The Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, trace their roots to Eichstätt, Bavaria, when sisters emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1852, and to St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1857. They came in response to a call to teach the children of European settlers and to establish a Benedictine community on the frontier. At the invitation of the people of St. Joseph in 1863, the sisters moved to this frontier town where they established roots and built their monastery.

Our Mission
We, the Sisters of Saint Benedict of St. Joseph, Minnesota, are a community of more than 250 women who seek God in our daily lives according to the Gospel and the Rule of Benedict. Through our ministry of prayer, work and community, we listen and respond to the needs of the Church and the world. Daily prayer, both communal and individual, is at the heart of our Benedictine life. We celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist daily. We nourish the contemplative dimension of our lives by holy reading (lectio divina) and meditation. This is our way of life; it is our ministry. As we look to the future, we are committed to the focus of enhancing the spiritual lives of others, particularly women.