There’s A Monastery Hidden In Wisconsin And You’ll Want To Visit
By Ben Jones|Published January 13, 2022
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Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Just north of bustling Madison, there’s a quiet and tranquil monastery that’s surrounded by trails and nature. The Holy Wisdom Monastery is a beautiful ecumenical retreat and conference center and it’s home to the Benedictine Women of Madison. It’s a place that welcomes visitors and is worth visiting, even if you only have time for a short stroll through the grounds. Here’s why you should visit the Holy Wisdom Monastery.
The monastery is located in Middleton, not far from the north shore of Lake Mendota. It’s a short distance from Gov. Nelson State Park and some expansive state wildlife areas.
Members of the Benedictine Women of Madison manage the monastery and participate in communal prayer five times daily. The community grew out of an earlier community of Roman Catholic religious women – a group of Sisters moved to the area from Iowa in 1954 and opened and founded and built a Roman Catholic high school for girls that operated until 1966.
In the late 1990s the community formally withdrew from the jurisdiction of Roman Catholic law and joined the Federation of St. Gertrude, a group of 17 independent Benedictine women's communities. Today they accept women of any Christian tradition as members of their community.
The members manage a property that includes a complex of peaceful buildings. A Retreat and Guest House is used by groups and individuals for meetings, retreats and events. It’s available for overnight stays. The Monastery Building is beautiful, as well as environmentally friendly.
The monastery has its own trail system that’s a joy for nature lovers. It winds through prairies and woods and includes an ancient glacial pond. The trails are open to everyone and include gorgeous vistas of Lake Mendota and Madison. Controlled burns help the prairie thrive.
Public events like concerts take place frequently at the monastery and the property is used for weddings, retreats, and more. It’s worth visiting just to take in the property’s beauty.
The Holy Wisdom Monastery believes in hospitality and it welcomes people of diverse beliefs. It also welcomes people to prayer and worship. Learn more about the monastery here. Once you’ve explored this special place, here’s an incredible Wisconsin basilica you’ll want to see with your own eyes.
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