A community of Discalced Carmelite sisters is using centuries-old methods to build a monastery in hopes that it will serve as “a beacon of light” for generations to come in Fairfield, Pennsylvania.
When the sisters of the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph realized they had outgrown their 1940s monastery in the Diocese of Harrisburg, they knew they wanted to build their next home “in a way that is designed to last,” that would speak to St. Teresa of Ávila’s vision for their charism, Catherine Bauer, the director of marketing and development for the sisters, told EWTN News. “And by that, they mean last a thousand years.”
Bucking modern architecture and building conventions, the Fairfield sisters have opted to build their monastery using old-world methods including traditional stonemasonry and timber framing. While the scale of the monastery “will be on the smaller side,” according to Bauer, “it’s more about the stonework, the authenticity of building from the ground up using no nails, no glue, [and] no electricity running through it.”
“They will also have old-world methods of plumbing and water systems,” she added.
The budget for the project, which began in 2013 and is about 20% complete, is $100 million. The sisters have raised about $22 million so far.
“The idea is that over the course of the next 12 or 15 years it takes to build this, once it’s completed, little or no maintenance will be required for this building for future generations,” Bauer said. “So essentially, they spend the money up front now and then in 50 years, you’re not replacing various systems and roofing and walls and all of that.”
While the up-front cost of their home may be steep, the sisters have proven resourceful not only in sourcing local materials such as stone and timber but also stained glass and an altar for their oratory.
The marble altar the sisters found had once served as the original altar at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Bishop Emeritus William Gainer, who delivered the homily at the oratory’s dedication in 2024, revealed that he had said his first Mass at that altar decades prior, she noted.
“We’re trying to salvage a lot of these things and which is amazing, you know, giving these beautiful items a home,” Bauer said.
While the Carmelites themselves are hidden away, Bauer said, “the monastery is meant to be a beacon of light, a beacon on the hill for the community at large, for the faithful to come and visit, and to be an oasis for everyone, a source of grace and comfort and holiness.”
The public will be able to attend Mass and receive the sacraments and to pray with externs at the monastery.
Ultimately, Bauer said, the mission of the Carmelite order is to beat with the heart of the Church.
“The Carmelite charism is to pray for the priests,” she said. “That’s their whole mission, is to pray for priests and for the Church. And that’s how we’re going to survive. They are the heart of the Church. They’re the ones that keep the blood pumping through the rest of the body of the Church.”
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