online classes in Benedictine spirituality, participate in online discussions with other participants, explore suggested readings and do regular integration/reflection exercises.
A Watercolor Journey II
SEPTEMBER 13-15, 2022
Take the next step toward becoming a confident watercolorist. Revisit the techniques learned in “A Watercolor Journey” and move forward to new skills. Any beginner class will serve as a prerequisite for this retreat. All materials provided.
Introduction to Centering Prayer
SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2022
Experience a contemplative prayer form that has the potential to transform your spiritual life. This introductory retreat will provide the background and fundamentals of Centering Prayer and teach how to develop a continuing practice.
Renovation Update
In 2021, St. Gertrude’s crossed the fundraising goal line for the $2.3 million renovation project of the 72-year-old residential wing. In April 2021, the sisters moved back in. “After years of planning, design, and construction we are at completion! This has required the efforts of so many to make this possible,” wrote Oblate Jo-Anne Zimmer in a recent update. “We have gone from a 72-year-old building to a more modern space with the major highlights being private bathrooms, larger spaces, an asbestos-free environment, added insulation to the outside walls, updated plumbing and electrical, and more. It’s a joy to watch this spring into completion!”
Visit Us
The Welcome Center, Historical Museum, Inn, and Spirit Center are open. The Chapel remains closed due to Covid-19. We are livestreaming Sunday Mass at 11:30 a.m. on our Facebook page. We are on Pacific Time. Welcome Center and Historical Museum Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Get Directions