News and Notes

Sisters’ Summertime Retreats Here at Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey, each sister is given the grace of an annual personal retreat. While she makes her retreat here on the abbey grounds, she prays, reads, walks – and maybe even plays! – in sweet silence and spiritual freedom, giving Jesus full access to the hermitage… Read more

Pilgrim Ponderings: July It’s quite a privilege to live in community with such strong, sensitive, faithful women. This month, two of our sisters offer their reflections on hope, one in her own voice and one in the voice of a contemporary writer (who also happens to be a strong, sensitive, faithful woman). First, our sister’s… Read more

Travel Log “A travel log? Wait, aren’t you cloistered nuns?” Indeed we are, and indeed we are usually here, at the monastery. For while the meaning of our vow of stability is primarily spiritual, its tangible, “stay-within-the-monastic-enclosure” physical expression plays a crucial role in the fostering of true stability – stability in Christ. That said,… Read more

Pilgrim Ponderings – June It’s a little hard to define hope, isn’t it? We might know deep down what it is, but to try to say it, or to capture it… It’s almost too slippery to catch! Or…too sublime? Well, too something. Enter: Poetry. A few of our sisters, when asked for their reflections on… Read more

Come & See: June 20-22 Discerning your vocation? Open to learning about monastic life? We welcome you to consider joining us for our upcoming Come & See retreat! Enter into our rhythm of prayer, be encouraged in the company of the sisters and other discerners, and be present to the grace that the Holy Spirit… Read more

5-17-25 Spring Overflowing Conversi – (Latin) turned; converted; one who has changed This beautiful word serves as the name of our lay-associates’ online community. While they’re not nuns and monks by vocation, they are women and men who are very much committed to living out their Cistercian spirituality and formation in the places that God… Read more

Pilgrims of Hope Series “Good Shepherd Sunday” is the Fourth Sunday of Easter, and we are currently only entering into the Third. But perhaps this Sunday’s Gospel reading anticipates next week’s, for today the Risen Christ tells Peter to feed his sheep. And this, Augustine comments, “It is by loving the sheep that you show… Read more

Again & Anew, Alleluia! Holy Week happened, the Paschal Triduum swept us up, and we can say it now and again and again – Alleluia! On Palm Sunday, we processed in from the early spring chill, through the cloister, and into Church. The incense was swirling, our cedar, pussywillow, and forsythia branches were swaying, and… Read more

Please Visit Our Homepage to View Schedule Changes Please visit our Homepage to view schedule changes. The schedule for Holy Week / Paschal Triduum / Easter Sunday is on our Homepage. You are most welcome to join us! Read more

03-23-25: Around our Abbey we have simple, meaningful crosses, which the sisters see throughout the day… Read more

Lenten Crosses V Around our Abbey we have simple, meaningful crosses, which the sisters see throughout the day. They remind us of Jesus and his love, and call us to love in return. We’d like to share one with you each week of Lent. This cross hangs in our Refectory, where the sisters take their… Read more

Lenten Crosses IV Around our Abbey we have simple, meaningful crosses, which the sisters see throughout the day. They remind us of Jesus and his love, and call us to love in return. We’d like to share one with you each week of Lent. This cross, made from the stone of our land (and currently… Read more

Lenten Crosses III Around our Abbey we have simple, meaningful crosses, which the sisters see throughout the day. They remind us of Jesus and his love, and call us to love in return. We’d like to share one with you each week of Lent. This is a close-up of our Processional Cross. During all of… Read more

Lenten Crosses II Around our Abbey we have simple, meaningful crosses, which the sisters see throughout the day. They remind us of Jesus and his love, and call us to love in return. We’d like to share one with you each week of Lent. This cross, subtly yet significantly mounted on the front of the… Read more

Come and See Weekends October 17-19, 2025 Join the community in prayer for the liturgy of the hours and Eucharist. Listen to some of the sisters speak about our way of life, and how God led them to Mississippi Abbey. Meet other women exploring God’s call in their lives. Have the opportunity to ask questions,… Read more