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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 3pm

Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center

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Hiawatha, IA
Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center

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Prairiewoods is a Franciscan retreat and conference center focused on ecology, spirituality and holistic health.
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Prairiewoods: A Place of Peace and Transformation

Prairiewoods is an ecospirituality retreat and conference center. It offers educational programs (from permaculture to self-care, holistic to spirituality), retreats, overnight stays in the Guest House or Hermitages, and holistic services like massage and reflexology. Prairiewoods' meeting rooms are available for rent. We also have a free lending library, a gift shop and a Meditation Room. For a look at what Prairiewoods is and what it can do for you, check out www.Prairiewoods.org.

10/12/2026

Join artist Barb Thompson for A Beginner’s Watercolor Experience class on Tuesday, Oct. 20th at Prairiewoods!

You’ll learn the basics of watercolor while creating your own beautiful fall wreath. No previous watercolor experience is needed! A template will be provided so you can focus on learning, experimenting and enjoying the process.

Your class fee includes all the supplies you’ll need, including a watercolor palette, brush, watercolor paper, a sample pack of Peerless Transparent Watercolors, backing board and a transparent sleeve to take your finished artwork home.

Learn more: https://prairiewoods.org/calendar/just-add-water-a-beginners-watercolor-experience-5/

10/09/2026

Feeling a little stuck in your spiritual life? Looking for new ways to deepen your connection with God?

Join Leslie Schwarting for "Out of a Rut: Learn New Tools for Spiritual Growth," a three-part experiential series beginning Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Prairiewoods.

Inspired by The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, this interactive series will introduce simple, time-tested Christian spiritual practices that can help you notice God’s presence in everyday life and respond to God’s invitations.

Through teaching, guided experiences, reflection and conversation, you’ll discover practical rhythms that can bring greater peace, purpose and joy to your spiritual life. You’ll also begin creating your own personal rhythm of spiritual practices to carry with you beyond the series.

Learn More: https://prairiewoods.org/calendar/out-of-a-rut-learn-new-tools-for-spiritual-growth/

10/08/2026

Join us for the Prairiewoods Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 21, from 8 a.m. to noon, when our Center will be filled with local artists, makers, seasonal treats and opportunities to find meaningful gifts while sharing a morning of hospitality and connection.

Look for some of our Holiday Bazaar favorites including:
• Monastery chocolates & candy
• One-of-a-kind jewelry, wood crafts, and pottery
• Handmade soaps and lotions
• Hand-knit hats, mittens, and blankets
• Holiday wreaths
• And so much more!

Prairiewoods will also offer gift shop items and gift certificates for those special people on your holiday list. Pre-orders for some of these items will be available prior to the Bazaar.

Admission and parking are free. Come browse, linger, visit with friends and enjoy a holiday tradition rooted in creativity and community.

10/07/2026

Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (S.E.E.L.) invites you into a gradual journey of prayer, reflection and discernment rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Rather than stepping away from your everyday life for an intensive retreat, S.E.E.L. gives you time to pray, reflect, notice and discover what emerges along the way.

Over eight months, you’ll have space to:

• Pay attention to the movement of Spirit in your life
• Reflect on your deepest desires and questions
• Notice God’s presence in ordinary moments
• Develop a sustainable rhythm of prayer and meditation
• Explore how contemplation can shape the way you live each day
• Journey alongside a cohort while receiving individual spiritual direction

And because life keeps moving, S.E.E.L. is offered as a hybrid experience, with the option to participate in person or online.

The journey begins this October and continues through May.

Learn More: https://pw.retreatportal.com/calendar/event?programcode=26PWS34668

10/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Blessing of the Animals at Prairiewoods yesterday!

It was a joy to gather with so many beloved animal companions and their people to celebrate the creatures who bring companionship, wonder and joy into our lives.

We’re grateful to everyone who brought their animal companions to share in this beautiful tradition inspired by St. Francis of Assisi.

10/02/2026

After many years of sharing the healing sounds of Himalayan and crystal singing bowls at Prairiewoods, Kathy Broghammer will be stepping away from her Singing Bowl ministry this October.

Before she retires, there are two final opportunities to experience singing bowls with Kathy:

Monday, Oct. 5 | Going Inward with Sounds & Vibrations
Monday, Oct. 12 | Singing Bowl Prayer

Following Kathy's final class on Oct. 12, we’ll gather at 1:30 p.m. for a retirement celebration with refreshments as we honor Kathy and express our gratitude for the many gifts she has shared with our community over the years.

Kathy has been connected to Prairiewoods since the early 2000s and became an affiliate in 2009. We are deeply grateful for the presence, wisdom and beautiful ministry she has shared here.

Join us for one or both of Kathy’s final classes, and help us celebrate her next chapter!

Click the link below to find one of Kathy's final classes at Prairiewoods:

https://prairiewoods.org/calendar/month/2026-10

10/01/2026

Join us at Prairiewoods on Sunday, October 4, for our annual Blessing of the Animals, a celebration inspired by St. Francis of Assisi and his deep love for all creatures.

Bring your dog, cat, rabbit, bird or other animal companion for an afternoon of reflection, individual blessings and connection. Each family will receive a small St. Francis medal as a remembrance, and light refreshments will be available for both people and their animal companions.

Have an animal you’d like to honor who can’t be with you? You’re welcome to bring a photograph.

Come spend some time together in the beauty of Prairiewoods as we celebrate the animals in our lives and our connection to the larger community of creation.

09/30/2026

What if you could go deeper spiritually without stepping away from your everyday life?

Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (S.E.E.L.) offers the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises over eight months, giving you time and space to pray, reflect and discern while continuing to live your life.

This year, S.E.E.L. is being offered as a hybrid retreat, with the flexibility to participate in person or online.

Through guided prayer practices, monthly gatherings and one-on-one spiritual direction, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Deepen your awareness of God’s presence in ordinary moments
• Make space for discernment during questions, transitions and times of change
• Develop a lasting rhythm of prayer and reflection
• Notice where Spirit may be inviting you to grow, rest, change or respond
• Journey alongside others seeking deeper spiritual connection and meaning

The journey begins this October and includes daily prayer and meditation, monthly spiritual direction and eight monthly Friday sessions from October through May.

Learn more about Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life at Prairiewoods and consider whether this journey is calling you:

https://pw.retreatportal.com/calendar/event?programcode=26PWS34668

09/29/2026

It’s beginning to look a lot like fall here at Prairiewoods! The leaves have already started changing colors, and with beautiful weather this week, there’s no better time to stop by for a stroll or hike and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Our grounds are free and open to the public from sunrise to sunset. Come take some photos, enjoy the scenery, and maybe even pop inside the Center to say hello!

09/25/2026

NETWORK Advocates is returning to Iowa and is hosting a See. Love. Vote. Town Hall and Training in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3 p.m.

The gathering will bring faith-filled justice-seekers from across the region together to build community, learn from NETWORK’s Grassroots Mobilization Team and Escucha Mi Voz, and prepare to vote in community.

Prairiewoods is glad to share this opportunity with our community and support efforts that encourage people to engage thoughtfully and meaningfully in civic life.

Click the link below to learn more:
https://actionnetwork.org/events/see-love-vote-town-hall

Address

120 E Boyson Road
Hiawatha, IA
52233

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

+13193956700

Website

http://www.prairiewoods.org/

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