Group Retreats at the Monastery
Offering Solitude, Silence & Reflection
Sponsored Retreats available for guests who have been fully vaccinated.
A monastery is a perfect place for solitude, silence, reflection, and spiritual renewal. We invite you to come walk the grounds around Queen of Angels, in Mt. Angel, Oregon. Come, seek peace, pray, be still, reflect on your life and your journey with God. Take time to read, pray in one of our lovely gardens. We look forward to welcoming you in the Benedictine tradition, that all guests are received as Christ. We welcome people of all faiths, seeking God and peace.
Group Retreats
Shalom at the Monastery Sponsored Retreats
The Benedictine Sisters sponsor a number of retreats throughout the year. Below is the calendar of all upcoming workshops and sponsored retreats.
Workshops & Classes
Monthly Book Talk
Free • Monastery Dining Room • 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
The group currently meets in person. Contact Sr. Dorothy Jean to join. Click here for a complete book list with meeting dates.
September 19, 2026
Prayer of the Heart
Free • Chapel • 3:00 - 4:00 pm
All are welcome to join this contemplative prayer group. Meetings take place in the Chapel, located on the second floor of the Hospitality Center.
August 17, 2026
Ongoing Formation for Spiritual Companions
2nd Friday • Zoom • 9:30 - 11:30 am
All spiritual directors are welcome to attend the monthly meetings for on-going formation and education featuring lively discussions of pertinent spirituality topics, prayer and skills of the ministry. Meetings taking place via Zoom.
September 11, 2026
The Creative-Spiritual Life Circle via Zoom
Free • Zoom • 1:15 - 2:30 pm
A Benedictine-centered discussion group whose concept is simple: people who gather together on a regular to share, without interruptions, whatever is gratifying us or amazing us or troubling us or puzzling us about the intersection of creativity and spirituality. September through May.
Click here to learn more and to register.
September 19, 2026
Retreats & Events
August 15, 2026
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Chapter Room
$45
Scholarships Available
Monastic Women: Finding and Using Our Voice presented by Susan Black
Who are “monastic women”? Quite simply, women applying the attributes of the
monastic life -- prayer and contemplation, service to God and God’s people, truth,
a dedicated way of individual and community life -- to their own search for God
and to their own circumstances.
Monastic women have always existed, whether as professed religious or lay
women in any walk of life. They dwell on a continuum of spiritual life that began
in early antiquity and developed in a rich number of forms throughout history,
leading to the breadth of possibilities that exist in the present day. One of those
forms, introduced by Saints Benedict and Scholastica early in the 6 th century,
thence to spread throughout the world, has flowed with special vigor through
Queen of Angels since its founding some 140 years ago.
Monastic women, like all women, have always had voice. Attempts to silence or
minimize that voice -- all those voices, as each woman’s is unique and distinct -- is
an improper use of God-given human energy. In contrast, identifying, developing
and amplifying monastic women’s voices is a prophetic endeavor, one that this
retreat invites you to embrace.
Presenter: Oblate Susan Black, leader of Shalom retreats and the monthly
Creative/Spiritual Life Circle discussion group. Susan is an artist and a writer; to learn more about her, go to the website www.BlackStarStudio.me.
To register, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn: Sister Dorothy Jean, 840 S. Main St., Mt. Angel, OR 97362, three days before the retreat. Please include your email address. Bring your own lunch. Beverages/snacks provided.
Saturdays: Oct. 10, Nov. 28, 2026
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$20 per Saturday
Service of the Seasons presented by Gay Gomez, Ph.D
Rituals, religious and secular, punctuate the flow of life’s cycles and seasons, reminding us of our connections to the Divine, to each other, and to the gifts of Creation. They invite us to step away from our everyday routines, to slow down, and to contemplate these meaningful connections in memorable ways.
This retreat series, which consists of the four seasons, offers participants both prayerful indoor time and an opportunity for guided nature observation and quiet reflection on the monastery grounds. Each session will celebrate the arrival of the new season with a brief “service” of Scripture readings, prayers and thoughtful commentary from God’s Good Earth: Praise and Prayer for Creation. After the outdoor time, we will reconvene briefly to reflect on our experience. Please join us for one, several, or all of our gatherings, which will be held rain or shine.
Presenter: Gay Gomez, Ph.D., is a retired professor of geography, an occasional retreat presenter and naturalist guide, and oblate inquirer of Queen of Angels Monastery, Mount Angel.
To register, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn: Sister Dorothy Jean, 840 S. Main St., Mt. Angel, OR 97362, three days before the retreat. Please include your email address.
October 24, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$50
Noticing Awe and Wonder: A Contemplative Art & Prayer Retreat presented by Val Hornburg
Join us for a day of prayerful contemplation and creativity, celebrating and delighting in the beauty of the fall season.
We will use the sacred art of creating no-fail collaged Prayer cards (personal icon-like cards that draw deep wisdom from our hearts and souls) and quiet visual prayer practices, to listen deeply to the whispers of our loving God.
All supplies provided.
Please bring a sack lunch.
Val Hornburg is a Spiritual Director, retreat leader, SoulCollage® and Labyrinth facilitator specializing in Creative Prayer and Expression. valzhornburg@gmail.com
Val lives with her husband Bill Zuelke in Portland, OR. Together they host an annual "Doorways to Your Soul" retreat at Mt. Angel Abbey Guesthouse.
