Visiting a rundown shop on a steamy May morning, Monica Lapuente came across a broken-down porcelain doll. The wear and tear of the years was evident in the tattered dress, split head, and discoloration. It looked, she said, like it had suffered appalling cruelty.

It was an epiphany moment for her; she saw in that doll broken humanity in need of love, mercy and restoration.  And she discovered something amazing too. Hidden in the doll was the original music box that had survived all the vicissitudes of life – heat, cold, dirt, abandonment, battering – and could still play a tune.  All it needed was loving hands to bring it make it whole.

She was inspired to make this doll and all the ensuing ones a religious sister; each showing a different face of mercy and God’s love to the world.  Or as Monica says: “Each Monastery Belle represents and celebrates the universality, diversity, cultural richness, conversion, perseverance, and beauty of the Catholic Church.”

One doll led to another and to date she has restored almost 400 (click here to see them all)! All the materials used for the hand-stitched habits are found in thrift shops and the like, remnants to be brought back to useful life. She only uses porcelain dolls because they symbolize to her, humanity so exquisite and fragile, so easily chipped and broken.  Each one has a unique name too.

One of her newest dolls (right) is a Sister Servant of Mary Immaculate, an community founded in Lviv, Ukraine.  The name she was given is Sr. Mariya Sofiya Oleksandra, S.S.M.I., which means “the wisdom of Mary is the defender and protector of all mankind.”

“Each doll came to me with visible and invisible manifestations of suffering which is a metaphor for the wounded soul of humanity,” says Monica. “But what is broken, abused, rejected, and imperfect becomes whole, dignified, and beautiful in the sunlight of God’s creative and renewing love.”

For more information and to see all of the dolls, visit: monicastears.com