The Benedictine Sisters of Mount Angel officially transferred the Queen of Angels Monastery in Mt. Angel, Oregon, to Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Central Coast (CCS) on March 20.
At this historic transfer ceremony, held in the monastery chapel and Agatha Hall, CCS staff, the sisters, friends, family members, and supporters gathered to pray, celebrate, and share stories of the important role the sisters and their monastery have played in the lives of those present and in the broader community.
The ceremony included a symbolic transfer of items representing the sisters’ legacy and a blessing for the CCS staff, board members, and volunteers who will sustain that legacy.
“The Benedictine Sisters have owned the historic monastery and grounds of Queen of Angels Monastery since 1887 when they purchased the property from Mount Angel Abbey. Now they entrust the mission and use to Catholic Community Services,” said Sister Jane Hibbard, Pastoral Administrator of the Benedictine Sisters. “The sisters look forward to seeing what develops and promise to pray daily for what will emerge for the future use of the buildings and property. They are deeply grateful for the partnership with and commitment of CCS to the people of Mount Angel, Marion County, and beyond, as well as to the people who continue to support the Benedictine Sisters,” she said.
The monastery, dedicated in 1888, has been the home of the Benedictine Sisters. They are credited with an impressive number of endeavors, including the Shalom at the Monastery retreat ministry, the Benedictine Nursing Center, and St. Joseph Shelter and Mission Benedict.
In 2017, the sisters transferred day-to-day operations of the St. Joseph Shelter and Mission Benedict, ministries which they founded in 1988, to Catholic Community Services. The sisters are now living next door at the Orchard House, an assisted living facility of Providence Benedictine Nursing Center in Mt. Angel. They maintain their administrative offices in the monastery, where they host retreats and continue to help guide and sustain St. Joseph Shelter and Mission Benedict.
“We are honored and humbled by the confidence the sisters have placed in us, and we look forward to our continued partnership to sustain the ministries they founded and to preserve the monastery as a place of hope and healing,” said CCS Chief Executive Officer Josh Graves.
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About the Benedictine Sisters and the Queen of Angels Monastery
The Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel are a Catholic religious community established in Oregon in 1882. Queen of Angels Monastery, the sisters’ historic home, dates to 1887. The sisters’ major ministries are hospitality, prayer, service to the local community, and Shalom at the Monastery retreats. At present, the Benedictine Sisters have 17 professed members and 80 oblates.
About Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Central Coast
Catholic Community Services of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Central Coast is a non-profit, faith-based organization. Founded in Salem in 1938, today, CCS offers nine programs across 10 Oregon counties and serves more than 5,500 people each year. They operate with fidelity to the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which call them to work for the common good and to serve their neighbors who are the poorest and most vulnerable. CCS envisions a caring, resilient community full of hope and connection where all people flourish.