About Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration · Canton, Ohio
The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (PCPA) are a cloistered, contemplative community of Franciscan nuns living at Sancta Clara Monastery on North Market Avenue in Canton, Ohio. Founded in 1946 as a daughter house of the first American Poor Clare monastery in Cleveland, the sisters live a life of papal enclosure dedicated to the Franciscan form of radical Gospel living and to Eucharistic adoration in a spirit of reparative thanksgiving. The community resides in a Tudor mansion donated by Canton businessman John O'Dea and his wife Ida, and it is the only contemplative house in the Diocese of Youngstown where the sisters pray before the Blessed Sacrament day and night.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi
- Rector
- Mother Mary Gertrude Espenilla, PCPA (Abbess)
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
Sancta Clara is the only contemplative house in the Diocese of Youngstown where adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continues day and night. Visitors are warmly welcomed into the chapel and on the grounds for daily prayer, weekday Mass at 9:00 AM, and Eucharistic adoration open to the public from 7:15 AM to 5:30 PM. The community hosts a public retreat center, regular bread and soup sales, and accepts prayer requests from around the world — making it a quiet oasis of prayer for anyone seeking peace, discernment, or a deeper encounter with Christ in the Eucharist.
Mass times at Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Public adoration in the chapel: 7:15 AM – 5:30 PM, daily
- Day-and-night adoration by the sisters (private enclosure)
About Sancta Clara Monastery
The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (PCPA) at Sancta Clara Monastery are cloistered, contemplative Franciscan nuns dedicated to the Eucharistic adoration in a spirit of reparative thanksgiving. They observe papal enclosure and live a life physically separated from the world yet spiritually united with it in the Heart of Christ. The community resides on a 15-acre estate in Canton, Ohio, in a Tudor mansion donated by the O'Dea family in 1945 and dedicated as a monastery on October 1, 1946.
- Founded October 1, 1946
- Member of the worldwide Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
- Part of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
- Current Abbess: Mother Mary Gertrude Espenilla, PCPA
History of the Monastery
Canton businessman John O'Dea and his wife Ida built the 24-room Tudor mansion that is now Sancta Clara in 1922. In August 1945 the O'Deas offered their 15-acre estate to Bishop James McFadden for the purpose of establishing a house of Eucharistic Adoration. Mother Mary Agnes, foundress of the first American monastery of the Order in Cleveland, sent six sisters — led by Mother Mary Clare as first abbess — to pioneer the foundation. The original chapel was the O'Deas' living room; the Shrine of Perpetual Adoration was dedicated in 1951. Among the founders was a young Rita Rizzo (later Sister Mary Angelica), who would go on to found EWTN in Alabama. The community marked 75 years in 2021 with a Mass of Celebration by Bishop David J. Bonnar.
- 1922 — O'Deas build the Tudor mansion on 15 acres at Market Avenue N and 44th Street
- August 1945 — O'Deas donate the estate to Bishop James McFadden
- October 1, 1946 — Bishop McFadden dedicates Sancta Clara Monastery
- 1951 — Shrine of Perpetual Adoration dedicated
- 1962 — Foundress Sister Mary Angelica (Rita Rizzo) leaves to found EWTN
- 2021 — 75th anniversary Mass of Celebration with Bishop Bonnar
Our Abbesses — Succession of Superiors
The monastery's website lists every Reverend Mother who has led the community since its foundation. The three living emerita abbesses are Mother Mary Magdalen, Mother Marion Celine, and the current Mother Mary Gertrude.
- Mother Mary Clare (foundress) — 1946–1956
- Mother Mary Veronica — 1956–1962
- Mother Mary Immaculate — 1962–1971
- Mother Mary Catherine — 1971–1977
- Mother Mary Michael — 1977–1980
- Mother Mary Reparata — 1980–1983
- Mother Joan Marie — 1983–1993
- Mother Kay Marie — 1993–2001
- Mother Marion Celine — 2001–2010
- Mother Mary Magdalen — 2010–2016
- Mother Mary Gertrude — 2016–present
Charism and Spirituality
Following the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, the sisters live a life of papal enclosure in the Franciscan tradition, dedicated to reparative thanksgiving before the Blessed Sacrament. The Divine Office fills approximately seven hours of each day, and the community's day begins shortly after midnight when an appointed 'knocker' rouses the sisters for two hours of prayer for the poor before the chapel observances begin.
