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About the Sisters

Vision and Values
The Sisters of St. Paul’s’ Monastery are a community who live the Rule of St. Benedict based on Gospel values. Through our liturgical life and wise stewardship we create sacred space from which we respond to the needs and challenges of church and society. (photo by Dave Hrbacek of the Catholic Spirit)

There are five core Gospel values that we hold sacred and that guide our monastic life, our conversations and our decisions.

Community
Prayer
Hospitality

Stewardship
Silence

History
Fifteen hundred years ago, St. Benedict abandoned a comfortable life and sought seclusion and simplicity in order to pray and contemplate. He began to understand the needs of the people in his time – and he responded. In the spirit of Benedict the Sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery have responded to the call to service with joy and determination to be ever-faithful.

1035: St. Walburga’s Abbey is founded in Eichstatt, Bavaria. St. Paul’s Monastery traces its roots to this Benedictine Abbey.

1852: Three young sisters—Sisters Benedicta Riepp, Walburga Dietrich and Maura Flieger—set sail from Eichstatt for St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania to open a school to teach German immigrants. After a few years, the sisters traveled up the Mississippi River on a small steamer to St. Cloud, Minnesota to teach the children of pioneers. A short time later they moved to the neighboring town of St. Joseph and opened a school for girls. This was the beginning of St. Benedict's Convent which became the largest Benedictine motherhouse in America.

1948: 178 Sisters left St. Benedict’s Convent in St. Joseph, Minnesota to establish a new monastery at 301 Summit Avenue, St. Paul's Monastery.

1957: Having outgrown their Summit Avenue location, the Sisters announced their intention to build a larger monastery in Maplewood. The Archbishop asked that they build a high school for girls first. The Sisters raised the necessary funds, built and staffed what is now Hill-Murray School which opened in 1958.

1965: The Sisters moved into their new monastery at 2675 Larpenteur Avenue East next to Hill-Murray School.

1994-2008: After much discernment, the Sisters decided to:

• Build a smaller monastery on the northern portion of their Maplewood campus
• Sell the monastery at 2675 Larpenteur Ave E to Tubman Family Alliance, an organization serving families and children who are experiencing domestic violence
• Sell land along Century Ave to CommonBond for affordable family townhomes and senior housing
• Sell the Sisters’ share of Hill-Murray School and land to the Hill-Murray Foundation
  

2009 and beyond: Anticipating a Graced Future
As the Sisters continue their ministries they continue to move forward, listening to ways God is calling them to be a vibrant community of monastic women in service to one another and to the wider community. They believe firmly in the guidance of a benevolent God, walking with family and friends who are their constant support. They journey with people in organizations who are willing to partner with them, going where they are needed, ministering when and where they are needed and carrying on their vision of service to those in need of God’s love and peace.