Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Since my arrival in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, I have come to appreciate so many blessings within our Church in eastern South Dakota. One of those blessings is the dedication to prayer and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament through the Adoration Sisters at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery located near our cathedral these past 18 years.
Sadly, I’ve been informed by Mother Caridad that, after prayerful discernment, the Adoration Sisters have decided to return to Mexico. For those of us who have come to know and love the Adoration Sisters, this is a great loss, but God has affirmed in my prayer that He has a wonderful plan for them and us. My hope and prayer for Mother and the Adoration Sisters was that God would lead them to His will so they could act in full freedom in what they sensed the Holy Spirit was prompting them to do. While their leaving is difficult for all who are so invested in supporting the Adoration Sisters’ charism of intercessory prayer and Eucharistic Adoration, my ultimate desire is for the sisters, all religious, clergy and the faithful in our diocese to be healthy, holy and happy by living fully in the Holy Spirit and following His promptings.
Along with my letter you will find a letter from Mother Caridad and an FAQ document. These resources are meant to help provide further explanation to this heavy news, most especially as I recognize that many of us will experience grief as a result of their departure from our diocese.
Please know that your gift to Mater Ecclesiae Monastery has led to the construction of a beautiful place of great prayer and ministry. With God’s help, that reality will continue to be. God willing, we will have another community of religious sisters to move into our monastery to pray and minister in our diocese. If God has a different plan, I am open to that as well.
The timing of these transitions are not yet known. In the meantime, please join me in thanking the Adoration Sisters for their 18 years of faithful service, and pray for them knowing it is hard for them to say goodbye.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me, Katie Fritz (kfritz@ccfesd.org) or Mark Conzemius (mconzemius@ccfesd.org).
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood
Bishop of Sioux Falls