GREAT FALLS, Mont. — The Poor Clares of Montana have invited the friars of Holy Name Province to visit their retreat center.
Sr. Jane Sorenson, OSC, contacted HNP’s Communications Office recently to express the sisters’ desire to have Franciscans visit and celebrate Mass at their monastery in Montana.
After Thomas Hartle, OFM, HNP’s spiritual assistant to the Poor Clares, visited the monastery recently, Sr. Jane said, “We talked about how much we missed the way the friars celebrate liturgy, and the question arose as to how to get the word out that they would be welcome to come to Montana to make their retreat.”
She added: “We have a beautiful new monastery, including a retreat area that is wonderful. All we ask is that the friars would celebrate liturgy with us while they were here.”
The Poor Clares of Montana are closely connected to Holy Name Province. In 1998, Bishop Anthony Milone of Great Falls invited the Holy Name Federation of Poor Clares to establish a foundation in his diocese. Four sisters arrived in 1999, taking up residence in a former rectory until a monastery could be built. “We are a Federation foundation, and the four of us came from four different monasteries on the East Coast. We have been here almost 10 years and now have a beautiful monastery (completed in 2008), which we would love to share,” Sr. Jane said.
The retreat center is located in the north central part of the state, about 90 miles northeast of Helena, the state capital. “We are also — sort of — between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park,” Sr. Jane said.
Friars interested in visiting Montana can contact the Poor Clares at (406) 453-7891 or sisters@poorclaresmt.org.