St. Therese Convent, Contemplative Sisters of St John

St. Therese Convent was established in 1997 in the diocese of Peoria, near Princeville. Set in the beautiful countryside of rural Illinois, it offers an environment particularly suited to contemplative life. This house is currently our only English-speaking convent.

Our days are devoted to prayer, with daily times of communal and personal prayer. The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our day, which includes daily Mass as well as one hour of communal adoration each morning and evening. We bring the Church and the world before God in our intercessory prayer through the many intentions we receive. We also pray for vocations, for the missions of our apostolic brothers and sisters, and for our secular oblates who together with us form the St. John spiritual family.

We desire not only to pray, but for our entire life to be a prayer. The simplicity of our lifestyle fosters the silence that can help us become more open to listening to the voice of the Lord and to seeking his face in the events of life and in the different people we encounter. Lectio divina and prayer with the Word of God hold an essential place in our daily life. Times of personal and communal study, whether for initial or ongoing formation, are also important. Each day, we share in the responsibilities and ordinary tasks such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, and gardening, as well as the upkeep of the garden and the convent. We make and sell various handcrafted items to help meet our financial needs, including leather Magnificat and Bible covers, other leather goods, wooden bead rosaries, and original printed cards.

We wish to share this environment of prayer and peace with those who need silence and an opportunity to renew or deepen their relationship with God. To this end, we have a guest house where women, families, priests, and religious can come for a time of personal retreat. Our chapel is open to all who wish to pray, alone or with us. Periodically, we invite families with their children for a time of adoration with us. We also welcome opportunities to share the Word of God with those who desire it.

In short, we want to proclaim, through our presence and our life, that God is always present and how deeply each person is loved by him, and that together we can become, like Saint John, beloved disciples.

The link to our American website is: http://www.stjohncontemplativesisters.com