Ochre

Benedictine Spirituality and the Land

Keywords: Benedictine spirituality, Catholicism, eco-spirituality, forestry, land, monasticism

God tried in the mountains and the oceans and the seasons to say,
“this is what I’m like, this is how you need to live,
with rhythms in your life and with respect for diversity.” (1) 1. Meg Sass, O.S.B., interview by the author, digital voice recording and notes, Cottonwood, ID, 14 April 2005.

~Sr. Meg Sass, Monastery of St. Gertrude

Our community has always historically been connected to the land but much of it as been sub-consciously—sisters had cattle, gardened, farmed, picnicked outside.

What we have done in the last 15 years is bring all this to a consciousness and made ourselves really aware that, yes, we are a rural community…. The land is our gift. (2) 2. Carol Ann Wassmuth, O.S.B, interview by the author, digital voice recording and notes, Cottonwood, ID, 15 April 2005.

~Sr. Carol Ann Wassmuth, Monastery of St. Gertrude