75 Years of Blessings at St. Paul’s Monastery

The sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery have been serving God and the people of the Twin Cities area and beyond since 1948. We are thankful for God’s blessings over the past 75 years, and most especially for the many wonderful people that God sends to journey with us, walking along Monastery Way.

St. Paul’s Priory was founded on June 22, 1948, when 178 sisters from Saint Benedict Convent came from St. Joseph, MN to begin a new community on 301 Summit Avenue in St. Paul, MN. The sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery sent us a beautiful bouquet of roses for our chapel to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Click here to listen to the song “I Wisdom Am With You,” written by Sister Christine Manderfeld from St. Benedict’s Monastery. We are grateful for Wisdom leading us these 75 years.


Celebration of our Founding Day

We celebrated with a special Mass on June 18 with many friends and guests. Abbot John Klassen from Saint John’s Abbey presided. Pictured here (clockwise) are: 1. Abbot John Klassen presiding at Mass. 2. Sisters Joyce Willenbring, Karen Rose, and Michaela Hedican from St. Benedict’s Monastery with Sisters Catherine Nehotte and Jacqueline Leiter from St. Paul’s Monastery with the statue of St. Benedict. Sister Colleen Quinlivan from Saint Benedict’s Monastery is not pictured. 3. Sisters Lucia Schwickerath, Linda Soler, Mary White, and Louise Inhofer in the courtyard. 4. Sisters Paula Hagen, Mary Lou Dummer, and Virginia Matter in the courtyard with the statue of Mary. 5. Sisters Eleanor Wartmann and Catherine Schoenecker in the cloister walk with Saints Scholastica and Benedict. 6. Sisters Sharon Schiller and Karen Sames.


New Book Celebrates 75 Years of Community, Prayer, and Ministry

The new book Walking Monastery Way captures the last 25 years of the monastic life of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery. The book shares the joys, challenges, and gratitude of the sisters. It is truly a memoir of many voices with stories from sisters, oblates, and friends. Sister Lucia Schwickerath, pictured here, is the editor and moving spirit who collaborated with many others to make the book come to fruition. Please click below for more information about the book.


Walking Monastery Way Art Exhibit

The Monastery is hosting a special exhibit in our art gallery featuring the works of 16 artists who work in pottery, sculpture, tapestry, painting, photography, iconography, and mosaics. Artists expressed Benedictine values in a beautiful and unique way. Participating artists include four oblates, ten friends, and two sisters. Here in the slide show you can see samples of the beautiful art from the exhibit.