The IRL welcomes our newest Affiliate Community—the Congregation of Norbertine Sisters in Wilmington, California. They are the newest branch on the Norbertine Order which lives according to the age-old inspiration of St. Norbert (1080-1134) and the Rule of St. Augustine.

The community was founded by the General House of the Congregation of Norbertine Sisters in Slovakia.  The Congregation was originally established in 1902 in the Czech Republic by Rev. Vojtech Frejka, a Norbertine Father from the Abbey of Strahov in Prague, to renew the Norbertine way of life in the region.

In 2006, Rev. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem., from St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California, spoke with the Norbertine Sisters’ Superior General, Mother Hermana, about establishing a new community of active Norbertine sisters in the USA.  In 2011, three sisters from Slovakia responded to that invitation and came to Wilmington, California to live in the convent belonging to SS. Peter and Paul Parish.

In 2019, the growing community of 10 (with 2 candidates) expanded to a second convent at St. John the Baptist parish in Costa Mesa. The focus is on the formation of new vocations. With God’s blessing, this “new branch” will bear fruits of love, peace and joy, and will become a home where vocations bloom!

Their life is centered on daily Mass, praying the Divine Office, and Eucharistic Holy Hour.  They strive for unity of mind and heart which overflows into a love that embraces all people.  They humbly implore the Virgin Mary to teach them to be completely devoted to God and to serve His people with total dedication.

As Norbertines, they are not bound to any specific apostolate, but in the spirit of St. Norbert, are “prepared for every good work.”  Currently, they operate the Poverty Program which provides food and clothing for over 700 families, teach religious education to children and adults, staff the parish bookstore, and work in the sacristy.  In the spirit of St. Norbert, the Congregation has sought to maintain a balance between liturgical prayer, zeal for souls, and contemplation.

For more information, visit: https://www.congregationofnorbertinesisters.org/

Email: norbertinesrscm@gmail.com

People are very familiar with the Norbertine men of St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado California and the cloistered Norbertine Canonesses of Tehachapi California.  Lesser known are the active Norbertine Sisters who came to Wilmington, California in 2011, sent by the General House of the Congregation of Norbertine Sisters in Slovakia.

This Congregation was originally founded in 1902 in the Czech Republic by Fr. Vojtech Frejka, a Norbertine Father from the abbey of Strahov in Prague, to renew the Norbertine way of life in the region. Since cloistered religious life had been suppressed in Czechoslovakia, the first three novices were sent to a Norbertine convent in Poland for their formation. They were instructed by their novice mistress, Sister (later-Mother) Michaela Andrusikiewicz, who would become the first superior of the new Congregation and is considered their co-foundress.

In the spirit of St. Norbert, the sisters have no specific apostolate but are prepared for every good work.  Their life is centered around daily Mass, praying the divine office, and a Eucharistic holy hour. They humbly implore the Virgin Mary to teach them to be completely devoted to God and to serve His people with total dedication.

In Wilmington, they help needy families by operating a poverty program, teach at SS. Peter and Paul school, work in the bookstore, help in the sacristy, and teach Catechism and Confirmation classes.

At their convent, which is also their formation house, there are three Sisters from Slovakia: Sr. Adriana Gacikova, S.Praem., Sr. Roberta Sprlakova, S.Praem., and Sr. Benedikta Hornikova, S.Praem., with five women in formation.

For young women, the sisters have regular Days of Recollection and a monthly Holy Hour. For more information, visit: www.CongregationofNorbertineSisters.org

email: norbertinesrswilm@gmail.com