Dominican Sisters of Mary

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, is a teaching Order of sisters who are considered by many to be the best teaching community in the United States. One of the fastest growing Orders, the Dominican Sisters of Mary are vibrant, joyful, and in love with the Church.

Peoria Mission Convent

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist founded a mission convent in the Diocese of Peoria in August 2013, with two sisters teaching at Saint Jude Catholic School and two at Peoria Notre Dame High School. In 2015, Sr. Maria Christi Nelson, OP became the second principal of St. Jude Catholic School and the school has had Dominican sisters as administrators since that time. Since its founding in 2013, the Peoria mission convent has grown to seven sisters, with four serving at SJCS and two serving at PNDHS.

Educating in Virtue, Forming in Faith

At the heart of Catholic education is the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the Master Teacher. As Dominicans, the Sisters’ primary apostolate is teaching. As they engage in the new evangelization, the Sisters are open to new forms of handing down the faith, and in particular, the work of catechesis.

Women religious have been an integral part of the history of Catholic education in the United States. The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, seek to continue the tradition of educating generations of young people in their Faith and most of all, to bring youth into deeper relationship with Christ.

Drawing upon their own intimate relationship with Christ as women religious, the Sisters bring a conviction and a passion to their apostolate as they offer to others their knowledge of Christ and His Church. Formed first in the sanctuary and in the cloister as contemplatives, the Sisters are able to bring the Truth to the classroom with a faith formation that includes liturgical, doctrinal, spiritual and moral dimensions.

Pope Benedict said “The dignity of education lies in fostering the true perfection and happiness of those to be educated.” It is the Sisters’ hope to join in the great endeavor of fostering the true perfection in virtue of their students and all those they encounter, with an educational focus on the virtues as inspired by Saint Thomas Aquinas.

At this juncture in the Catholic Church’s history in our country, which is in such great need for the new evangelization spoken of by Blessed John Paul II, the Dominican Sisters serve the Church by deepening the renewal of Catholic education and bringing consecrated women religious back into the schools.

Mission Statement

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist is a Roman Catholic community of women religious based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our community was founded in the Dominican tradition to spread the witness of religious life in accord with Pope John Paul II's vision for a new evangelization.

Through profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, along with a contemplative emphasis on Eucharistic adoration and Marian devotion, our community exists for the salvation of souls and the building of the Church throughout the world. As Dominicans, our primary apostolate is the education and formation of young people. We remain open to engaging the modern culture with new forms of evangelization in order to preach the Gospel and teach the Truth.

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are members of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR).