Breaking Ground
After years of community discernment, reflection and trusting the Holy Spirit, our community celebrated a historic milestone on June 17, 2026: the groundbreaking of our new monastery. What began as a rainy morning turned into a beautiful afternoon for the monastic community and more than 100 invited guests to come together and celebrate the occasion. The ceremony included a land acknowledgment, prayer, blessing of the ground with holy water, recognition, groundbreaking and the sisters’ traditional blessing song sung over the team who will build the monastery.
Our guests in attendance represented the building and design teams, oblates, community partners and monastery supporters. We wish we could’ve invited each of you to join us, but we are blessed to have so many supporters that it just was not possible to do so. What a gift you are from God!
The official decision to build a new monastery was made in June 2022. We have partnered with Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA) for architectural design and McGough for construction. Construction is expected to be completed in winter 2027.
As we journey through the process of building our new monastery, we know that our friends and supporters want to walk the path with us. To keep you updated as building progresses, we’ve created a page on our website dedicated to the new monastery. Right now, you can find answers to frequently asked questions and enjoy the highlight reel and full ceremony videos from the groundbreaking ceremony. As we build, we’ll keep you updated with news, updates and photos.
Thank you for supporting us on this journey. We’re excited to watch the building of our new home and even more excited to welcome you to visit when it’s ready!
Visit www.sbm.osb.org/community/new-monastery/ to learn more.
Amanda Hackett
As Sister Karen Rose, prioress, began the prayer service with our community’s land acknowledgment statement, Sister Josue Behnen spotted two eagles soaring and circling above the trees in the woods. Moved by the Holy Spirit, she wrote this poem:
Groundbreaking
The rain stayed its purpose
and for a short while the sky
turned a fresh blue. The sun
showed its face.
Such blessings on our blessing
prayer was noticed with thankful
gladness. But the marvel came
when two eagles soared as though
answering our recognition of the land
on which we will build is land of Lakota
and Anishinaabe where eagles gather
prayers, and bring them to the Creator.
“The Eagle (Migizi) is one of our most revered and respected Beings in Creation. These beautiful birds represent our link to our Creator (Gchi Manidoo) and our connection to all that is Spiritual for our people. It is taught that when we lay our tobacco (sema), the Eagle (Migizi) comes down to gather our prayers and then will soar high up into Ishpeming (Above) to bring them to Creator (Gchi Manidoo).”
Read a full description of Anishinaabe teachings of the Eagle at
www.saulttribe.com/images/Anishinaabe_Teachings_of_the_Eagle.pdf.
Land Acknowledgment Statement
Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., stands on land which was the ancestral homeland of the Dakhóta and Anishinaabe peoples. The sisters acknowledge with reverence and respect the Indigenous Peoples who dwelt here.
This article was featured on pages 4-5 in the fall 2026 issue of Call.
Photo: Sisters breaking ground taken by McGough.
