Saint Bede Monastery - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Welcome to the home of the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Bede Monastery.

At the heart of our Benedictine tradition lies a deep, warm and sincere hospitality to all our visitors. We listen deeply to each other, support each other's gifts, and grow together in common love and faithfulness. Learn about our monastic life and about seeking God as a Benedictine Sister.

Saint Bede Monastery is an ecumenical retreat and conference center located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We welcome church, civic, and service groups for retreats, meetings, seminars, and workshops. In addition, the center offers a wide variety of religious, spiritual, cultural, and educational programs. Private retreats are always welcome as well!

Saluting Friends as Sisters Celebrate Community's 60th Year in Eau Claire

Sister Margaret Michaud On June 15th Lay Associates, donors, volunteers, advisers and other friends of the Benedictines will gather at Saint Bede Monastery to celebrate this community's 60th anniversary. Although Benedictine Sisters have served this area since 1892, it was not until 1948 that 83 Sisters from St. Benedict's Convent at St. Joseph, MN, established a motherhouse on Eau Claire's Wilson Street. These volunteers were considered "pioneers."

During the tenures of Prioresses Ethel Cushing and Denis Smith, the Sisters, assisted by many friends, prayed, planned and worked for a new home for their growing community. They purchased a farm south of Eau Claire and opened their distinctive monastery in 1964. The community, rich in teaching experience, later responded to changing educational needs by opening a series of schools at the monastery. The Benedictines also have operated schools in nearby Altoona and a community hospital at Durand, WI.

Prayer, Ingenuity and Supportive Friends Continue to Serve Community Well

Over the years, the Saint Bede prioresses have played major roles in the many challenges accepted and met by the Sisters. These leaders encouraged or led initiatives that sustained the Benedictines' spiritual life, ministries, ecumenical programs, financial stability and other aspects of the community. At Saint Bede, hospitality is a hallmark of the Sisters' daily lives and programs offered at their ecumenical retreat and conference center. In the 1980s, with fewer vocations anticipated, the Sisters addressed the realities of a future that increasingly would bring aging and health issues, along with rising expenses as more Sisters left full or part-time salaried ministries. Their discussions, enhanced by consultations with religious and lay friends, culminated last August when the Sisters decided to sell their property and relocate their monastic home to a smaller, more manageable site.

"We are not in crisis and the Sisters want to remain together in this area where Benedictine Sisters have served since 1892," said Sister Margaret, who on June 8th will complete a record five terms as prioress. She will be succeeded by Sister Michaela Hedican, a former sub-prioress whose contributions here include co-founding and directing Saint Bede Center. Sister Michaela is the current president of the Federation of Saint Benedict.

Your Gifts Make a Difference

Sister Michaela Hedican Donations to the Sisters' "Future Fund" are used to defray consulting, travel and other expenses critical to attracting an appropriate buyer. There also will be relocation expenses. To date, the Sisters have been responding to numerous inquiries from prospective buyers and providing detailed information to organizations seeking sites for healthcare, education, spiritual gatherings and other purposes.

"We're confident that God again will guide us to the next step on our journey and that those who value our Benedictine tradition will be with us," said Sister Margaret. "We plan to remain a vibrant community."

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