- Francis form of radical Gospel living
- Eucharistic adoration in a spirit of reparative thanksgiving
- Papal enclosure
- Seven hours of Divine Office daily
- Night prayer begins after midnight
A Day in the Life
- Midnight — 'Knocker' wakes the sisters for prayer for the poor
- Pre-dawn — Continued prayer and chanting of the Divine Office
- 7:15 AM — Public adoration begins
- 9:00 AM — Daily Mass in the chapel
- Throughout the day — Work, meals in silence, additional hours of Divine Office
- 5:30 PM — Public adoration ends; the sisters continue day-and-night adoration in choir
Discerning a Vocation
Becoming a Poor Clare of Perpetual Adoration is a nine-year journey of formation that begins with an initial inquiry and progresses through postulancy, candidacy, temporary profession, and solemn vows. The community joyfully welcomes inquiries from Catholic women ages 18 to 40 who have completed high school, are in good physical, mental, emotional, and moral health, and feel drawn to Eucharistic adoration and community life. Inquiries can be made through the Vocations page on the monastery's website.
- Initial inquiry via the Vocation Directress
- Visits with the Abbess, Vocation Directress, and Community
- Postulancy → Candidacy → Temporary Profession (renewed up to 9 years)
- Solemn Profession of vows
- Women ages 18–40, high school graduates, in good health
Outreach and Community Life
Although cloistered, the sisters maintain a quiet but active ministry of hospitality. They receive prayer requests from around the world through their website, host a public retreat center in a converted former priests' residence, and run periodic bread and soup sales as a popular fundraiser and community touchpoint. They also keep a vegetable garden, a chicken coop, and a goat for self-sufficiency.
- Worldwide prayer request ministry via the website
- Public retreat center on the monastery grounds
- Bread and soup sales
- Garden, chicken coop (since 2019), and goat
- Reading of newspapers to keep up with current events
Monastery Cemetery
The grounds of Sancta Clara include a small community cemetery that is also available to the public. The O'Deas, the monastery's founders, are buried there, along with several of the sisters — including Canton native Sister Mary Assumpta McManus (d. 2016). The cemetery occupies what was once Mrs. O'Dea's original rose garden.
- John O'Dea (d. 1956) and Ida O'Dea (d. 1946) are buried here
- Sister Mary Assumpta McManus (d. 2016), Canton native, is buried here
- Original site of Mrs. O'Dea's rose garden
Contact and Visiting
Sancta Clara Monastery is located at 4200 North Market Avenue, Canton, OH 44714. The main office can be reached at 330-492-1171, weekdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. General inquiries may also be sent via the contact form on the website or to [email protected]. The chapel and grounds are open to the public daily for individual prayer from 7:15 AM to 5:30 PM.
- Address: 4200 North Market Avenue, Canton, OH 44714
- Phone: 330-492-1171
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Weekdays, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Chapel open daily: 7:15 AM – 5:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Mother Mary Clare1946–1956
Foundress and first Abbess of Sancta Clara Monastery
- Mother Mary Veronica1956–1962
- Mother Mary Immaculate1962–1971
- Mother Mary Catherine1971–1977
- Mother Mary Michael1977–1980
- Mother Mary Reparata1980–1983
- Mother Joan Marie1983–1993
- Mother Kay Marie1993–2001
- Mother Marion Celine2001–2010
- Mother Mary Magdalen2010–2016
- Mother Mary Gertrude Espenilla2016–present
Philippines native, served as a nurse in Iowa before vows; 20th year at Sancta Clara as of 2021