The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
The Sisters' Work
Since their arrival in Missouri in 1876, the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have been involved in many different types of work in order to help and support their community. A few of their most significant contributions include running and orphanage, opening a boarding school, managing an industrial school, and making alter bread. These are merely a few things the sisters have been involved in over the years.
The orphanage children posing for a group picture.
Orphanage
As the sisters were making money from their work in the community, they needed to figure out what to do with it. They turned to looking at buildings to construct based on their needs, and eventually settled on an orphanage. This was realized when the sisters took in two young girls from the area who had no relatives or money to support them.
Boarding School
Their boarding school had its roots in the sisters earliest work in the area as they had been educating German immigrants since their arrival. After running a makeshift school, they decided to officially open a real one. Their want to help as many people as possible led them to open this school in 1876 which would eventually teach and house over fifty students at a time.
A picture of the convent lands and buildings in Clyde.
Industrial School
The industrial school was opened in the 1880s in order to provide work and further education for the children in the orphanage. They taught the children trade skills such as carpentry, welding, blacksmithing, woodworking, and more. They learned these skills through instruction as well as through doing work for community members.
Where the orphanage children lived, played, and worked.
Altar Bread
The sisters began making altar bread very early on after their convent was built in Clyde. They found this to be an easy process that was able to help them make money to support other ventures. They still make alter bread to this day and ship it around the country.
