Have you ever felt like you needed to do big things to glorify God with your life? I struggled with this idea for many years. I have a dear friend who is a missionary in Kenya. She left her life here in the United States to create a home for pregnant young women and their babies in Kenya. I had the blessing of praying with her most Thursday mornings in the few years before she got on the airplane to Nairobi, Kenya to answer God’s call on her life. It was amazing to have a close-up view of her journey. Her inner journey with God included a radical outer journey.
Could my ordinary life with my husband, child, and work be enough to honor and serve God? What could I do or who else might be able to support my own inner journey of growth and transformation? I spent a year or so asking myself these questions.
A friend offering me a retreat catalog from St. Paul’s Monastery led to my first connection with St. Paul’s Monastery. A retreat on Lectio Divina caught my eye and led me to spend a few days at the monastery. The quiet, the regular rhythm of prayer, and the warm hospitality of the Sisters created an atmosphere that kept drawing me to return. After spending more regular time around the monastery, I finally sensed an invitation to learn more about Benedictine Spirituality.
Through initial readings of the Rule of Benedict and conversations with people at the monastery, I began to see that Benedictine Spirituality was a time-proven way of seeking God through a balanced life of prayer, work and holy leisure. I came to appreciate this third place (the monastery) beyond church and home for spiritual formation. As I continued to interact with Sisters and others around the monastery, I began to see that the daily practice of trying to apply the values found in the Rule of St. Benedict offered support and some structure for seeking Christ in the normal experiences of everyday life. I started noticing how St. Benedict quoted Scripture throughout his Rule to invite the monks to grow and continue their spiritual journey. I appreciated how the small details of daily life were woven into this intentional way of living. All these things along with the opportunity to spend time with a community of like-minded people, led to me saying yes to the invitation to explore Initial Oblate Formation with St. Paul’s Monastery.
If you have ever wondered what Benedictine Spirituality is and why Benedictine Spirituality might be relevant today, I’d like to invite you to attend an evening called Conversations about Benedictine Spirituality. We will explore how an everyday person could have a connection with the Benedictine Path and consider who could benefit from exploring Benedictine Spirituality further in a group. In addition, interested people can find out more about considering Initial Oblate formation. These evenings will offer an opportunity to spend an evening at St. Paul’s Monastery including prayer with the Sisters, dinner and a facilitated conversation about Benedictine Spirituality. Choose from one of four Thursday evenings – Oct. 15, 2026, Nov. 19, 2026, Feb. 18, 2027, or April 15, 2027. Each evening will start at 4:45 pm and conclude at 7:15 pm.
