Who Are the Dominican Nuns?
Dominican Nuns are contemplative women who dedicate their lives entirely to seeking God through a life of prayer, silence, study, and community. Rooted in the tradition of St. Dominic, they live within cloistered monasteries across the United States, forming a quiet yet powerful presence in the heart of the Church.
Though each monastery is autonomous, they are united through the Constitutions of the Nuns of the Order of Preachers and through shared fidelity to the Dominican charism. As part of the wider Dominican Family, the nuns offer a vital witness to the Gospel through a hidden life of intercession, reflection, and radical trust in God.
Each day, Dominican Nuns:
- Pray the Liturgy of the Hours in common
- Engage deeply in Scripture and study
- Live in enclosure, practicing silence and solitude
- Work with their hands in support of the monastery
- Grow in communion through shared governance and sisterhood
- Witness to joy, simplicity, and the freedom of the Spirit
Dominican Monasteries in the U.S.
The United States is home to several contemplative Dominican monasteries, some more than a century old.
These communities continue the legacy of the Dominican contemplative life with deep faith, commitment, and joy.
Active Monasteries
Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary
- Buffalo, NY (1905)
- La Crosse, WI (1907)
- Linden, VA (Relocated from Washington, DC – 2008)
- Summit, NJ (1919)
- Lancaster, PA (1922)
- Syracuse, NY (1925)
- Elmira, NY (1944)
- Springfield, IL (2015 – Relocated from New Castle, DE and previously from Washington, DC)
- Marbury, AL (1945)
- North Guilford, CT (1947)
Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
- Bronx, NY (1899)
- Farmington Hills, MI (1906)
- Menlo Park, CA (1921)
- Los Angeles, CA (1924)
- Lufkin, TX (1945)
Diocesan Monasteries
- Milwaukee, WI (1897)
- Ortonville, MI (1973)
Former Monasteries (Now Closed)
- Union City, NJ (1891)
- Catonsville, MD (1899)
- Camden, NJ (1900)
- Newark, NJ (1880)
- Cincinnati, OH (1915)
- Albany, NY (1915)
Interested in the Contemplative Dominican Life?
To learn more about Dominican Monasteries or how to explore a vocation to contemplative life, we invite you to visit or reach out to any of the communities above. The Dominican Nuns welcome those seeking a life of deep prayer, sacred study, and joyful community rooted in silence and the presence of God.