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Holy Wisdom MonasteryWhile they’ve been relying on volunteers to help restore prairie lands since the 1990s, the more formal Friends of Wisdom Prairie was established in 2014. The sisters are thrilled to have Greg Armstrong, who directed the University of Wisconsin Arboretum for twenty years, as their director of land management and environmental education.1
Holy Wisdom MonasteryThe welcoming attitude of the congregation, the relatability of the presiders, the gender-neutral language when speaking of divinity and the eco-spirituality of Holy Wisdom attract many people who are looking for a deeper connection with others and with the earth.2
Holy Wisdom MonasteryIn 2010, the U.S. Green Building Council awarded Holy Wisdom Monastery a LEED Platinum rating. Four years later, the monastery became Madison Gas and Electric’s largest solar customer.3
Holy Wisdom MonasteryNowadays, all kinds of people go on retreat at the monastery, either as individuals or in groups. The retreat house accommodates 19 people, plus the monastery has two more isolated hermitages for people seeking solitude.4
Holy Wisdom MonasteryThe sisters replaced their original Benedictine House — which was deconstructed and 99.75% recycled or reused — with a new, eco-friendlier monastery, which opened in 2009.5
Holy Wisdom MonasteryThe unconventional group of Benedictine nuns who run the monastery oversee a whole host of enterprises, from managing a retreat center to restoring the surrounding prairie.6
