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THE POOR CLARES OF PERPETUAL ADORATION
Mother M. Angelica is the Foundress and Abbess of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama, an autonomous Monastery of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration. The Nuns wear a traditional Habit with cord and Franciscan Crown Rosary. They chant the entire Divine Office each day. Traditional devotions of the Order include the Way of the Cross and the Holy Rosary. The Poor Clares are faithful to the Holy Father and to the Magisterium of the Church. The Poor Clare Extern Sisters live and work outside the Cloister, greeting and assisting visitors, shopping, and taking care of the public side of the Chapel. History The Order of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration was founded in Paris, France on December 8, 1854, under the name "Franciscan Nuns of the Most Blessed Sacrament". This was the same day that the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed a Dogma by Blessed Pope Pius IX. The Order was founded by Mother Marie Claire Bouillevaux, under the guidance of a Capuchin Franciscan Priest, Father Bonaventure (John Baptist) Heurlaut. The new Order united the Franciscan form of living the Holy Gospel with special consecration to Eucharistic Adoration in the spirit of thanksgiving. Mother Marie Claire was inspired by the Gospel account of the one leper who returned to give thanks to Our Lord. Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has been a continual act of Adoration and thanksgiving since the very beginning of the Order. From France the Order spread to Poland and Austria. The first American Foundation was established in 1921 by Mother M. Agnes from Vienna, Austria, in the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1925 the Cleveland Monastery became one of the first Cloistered Communities in America to receive the privilege of Solemn Vows. From this Monastery several foundations were established in Bangladesh and South India as well as other cities in the United States. Today there are 27 Monasteries of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, in France, Poland, Austria, Germany, Bangladesh, India, and America. Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Alabama The Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration came to Alabama in 1962 when Mother M. Angelica established Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in the Birmingham suburb of Irondale. In 1973, she began to write books on the spiritual life, which the Nuns printed and distributed all over the world. Her talks on spirituality made her a favorite speaker at many conferences and other religious events. When Mother Angelica was given the opportunity to make video tape programs for television, she realized the impact television could have in spreading the Faith. Converting a planned garage behind the Monastery into a television studio, Mother Angelica founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). EWTN began airing programs on August 15, 1981 via satellite to cable companies and home satellite dishes. In 1992, Mother Angelica founded WEWN to broadcast Catholic programs world-wide via short-wave radio, inspired by the prophecy of Revelation 14:6 — "Then I saw another Angel, flying high overhead, sent to announce the Good News of Eternity to all who live on the earth, every nation, race, language, and tribe." EWTN continues to extend its Apostolate of spreading the Good News of Jesus over all the earth. In 1996, EWTN was added to the Dish Network, which beams EWTN’s programs via satellite to small, 18" dishes that can be mounted on a roof. Access to WEWN's radio programs is available to AM/FM radio stations throughout the world via satellite. EWTN has also developed EWTN Online Services (www.ewtn.com) to spread the Word worldwide via the Internet. As more visitors began coming to the Monastery and to the television network, Mother Angelica realized the need for holy Priests to hear Confessions, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and give spiritual talks. In response to this need, she founded the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, an Order of Priests and Brothers who live a Franciscan, Eucharistic life dedicated to bringing souls back to the Church. In 1995, while traveling in South America to announce the beginning of EWTN’s 24-hour Spanish satellite programming, Mother Angelica visited the Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus in Bogotá, Colombia. As she stood praying before the statue of the Child Jesus, He suddenly turned toward her and spoke these words: "Build Me a Temple, and I will help those who help you." Five years later, despite many obstacles, the Temple and new Monastery were completed. The Nuns moved to Hanceville on December 3, 1999, and the Temple was consecrated on December 19, 1999. Our Lady of the Angels Monastery was designated a Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, offering spiritual activities to groups of pilgrims.
Eucharistic Pilgrimage
Information. Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament ----------------------------------------------------------------------- GLOSSARY Cloistered [refers to the private, restricted areas ("Enclosure") of the Monastery and grounds reserved for the use of the Nuns.] Contemplative [designates Religious Institutes whose primary Apostolate is prayer rather than active ministries of teaching, nursing, etc.] Papal Enclosure [the Enclosure of Nuns of the wholly Contemplative Life, in which the rules governing the Enclosure must be confirmed by the Holy See (the Vatican in Rome)] Pontifical [designates Religious Institutes under the jurisdiction of the Holy See, and present in more than one Diocese] Second Order [the women’s branch of Franciscans, founded by Saint Clare of Assisi] Solemn Exposition [the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Monstrance in a most dignified setting for public Adoration] Solemn Vows [the strictest type of religious Vows in which the Nuns renounce their right to own property of any kind] |
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