Expand a Benedictine Convent in Brazil
Monday, November 23, 2009

Project Code: 212-06-19

In 2005, four Benedictine nuns came to Arapiraca in eastern Brazil. Prior to their arrival, a great many 'angels in human shape,' who had long prayed for the establishment of a contemplative religious community in their region, had seen to it that the sisters would have a plot of land for themselves, some 4 miles from the city center. A beautiful chapel was already built on this spot and only needed to be slightly enlarged in order to create sufficient space for the sisters' own enclosed choir area.

What they did lack, however, was a proper convent building. Initially, they built a guest house where the sisters, too, were temporarily housed. Very soon more young women were knocking on the convent door, wanting to join the Benedictine community. Now the convent has increased to 10 – five sisters with permanent vows, two with temporary vows, two novices and one enclosed oblate – and there are more young women who have also felt the call to join the Order. As a result, the Convent of the Nativity of the Lord will have to increase in size so that it can accommodate all these new vocations – and so that the existing community can live an authentic, enclosed conventional life.

At the same time, the original guesthouse is increasingly in demand for its originally intended purpose – namely to house the visiting guests. Chapter 53 of the Rule of St. Benedict of Nursia, the Father of the Benedictine Order, states: "Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, 'I came as a guest and you received Me' (Mt 25:35)." The convent is never short of guests, for those who have a particular bond of affection with the sisters are not only from the immediate area; instead, friends of the convent come from all over, including Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and other cities, so great is the esteem for the Convent of the Nativity of the Lord.

Now the sisters want to build a new wing, containing 19 individual cells, since the sisters expect that their convent will continue to grow. Sadly, the state of Alagoas, which is where the Diocese of Penedo is located, is one of the poorest regions of Brazil. While the sisters can manage to support themselves by the work of their hands – they make rosaries, produce liqueurs, do tailoring and paint holy pictures, for example – this enables them to do no more than make ends meet and will not provide enough to fund a building project.

The sisters are not discouraged, since their founder Saint Benedict insists that they must never cease to hope in God's mercy. Instead they have turned with confidence to ACN for help. We in turn are quite certain that there are many more of you who are 'angels in human form' who will help these holy nuns of Arapiraca – and so we have already promised them $5,300. Will you help these faithful sisters expand their convent in Brazil? We are sure they will remember you in their grateful prayers.

Progress: 0% Raised: $ 0     Goal: $ 5300

 Return to Projects in Need