The Sisters’ motherhouse is in Spokane, Washington, in the east wing of a large facility that was originally built in 1917 as a Jesuit scholasticate. Besides the convent, Mount St. Michael also houses a K-12 academy, parish church, meeting halls, guest room, print shop, mail order house and book store. Thus the Mount, which was recently placed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings, continues to this day to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally built: as an institution of Catholic education.
Because of the age of the building, not only has it required a number of costly improvements to meet fire codes, but there are often unexpected expenses, such as having to replace the main pump of the well a few years ago, and now replacing the ancient elevator that ceased to function in December of 2005. It was the second oldest elevator in the city! Since energy prices have sky-rocketed, the heating bill for a winter month can easily exceed $12,000 — and so the heat is turned on for only a few hours in the morning and evening on most days.
The Sisters’ main means of support comes from the tuition of the students attending their school, St. Michael’s Academy. Yet this is by no means sufficient. Summer can be difficult because there is no tuition coming in during the months in which school is not taught. Even during the school year, some parishioners find it difficult or impossible to afford the tuition for their children. While the pastor and the nuns try to find ways to accommodate such cases, it is necessary at times to seek sponsors to provide tuition so that both school and convent can be maintained.
The apostolate of “the Singing Nuns” is one of the ways the Sisters bring in additional support to help maintain the convent. Yet it is a work that has truly become a mission as well, for music has a wonderful power of uplifting and consoling the human heart; it is indeed another way of leading souls to God.
If you would like to contribute to the support the Sisters, even in a little way, please go to this page.
“As long as you did it for one of these, the least of My brethren, you did it for Me.” — Matt. 25:40
