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.
October 17, 2026
November 21, 2026
December 12, 2026
January 16, 2027
February 20, 2027
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.
October 19, 2026
November 16, 2026
December 21, 2026
January 18, 2027
February 22, 2027
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.
October 9, 2026
November 13, 2026
December 11, 2026
January 8, 2027
February 12, 2027
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.
October 17, 2026
November 21, 2026
December 19, 2026
January 16, 2027
February 20, 2027
Retreats & Events
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.
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 5 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.
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
$35
Behold Your Mother: John 19:27
presented by Susan Black & Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB
If it is not enough that Mary is the Mother of God, she is also our mother. That gift was bestowed on us by Jesus, as He died on the Cross and entrusted Mary to His disciple John and thereby to all disciples.
Come take this opportunity to get to know your mother more deeply! Mary embraces so many roles, offers so many charisms, inspires so many devotions, brings so many blessings -- because of her power and her gentleness, her great love for us, her absolute faith.
Led by Oblate Susan Black and Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer.
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, by January 4, 2027. Please include your email address and phone number.
February 27, 2027
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Chapter Room
$25
Lenten Lectio: Haiku as a New Doorway to Lectio Divina
presented by Mary Blankenship, OblSB
The Sufi mystic Rumi tells us: “There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground; there are a thousand ways to go home again.” We know that there are limitless ways to pray, and Lent offers the ideal opportunity to explore a variation of Lectio Divina, in which our deep contemplation of a short sacred passage joins the lean evocative form of Japanese haiku. Using material from Japanese masters, Christian haiku poets and the book The Art of Pausing: Meditations for the Overworked and Underwhelmed by Judith Valente, OblSB and Br Paul Quenon, OSCO, we will read, meditate, pray, contemplate and respond, to expand our experience of Lectio Divina.
Presenter: Mary Blankenship, OblSB is an Oblate of Queen of Angels Monastery and a retired social worker with specialties in child abuse and intimate partner violence. She has been a long-time workshop presenter during her working life. She is a poet and musician who resonates with the mystic. In retirement, she is beholden to her Benedictine life and community for healing and growth. A writer of haiku for many years, when she first “met” Lectio Divina, it was a homecoming for her.
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 4 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.
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.
November 13, 2027
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Room
$30
Beverages and Snacks Provided, Bring Your Own Lunch
In the Boat with Jesus: Navigating the Storms of Body and Spirit facilitated by Rev. Brandon Filbert & Charlean Clemons
In times of physical and spiritual challenge we can feel as though we are in a very flimsy boat, in rough, high seas that threaten to swamp and sink us. But if we invite Jesus into the boat with us, we may begin to sense being held lovingly afloat, even as a difficult voyage continues, and even if we are delivered to a distant shore not on our planned itinerary. If Jesus is in the boat, the boat can’t sink.
This retreat will focus on developing closeness to God in times of challenge by cultivation calm coping and learning concepts and practices for accessing spiritual healing. Studying the 4 gospel “storm” stories of the disciples in the boat with Jesus, and using calming techniques, guided imagery, scripture, prayer and contemplative practices, we will sample the rich array of methods available to help us on our journey.
Facilitators: The Reverend Brandon Filbert, Rector of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Salem, Oregon. A native of the Willamette Valley, Father Filbert has served as a parish priest since his ordination in 1993. In addition to pastoral work he has focused on Patristics, the Caroline Divines, and Anglican sacramental/liturgical theology.
Charlean Clemons, MSW, LCSW, is a retired psychotherapist, song writer, and retreat facilitator. She is a member of Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church and a Benedictine Oblate of Queen of Angels Monastery.
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 4 days before the retreat. Include your email and phone number.