About Us

In its early life the Community expressed its mission primarily through an apostolate of academic education with occasional work in retreat ministry and spiritual direction. Today it has reclaimed its founder's broad interpretation of "education" as that of the whole person. Recognizing humans as a part of the mystical Whole of creation, we offer our ministries in ways that celebrate the Earth, and all its myriad forms of life, as the primary revelation of the Divine.

We opened our first eco-spiritual education center at St. Cuthbert's House in Brewster, New York, in 2004. We also operate two retreat facilities (in New York City and in Brewster) and continue to provide spiritual direction, conduct retreats and quiet days, and lead workshops.

Several Sisters volunteer at local nursing homes and hospitals and homeless shelters, and we cherish a burgeoning community of Associates. We provide spiritual support for these women and men who wish to be linked with our Community as Associates. By adopting a personal rule of life, they extend the Community’s ministry through prayer, worship and service.

Each person is given an invitation to follow Christ. The Sisters of our monastic community respond to that invitation by an intentional living out of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience within the structure of a modified Augustinian Rule. Through the vow of poverty, we profess our trusting dependence upon God by embracing voluntary simplicity and responsible stewardship of creation. Through chastity, we profess the sanctity of all creation as the primary revelation of God. Through obedience, we profess our desire to be dependent on God’s direction and to live and minister in ways that respect all creation, both now and for generations to come.

Compassionate, respectful love is God’s gift to life. Prayer and the worship of God are the lifeblood and heart of our Community and the source of inspiration for all that we undertake. Through our prayer, worship, and creative talents we encourage others to seek God. Through our ministries of hospitality, retreat work, spiritual direction, and education for sustainable living, we seek to grow in love and communion with all whose lives touch us and are touched by us.