From June 21-23, 2024, I attended a Retreat for Artists in Menlo Park, California. It was presented by the Benedict XVI Institute, with its founder, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archdiocese of San Francisco, and its Executive Director, Maggie Gallagher. 

Fully named as, “A Retreat for Artists and Art Lovers…an exclusive and intimate retreat with some of the most well-known names in Catholic art”. It was held at the beautiful St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, in Menlo Park. 

This was the first gathering of its kind, but Maggie promises more to come.

The mission of the Benedict XVI Institute “is to open the door of beauty to God”. By allowing a space for Catholic artists creating that beauty to assemble makes the artists and their work more known. It also lets us know we aren’t creating on a private island. We can consider ourselves creating together even if we’re located far away from each other.  We had these three days to meet and connect with each other.

The image in this post is of a card I created to present at the event. The cards include a quote from St. Hildegard of Bingen on the front (as pictured). (There’s a back side too.) I made them – my DIY creation. I wanted to have something artsy and crafty to fit in with the theme. Each card includes a small St. Hildegard metal. I was able to get them blessed, as there was a tour of the relics of St. Jude the Apostle the week before. Great timing! There are no tours of the relics of St. Hildegard that I know of. 

For those who’ve never been to St. Patrick’s Seminary, it has awesome architecture inside and out, and it’s set amongst trees and grassy grounds. And every time I visit Menlo Park the sun is shining.

We attended Mass in its main chapel.

Over meals we were invited to get to know each other, and discuss different Catholic art topics and our work. We joined open panels to ask questions, and even had a sneak peek at the reading of a new play. 

The lineup of guest speakers and participants included poets, playwrights, painters, professors, composers, dancers, singers, writers, education leaders, philanthropists, and lovers of the arts. 

I was grateful to be amongst those attendees and to share in this groundbreaking space for Catholic artists of all kinds. 

I was given the chance to share my mission with my St. Hildegard’s Wisdom website at the group’s closing circle. Even though I’m a writer not a speaker, I felt safe and supported to speak my vision.

I invite all Catholic artists, composers, writers…to get involved with the Benedict XVI Institute. It is surely going to grow into something even greater and be something that the church might not have even known it needed. 

It’s obviously been divinely-inspired and founded with insight, forethought, and careful discernment. All the things Catholic artists aspire to do when we create, write, compose, teach, sing, dance, and paint….

Will you join in?

Note: St. Hildegard can be the patron saint of a lot of professions, as her talents were many. I don’t believe she has been designated specific ones yet. I customized my cards with professions suited to this event.