“O desert of Christ, burgeoning with flowers!  O solitude, in which those stones are produced of which the Apocalypse the city of the great king is constructed!  O wilderness that rejoiced in intimacy with God!”

– St. Jerome

On September 9th, our community was blessed to add Sr. Faustina Marie of the Father’s Merciful Love to our number! Sister is in the process of transferring to our community from Monastere de Notre Dame des Anges in Troyes France.  Sister is a native Iowan and joined the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in 1994 in Birmingham, AL.  Sr. Faustina Marie was in initial formation with Mother Marie Andre, Sr. Marie St. Paul, and Sr. Mary Fidelis.  In 2005 she went to Troyes to help reopen our Protomonastery.  We rejoice to welcome her into our community here in the heart of the desert.  Kindly keep her in your prayers during this time of transition.


We are giving thanks that the intense summer heat is behind us and we are stepping into Autumn with much joy!  For us, the celebration of the Solemnity of St. Francis always marks the official beginning of Fall!  Enjoy some photos from the Transitus of St. Francis (October 3rd) here at the Monastery.

  • lighted candles

And, finally, we hope you enjoy scrolling through the photos below.  They were taken throughout the last few months…but somehow never made it to the blog! Sr. John-Mark Maria, our photographer extraordinaire, captured the beauty of the desert with her contemplative eye.