About Monastery of the Poor Clares · Cleveland, Ohio
The Monastery of the Poor Clares in Cleveland, Ohio is a cloistered, contemplative community of Poor Clare Colettine Nuns who live a life of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As daughters of St. Francis and St. Clare, the sisters follow the Holy Gospel in simplicity through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, structuring each day around the Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass, work, and Eucharistic adoration. The Cleveland monastery was the very first American foundation of the Order of Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (founded in Paris in 1854) and is the motherhouse from which 17 additional Poor Clare monasteries have been founded across the United States and India. The sisters maintain a public chapel at 3501 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland, where daily Mass is offered to the faithful.
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi (Co-patroness: St. Francis of Assisi); the adjacent public shrine is dedicated to the Conversion of St. Paul
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
The Monastery of the Poor Clares offers something rare in American Catholic life: a cloistered, contemplative community whose entire day is structured around perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Visitors and neighbors are welcomed into the sisters' public chapel at 3501 Rocky River Drive for daily 6:45 AM Mass, and the adjoining Conversion of St. Paul Shrine offers perpetual Eucharistic adoration, weekday noon Mass, and Sunday 10:00 AM Mass staffed by Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Drawing faithful from across the Cleveland area — and supporting vocations from around the world — the monastery is a place for prayer, retreats, and thanksgiving, where the cloistered sisters intercede before the Lord for the salvation of souls.
Mass times at Monastery of the Poor Clares
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the adjacent Conversion of St. Paul Shrine (4108 Euclid Avenue).
About the Monastery
The Monastery of the Poor Clares in Cleveland is home to a cloistered, contemplative community of Poor Clare Colettine Nuns dedicated to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As daughters of St. Francis and St. Clare, the sisters live the Holy Gospel simply and plainly, observing the Form of Life given by the saints through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The community is composed of cloistered contemplative nuns and extern sisters who together live one life in common, united in sisterly affection and shared prayer and work.
History & Foundations
The Order of Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration was founded in Paris, France on December 8, 1854. The very first American monastery of the order was established in Cleveland in 1921 by Mother M. Agnes Eichler of Vienna, Austria, at the invitation of Cleveland Bishop Joseph Schrembs. After outgrowing its first residence near University Circle, the community moved in 1931 to the former St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Euclid Avenue, which Bishop Schrembs refurbished and dedicated on October 2, 1931 as the Church of the Conversion of St. Paul. The Cleveland community has since founded 17 additional monasteries — three in the United States and fourteen in India — and Mother Angelica of EWTN fame began her vocation here.
- 1921 — Mother M. Agnes and Sister Mary Cyrilla arrive in Cleveland
- Christmas Night 1921 — perpetual exposition of the Blessed Sacrament inaugurated
- 1925 — among first U.S. cloistered communities to receive privilege of solemn vows
- 1931 — Church of the Conversion of St. Paul dedicated; sisters move to the Gothic former-Episcopal church on Euclid Avenue
- 1978 — Capuchin Franciscan Friars (Province of St. Augustine) invited to take pastoral care of the shrine
- 2021 — 100th anniversary of the Cleveland foundation
- 2024 — first-ever North American tour of relics of Sts. Clare and Francis of Assisi hosted at the monastery
Life in the Monastery
The sisters' day is built around the Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass, work, and adoration. From the early-morning Office of Readings through to Night Prayer at 7:45 PM and retirement at 8:45 PM, every moment is consecrated to prayer and thanksgiving before the Blessed Sacrament.
- 5:00 AM — Rise
- 5:30 AM — Morning Prayer and silent meditation
- 6:45 AM — Holy Mass and Thanksgiving
- 8:50 AM — Kitchen and refectory work
- 11:05 AM — Mid-Day Prayer, examen, dinner
- 1:30 PM — Recreation
- 2:40 PM — Mid-Afternoon Prayer
- 3:00 PM — Work time (with classes or singing practice)
- 4:40 PM — Rosary and Evening Prayer
- 7:30 PM — Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
- 7:45 PM — Night Prayer
Conversion of St. Paul Shrine
Across the street from the sisters' enclosure stands the Conversion of St. Paul Shrine, the Gothic former-Episcopal church built in 1875 that has served as the community's home since 1931. Pastored since 1978 by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars of the Province of St. Augustine, the Shrine offers the faithful a place for perpetual adoration, weekday noon Mass, and Sunday 10:00 AM Mass. A multi-year restoration completed around the monastery's centennial included interior painting, stained-glass and window repairs, a new roof (2016), and a refurbished Sacred Heart of Jesus altar and tabernacle.
- Pastor: Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Province of St. Augustine
- Shrine address: 4120 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103
- Shrine phone: 216-431-8854
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM
- Weekday Mass: 12:00 PM (Mon–Sat)
- Confessions: 11:30 AM Mon–Sat, or by appointment
- Notable features: Gothic architecture (1875), Sacred Heart altar, Our Lady of the Eucharist mural, stained-glass windows
Vocations
As a contemplative cloistered community, the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration welcome women who feel called to a life of prayer, solitude, and Eucharistic adoration. All formation takes place within the monastery and lasts a minimum of nine years before solemn (perpetual) vows. Good physical and mental health and at least a high school education are required, along with a love of prayer, the desire to serve God and the Church through humble labor and prayer, and the ability to live joyfully in community.
- Cloistered contemplative vocation for women
- Vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience
- Minimum nine years of formation before solemn vows
- Motherhouse: Cleveland, OH (autonomous within the Colettine Poor Clare family)
- Currently ~13 sisters (12 cloistered + 1 extern)
- Belated vocations considered case-by-case
Prayer Requests
In keeping with their cloistered form of life, the sisters do not use email or the internet. Prayer intentions are relayed to the community by a secular Franciscan and the sisters remember each request in their perpetual prayer of thanksgiving before the Blessed Sacrament.
- Prayer requests can be submitted via the monastery's 'Prayer Requests' page (pcc-cle.org/prayer-requests)
- Prayer Line for the Shrine: 216-361-0783 ext. 1
Support the Sisters
The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration Foundation (pcpafnd.org) is a separate 501(c)(3) that helps sustain the sisters and the upkeep of the Conversion of St. Paul Shrine. The Foundation hosts an annual Mass & Gala — including the 2025 centennial-cycle event featuring keynote speaker Mike Fratello — and welcomes donations of time, talent, and treasure. A $400,000 restoration of the Shrine was completed around the monastery's 90th anniversary, and a record-setting $200,000 was raised at the 2022 fundraiser.
- Annual Mass & Gala (typically Mercy Sunday / Divine Mercy Sunday)
- Tickets and table reservations via one.bidpal.net/2025clares
- Foundation phone: 330-996-4090
- Gifts of time, talent, and treasure welcomed
Visiting the Chapel & Gift Shop
Faithful and visitors are warmly welcomed at the monastery's public chapel and gift shop. The gift shop is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00–11:00 AM and 1:00–7:00 PM, providing visitors an opportunity to support the sisters and bring home devotional items.
- Gift Shop hours: 9:00–11:00 AM and 1:00–7:00 PM, Monday–Saturday
- Address: 3501 Rocky River Drive, Cleveland, OH 44111
- Phone: 216-941-2820
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Mother Mary Agnes Eichler (Mother M. Agnes of Vienna)1921 – founding superior
Co-founder with Sister Mary Cyrilla Zotter of the first American Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration monastery in Cleveland, arriving December 1921 at Bishop Schrembs' invitation.
- Mother Mary Joseph, PCPA
Listed as current Abbess of the Cleveland Adoration Monastery on the community's official website.