The “Culmination” of a Life-giving Witness to
God
Saturday, June 11th marked an important moment in
the history of the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady
of Mt Thabor. The community located near
Ortonville, Michigan celebrated the final Mass in
their chapel overlooking “Renchek Lake”. The
liturgy was presided over by Allen Vigneron,
Archbishop of Detroit, who was assisted by seven
concelebrating priests. Dozens of friends of
the monastery joined them in prayer and in the
reception that followed.
The small group of Sisters have been friends of our own monastic community at St. Benedict’s for nearly 50 years, as our priests served as confessors for the nuns and we supported one another with prayer and fellowship.
The Dominican Sisters have had their “ups and downs” over the years, steadily building up their physical plant while their membership both increased and decreased. Recent losses - to deaths and departures - reduced the number of Sisters to two and left the community with few options.
Throughout their existence one constant remained: the Sisters faithfulness to prayer and a simple, contemplative life style. Indeed, during the homily at the closing Mass, Archbishop Vigneron declared this to be the “culmination” of the Sisters’ prayerful witness. Their contribution to the history and life of the Church in this area is treasured and appreciated and will never be forgotten.
The “next phase” of the religious life of Sr. Anne Mary Kearney, O.P. (one of the founderesses, along with Sr. M. Martin di Giambattista, O.P, who is deceased) and M. Joseph, O.P. is a move to the Dominican Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Farmington, MI. The Sisters noted gratefully that this contemplative community has welcomed them with open arms and seems to be a perfect fit for them.
We wish our dear Sisters and friends God’s continued blessings in their new home and we are confident that with God’s grace and the prayers of His people they will persevere faithfully in the witness of their lives consecrated to Him!
The small group of Sisters have been friends of our own monastic community at St. Benedict’s for nearly 50 years, as our priests served as confessors for the nuns and we supported one another with prayer and fellowship.
The Dominican Sisters have had their “ups and downs” over the years, steadily building up their physical plant while their membership both increased and decreased. Recent losses - to deaths and departures - reduced the number of Sisters to two and left the community with few options.
Throughout their existence one constant remained: the Sisters faithfulness to prayer and a simple, contemplative life style. Indeed, during the homily at the closing Mass, Archbishop Vigneron declared this to be the “culmination” of the Sisters’ prayerful witness. Their contribution to the history and life of the Church in this area is treasured and appreciated and will never be forgotten.
The “next phase” of the religious life of Sr. Anne Mary Kearney, O.P. (one of the founderesses, along with Sr. M. Martin di Giambattista, O.P, who is deceased) and M. Joseph, O.P. is a move to the Dominican Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Farmington, MI. The Sisters noted gratefully that this contemplative community has welcomed them with open arms and seems to be a perfect fit for them.
We wish our dear Sisters and friends God’s continued blessings in their new home and we are confident that with God’s grace and the prayers of His people they will persevere faithfully in the witness of their lives consecrated to Him!