About Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament · Farmington Hills, Michigan
The Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament is a cloistered Dominican monastery of nuns located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, within the Archdiocese of Detroit. Founded in 1906 by Mother Mary Emmanuel Noel and six companion nuns from the Monastery of St. Dominic in Newark, New Jersey, the community lives a contemplative life centered on Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the daily celebration of the Eucharist and Divine Office. Their chapel is open to the public daily, a single Mass is celebrated each morning at 7:15 AM, and the nuns intercede silently day and night for the Church and the world. Today about 22 professed sisters live in papal enclosure, sharing the Dominican charism of prayer, study, community, and mission.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- Blessed Sacrament (Blessed Sacrament of the Altar)
- Rector
- Sr. Mary Rani, O.P. (Prioress)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
Why belong here
Faithful in the Detroit area are warmly welcomed to step inside this working cloister for daily Mass, silent time in the chapel, and the graces that flow from a community given wholly to Eucharistic adoration. Visitors can attend the single daily 7:15 AM Mass, spend quiet hours in the public chapel between 6:45 AM and 5:00 PM, and bring prayer requests to be placed on the sisters' prayer board. The monastery also hosts a small gift shop run by the extern sisters and is the spiritual home of a Lay Dominican Fraternity that extends the four pillars of study, prayer, community, and mission beyond the cloister walls.
Mass times at Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the enclosure day and night (sisters keep adoration in addition to daytime adoration, on scheduled one-hour periods from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM).
- Public chapel open daily from 6:45 AM to 5:00 PM for personal prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
About the Monastery
The Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament is a cloistered Dominican monastery in the Archdiocese of Detroit, home today to about twenty-two professed cloistered nuns living under papal enclosure. Their charism centers on adoring Christ in the Eucharist through Perpetual Adoration day and night, on praying the Divine Office in common, and on interceding silently for the Church and the world. The community identifies itself with Mary's 'pondering' of the Word — sharing in the preaching mission of the Order of Preachers by the witness of Gospel living and unceasing prayer.
- Cloistered Dominican nuns living contemplative lives of prayer and study
- Perpetual Adoration of Christ in the Eucharist, day and night
- Approximately 22 professed members (plus novices in formation)
- Member of the Second Order of the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers)
- Located within the Archdiocese of Detroit
History
Founded on Passion Sunday, April 1, 1906, in thanksgiving for the seventh centenary of St. Dominic's monastery of Our Lady of Prouille in France, the community was established in Detroit by Mother Mary Emmanuel Noel and six companion sisters from the Monastery of St. Dominic in Newark, New Jersey. The chapel on Oakland Avenue was formally dedicated on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1912, and the community relocated to the present Farmington Hills monastery on June 17, 1966, with Archbishop John F. Dearden dedicating the new chapel on July 1, 1966 — the Feast of the Precious Blood. The sisters marked the centennial of their arrival in Michigan in 2006 with the publication of Monastic Milestones.
- April 1, 1906: Founding in Detroit, welcomed by Bishop John S. Foley
- 1907–1908: Temporary residence at 1180 Cass Avenue after sale of Murphy Mansion
- 1908: Groundbreaking for permanent monastery at 9704 Oakland Avenue
- 1911: Chapel cornerstone laid, June 25
- 1912: Chapel dedicated March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation) by Bishop Edward D. Kelly
- 1915: Seven sisters, including Mother Mary Emmanuel, depart to found Albany, NY
- 1950s: Mother Mary of Jesus Kalt appeals to Cardinal Mooney about deteriorating building; Mooney donates land at 13 Mile & Middlebelt
- 1964: Groundbreaking for current monastery, August 16
- 1965: Cornerstone laid, June 27
- 1966: Relocation to Farmington Hills, June 17; dedication Mass by Archbishop John F. Dearden, July 1
- 2006: Publication of Monastic Milestones on the community's centennial
Daily Life and Horarium
The sisters' day flows from prayer into study and manual work, then back into prayer. The horarium begins at 5:00 AM with the rising bell; Office of Readings and private prayer follow at 5:25 AM, and the community gathers for 7:15 AM Mass. Midmorning Prayer (Terce) at 9:15 AM launches a period of work and study until None (1:00 PM), with optional recreation in the early afternoon and a period of profound silence from 2:00 PM. Evening Prayer (Vespers) is sung at 4:30 PM, followed by supper, the communal Rosary at 7:00 PM, community recreation, and Night Prayer (Compline) at 8:00 PM. Throughout the night hours sisters keep perpetual adoration in one-hour turns.
