Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

Sister Rita (left) visits with Sister Laurentia in our altar bread department

This week, the Small Business Administration is hosting National Small Business Week with a conference in Washington, D.C. to recognize and support all those who help make America great!

First and foremost, we are monastics with a distinct dedication to the Eucharist and offer the world our ministry of prayer. In order to do that effectively, we employ several works that support our contemplative life.

Our vow of conversatio (which predates the more recognizable vow of poverty) includes a commitment to embrace all of monastic life as a path to holiness and conversion. This includes poverty and a simplicity of life. So, no, we’re not striving to become Donald Trump. But we still need to provide a roof over our heads and food for our table.

Prayerfully Popped: Corn from the Cloister

Like most monastic orders, we are not funded by local dioceses. Instead, we persevere through sound business planning and common sense. We routinely laugh, “Marketing budget? What marketing budget?” when advertising representatives suggest multi-thousand-dollar campaigns. Instead we rely on quality goods and great customer service to brand our businesses.

ScriptSure Ink and Toner

As a small business, we also strive to support our fellow monastics. We offer wholesale altar bread services to many religious orders so they too may sell a quality product tied to their charism, enabling them to keep their doors open during these trying times.

Monastery Creations, handcrafted soaps, lotions and salves

Whether you’re buying altar breads, handcrafted salves and soap with a drop of holy water, gourmet popcorn, recycled ink/toner cartridges or liturgical vestments, your purchase directly supports our Sisters and their monastic goals.

Liturgical Vestments and Linens

So please join us in celebrating all small businesses this week and throughout the year!

Our new Gift Shop at the Clyde monastery is open for business! This is a huge improvement, as many of you might recall with humor our Gift Shop Hallway from years past.

We now have an honest-to-goodness Gift Shop, stocked with many lovely finds, mostly created by our hands. All for sale to you, our friends, neighbors and guests. (Live too far away? You can also visit us and shop online with us at Monastery Creations!)

Sister Rebecca and Sister Jane were busy during the diaspora, and we now have many pieces of pottery that will beautify any home or office.

Sister Sarah has nimble fingers and crocheted a lovely baby set. Sister Cathleen and Sister Judy, as always, stay busy making lotions and soaps with holy water.

And Sister Lucilla has been making mug rugs.

Old tin ceiling tiles have been re-crafted into vases, picture frames, shelves and mirrors for the new shop space.

Come see our new look and our many offerings. We wait to welcome you and the blessings you bring.

It is with sincere gratitude we thank all those who purchase gifts we make – you help support our life of prayer for you and for the world.

Sister Cathleen Marie (aka the Soap Sister) delights in the wonderful smells with which her handcrafted soaps fill the air.

If you’re looking for a sweet gift for someone special, please visit us at www.monasterycreations.com. We have several types of handcrafted soaps, lotions and salves in tons of pleasing scents for men and women. Looking for something really special? Check out Sister Cathleen Marie’s soaps that include a drop of holy water.

Several of our Sisters who make handcrafted gifts have been very busy this holiday season! That includes our San Benito Sisters in Dayton, Wyo., and Sister Cathleen Marie in Clyde, Mo. Many thanks to our volunteers who help prepare the gifts for delivery.

Gift boxes are very popular, in several sizes, offering a variety of items.

As always, all our gifts are made by monastic hands while we pray for those who use them. Thank you for helping us celebrate this very special time in our monastery and welcoming us into your homes and hearts.