We are Dominican cloistered Contemplative Nuns. We live in a monastery totally embracing the papal enclosure . We were founded by St. Dominic in 1206 before he founded the Dominican friars In 1216. We were founded with the express intent of praying for the success of the Dominican Preaching. Our whole life as nuns of the order of preachers is harmoniously ordered to preserve the continual remembrance of God . In the year 1965 twelve nuns from Our lady of Grace Monastery, North-Guilford CT, USA, sailed to Africa to found a Dominican monastery in Nairobi – Kenya. They were invited by the then, Archbishop John Mc Marthy C.S.S.P of Nairobi diocese.
His intention was to bring to Nairobi – Kenya a complete cloistered nun who would perpetuate the divine grace to assists East Africa develop to mutuality, sanctity, and peace which is based on love of God expressed in love of neighbor, by perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the recitation of the holy rosary.
It’s worth noting that, in the monastery, prayer is not the work we do but life we live. It is the very atmosphere we live in and the air we breathe. Though we have set times for prayer, in fact, every movement in the cloister is a prayer. Our relationship with prayer in the cloister is like that of the fish in the ocean.
We adhere to the Apostle’s admonition “to pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In one of his letters, St. Jerome speaks of the early church and for monasticism in general. The two ideas he emphasized on can be summarized as: one should strive to pray at all times as well as adhere to a regular structure of prayer at appointed times. He numbers in all six common prayer periods: morning, evening, nighttime, as well as prayer at the third, sixth, and ninth hours (Terce, Sext, None). Our ancestors in the faith began counting hours at sunrise, about 6am.
We hear of eight prayer periods from St. Benedict, written in the early 6th century: Matins or Vigils, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. Since the time of Saint Benedict, there generally has been understood to be eight canonical hours in the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. Most probably, St. Benedict took over the number from an existing tradition familiar to him. Perhaps centers of Church life and monasticism already existing in Rome, Milan, Naples, and Lerins in Gaul (modern-day France) influenced him in taking on the same number of prayer periods.
Imitating blessed Dominic as he imitated Christ, Dominican nuns perpetuate his fervor and spirit of prayer for he celebrated the whole Divine Office with great devotion. St. Dominic was tireless in prayer “during the night hours, no one was more constant in every way in prayer and vigils” frequently “he prayed to his father with his doors closed.” Nor should they forget his cry, “Lord, what will become of sinners” LCM 74: III. Therefore, our whole life as nuns of the order of preachers is harmoniously ordered to preserve the continual remembrance of God.
This band of twelve nuns left New York on the Farrell Lines SS African Neptune for a 28-day voyage across the Indian Ocean to Mombasa port; they had two stops in Cape Town in South Africa and Durban. Finally, on 30th April 1965 the ship successfully completed its voyage and safely arrived its destination, in Mombasa – Kenya.
Then, by rail, they traveled to their Corpus Christi monastery soon to be under construction in Nairobi. The names of these are:
- Mother Mary Katheleen of the cross – Prioress
- Sr. Mary Augustine of the passion
- Sr. Mary Paul Thomas of the Holy Spirit
- Sr. Mary
- Sr. Mary Dolores of Jesus crucified
- Sr. Elizabeth of the sacred heart
- Sr. Mary Blanche of the sorrowful mother
- Sr. Mary of the Immaculate heart
- Sr. Mary Constance of the cross
- Sr. Mary Dominic of the crown of thorns
- Sr. Mary Francis Therese of the child Jesus
- Sr. Mary John of Jesus crucified
These courageous nuns who volunteered themselves to take as their primary function to sanctify Kenya and indeed the whole of East Africa by their adoration, reparation, petition and thanks giving, were officially welcomed by then, president Kenyatta. After two weeks of getting acquainted with the people, the twelve nuns were cloistered in the separate wing of St. Thomas Regional seminary which will serve as their temporary quarters until their new monastery is completed.
In July 2023, we were honoured by an august visit by the master of the Order Fr. Gerrard Timoner OP it was a great joy to share together and to hear how God has blessed us as the order of preachers. May we continue to proclaim Him who is truth itself for the salvation of souls.
OUR DAILY HORARIUM
It’s worth noting that, in the monastery, prayer is not the work we do but life we live. It is the very atmosphere we live in and the air we breathe. Though we have set times for prayer, in fact, every movement in the cloister is a prayer. Our relationship with prayer in the cloister is like that of the fish in the ocean as you can see from our horarium.
We adhere to the Apostle’s admonition “to pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In one of his letters, St. Jerome speaks of the early church and for monasticism in general. The two ideas he emphasized on can be summarized as: one should strive to pray at all times as well as adhere to a regular structure of prayer at appointed times. He numbers in all six common prayer periods: morning, evening, nighttime, as well as prayer at the third, sixth, and ninth hours (Terce, Sext, None). Our ancestors in the faith began counting hours at sunrise, about 6am.