From Assisi to the Sonoran Desert
On the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, June 24th, 2004, the Holy Spirit placed within the hearts of the founding Sisters a clear call to establish a Eucharistic Throne for Our Lord Jesus Christ—a call that would, in time, lead them into the desert to found Our Lady of Solitude Monastery.
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13th Century
St. Francis and St. Clare founded the Poor Ladies in Assisi, Italy, to live a life wholly dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ—poor, hidden, and radiant with love.
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December 8, 1854
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Mother Marie of St. Clare Bouillevaux and Fr. Bonaventure Heurlaut founded the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in France, uniting the Franciscan life with Eucharistic Adoration in a spirit of reparative thanksgiving—loving Our Lord Jesus Christ for those who do not love Him.
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1856–1921
From France, the Order spread to Poland and Austria, and then to the United States, establishing a life of Perpetual Adoration and hidden prayer.
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1944–1980s
Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation enters the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration and becomes a key figure in the growth of the Order, founding Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama and later establishing EWTN to bring the Gospel to the world.
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Mid-1990s
The future founding Sisters of Our Lady of Solitude Monastery enter religious life at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, beginning their formation in this contemplative vocation under the guidance of Mother Mary Angelica. Her total trust in Divine Providence marked the Sisters deeply, preparing them for the call to establish a new foundation in the desert.
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2005
At the invitation of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, Sisters from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery come to the Diocese of Phoenix to begin a new foundation—the first contemplative nuns in the diocese—planting the roots of a hidden life of prayer, sacrifice, and adoration in the desert.
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2010
Following a generous gift of land and funding, the Community moves from Black Canyon City to Tonopah, Arizona.
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2011
Our Lady of Solitude Chapel is completed and formally dedicated by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted on May 7, 2011, becoming the heart of Eucharistic Adoration for the Community.
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December 29, 2015
Our Lady of Solitude Monastery is established as an autonomous monastery by decree of the Holy See, and Mother Marie André of Mary, Mother of the Church is appointed the first Abbess.
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2020
The Monastery living quarters are built adjoining the Chapel under the supervision of the Sisters.
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August 11, 2021
The Monastery is blessed by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. The Sisters move into the completed Monastery and enclosure, and enter more deeply into their cloistered, contemplative life.
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Today
In the silence of the desert, we keep watch with the Lord, under the gentle mantle of Our Lady—offering reparative thanksgiving, loving Him for those who do not love Him, and carrying in prayer all who ask our intercession.
THANKSGIVING
In the spirit of reparative thanksgiving, we give thanks to God for all our benefactors—living and deceased—whose generosity has made this hidden life possible and brought this Monastery into being.
In a particular way, we remember with deep gratitude Mike and Mary Kay Longo, whose gift of land in Tonopah prepared a place for our Monastery in the desert; Mrs. Connie Vitale†, whose generosity made possible the building of our Chapel; and Rick† and Rita Lee, whose family’s gift of our Chapel monstrance remains at the heart of our Eucharistic Adoration.
We commend Mrs. Vitale, Rick Lee, and all our deceased benefactors to the mercy of God, and we hold all our benefactors in our daily prayer before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament with enduring gratitude.
Their goodness—and that of many others—lives on each day in our offering of prayer, adoration, and intercession.
Therefore, I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.