About Sisters of St. Benedict Center [Latin] · Still River, Massachusetts
The Sisters of Saint Benedict Center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (MICM), are a canonically recognized religious congregation in the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts, based in the village of Still River in Harvard, MA. They wear the traditional black habit and veil and live a monastic-adapted Benedictine life that blends contemplation with active apostolate. Their spiritual center is the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, built by the Brothers in 1976, which serves as the indult center for the Latin Tridentine Mass in the Diocese of Worcester. The community is specifically dedicated to the teaching and preservation of the Holy Catholic Faith through publishing, catechesis, and daily traditional liturgical life.
- Established
- 1976
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary; Saint Benedict (monastery patron)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Worcester
Why belong here
The Sisters of Saint Benedict Center offer a uniquely traditional Catholic spiritual home — the only indult center for the Latin Tridentine Mass in the Diocese of Worcester — where the faithful can attend daily Mass, Benediction, and the Latin Divine Office in a monastic setting. Young families especially have discovered this hidden gem on Route 110 for its catechetical formation, the Miraculous Medal Novena on Thursdays, and the spiritual fruits described by visitors as flowing from the community's consecration to Jesus through Mary. It is ideal for Catholics seeking the traditional liturgy, devotion to Our Lady under Saint Louis de Montfort's formula of Total Consecration, and the quiet of a contemplative countryside monastery.
Mass times at Sisters of St. Benedict Center [Latin]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. (after the 8:30 a.m. Mass)
- Thursday: 8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (after the 7:30 p.m. Miraculous Medal Novena & Benediction)
Adoration times
- Sunday: Vespers and Benediction at 5:00 p.m.
- Weekdays: Rosary and Benediction at 5:00 p.m.
About the Sisters of Saint Benedict Center
The Sisters of Saint Benedict Center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (MICM), are a canonically recognized religious congregation in the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts. They wear the traditional black habit and veil as a sign of consecration to Christ and a visible commitment to preserving traditional Catholic values in the twenty-first century. Their mother house is Saint Anne's House, located in the quaint village of Still River on more than 60 acres of rolling countryside in Worcester County, where they operate a small farm with extensive fruit and vegetable gardens.
- Canonically recognized as a Public Association of the Faithful in the Diocese of Worcester
- Adapted Rule of Saint Benedict combined with active apostolate (Ora et Labora)
- Mother house: Saint Anne's House, Still River, Harvard, MA
- 100+ acres, 15 buildings on the monastic campus
History of the Community
The Sisters' roots reach back to 1940, when Catherine Goddard Clarke founded Saint Benedict Center as a Catholic student gathering place in the shadow of Harvard. Father Leonard Feeney, SJ, became its spiritual director in 1943 and co-founded the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1949. In 1958 the community moved to Still River, embraced a modified Benedictine rule, and expanded its apostolate of publishing and teaching. After Sister Catherine's death in 1968, the community divided, and in 1976 Brother Hugh MacIsaac re-founded the Sisters of Saint Benedict Center, opened the IHM School, rebuilt From the Housetops, and built the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel. After his death in 1979, Brother Thomas Augustine Dalton was elected Superior and continues to lead the community.
- 1940 — Saint Benedict Center founded in Cambridge by Catherine Goddard Clarke
- 1943 — Father Leonard Feeney, SJ, assigned as spiritual director
- January 17, 1949 — Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary formally founded
- 1958 — Community relocates to Still River, Massachusetts
- 1968 — Sister Catherine dies; community begins to divide
- 1976 — Brother Hugh MacIsaac re-founds community; chapel built
- 1978 — Father Feeney dies, reconciled with Rome
- 1979 — Brother Hugh dies; Brother Thomas Augustine elected Superior
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, constructed by the Brothers and volunteers in 1976, stands as the spiritual center of Saint Benedict Center. It is the private monastery chapel of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and serves as the indult center for the Latin Tridentine Mass in the Diocese of Worcester. The chapel is open throughout the day for visits, and visitors are invited to attend the daily Latin Mass while observing the monastery's traditional dress code.
