Community Foundation Grants $50,000 To Sisters Of St. Benedict

Never doubt the power of prayer — coupled with the power of a well-written grant application and a genuine need.

Don’t believe it?

Just ask the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, who received word recently that the Dubois County Community Foundation will invest $50,000 in the monastery via a two-year grant. The funds will be used for the new Benedictine Hospitality Center being incorporated into the original monastery building.

According to the sisters’ capital-campaign brochure: “Part of being good stewards of God’s gifts means we must care for our physical surroundings and put them to their best use to further our ministry. We want to preserve our beautiful historic monastery so it can be used and enjoyed by generations to come. At the same time, we must respond to the rapidly changing needs of our community. Several projects are planned to help us accomplish our goals, but they are becoming ever more urgent if we are to prevent the loss or waste of precious resources.”

The Sisters — who are celebrating the Sesquicentennial of their founding this year — have been involved in a multi-phased fundraising campaign since 2011 to help ensure the retirement of their aging members, fund their ministries and right-size their facilities. The Benedictine Hospitality Center is expected to open in the summer of 2018.

“We are most grateful for the support of the Dubois County Community Foundation,” says Benedictine Sister Barbara Lynn Schmitz, prioress. “The Benedictine Hospitality Center will provide us modernized facilities to serve people of all faiths and welcome them where they are on their journey of spiritual growth.”

“The Sisters are working to grow, adapt and prepare for their future in more efficient and relevant ways,” explains Clayton Boyles, executive director of the Community Foundation. “We want to support those efforts and help them continue on a path of sustainability.”

Planned projects between now and 2019 include:

• Creating an accessible entrance to the Monastery Church

• Filling, grading, retaining walls, and landscaping

• Constructing a roadway, parking area, and sidewalks 

• Relocating utilities and installing a drainage system

• Preserving the historic Academy Annex

• Asbestos and mold removal 

• Interior cleanout

• Renovating Guest Quarters for Hospitality and Retreat Ministry

• Renovation of bedrooms

• Installation of elevator in the present monastery guest room area to create a Hospitality Center for retreatants and other visitors and guests

• Addition of private bathrooms and lounge spaces

• Phase I Upgrade of HVAC

• Positioning the Quad and Towers for future efficient heating and cooling 

• Preparing to replace old steam system

• Replacing Slate Roof Over Original Historic Quad Structure and Academy Annex

“Many people who participate in retreats on our campus refer to the feeling of peace they experience here. We look forward to serving as a beacon of peace, hope and stability in this ever-changing world,” says Sr. Barbara Lynn.

Sr. Barbara Lynn reiterated her gratitude for the Dubois County Community Foundation and their two endowments, the Fund for Dubois County and the Ferdinand Community Endowment for their support of this project. “For years to come this facility will serve the needs of all who come to enjoy the beauty of Dubois County. On behalf of all the Sisters, I want to express my gratitude to the donors whose endowments are helping make this dream a reality.”

Benedictine Hospitality Center

The Sisters are utilizing an existing building on their campus to meet their needs and the needs of the community in new ways. The Benedictine Hospitality Center is being created from the merger of Kordes Retreat Center and monastery Guest Quarters for better use of space, more modern facilities, upgraded amenities and relevant programming. “It will be a true destination in Dubois County, serving the many individuals and groups in the region seeking a beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming place for reflection, growth, and renewal.”

The Benedictine Hospitality Center uses a portion of the historic Quadrangle (the original monastery building). Bringing guests into this space means they will be closer to the church and other campus amenities. This building is very outdated in style and by fire codes and the renovation will bring it up to current standards for overnight guests.

Individuals utilizing the new Hospitality Center will not be required to adhere to any particular faith tradition or denomination. The Sisters seek to provide a welcoming, safe environment for growth to people from all walks of life. 

The current phase of the fund-raising campaign includes needs totaling $6 million. The following goals are anticipated for completion along this timeline:

• January – July, 2017: Deconstruct Madonna Hall to allow for new parking and accessible entrance to the Benedictine Hospitality Center and church

• February– July, 2017: Renovation of historic Quadrangle to house the new Benedictine Hospitality Center

• June – August, 2017: Construct the new parking area and roadway and relocate nearby utilities

• April – May, 2017: Replace roof over the location of the new Benedictine Hospitality Center

• April – June, 2018: Replace roof over Academy Annex Building

• July 2018: Kordes Retreat Center closes and the building will be prepared for a new ministry

• July 2018 – Ribbon cutting and Open House for the Benedictine Hospitality Center

Tretter is editor of the Ferdinand News. The Message is grateful for permission to reprint this story and photo.