Welcome to Poorclareswdc website

Most of the Monasteries of our Order in the world were built in towns where many people could go and worship the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our Poor Clare Monastery, as well, is located in the city center of Washington DC, in what is called "Champagne Cork". People can come every day to Mass, or participate in the Divine Office, the Rosary, and the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

In the 20th century, in 1996, the Sisters left the house for ten years. A community of people settled there. In 2007 seven Sisters returned to re-install monastic life. From India and the United States, our original Monasteries sent us here to bring our Cradle to life, with the prayers and support of thirty of our Monasteries in 8 countries around the world.

Poorclareswdc website was made with the goal of sharing the joy and love, and show you how the sisters are living in the Monastery of Poor Clares Washington DC.

Blaise Pascal had written on the subject of "perpetual agitation" (Pensées, Chapter XXVI, # 171, footnote): "Nothing is more capable of bringing us into the knowledge of men's misery than to consider the true cause of the perpetual agitation in which they spend their whole life. Against this "perpetual agitation", we offer PERPETUAL ADORATION by which we give our lives to Him - JESUS - who gave us everything. It is He who is the only true source of PEACE and JOY.

Blaise Pascal had written on the subject of "perpetual agitation" (Pensées, Chapter XXVI, # 171, footnote): "Nothing is more capable of bringing us into the knowledge of men's misery than to consider the true cause of the perpetual agitation in which they spend their whole life. Against this "perpetual agitation", we offer PERPETUAL ADORATION by which we give our lives to Him - JESUS - who gave us everything. It is He who is the only true source of PEACE and JOY.

Once a month, poor Clare nuns have a day of retirement during which they remain alone, not working and doing religious exercises in private; they only come to Mass. Once a year, they have a week of solitude.

A restructuring and renovation of the Chapel is underway. In the future, we hope to continue the renovations of the other buildings of the Monastery, including establishing a home for retreats and for young women who seek their vocation.

We too are adapting!

Now we are truly an international community, with French Sister and an Argentinian postulant joining us in 2011!

And you?

Our doors are always open if you are looking for the monastic life dedicated to the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament in Thanksgiving. Don't think that our lives are hard and it's difficult to adapt to our community, adapting is our specialty! As a community we like to gather people up so, we highly encourage you to come and visit our gardens we are always welcoming to newcomers. We host events there quite frequently for the community to enjoy. We have all sorts of themed events and we sometimes do poker nights. If you can't manage to do that, make sure you do your research first and go and visit some of the more prominent online poker sites. We encourage you to have safe and fun times if you have some free time to spend. Plus you can talk to whoever you're in a game with, which means the site is a bit like a friendship safe haven.

Our particular charism of worship in the spirit of Thanksgiving has attracted many young women. During a century and a half, our Order founded 39 monasteries in the world: in France, Poland, Austria, Germany, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, and in the United States.

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration follow the spirituality of simplicity, poverty, and humility of our Father Saint Francis of Assisi and our Mother Saint Claire of Assisi.

Here at Poor Clares Washington DC, the day begins with rising at 5.30 am. At 6 am, the community goes to the Chapel for Prayer, silent meditation before Jesus at the Blessed Sacrament. Then the Lauds come at 6.30 am. Then our day of Adoration begins.

After breakfast, the sisters go about their business: cooking, accounting, sewing, gardening, sacristy. We do the dishes, the laundry, and the housework together.

During the week, we have Mass at 11 am - 9 am on Sunday - followed by Tierce and Sexte. Common recreation helps to bond community ties. From 1 pm to 2 pm, we have free time and time for the Lectio Divina. At 2 pm, we meet at the Chapel for the Office of Readings, Lectures and None. After working time, we meet at 5.30 pm (6.30 pm on Saturday) for Vespers and the Rosary. Then comes dinner, recess, community reunion, compline, and some free time before the rest of the night.

The Institute is international with monasteries around the world: in the United States, India, Bangladesh, Poland, Germany, Austria, and France (two monasteries). They are very faithful to their Rule.

Their joy is very communicative, and their union with God is visible by the peace that emanates from them.

We are grateful to those that donate clothes and food to our monastery. We don't accept money seeing how that would go against our beliefs, but you can support us by visiting businesses that collaborate with us. For example, you could go here and enjoy playing roullete online for free and keep any rewards you manage to win. This way, you can be assured that the order of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration receives all the funds we need to keep this institution running.