| Monastery
closed to the public
As Benedictines, we express our core value of hospitality by welcoming people throughout the year for a wide range of programs and events at our monastery home. Our guests participate in retreats at Spirit Center, engage with history at the Historical Museum, stay at our bed and breakfast, join us for Mass and prayer, and attend concerts in the chapel. Yesterday, Sunday, March, 15, we were advised by our local emergency response team that the best way to ensure the safety of our sisters and our guests is to close the Monastery of St. Gertrude to the public for the next two months. The uncertainty as to how the coronavirus may spread requires precautionary measures. This closure may affect your plans at St. Gertrude’s. Here is a list of ministries and contact information if you have questions or need to talk to someone about arrangements. Spirit Center Retreats The retreats that will be affected by the closure are “Redefining Retirement: A Spiritual Practice” on March 24-26 and “Centering Prayer Intensive” on March 30-April 5. Please contact Spirit Center manager Krista Green at 208-962-2004 or kgreen@stgertrudes.org about arrangements for these retreats. If your group was planning on making a retreat at Spirit Center during this time, please contact the hosted groups coordinator Timothy Oberholzer at 208-962-2070 or toberholzer@stgertrudes.org for further steps. Inn at St. Gertrude If you had reservations at our bed and breakfast between now and May 15, please contact Will Hunter at 208-451-4321 or inn@stgertrudes.org to arrange for a refund or postpone your stay. Historical Museum, Welcome Center, and Gift Shop The Historical Museum, Welcome Center, and Gift Shop will be closed until May 15. If you need to contact anyone during this time, call Debra Graham at 208-962-2054 or dgraham@stgertrudes.org. Mass and Prayer The sisters will still observe the daily schedule for Mass and prayer, following Diocesan directives (https://www.catholicidaho.org/420), but the chapel will not be open to the public. Upcoming Concerts The closure affects two upcoming concerts: The Easter Concert with the Valley Singers on April 19 and the “I’ll Fly Away” Gospel Bluegrass Concert on May 2. The Easter Concert is cancelled. It is likely the bluegrass concert will be rescheduled. Call Theresa Henson at 208-962-5065 or creative@stgertrudes.org with questions. Volunteers, Oblates, Artists-in-Residence, and Employees Volunteers, oblates, and artists-in-residence are asked to stay home during this time. Employees may come to work if they feel well. The Sisters The sisters will stay home as much as possible, only leaving for health-related appointments. Mission sisters will stay in their respective communities and follow the guidelines for social distancing. While our home will be closed to guests in the next eight weeks we will keep our hearts open in prayer for all of you and look forward to when we can see you again. |
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