November 14, 2026
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$25
Hospitality as Sacred Art presented by Nancy Hendricks
Hospitality is the foundation of Benedictine spirituality. Opening our hearts to others as St. Benedict wisely taught is the path of hospitality. We start with hospitality towards ourselves, then comes the deep listening and companionship with others. We will explore the many aspects of Hospitality as a Sacred Art, learning from those who have demonstrated this art throughout history.
Presenter: Nancy Hendricks, MA, OblSB, received her master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the University of Portland. She now spends time presenting retreats, being active with the QAM oblate community as its coordinator, creating a 2-acre peace garden with her husband, and spending time with her family.
To register and/or more information, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn. Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer, 840 S. Main St., Mount Angel, OR 97362, or email dorothyjeanb7@gmail.com. Please register 3 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.
January 9, 2027
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$45
Behold Your Mother: a Retreat on Mary
presented by Susan Black & Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB
More details coming soon...
April 24, 2027
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$25
Eco-spirituality,a path to our relationship with God presented by Nancy Hendricks
Eco-spirituality, or spiritual ecology, is the recognition that all life is imbued with a universal Spirit, that which we call Christ. Eco-spirituality recognizes that all creation is sacred. As Pope Francis said in Laudato Si, we are all connected. This includes microcosms to the vast cosmos and everything in between. We recognize the presence of God in all places. How do we engage with the natural world and what practices can we adapt to nurture our relationship with creation, and by extension, our relationship with God?
Presenter: Nancy Hendricks, MA, OblSB, received her master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the University of Portland. She now spends time presenting retreats, being active with the QAM oblate community as its coordinator, creating a 2-acre peace garden with her husband, and spending time with her family.
To register and/or more information, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn. Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer, 840 S. Main St., Mount Angel, OR 97362, or email dorothyjeanb7@gmail.com. Please register 3 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.
May 1, 2027
12:45 - 3:00 p.m.
Outdoor Labyrinth, West End of
Chesterton Academy
Free
World Labyrinth Day Taking Steps Together for Peace, led by Susan Black
The Benedictine Sisters at Shalom at the Monastery invite you to walk with them on the outdoor labyrinth on Saturday, May 1, 2027 at 1 p.m. Please gather at the labyrinth at the west end of Chesterton Academy.
At 12:45 p.m., there will be a brief explanation of the Peace Walk on the labyrinth. We will then walk the 20-minute Silent Peace Walk, using the format of Benedictines For Peace.
To register, call Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer, (503) 845-2556 or email her here.
May 23, 2027
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$25 (includes supplies and beverage)
Scholarships Available
Exploring the Art and Spiritual Meaning of Tibetan Prayer Flags A Hands-on & Heart-centered Workshop presented by Spiritual Director Barb Vandepas
Join us for a hands-on, heart-centered workshop exploring the art and spiritual meaning of Tibetan Prayer flags. Rooted in a tradition that releases peace, compassion, and wisdom on the wind. This workshop, right before the Feast of Pentecost, offers a way to reflect, create, and release your own wishes and hopes for our community and the world.
Guided by longtime meditation practitioner, educator, Spiritual Director Barb Vandepas, we'll begin with a short historical Tibetan flag overview. We'll have a guided meditation to have a deeper sense of sacred calm for you to imagine your flags fluttering in your yard. Afterward we will begin the creative process of crafting a set of five personal prayer flags.
You will receive pre-cut flags and a cord to hang them. Mandala templates symbolizing wholeness and unity can be used to trace patterns and color them in. You will receive possible words and phrases and write ones that are meaningful to you, creating unique expressions of hope, healing, and gratitude. This is a contemplative sacred practice creating flags that will send your intentions on the wind.
To register, call Benedictine Sisters, 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attention: Sister Dorothy Jean, 840 S. Main St., Mt. Angel, OR 97362, three days before the retreat
June 26, 2027
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$30
Beverages Provided, Bring Your Own Lunch
Flourishing Retreat presented by Nancy Hendricks
When God created humankind in God’s own image, God saw that this was very good and gifted us with this beautiful earth. God desires that we live abundant, flourishing lives. Jesus came so that we may have a life and live it abundantly with all the rest of God’s creation. This retreat will reflect on the ways the Spirit is guiding us in our present time and place to live God’s law of love so that all may truly flourish.
Presenter: Nancy Hendricks, MA, OblSB, received her master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the University of Portland. She now spends time presenting retreats, being active with the QAM oblate community as its coordinator, creating a 2-acre peace garden with her husband, and spending time with her family.
To register and/or more information, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn. Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer, 840 S. Main St., Mount Angel, OR 97362, or email dorothyjeanb7@gmail.com. Please register 3 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.
October 23, 2027
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$30
Beverages Provided, Bring Your Own Lunch
Women of the Old Testament presented by Nancy Hendricks
What do we really know about the Old Testament women? In this year of Benedictine story sharing, we will listen to the stories of some of our sisters in faith. These women preserved during the challenging times and they are inspiring examples of how we can be pillars of light in our own world today.
Presenter: Nancy Hendricks, MA, OblSB, received her master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the University of Portland. She now spends time presenting retreats, being active with the QAM oblate community as its coordinator, creating a 2-acre peace garden with her husband, and spending time with her family.
To register and/or more information, call 503 845-2556 or send a check payable to Benedictine Sisters, Attn. Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer, 840 S. Main St., Mount Angel, OR 97362, or email dorothyjeanb7@gmail.com. Please register 3 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.