COVID-19 Update

Dear Friends of St. Mary Monastery,

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, we want to assure you that the Benedictine Sisters are committed to the continued safety of our community members, employees, volunteers and Benet House guests. For 2020, the sisters are placing a special emphasis on the value of prayer, and this certainly includes praying for the containment of the coronavirus.

In addition to praying for medical personnel caring for the sick, we are taking steps at the Monastery and Benet House to contain the spread of the virus. Here is what we are doing:

Benet House Retreat Center

Beginning this Sunday, March 15, the Benet House Retreat Center will be closed to all guests through at least March 29. Many of these programs will be rescheduled once the virus is contained. We have cancelled the following programs:

• Weekly Centering Prayer
• Voices to be Heard on March 19th
• Working with the Sacred Medicine Wheel

Oblates

• The Quad Cities Oblate meeting on March 21st is cancelled
• The Bloomington-Normal Oblate meeting on March 22nd is cancelled

Class Reunions

• The SMA class reunion for March 27 – 29 was already cancelled

We will be re-evaluating this regularly based on the best current information, so please check our Facebook page and our website for further updates.

Your health and the health of our community at St. Mary Monastery is our primary concern. Thus, it is important to adopt these unusual measures at this time.

Stay well and join us in prayer for the end of the spread of this virus.

Blessings,

Sister Sandra Brunenn
Prioress