Summer at St. Paul’s Monastery and Benedictine Center
There are seasons in life when the pace of the world leaves little room to breathe, reflect, or simply be. We move from obligation to obligation, often carrying more than we realize, while the deeper parts of ourselves wait quietly for attention. At St. Paul’s Monastery and the Benedictine Center, we believe part of the spiritual life is intentionally making space for what matters most: prayer, rest, beauty, community, healing, creativity, silence, and the presence of God woven into daily life.
This summer, we invite you to return to that space. Whether through prayer, poetry, the labyrinth, art, retreat, conversation, or contemplative practice, these offerings are designed to help you slow down and reconnect with your inner life. The Monastery is more than a place to attend an event; it is a spiritual home where all are welcomed with hospitality and invited into rhythms that restore the heart and renew the soul.
You do not need to have everything figured out before coming here. You simply need the desire to pause, listen, and make room for what truly matters. We hope you will join us this summer. Make a personal retreat (day or overnight), set up time with a Spiritual Director, or bring your prayer or church group to the Monastery for your meeting. Wherever you are in your spiritual seeking, you have a spiritual home at St. Paul’s Monastery.
Discovering Benedictine Values Series
Every other Thursday, May 28–August 20 |7:00-8:30pm (Online)
What does it mean to live with intention, stability, and a listening heart in today’s world? This summer, step into a guided exploration of Benedictine values—practices that have shaped lives for over 1,500 years and continue to offer clarity, balance, and meaning.
Through conversation, reflection, and real-life application, you’ll engage the values of hospitality, humility, listening, stability, respect for persons, awareness of God, and dignity of work—not as abstract ideals, but as a way of living. Each session will be presented by an Oblate or Spiritual Director of St. Paul’s Monastery. This online series is designed for both newcomers and those looking to deepen their practice. Come as you are, from wherever you are, and discover how the Benedictine way can take root in your daily life.
>> Register for the Series or Individual Sessions
Poetic Medicine with Lisa Mer
June 7 | 2:00–3:30pm | St. Paul’s Monastery
“By making us stop for a moment, poetry gives us an opportunity to think about ourselves as human beings on this planet and what we mean to each other.” — Rita Dove
You are invited into a welcoming creative circle where poetry becomes a pathway to insight, healing, and wholeness. Together, we’ll explore the poem-making process as a gentle roadmap for fostering self-awareness and well-being. The poems we work with are accessible—no need to analyze or have any prior experience. Poetry and poem-making offer a powerful way of seeing below the surface, opening us to fresh perspectives and deeper connection. Grounded in over 20 years of innovative work by John Fox and The Institute for Poetic Medicine, this practice integrates poetry into mental health and wellness in meaningful, life-giving ways.
This session will include reflections on poems and quotes, creative writing prompts, and space to write and share what arises for you. No writing background is needed—just bring your curiosity and an open heart. You may attend a single session as we create together in an atmosphere of respect and encouragement.
>> Register Now for Poetic Medicine on June 7
Walking the Labyrinth Experiences
June 7 (4:30–6:30pm), July 11 & August 8 (9:00–11:00am) | St. Paul’s Monastery Grounds
Step away from daily life and step into the labyrinth; an ancient path of contemplation. Enter the quiet rhythm; a single winding path that leads to the center and back out again, inviting reflection, mindfulness, and renewal. During these two-hour gatherings, you are invited to walk the labyrinth at your own pace, pause for reflection at the center, and return along the same path. An introduction to the labyrinth and gentle guidance will be offered enfolding the following themes before the walk.
Whether you come with a question, a prayer, or simply a desire for quiet, the labyrinth offers space to slow down, listen inwardly, and reconnect with what matters most. There will be an opportunity to share about your experience after the walk, if you choose.
All are welcome. No experience necessary. Meet at the Monastery Reception Desk 15 minutes before the event begins to sign in and walk together to the Labyrinth. If there is inclement weather, we will meet in the Riepp Room inside the Monastery.
>> Register now for all three Walking the Labyrinth sessions or select individual dates below.
- June 7, 4:30-6:30pm | THEME: Welcoming All That Is
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” — Mary Oliver
You are invited to walk the labyrinth as a practice of welcoming all that is present in your life. With each turn of the path, we open to what is here—joy and sorrow, clarity and uncertainty—allowing the journey to unfold one step at a time.
>> Register for June 7.
- July 11, 9:00-11:00am | THEME: Holding On and Letting Go
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” — Hermann Hesse
Step onto the labyrinth path for a quiet, contemplative walk. Let the turning path invite you to notice what you are holding close and what you may be ready to set down.
