Bishop Johnston announces new convent for Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

Convent will be home to Sisters on mission at schools in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

Bishop James Johnston recently announced that a new convent for the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist will be built on the campus of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Blue Springs.

“The Dominican Sisters have shared their charism for Catholic education with hundreds of students in our diocese, adding tremendous value to their education and Christian formation for their lives,” said Bishop Johnston.

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist were founded in 1997 and express the Dominican charism of “contemplating and giving to others the fruits of contemplation” primarily through education. They serve in twenty locations throughout the United States and in Rome.

Discussions about a convent for the Sisters in the diocese date back to 2017 when the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based religious community sent four Sisters on mission to serve at St. Michael the Archangel High School in Lee’s Summit. While various locations were evaluated, the Sisters have been living at a residence on the campus of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist in Independence.

The Sisters look forward to becoming part of a parish family and serving at a new school on the property of St. Robert Bellarmine.

The convent will be entirely funded by the diocese and a benefactor who does not belong to the parish, allowing the parish to focus its development efforts on improvements to its existing buildings.

Mother Amata Veritas, prioress general for the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, said, “We are so grateful to Bishop Johnston, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and St. Robert Bellarmine Parish for their goodness to us. The Diocese and the anonymous benefactor providing the convent are in our prayers as we continue serving in the educational apostolate in a new way.”