Testimonials

This is what we need! Christine is offering us a "moving monastery" yet with solid grounding in Scripture, Nature, Art, the Tradition, and the Saints! Abbey of the Arts is spirituality for our time and every time.

-Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M., Center for Action and Contemplation and author of Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See and Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer

Christine Valters Paintner is a teacher with the extraordinary gift of drawing out of you that which is already present. She writes and teaches with an exceptional sensitivity to all that resides in the human heart. You will be blessed by her artistic and monastic soul as she gives wings to that within you that is ready to fly.

-Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB, author of Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day and A Tree Full of Angels: Seeing the Holy in the Ordinary

Christine's vision and ministry embody Benedictine Spirituality so well. Incarnational, in calling forth heart with intellect. Creative, in drawing upon all the senses and inviting us out from comfort zones into new possibilities. Balanced. And staying-the-course until the gift emerges. I encourage seekers to consider these resources.

-Laura Swan, OSB, author of The Forgotten Desert Mothers and Engaging Benedict: What the Rule Can Teach Us Today

From previous course evaluations:

Wonderful! Christine was so well organized, prepared, and inviting! The variety of activities and sharing experiences was wonderful, helpful, and moving.

Christine was wonderful and knowledgeable. She balanced discussion, prayer, and art-making time well. I learned a lot!

Christine was a thoughtful, sensitive, articulate, soul-filled presence. Her passion for the subject came through strongly and I felt I was ministered by her in this course. Her attention to aesthetics, to creating a prayerful atmosphere helped me to get in touch with the divine.

I’ve never attended a course that was better planned and organized in my life. Christine’s thorough preparation made for a remarkable week of learning, depth, and experience.

I greatly appreciated how grounded theologically the instructor was. This class was experimental, creative, and practical all at the same time!

Christine’s love and passion for her topic imbues her teaching and creates a safe, nurturing environment for exploration.

Absolutely incredible! Christine is a wonderful teacher and model of these beautiful activities.

Christine is a wonderful teacher and spiritual guide. She explains things clearly, presents challenging tasks in a very invitational, non-threatening way. She helped build real community is a very short time.

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