Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation in the United States
Serving Local Communities in Maine, New York, Illinois and Arizona
Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation in the United States
Serving Local Communities in Maine, New York, Illinois and Arizona
Sabattus, Maine
Sisters Monique, Therese, Francesca, Jacqueline, and Christine are in Maine. They coordinate the Loaves and Fishes of Sabattus program and serve the Prince of Peace Parish community.
Staten Island, New York
Sisters Marie Jude and Anne are in Staten Island, New York, and serve the St. Rita’s Parish community.
Chicago, Illinois
Sister Frances is in Chicago and teaches at the Cristo Rey School in Pilsen.
Klagetoh, Arizona
Sister Monica Dubois with members of the Navajo community in St. Anne’s mission in Klagetoh, Arizona.
The Dominican Sisters’ Mission
The Dominican Sisters who serve in Maine, New York, Illinois and Arizona are part of the Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation, an international religious congregation who describe their mission as follows: …to let our words and our lives tell every person near and far about God’s mercy and about his freeing and reconciling of the entire human family in Jesus Christ. We do this through a diversity of ministries.
The main office for the U.S. Vicariate of the Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation is in Sabattus, Maine. The convent in Sabattus is the residence of Sister Monique Belanger, O.P., the Vicarial Prioress, and of the other sisters who minister in the Sabattus area. The convent is also home to the LOAVES AND FISHES main office and pantry.
For more information about the Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation go to: www.crsdop.org or call the sisters in Sabattus at (207) 375-6583.
Sr. Jacqueline Provencher
Vicariate Counselor
Loaves and Fishes CEO
Sr. Monique Belanger
Vicarial Prioress
Sr. Monica Dubois
Vicariate Treasurer
Sister Frances is in Chicago with people from Cristo Rey High School
Sister Monica
on the Navajo reservation in Klagetoh
Sister Monique
and her Holy Cross choir
Sister Frances is in Chicago with people from Cristo Rey High School
Sister Monica on the Navajo reservation in Klagetoh
Sister Monique and her Holy Cross choir
History of the Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation in the U.S.
The Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation first came to Maine in 1904. They became part of St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Lewiston, doing ministry in the school, the catechesis program and providing extracurricular activities in theater, music and art. In the 1940’s, they became cofounders of St. Dominic’s High School, Girls Division. Later, in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, the sisters were called to staff other schools and religious education programs in:
Staten Island, New York;
Brookline, Massachusetts;
Phoenix, Arizona;
Beloit, Wisconsin;
Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa.
Today, the Dominican Sisters of the Roman Congregation, maintain two communities in the United States. One, is in Staten Island, New York, and the other is in Sabattus, Maine.
The Ave Maria Convent and Boarding School
The Sisters arrived in Sabattus and purchased the Sawyer farm for their dwelling in 1927. This was the beginning of the Ave Maria Convent and Boarding School. The sisters have served the people in the Sabattus area since those horse and buggy days of 1929. Some still remember the early farming days with the cows, the chickens, the drawing of water from the well, spending their vacations picking string beans and strawberries. They still have fond memories of many older parishioners of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, and retell exciting stories. A particular one, is that of the benefactor bringing the teaching sisters to the Our Lady of the Rosary School in a sleigh!
In 1986, the old Ave Maria convent was sold and a new convent was built on the property. The new convent was blessed on August 3, 1986 by Bishop Edward O’Leary. The message from Sister Lucille Fournier, then Provincial Prioress of the US Province of Dominican sisters, to all present was one of joy and hope “Our mission, as conceived by St. Dominic, is one of sharing God’s Word with all of God’s people. I hope this new dwelling place will serve as an invitation for everyone to ‘Come and see the goodness of our God’.
The little town of Sabattus is located just South of Augusta, North of Portland, East of Lewiston and West of Brunswick. The Sabattus Convent there is now the headquarters for the Dominican Sisters Vicariate Office. It is the residence of Sister Monique Belanger, the Vicarial Prioress, and other Dominican Sisters who minister in the area.
Sisters in Lewistown in the early 50’s
Remembering Past Members of the Dominican Sisters
The sisters hold dear the memory of the sisters who have built community and ministered in the Sabattus area over the years but have since passed away. For a list of our deceased sisters, please visit our memorials. We also remember the sisters who have worked with us and moved on to new locations. These sisters were the backbone of our communities and worked in a variety of ministries: religious education, school administration, teaching, nursing, social work and other parish or social ministries.