Walk slowly. Breathe deeply. Trust the path.
>> Register for July 11. You are invited to stay for lunch with the Sisters after the labyrinth walk for an additional $15.
- August 8, 9:00-11:00am | THEME: Harvesting
“Each day of my life I am sowing seeds that one day I will harvest.” – Gautama Buddha
Take a gentle walk to honor what has grown in your life this season. What are the insights that may come your way as you go, step by step, in the twists and turns of the labyrinth?
>> Register for August 8. You are invited to stay for lunch with the Sisters after the labyrinth walk for an additional $15.
Evenings of Contemplative Fellowship (Centering Prayer)
June 10, July 8, August 12 | 4:00–7:00pm
In a world that rarely slows down, this monthly gathering offers a steady rhythm of prayer, presence, and community. Begin with time for silence and contemplative practice, join the Sisters for 5:00pm Evening Prayer, and share a simple meal in community.
These evenings are rooted in Benedictine hospitality—welcoming you not as a guest, but as part of the circle. Whether you are new to contemplative prayer or returning to a familiar practice, you’ll find space here to reconnect—with God, with others, and with yourself. Come for one evening or make it part of your monthly rhythm.
>> Register for one or all summer meetings of the Evening of Contemplative Fellowship.
Artist Reception with Holly Newton Swift
June 11 | 6:00–7:30pm
Join us for an evening celebrating the work of artist Holly Newton Swift. Her exhibit, June 1-August 2, invites viewers into a deeper encounter with beauty, story, and reflection with landscapes of Minnesota’s North Shore and the natural world. To be held in the Monastery’s gallery space, this reception offers a chance to meet the artist, hear about her creative process, and experience the exhibit in community.
Art has a unique way of opening us—to wonder, to meaning, to God. Whether you are an art enthusiast or simply curious, this is an opportunity to engage creativity in a space grounded in contemplation and hospitality. Come, linger, and allow the work to speak.
>> No registration necessary. Come, and enjoy the reception on June 11.
BioSpiritual Focusing – Level 2
June 12 | 9:00am–3:00pm | St. Paul’s Monastery
For those who have experienced Level 1, this next step invites you deeper into the practice of listening to the body as a place of spiritual awareness. BioSpiritual Focusing integrates prayer and embodiment, helping you attend to where God may be speaking within your lived experience.
Through guided exercises and reflection, you’ll continue developing a compassionate, attentive presence to your inner life. This day offers both structure and spaciousness—time to practice, to notice, and to grow. Come ready to deepen a practice that connects body, mind, and spirit in a grounded and transformative way.
>> Register now for BioSpiritual Focusing. Please note that you must complete Level 1 before registering for Level 2.
A Day of Turning Toward the Light
June 20 | 9:00am–3:00pm | St. Paul’s Monastery
On the threshold of the Summer Solstice, when the sun reaches its fullest expression, you are invited into a day of reflection, creativity, and gentle transformation.
This one-day event weaves together the intuitive practice of SoulCollage®, the meditative journey of the labyrinth, and the ancient rhythm of the turning year.
Through guided SoulCollage® card-making, participants will listen inwardly and give form to the voices of their own soul—those parts of us seeking expression, clarity, or renewal. No artistic experience is needed; images become mirrors, and meaning unfolds.
Walking the labyrinth offers a complementary practice of embodied prayer and contemplation. With each step, we release what no longer serves and open to what wishes to grow, honoring the solstice as a moment of illumination, balance, and abundance.
Held in a spacious, supportive atmosphere, this retreat is an invitation to pause, to reconnect with inner wisdom, and to celebrate the Divine Light as well as the light around us and within us. Cost includes lunch and all supplies.
This retreat also serves as a Qualifying Workshop for anyone wishing to attend a Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training, either online or in person. However, this is not required to attend. All are welcome.
>> Register now for this Day of Turning Toward the Light.
Mac’s Diner Give Back Fundraiser
June 29 | 4:00–10:00pm | Mac’s Diner in North St. Paul
Sometimes supporting the mission is as simple as showing up for a good meal. Join us at Mac’s Diner for an evening of community, connection, and generosity—where 30% of your bill will benefit St. Paul’s Monastery and the Benedictine Center.
It’s an easy and meaningful way to participate: gather friends or family, enjoy a meal, and know that your presence helps extend the Benedictine values of hospitality, prayer, and service into the wider community. We’ll be there throughout the evening—stop by, say hello, and be part of the shared effort to sustain this work.
>> No registration needed, however, click here to print the flyer. You must have a print copy of the flyer to present to your server to participate in this fundraiser.
