Nuns in Pennsylvania build monastery to last centuries
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In Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Discalced Carmelite nuns are constructing a monastery intended to be a self-sustaining community and to endure for a thousand years.
Inspired by St. Teresa of Ávila, a 16th-century Spanish nun and reformer, the sisters aim to create a settlement resembling 19th-century American homesteads, raising animals and processing their own wool. As a cloistered community, the nuns dedicate their lives to prayer and view the physical construction of the monastery as an extension of their spiritual practice.
Initially, the sisters encountered difficulty finding builders willing to use traditional stone masonry, timber framing, and reclaimed local materials. However, they persisted in contacting contractors until they connected with Arch Masonry, who embraced the challenge. The nuns believe the process of building with these enduring materials will instill values of fidelity and authenticity in new members of their order. Architect Riccardo Vicenzino explained that building beautiful structures shapes those who create them.
The monastery’s design emphasizes permanence with load-bearing walls, milk paint, and windows installed without modern fasteners. The sisters are raising $100 million to complete the project, hoping it will serve as a lasting testament to their faith and a formative experience for generations to come.
