Fall 2025 Oblate Retreat - Prologue: 45 “Therefore, we must establish school of the Lord’s service.”

The best words to describe the oblate annual retreat this year are:

New, exciting, different, unusual . . .

• New because…we are extending the length of our retreat to include Friday night activities and the regular Saturday activities
• Exciting because…we are on the cusp of realizing a new partnership with Hill Murray
• Different because…on Friday night we are going to a cookout with the Benedictine Community
• Unusual because…it is the night of Hill-Murray’s homecoming game as well as the oblate retreat (the high school right next to the monastery – the one the Sisters’ built!)

Our Featured Speaker is Dr. Susan Skinner, Vice President for Mission of Hill Murray School and oblate of St. Paul’s Monastery. We hope to have some assists from several of the Sisters too!

All will share on the spirituality of this place and experience and how it fits with the rule. We will learn the past, present and future of Hill Murray and how it fits into the Benedictine way of life in the future and with the oblates.

Schedule for the retreat:

Friday, September 26

5:00    Evening Prayer with the Benedictine Community
5:30    Dinner with the Benedictine Community at Hill Murray Cookout
6:30    Social/Fellowship at the football game

Saturday, September 27

(Optional) 8:00 Morning Prayer with the Benedictine Community
8:30 – 8:50     Registration/Check-In and Gathering Time
8:50                  Proceed to the Dining Room
9:00 – 9:10     Welcome and Opening Prayer
9:10 – 11:15   Feature presentation
11:30                Midday Prayer / Renewal Commitments
12:00                Lunch
12:30                Taizé Prayer
1:00                  Q & A with speaker
1:30                  Oblate Chapter Meeting
2:30 – 2:45    Closing Prayer

You can register for just Friday night, Just Saturday, or both events. You are welcome to stay at the monastery Friday night, but you need to reserve a room.