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Our Beginnings
With the completion of our monastery in March,
2008, we reflect
on how it all happened and give thanks to God and all of our benefactors.
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In 1998 Bishop Anthony Milone wrote to the president of the Holy Name
Federation of Poor Clares to invite Poor Clares to make a foundation
in the diocese of Great Falls-Billings.
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In
1998 Sister Clare Frances McAvoy, the president of the Holy Name
Federation of Poor Clares, took two different delegations of sisters
to Great Falls to meet Bishop Milone and to discuss the possibility
of a foundation.
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In
April, 1999 when the Federation Chapter approved making the foundation,
she took a third delegation to negotiate an agreement between the
Poor Clares and the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings.
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Four sisters from four different monasteries along the east coast
volunteered to go to Montana to begin the foundation. After
they received permission from their respective communities: Greenville,
S.C., Andover, MA, Bordentown, NJ, and Bronx, NY, to do so and from
the Holy See, they began preparations to move to Great Falls, Montana.
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On
September 30, 1999 Sisters Catherine Cook, Jane Sorenson, Judith Ann
Crosby and Maryalice Pierce arrived in Great
Falls to take up residence in the former rectory next to St. Joseph
Church until a monastery could be built.
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April
27, 2003 marked the groundbreaking for our monastery, Bishop
Milone, the Mayor of Great Falls, and many friends gathered for this
occasion.
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In October , 2004 construction began on the first phase of the monastery
building, the living quarters for the sisters.
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L'Heureux
Page Werner PC was chosen as the architectural firm and Dennis O'Leary,
Inc. as the contractor. It was decided to build the monastery in three
phases: the living quarters for the sisters, the chapel building,
and the retreat and work space.
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On
November 5, 2005, the living area was completed and ready for occupancy.
Thus the sisters, with the help of many friends, moved in. It
was only a matter of a week or so before work began on the second
phase, the chapel building.
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We joyfully watched, as the chapel building, which houses the chapel
itself, the center of our life of prayer, a large conference room
and two visiting parlors grew to completion
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May 12, 2007, marked the dedication of the chapel and completion of
the chapel building. Bishop Milone, although retired by then,
returned to celebrate the beautiful Liturgy of dedication of St. Clare
Chapel.
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The third phase of the monastery was begun several weeks later through
the generosity of benefactors. In March of 2008 the final part
of the building was completed. Our dream of a monastery in Montana
is a reality.
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