- Built 1976 by Brothers and volunteers on the small parcel allotted to the re-founded community
- Indult center for the Latin Tridentine Mass in the Diocese of Worcester
- Address: 282 Still River Rd, Harvard, MA 01451
- Dress code observed for visitors
Mass and Devotions Schedule
The daily Latin Tridentine Mass is offered in the IHM Chapel throughout the week, with a sung Mass on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. The full liturgical life includes a Latin Rosary each weekday morning, Vespers and Benediction on Sundays at 5:00 p.m., Compline at 7:30 p.m., and the Miraculous Medal Novena and Benediction every Thursday evening.
- Sunday: 7:00 a.m. Low Mass; 9:00 a.m. Sung Mass; 11:00 a.m. Low Mass
- Monday–Saturday: 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (Community Mass)
- Daily: Latin Rosary 8:00 a.m.; English Rosary & Benediction 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: Vespers & Benediction 5:00 p.m.; Compline 7:30 p.m.
- Thursday: Miraculous Medal Novena & Benediction 7:30 p.m.
Apostolates and Work
The congregation has always had three primary apostolates: community prayer (including daily Eucharistic Adoration, the chanting of the Divine Office, and the Holy Rosary) supporting the daily Mass; publishing and selling Catholic books across the United States; and catechetical work — preparing children for First Holy Communion and teaching adult convert classes. Sisters may also apply their skills in nursing, secretarial and administrative work, or farming.
- Daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction, Divine Office, Holy Rosary
- Publishing and selling Catholic books throughout the U.S.
- Catechesis of children and convert instruction
- Immaculate Heart of Mary School (founded 1976)
- Nursing, secretarial, administrative, and farming work
Formation and Vocations
Any Catholic woman between the ages of 18 and 50, of good mental and physical health and free from canonical impediment, is eligible to apply. Candidates must have received the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, submit certificates of physical and dental health, provide two or three letters of testimony from a priest or employer, have at least a high school education, and in most cases two or three years of 'real world' work experience. The community's formation path follows postulancy (six months to one year), novitiate (two years), juniorate (three years of annual vows), and final vows (after five or six years).
- Eligibility: Catholic women, ages 18–50
- Postulancy: 6–12 months
- Novitiate: 2 years
- Juniorate: 3 years (annual vows)
- Final vows: after 5–6 years
- Contact: Sister Cecilia or Sister Margaret Mary
True Devotion to Mary
The Sisters live the spirit of True Devotion to Mary as described by Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort in his treatise of the same name, consecrating themselves to Jesus through Mary and giving her the merits of all their actions without exception. This daily consecration, together with the traditional black habit and the Tridentine liturgy, forms the spiritual backbone of the community.
- Formula of Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary
- Daily consecration to Jesus through Mary
- Traditional black habit and veil
Visiting and Contact
The mother house, Saint Anne's House, is located in the village of Still River among the rolling hills and quiet countryside of Worcester County. It is close to several major Interstate routes and roughly an hour from Boston's Logan Airport and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire. The Sisters welcome potential candidates to visit after initial contact, and donations to the community are tax-deductible.
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 222, 54 Still River Road, Harvard, MA 01451
- Phone: (978) 456-8877
- Website: sistersofstbenedictcenter.org
- Donations tax-deductible
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Leonard Feeney, SJ (spiritual director of the original Saint Benedict Center, 1943–1958)1943–1958
Spiritual director of the original Cambridge student center; co-founder of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1949; excommunicated 1953, reconciled with Rome before his death in 1978.
- Catherine Goddard Clarke ('Sister Catherine')1940–1968
Foundress of Saint Benedict Center and co-founder of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Brother Hugh MacIsaac, MICM (re-founder)1976–1979
Re-founded the community in 1976; rebuilt apostolates, restarted From the Housetops, opened IHM School, oversaw construction of the chapel. Died of cancer July 11, 1979.
- Brother Thomas Augustine Dalton, MICM (Superior)1979–
Elected to succeed Brother Hugh; listed as current Superior of the Brothers' community.