Housing Crisis & Solutions

God’s Way of Helping Us to Improve Our Living Quarters

How Bad Was the Mold Problem?

It was bad. We had the convent evaluated by several professional companies and individuals. We received the following assessments:

Built in 1995, the convent was constructed without step-flashing. The mold inside the walls was between one to two feet high, even higher in some places.
One wing of the attic was overrun with black mold due to an inadequate ventilation design.

What Did It Take to Remediate the Mold?

We were able to save very little of the furniture and none of the beds. The interior work was completed in May, 2025; the exterior work was completed in November, 2026.

Removing the bottom two feet of exterior walls and zip boards and installing weather-proof siding with mold-resistant coating.
Removing the sheathing that has been on since 2019, following our first attempt at convent repairs.
Replacing the many studs that have been damaged by mold.
Pulling out and replacing the old insulation.
Repairing sections of damaged dry wall.
Cleaning and storing all the books in the library and everything in the mold-ridden attic.

How Serious Was the Space Crisis?

Serious enough that it would be illogical for us to move back into our old convent even now that it has been remediated. This is why we are building a new home with room for our growing Community!

For many years Saint Philomena’s Convent was ideal for our purposes. Our seven Sisters (who became eight in 2017) fit comfortably into its eight cells. Mass was offered once a month in the chapel, and we often had guests join us for meals in the spacious refectory.
Barely a week after evacuating our convent, we received a new postulant. Even if Saint Philomena’s Convent were livable, with nine Sisters and only eight cells—we have outgrown it!
Religious life necessitates a certain amount of personal space in order that, free from distractions, those consecrated to God may focus on Him in the quiet of their own hearts. This is why, traditionally, convents allot each member her own room, called a “cell.”

A Plea from Our Mother Prioress

We Need Heaven's Help and Yours!

As the Mother Prioress of this beautiful Community, it pains me to watch my daughters bearing bravely with the deprivations of our current situation. We are nine Sisters squeezed into an upstairs wing of our main school building. One room has four Sisters in it. We have no infirmary; if one Sister is ill, she must move a cot into one of the classrooms at night to keep from waking the rest of the Community. The lack of privacy is a trial to our interior lives. While embracing this cross, we still are asking God to provide us with a real home, one where we can live out our vocation to the fullest possible extent! Thank you for your prayers and support. Each donation we receive deeply touches our hearts, and we are more grateful for your generosity than words can say. You are remembered in our daily prayers.

May Our Lady bless you with Her Holy Child.

—Sister Mary Peter, Mother Prioress

Our Solution

Thank you for making this possible!

Part 1: Sell Saint Philomena's Convent

After crews of workmen emptied the old convent, new siding, windows, and doors were installed. We and many wonderful volunteers met recently to clean up the grounds around the building so as to put it on the market soon. We hope to sell the convent and use the funds to help offset the cost of constructing a new home.

Part 2: Get Our New Floor Plans Approved

With the help of an enthusiastic professional, we have the new floor plans ready. These must next be submitted to our local zoning board for approval.

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Part 3: Build Our Home

Using the property just west of the building we had designed to be a school, we are going to construct a new home that shall, God willing, accommodate our Community for many years (and many vocations!) to come. None of this would have been possible without the generous aid of our friends and benefactors. May God bless you!

Discussing floor plan proposals for the new convent!

Side view of old cloister

Front door of the old St. Philomena's Convent

Unfinished siding from November, 2023

Praying for our benefactors in front of the miraculous image of Our Lady in Boston

Sunset over the building behind which the new convent will be built