Sister Ramona Varela OSB, Prioress General of the Congregation of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, announced that Osage+Monastery located in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, would be closed in spring 2008. “Our primary focus and considerations,” she said, are the health and well being of our sisters, that our mission of prayer and quality of monastic living may be safeguarded as we strive to responsibly conserve resources.”

The Osage ashram-monastery was founded in 1980 by Sister Pascaline Coff OSB and four other Perpetual Adoration sisters, whose motherhouse is in Clyde, Missouri. The founding sisters were inspired by the Second Vatican Council’s document on the relation of the Catholic Church to other religions, Nostra Aetate, and by the request of the Vatican that monastic men and women be in the vanguard of this new movement.

Osage+Monastery has been unique in simplicity of lifestyle and hospitality, welcoming people all faiths as well as clergy and lay Christians of other denominations. The Sisters at Osage have hosted countless retreats, private and directed. Fr. Bede Griffiths, OSB OCam, from Shantivanam Ashram in southern India graced Osage+Monastery with his presence and teaching on five different occasions, inspiring the Sisters and the monastery’s oblates and friends with a deep love for contemplative prayer and dialogue.

In announcing the closing Sister Ramona said, “It is with deep regret this decision must be made; yet with trust in God we hope to continue the good work within our Congregation that has been done at Osage, especially the East/West Dialogue.”