... a place where God is loved and served above all else
With our Community growing and more young women in the discernment process, our convent began to burst at the seems. For the last year, we have been beseeching good St. Joseph, to whom we entrust our temporal needs, to find us adequate housing.
Our Lord has responded most generously to St. Joseph's intercession on our behalf. The Ursuline Sisters, who have served in Santa Rosa for more than 130 years, have graciously agreed to sell us their convent and property at 400 Angela Drive.
The acquisition of the convent and property is a big step for our Community, and we are excited to share this journey with you as we move into our new home and create a place where God is loved and served above all else.
Our Lord has responded most generously to St. Joseph's intercession on our behalf. The Ursuline Sisters, who have served in Santa Rosa for more than 130 years, have graciously agreed to sell us their convent and property at 400 Angela Drive.
The acquisition of the convent and property is a big step for our Community, and we are excited to share this journey with you as we move into our new home and create a place where God is loved and served above all else.
... at the heart of the Church
Our New Home
Originally built in the 1950's, the convent is built to be a true convent. Mater Dei Convent - named after our Blessed Mother's principal title - contains more than 30 cells, a refectory (dining hall), an industrial size kitchen, a community room, several smaller gathering spaces, a parlor, a fenced-in courtyard, and most importantly - an attached chapel! The convent is truly suitable for our way of life.
Additionally, the convent building sits on 40+ acres of land. Before the 2017 fires, the convent also had several additional buildings - including a novitiate. The Ursuline Sisters believe it was through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor (whose statue stands at the front entrance and who is a patron of the Ursulines) that the motherhouse was spared from the fires. Thanks to the hard work of the Ursuline Sisters, the grounds are in a safe and habitable place.
Although the convent grounds were significantly affected by the fires, with a lot of work they have the potential to be quite breathtaking and we look forward greatly to rolling up our sleeves and making this a reality. On the property there is an enclosed rose garden for Our Lady that we are restoring, with ponds and water flowing throughout. There are additional gardens that we very much are looking forward to restoring to reflect our spirituality.
There is ample amount of space for the Sisters to pray on the property and even the ability to take hikes through the hills behind the convent.
At the heart of it all, the convent provides room for our Community to grow and to continue living an authentic religious life. It provides us the means to be together as a religious family, to establish our roots within the Diocese of Santa Rosa, and above all to give glory to God and work for the salvation of souls.
Additionally, the convent building sits on 40+ acres of land. Before the 2017 fires, the convent also had several additional buildings - including a novitiate. The Ursuline Sisters believe it was through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor (whose statue stands at the front entrance and who is a patron of the Ursulines) that the motherhouse was spared from the fires. Thanks to the hard work of the Ursuline Sisters, the grounds are in a safe and habitable place.
Although the convent grounds were significantly affected by the fires, with a lot of work they have the potential to be quite breathtaking and we look forward greatly to rolling up our sleeves and making this a reality. On the property there is an enclosed rose garden for Our Lady that we are restoring, with ponds and water flowing throughout. There are additional gardens that we very much are looking forward to restoring to reflect our spirituality.
There is ample amount of space for the Sisters to pray on the property and even the ability to take hikes through the hills behind the convent.
At the heart of it all, the convent provides room for our Community to grow and to continue living an authentic religious life. It provides us the means to be together as a religious family, to establish our roots within the Diocese of Santa Rosa, and above all to give glory to God and work for the salvation of souls.
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"There is one thing I ask of the Lord, this do I seek,
to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze on the Lord's beauty and to visit His temple."
Psalm 27:4
Fundraising
God’s Providence, in the shape of a few dedicated donors, the sale of the former convent, a significant private loan, and a loan from the Diocese has made the purchase of the convent and property possible. We also know that moving into a larger space will bring with it an increase in operational expenses. With your help, we can raise the funds needed!
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Total Cost of New Convent
$5,080,000 
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Amount to Raise
$1,165,000 
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Your Participation
As a small part of the Body of Christ, we realize we can do nothing on our own. God calls us to rely completely upon Him, trusting that He will give all that is needed. In His Providence, He chooses to engage other members of His Body to express His spiritual and physical gifts. We ask you to join with us in this project in whatever way you can - prayer, networking, financial assistance.
