Redemptoristines Host Closing Mass at Liguori, Missouri Monastery

After more than six decades of continuous contemplative prayer in their enclosed monastery in Liguori, Missouri the Redemptoristine Nuns are preparing to join the Redemptoristine community in Ireland. Sr. Ann Marie and Sr. Louisa welcomed Redemptorist confreres, Lay Associates, family and friends to a final Closing Mass at the monastery on Sunday, April 23.

Fr. Byron Miller presided at Mass, with concelebrants Fr. Joe Curalli, Fr. John Gouger, Fr. Rick Potts, Fr. Rich Luberti and Deacon Jesse Gatmaitan. Br. Gerry Patin assisted with the Readings. In his homily, Fr. Byron shared highlights of the six decades the Redemptoristines have been in Liguori. Way back in 1947, Redemptoristine Nuns left England and arrived in Toronto, Canada. Two years later the community moved to Barrie, Ontario. They received so many new religious vocations that their monastery was literally bursting at the seams.

They sent forth three founding groups of Sisters to begin new monasteries outside of Canada: six settled next to the Redemptorist seminary in Esopus, NY; another eight came to Liguori and settled on the grounds of Liguori Publications; and still another four set off for Australia.

The Liguori foundation was officially established on April 28, 1960. More than 1,000 people attended the dedication ceremony for the monastery in October of 1962. The building was completed the next year – exactly 60 years ago. Within three years the foundation accepted its first vocation, and their remunerative work has primarily been sewing Redemptorist habits and ceremonial robes for the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre. They also maintained the mailing list for Liguori Publications for a number of years.

Over the past six decades, the Redemptoristines have welcomed women from Scotland, South Africa, Malaysia, Argentina, Thailand, and the Philippines. They started a foundation in Legazpi, Philippines on October 16, 1980. An autonomous monastery was canonically erected in Cebu, Philippines on March 8, 2006.

April 28, 2023
by Kristine Stremel, Denverlink