Tag Archives: Sisters of Mary Morning Star

Sisters of Mary Morning Star’s New Addition Blessed

Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash

The Sisters of Mary Morning Star in the Diocese of Madison recently had their new addition, comprised of guest rooms, cells, a library and workroom, blessed by Msgr. James Bartylla, diocesan administrator.   With the addition, there is now enough room for 10 sisters to live at the convent.

For those who have grown up in Catholic parishes and schools without having seen a religious sister, the parish community where the sisters reside has been particularly blessed.  Monsignor Bartylla said thar there is a “sense of something that we didn’t know we needed, particularly, but know the blessing of it when it arrives.”  He also noted that the Church is Petrine and Marian, and with the sisters arrival, it helps to provide “fullness” to the Church.

The four main aspects of the charism of the Sisters of Mary Morning Star are prayer, fraternal charity, search for truth, and manual work. There are currently 250 sisters of the community throughout the world welcomed into 14  dioceses by bishops, with priories in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

The second phase of the project is the building of a chapel ($400,000 or so in cost). For more information, please contact the sisters at 608-224-0251 or mariastella.madison@gmail.com

New Community Welcomed to New Ulm

ghentThere is a new contemplative community in the small town of Ghent, in southwestern Minnesota, called the Sisters of Mary, Morning Star (Sisters of Maria Stella Matutina). Founded in Spain in 2014, this Association of the Faithful is the only contemplative community of sisters in the diocese of New Ulm. There are 225 sisters worldwide in 10 countries.

The sisters are contemplative but not cloistered so they can participate in activities around the diocese and open their doors to the laity. Their primary work is to pray for the new evangelization and I read that they commemorate the Easter Triduum each weekend, beginning with a Holy Hour every Thursday where they recall the Lord’s Agony in the Garden. They also pray for a half hour after Mass and often spend 2 hours a day in Adoration. They live simply and support themselves by doing leatherwork and selling crafts.

ghent 2Their unusual name stems from one of Our Lady’s titles in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Morning Star. From the Book of Revelation (2:26-28), we read: “To the one who wins the victory, who keeps to my ways till the end, I will give authority over the nations — the same authority I received from my Father. He shall rule them with the rod of iron and shatter them like crockery; and I will give him the morning star.” In Song of Songs (6:10) it says: “Who is this that comes forth like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun.” The planet Venus is known as the Morning Star, often visible just before dawn before the sun eclipses her light.  It is an image of Mary reflecting the light of her Son.

Their priory in Ghent is the site of their U.S. Novitiate. In 2015, they opened a second convent in Monona, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Madison. For more information about the community, please email them at: SistersofMaryMorningStar@gmail.com or call (507)428-3919.

Our charism is to live the mystery of Christ’s offering to the Father, in light of the paternity of Saint John, and we desire to live with Mary her mystery of Compassion, for the Church and for all men.

 Our Community wishes to live a contemplative life in the heart of the world in order to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit for the New Evangelization.

 Living our contemplative life in the heart of the world allows us to welcome guests and share our life of Eucharistic Adoration, love for the Word of God, search for truth and fraternal charity.