- 5:00 AM — Rising Bell
- 5:25 AM — Office of Readings & Private Prayer
- 7:15 AM — Mass
- 9:15 AM — Midmorning Prayer (Terce)
- 9:20 AM — Work and/or Study
- 1:00 PM — Midafternoon Prayer (None)
- 1:05 PM — Optional Recreation
- 2:00 PM — Profound Silence
- 4:30 PM — Evening Prayer (Vespers)
- 5:00 PM — Private Prayer
- 6:00 PM — Supper
- 7:00 PM — Rosary
- 7:20 PM — Community Recreation
- 8:00 PM — Night Prayer (Compline)
Vocations and Formation
Single Catholic women between the ages of 21 and 40 who are American citizens or permanent residents, in good physical and psychological health, and drawn to a life of prayer and silence are invited to inquire about a vocation with the community. The Initial Formation Program is structured according to the Vatican document 'Cor Orans' and typically takes between nine and twelve years. The monastery hosts an annual Vocation Discernment Retreat at the Farmington Hills house; the next one is scheduled for Friday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26, 2026. Inquiries may be sent through the online vocation inquiry form or emailed to the Vocation Directress.
- Requirements: single woman, practicing Roman Catholic, ages 21–40, American citizen or permanent resident
- Qualities sought: fidelity and love for the Church; joyful, generous spirit; attraction to prayer; ability to live in community and solitude
- Initial Formation Program follows Vatican document 'Cor Orans' (9–12 years)
- Annual Vocation Discernment Retreat on-site
- Vocation inquiry form available on opnuns-fh.org/vocation-inquiry-form
- Vocation Directress email: [email protected]
- Monastery phone: (248) 626-8253
Lay Dominican Fraternity
A Lay Dominican Fraternity is associated with the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament and shares in its mission from outside the cloister. The Fraternity builds its life on the four pillars of the Dominican Order — study, prayer, community, and mission — and gathers once a month in the monastery's Guild Room, typically the second Sunday at 1:00 PM, to pray together (including elements of the Liturgy of the Hours), study, and hear a reflection on the Gospel of the day. The group also undertakes mission activities (such as supporting 'God's Favor,' which provides lunches to those in need in Detroit's Cass Corridor, and assisting the Archdiocese's Iraqi Resettlement Program), takes an annual pilgrimage, an annual retreat, and an annual picnic, and hosts a Day of Remembrance at the monastery each November. Catholic adults (18 and older) are welcome.
- Approximately 17 active lay members
- Monthly meeting: second Sunday, 1:00 PM, in the Guild Room
- Built on Dominican pillars: study, prayer, community, mission
- Members make temporary and then perpetual professions
- Service projects include 'God's Favor' lunch ministry (Cass Corridor, Detroit) and the Iraqi Resettlement Program
- Contact: Patricia Shea, President and Formation Director, via the monastery at (248) 626-8253
Gift Shop and Visiting
Visitors to the monastery may browse a small gift shop operated by the sisters' extern helpers. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 8:15 AM to 2:30 PM. The public chapel itself is open from 6:45 AM until 5:00 PM daily, allowing guests to attend Mass, sit in silence before the Blessed Sacrament, and submit prayer intentions to be placed on the prayer board.
- Chapel open to the public: 6:45 AM – 5:00 PM, daily
- Gift Shop hours: Monday–Saturday, 8:15 AM – 2:30 PM
- Daily Mass open to the public: 7:15 AM
Contact and Visiting
The monastery welcomes visitors to its chapel and gift shop during posted hours and responds to phone and email inquiries during normal business hours. Vocations questions go to the Vocation Directress; prayer requests may be submitted online and are placed on the prayer board outside the sisters' chapel.
- Address: 29575 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334-2311
- Phone: (248) 626-8253
- General email: [email protected]
- Vocation Directress email: [email protected]
- Prayer Request form on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Mother Mary Emmanuel Noel, O.P.1906–1915 (in Detroit)
Foundress; one of four American foundresses of the Dominican nuns in the U.S.; led seven sisters from Newark, NJ to Detroit in 1906; departed in November 1915 with six companions to found the Albany, NY monastery.
- Mother Mary of Jesus Kalt, O.P.1950s
Prioress who appealed to Cardinal Mooney about the deteriorating Oakland Avenue monastery; helped launch the campaign to build the present Farmington Hills monastery.