Prayer
The result of our efforts to establish the Community more deeply in this area depends primarily upon the grace of God, and the outpouring of His grace comes through prayer. We invite you to join with us in prayer, specifically through the intercession of our patrons: Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Rose of Lima, St. Louis Marie de Montfort - and to honor the Ursulines - St. Angela Merici. We humbly ask that you keep this project in your intentions, especially in the Holy Rosary and in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Spread the Word
We recognize that we cannot make this convent a place where He is loved and served above all else on our own. We know that we need you - our dear loved ones and people of God - to help us achieve our goals. We humbly ask that you help spread the news about the acquisition of the new convent and our efforts to restore the property to its original beauty.
Donate
We also invite you to contribute financially. Each gift, large or small, is an appreciated gift from the heart and helps us achieve our goal.
There are many ways you can contribute:
Prayer
The result of our efforts to establish the Community more deeply in this area depends primarily upon the grace of God, and the outpouring of His grace comes through prayer. We invite you to join with us in prayer, specifically through the intercession of our patrons: Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Rose of Lima, St. Louis Marie de Montfort - and to honor the Ursulines - St. Angela Merici. We humbly ask that you keep this project in your intentions, especially in the Holy Rosary and in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Spread the Word
We recognize that we cannot make this convent a place where He is loved and served above all else on our own. We know that we need you - our dear loved ones and people of God - to help us achieve our goals. We humbly ask that you help spread the news about the acquisition of the new convent and our efforts to restore the property to its original beauty.
Donate
We also invite you to contribute financially. Each gift, large or small, is an appreciated gift from the heart and helps us achieve our goal.
There are many ways you can contribute:
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Give Now through online giving: click here
By Mail:
Checks written to "Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa" may be mailed to: Mater Dei Convent 400 Angela Drive Santa Rosa, CA 95403 |
Other Types of Gifts to Consider
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The Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa is registered as a 501(c)(3) charity under the United States Internal Revenue Code.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by state and federal law.
Your support helps us to continue our mission of sharing the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of the Catholic faith. Our Lord, Who is the source of all good gifts, is never outdone in generosity. We are grateful for any assistance you can offer us in this project. Our benefactors are remembered in our daily prayers, specifically in our chanted Vespers (Evening Prayer) and our daily Rosary intentions.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by state and federal law.
Your support helps us to continue our mission of sharing the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of the Catholic faith. Our Lord, Who is the source of all good gifts, is never outdone in generosity. We are grateful for any assistance you can offer us in this project. Our benefactors are remembered in our daily prayers, specifically in our chanted Vespers (Evening Prayer) and our daily Rosary intentions.
Mater Dei Convent: The Name
"Mater Dei" - Mother of God - is the principal title given to our Blessed Mother. In it all her other titles are summarized. The first title given to Our Lady by the early Church, it testifies to the Divinity of Christ and her preeminent role in our Redemption. We call our Mother by this title many times each day, "Sancta Maria, Mater Dei...." It sums up for us our Charism and Spirituality. Each morning, before Our Lord exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, we recite our Charism statement, "In union with Mary... we strive to magnify... her Divine Son...," a daily reminder of our commitment to live in union with our Mother and through her to share her Son with the souls entrusted to our care. Our co-patrons are St. Joseph, who was chosen to protect Our Lady's Divine and Miraculous Maternity, and St. Louis Marie de Montfort, who most eloquently described the relationship between Incarnate Wisdom and His Mother. We strive to emulate these great saints in their tender devotion to Our Mother and through and with her to Our Lord, her Divine Son.
Project Updates
Stay tuned for more information about the projects we have going on around Mater Dei Convent and how you can help!
Special thanks to Patin Vineyard Management and Bishop Robert Vasa for helping to restore and repair the pond and water features of Our Lady's garden.
Special thanks to Patin Vineyard Management and Bishop Robert Vasa for helping to restore and repair the pond and water features of Our Lady's garden.
Mater Dei Convent
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"How much stronger and more powerful are we in approaching our Lord when we are armed with the merits and prayers of the worthy Mother of God, who, as St. Augustine says, has conquered the Almighty by her love!"
St. Louis Marie de Montfort
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