York County, Pennsylvania, April 8, 2013
Main house at the new property
The original plan for the Convent called for it to be built on a parcel of land which is on the main property of Antiochian Village. However, it became clear that the cost of doing this would be too high, especially given that it would have required that all the infrastructure (road, water, electricity, and sewage) be made available at the site. There was also the risk that environmental concerns (such as the discovery of endangered plant life or animals) could have seriously impacted the building plans. The purchase was funded by a combination of the money that had been raised by the Antiochian Women through their multi-year fundraising effort, an endowment fund that had been set aside many years ago for this purpose, and generous donations from individual members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees.
Kitchen and dining room in the main house
We have undertaken a search for the abbess of the community, as well as women who are candidates to join the community as female monastics. The candidates are both existing nuns as well as women who feel a calling to the monastic life.
This is a most exciting development, and we ask for prayers that the Lord will greatly bless these efforts, and the women who will eventually form this monastic community.